Getting to Know Sumac, An Underutilized Herb
An Herbal Diary
What makes a fruit or vegetable easy to find in grocery stores? While there are many answers to this question, a lot of edible medicinal herbs are not, herbs like nettles, burdock root and elderberries. To this list, I am adding sumac berries. Sumac may not give us delicious fruit, but there is good reason to get to know it better and I am doing this in my kitchen. And in case you are wondering, this is a totally different plant than toxic poison sumac. My favorite sources for dried sumac: Join me in this episode for more on sumac…its uses as a culinary spice and as an underutilized...
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The Medicine of Tree Bark and Flowering Spring Trees
An Herbal Diary
What makes a tree medicinal? The answer to this question depends on the medicine we are searching for. Especially in spring, trees can be medicine for our eyes. After the grayness of winter, glorious flowering trees like dogwood and magnolia are sweet visions. Aside from landscaping decoration, both dogwood and magnolia along with many other trees,have long been used for strong medicines derived from their bark.Tree bark has phytochemicals that make it bitter, astringent, and highly antimicrobial. Bark is a tree’s protective layer, helping it to survive through winter cold and other dangers...
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Warming Energetics and Evergreen Trees
An Herbal Diary
Plant energetics is a way to understand how a plant can affect the body through our senses and how it feels in the body. Energetics is subtle, but so helpful when choosing herbs. The difference between warming and cooling plant energetics is like feeling the warmth of the sun versus a cool plunge into the ocean. In this episode, we delve deep into warming energetics and match these with a group of trees that provide great examples: evergreens. These trees have great potential for kitchen uses and herbal remedies. We talk all about juniper, fir, hemlock and spruce trees. Some...
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Kitchen Medicine: Pine Needle Salve
An Herbal Diary
Pine trees are trees that are very familiar especially because of their long thin needles and pine cones. But they seem overlooked for their culinary and herbal remedy benefits. In this episode, I am back in my kitchen with elegant pine needles brewing a tea blended with warming spices and preparing a skin healing salve. I’ll talk you through all the steps. Thank you for joining me! Pine Needle Chai: 1 cinnamon stick 1 teaspoon dried ginger 2 teaspoons dried orange peel or zest of 1 orange 1 allspice berry ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 2 tablespoons chopped fresh pine needles or 2 teaspoons dried...
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A Tea Decoction that Tastes like Juice
An Herbal Diary
Herbal teas are a lovely way to be creative and experience herbs on a daily basis. Brewing herbal teas can take on different forms and tastes, including juice-like creations when dried berries are used as the main ingredients. These berry teas are a wonderful way to gain nutrient benefits from herbs. In this episode I am sharing my current favorite method for brewing herbal tea that feels more like a juice. Thank you for joining me. Tea “Juice” Decoction ¼ cup dried elderberries ¼ cup dried hawthorn berries ¼ cup dried sea buckthorn berries ⅛ cup dried goji berries ⅛ cup dried rose...
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53. Little Herb Saver: Part 2 Lemon Balm Monograph
An Herbal Diary
The Little Herb Saver: Lemon balm is like a blanket of peace, calming a nervous stomach, reducing anxiety, elevating a gloomy feeling, and providing relief for sleepless nights. That’s a lot, but that’s also not all. Lemon balm is easy to grow, lovely to eat or drink as tea, powerful in its own right but not in a way that lends caution to using it. To get more lemon balm into our lives, can only be a good thing. And this is why I deem it a little herbal saver. Thank you for joining me for this part 2 lemon balm monograph. (Episode 52 is part 1) Lemon Balm Vinaigrette: 3...
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52. Lemon Balm Monograph Part 1
An Herbal Diary
Lemon balm is soothing, calming and uplifting, whether fresh or dried its a pleasure to have and use. Lemon balm is such a gem that it deserves a a two part herbal monograph. Here in part 1, Dina focuses on lemon balm's origin and the benefits it can offer for us now. Also offering favorite sources for dried lemon balm and some recipes for making teas and tinctures. Thank you for joining me. Recipes in Episode: Lemon Balm Tea: 1-2 tsp dried lemon balm with 8 ounces hot water, steep 15-20 minutes. Lemon Balm Tincture: 50g lemon balm + 250ml Vodka Lemon Balm Cordial: 1 cup chopped apples (Granny...
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51. Lemon Balm Scones are Medicine for the Baker
An Herbal Diary
Baking and herbs both calm my heart and mind. In today’s episode, I am back in my kitchen baking scones with lemon balm infused heavy cream blended into the batter. Lemon balm is a delight to grow and the fresh leaves offer a beautiful perfumey aroma that can uplift a heavy heart and offer a peaceful moment. In the kitchen, it’s medicine for the baker. Lemon Balm Scones (if lemon balm balm is not something you have, give these a try using basil or thyme in its place) For lemon balm infused cream: approx ¾ cup (12g) fresh lemon balm leaves or ¼ cup dried lemon balm 1 cup plus ⅛...
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050 Kitchen Medicine Broth Series:Ginger Stock
An Herbal Diary
Rounding out my broth episodes with ginger provides the perfect example of how lovely tasting herbal tea can second as herbal broth which then infuses the food we eat with an extra layer of nourishment. Ginger is a great example, because it is such a foundational culinary herb with multitudes of methods and recipes incorporating ginger both fresh and dried.. As for soup, ginger itself may be added as an ingredient, it goes especially well with chicken soup or creamy carrot soup or a garlic lemongrass broth with noodles, But it can also be layered in as the actual broth or stock base to make a...
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Kitchen Medicine Broth Series: Chicken Stock
An Herbal Diary
Could chicken soup be medicinal because of the plant and herbal ingredients?. Chicken adds nourishment but I propose the healing qualities are due to onions, thyme, bay leaves and pepper.
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Garlic Stock
makes 2 quarts
2 whole heads garlic
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 quarts water
Gently wash garlic head under running water, pat dry with a paper towel.
Slice garlic head in half horizontally.
In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add halved garlic cut side down, cooked stirring occasionally about 3 minutes until garlic begins to smell aromatic. Take care not to burn garlic.
Add water, bring to boil, then lower heat to just maintain a simmer. Continue to simmer for 1 hour. Strain, discard garlic and peels. May season to taste.
Original music by Dylan Rice
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ABOUT DINA
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Dina Ranade is a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild and a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist. She is also a mom of three - two daughters and one son all now in college. Dina loves cooking for her family despite the challenges this creates. She passionately loves exploring culinary herbalism and has been working on stocking her home kitchen apothecary or medicine cabinet.