An Herbal Diary

Explore the art and science of kitchen herbalism. Each episode delves into the fascinating world of botanical medicine - how it can enhance our lives and support our well-being. Build your own personal kitchen apothecary, a medicine cabinet stocked with all that is good for your families, friends and yourself.

Getting to Know Sumac, An Underutilized Herb 08/09/2024

The Medicine of Tree Bark and Flowering Spring Trees 06/06/2024

Warming Energetics and Evergreen Trees 03/20/2024

Kitchen Medicine: Pine Needle Salve 02/20/2024

Kitchen Medicine: Pine Needle Salve 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 1½ cups (12 ounces) water Combine all spices (not pine needles) and water in a small saucepan covered with a lid.. Bring water to a gentle boil on medium heat. Turn down to the lowest setting, simmer for 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat, add pine needles, continue to steep covered with lid for at least 30 minutes. Strain into a tea mug, add milk and honey to taste. Reheat as desired. Pine Needle Infused Oil: 2 tablespoons dried, powdered pine needles 8 ounces olive oil Heat 2 inches of water in the bottom of a double boiler to simmer. Combine dried pine needles and olive oil in the top of the double boiler and place on the bottom portion of simmering water. Place a paper towel on top of the pot and then cover with a lid. Heat oil and pine needles just to warm for 30 minutes, do not allow to simmer. Remove from heat and infuse for 30-60 minutes. Repeat the warming and infusing process three times. Strain through a double layer of cheesecloth and squeeze out as much oil as possible. Pine Needle Salve: 1 ounce (28 grams or ⅛ cup) beeswax pastilles 4 ounces (120ml) pine needle infused oil 20-30 drops pine essential oil Stainless steel tins with lids or other heat proof containers. Heat 2 inches of water in the bottom of a double boiler to simmer. If using beeswax in the form a a block, grate or pound with a hammer to break into small pieces. Add beeswax pastilles or small pieces from a block into the top of the double boiler with hot water in the bottom portion. Continue to heat on lowest setting until beeswax is melted. Add infused pine needle oil, this will cause beeswax to slightly solidify again, stir with oil until melted again. Remove from heat, add essential oil. Ladle mixture into the tins and leave at room temperature until salve has hardened. Cover with lids and label. Source for Dried Pine Needles and Beeswax: Beeswax pastilles: Beeswax block: Pine needles: ---Deepest gratitude to Andrea Klunder, my podcast boss. Find her at Original music by Dylan Rice Please send me your comments, requests, or feedback. Send me a message, voice or write an email, my email is [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you! To get herb inspired recipes, plant profiles and read more about herbal medicine, visit my website at: Join me on Connect with me on If you enjoyed this episode, please follow or subscribe where ever you like to listen to podcasts! And if you have time, kindly share with your friends and family. ABOUT DINA Dina Ranade is a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild and a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist. She is also a mom of three humans - two daughters and one son all now living their young adult lives - and one sweet Pomeranian named Maci. /episode/index/show/anherbaldiary/id/30039908

A Tea Decoction that Tastes like Juice 01/17/2024

53. Little Herb Saver: Part 2 Lemon Balm Monograph 04/20/2023

52. Lemon Balm Monograph Part 1 02/27/2023

51. Lemon Balm Scones are Medicine for the Baker 09/04/2022

51. Lemon Balm Scones are Medicine for the Baker 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 cup heavy cream In a medium saucepan, bring cream to scald over medium high heat, don’t boil, just heat until small bubbles form at edges of pan and cream begins to steam. Add chopped lemon balm leaves, stir to submerge. Remove from heat, cover with lid and steep for 25 minutes. Pour cream and lemon balm leaves into a blender and pulse to blend. Strain, reserving cream and measure 1 cup or 250g. Set aside for batter. Discard lemon balm leaves. Ingredients: 4 cups (500g) bread flour 2 tbsp (25g) baking powder 6 tbsp (80g) unsalted butter, cut to cubes, chilled 2 large eggs ⅓ cup (80g) granulated sugar 2 tsp lemon zest 1 cup (250g) lemon balm infused heavy cream Egg wash: 1 large egg beat with a pinch of salt Instructions: Sift together flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender or hands, blend in chilled butter until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. In a separate medium sized bowl, mix wet ingredients with sugar. Whisk eggs, add sugar and lemon zest, whisk. Add lemon balm infused heavy cream and whisk to blend Pour wet ingredients into flour and butter mixture and gently stir together until begins to form a ball of dough. L Let rest for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a floured surface, knead gently until smooth. Press to flatten with a floured rolling pin and roll to a 1 inch high disc. Cut scones with a 2 inch round biscuit or cookie cutter, press down and lift, do not twist. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate scones for at least 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 425F. Brush tops and sides of scones liberally with egg wash. Sprinkle with a bit of granulated sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Enjoy! Mentions: ---Deepest gratitude to Andrea Klunder, my podcast boss. Find her at Original music by Dylan Rice Please send me your comments, requests, or feedback. Send me a message, voice or write an email, my email is [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you! To get herb inspired recipes, plant profiles and read more about herbal medicine, visit my website at: Join me on Connect with me on , and If you enjoyed this episode, please follow or subscribe where ever you like to listen to podcasts! And if you have time, kindly share with your friends and family. ABOUT DINA Dina Ranade is a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild and a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist. She is also a mom of three humans - two daughters and one son all now living their young adult lives - and one sweet Pomeranian named Maci. /episode/index/show/anherbaldiary/id/24269424

050 Kitchen Medicine Broth Series:Ginger Stock 05/17/2022

050 Kitchen Medicine Broth Series:Ginger Stock 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 sublime and aromatic soup or stew creation. Listen in while I make a pungent ginger stock and then use it in mushroom soup. I hope you will simmer along with me. *Ginger Broth* makes 3-4 cups 4 cups (1 quart) water 4 inch piece fresh ginger root, chopped 1 teaspoon peppercorns 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 1 bay leaf 3 kafir lime leaf Salt to taste (optional, perhaps do not add if going to drink as tea) No need to peel the ginger because we will be staining it out. Combine water, ginger, garlic, peppercorns, fennel seeds lemon juice and lemon zest in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce to low and simmer, covered for 30-45 minutes. Strain. To make mushroom soup - saute onions, leeks and garlic, combine 4 cups ginger stock with 3-4 cups water and simmer any mushrooms with potatoes, carrots and peas or any other vegetables you like. Season with salt and pepper. ---Deepest gratitude to Andrea Klunder, my podcast boss. Find her at Original music by Dylan Rice Please send me your comments, requests, or feedback. Send me a message, voice or write an email, my email is [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you! To get herb inspired recipes, plant profiles and read more about herbal medicine, visit my website at: Join me on Connect with me on , and If you enjoyed this episode, please follow or subscribe where ever you like to listen to podcasts! And if you have time, kindly share with your friends and family. ABOUT DINA Dina Ranade is a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild and a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist. She is also a mom of three humans - two daughters and one son all now living their young adult lives - and one sweet Pomeranian named Maci. /episode/index/show/anherbaldiary/id/23143061