Penobscot County Herbal Society

Penobscot County Herbal Society

We got together today and had a great time..

Craft things you can make..

Brenda shared about Pour and mold soap using Lavender Buds in it...Smells so good...

Us ladies sharing and laughing together. We have so much fun learning together the different herbs that we have outside are windows and fields..

Thanks all for a wonderful time today.

hugs Deb

Dandelion Fritters

I remember when we first moved to Springfield Maine, a lady in our community had deep fried dandelion flowers and dropped them off to us to try. They were very good. They kind of tasted like fried clams..
This simple recipe, dandelion flowers are coated with a batter and then fried to perfection. To prepare the flowers, harvest them fresh when they are fully open and remove the green bracts. Fry them up as soon as possible so that the flowers are still nice and open.
They are delicious!

Dandelion Fritters

Ingredients:

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup corn meal

1 egg

dash of sea salt,

generous amount of an oil that can withstand high heat.

Mix the dry ingredients together and then add the egg and mix well.
Dip the flower blossoms into the mix and fry in hot oil until golden.
Let cool slightly and enjoy!

Basil

Distilled from the leaves and flowering tops, this familiar sweet-and-spicy kitchen herb relieves, headaches, sinus congestion, temporary loss of smell, nausea (even from chemotherapy), indigestion, sore muscles, and the herpes and shingles viruses. Basil gently stimulates adrenal glands, menstruation, childbirth, and production of breast milk. Basil reduces stress, rattled nerves, hysteria, and mental, fatigue while increasing confidence, decisiveness, positive thoughts, and awareness of one's surrounding. Large doses can be over-stimulating and may stupefy.

Anise

The delightful licorice-like scent and taste of this herb flavors pharmaceuticals, confections, toothpaste, "licorice" candy (in the U.S.) and alcoholic beverages such as French anisette and Greek ouzo. Anise reduces muscle spasms, indigestion, and coughing. It is also mildly estrogenic, and an aphrodisiac. It increases breast milk, balances emotions, induces sleep, and helps overcome nervousness and workaholic stress. Anise is even said to improve your sense of humor and overcome heartache. Large quantities, however, may be narcotic, slow down circulation, and cause skin rashes in sensitive people.

Flea Powder

20 drops cedarwood
1 cup cornstarch

Add essential oil to cornstarch and stir to distribute. Let sit a few days, enough time for the oils to dissipate through the cornstarch. Rub into the animal's fur. You could use some of the other repellent essential oils for this formula, but I choose cedar because it is less toxic should the animal decide to lick its fur.

Hope your animals will get some relief:) which they will.

Natural tick deterrent!!!!

Clean your Kidney

CLEAN YOUR KIDNEY IN LESS THAN P20 (I CARE FOR ALL OF US)

Years pass by and our kidneys are filtering the blood by removing salt, poison and any unwanted entering our body. With time, the salt accumulates and this needs to undergo cleaning treatments and how are we going to overcome this?
It is very easy, first take a bunch of parsley (MALLI Leaves)and wash it clean
Then cut it in small pieces and put it in a pot and pour clean water and boil it for ten minutes and let it cool down and then filter it and pour in a clean bottle and keep it inside refrigerator to cool.
Drink one glass daily and you will notice all salt and other accumulated poison coming out of your kidney by urination also you will be able to notice the difference which you never felt before.
Parsley is known as best cleaning treatment for kidneys and it is natural!

Italian Seasoning

1/4 cup dried basil
2 Tbsp. dried marjoram
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
2 Tbsp. dried coriander
2 Tbsp. dried thyme
2 Tbsp. dried rosemary
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. sugar

Combine all the ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool dark place for up to 3 months.

Homemade Deodorant

Just found this recipe my chat with farmgirls.
It is so true what she shared. The Lord made us to perspire because it is the natural way that your bodies get rid of the toxins. The antiperspirant deodorants are keeping these toxins in our bodies. Which can lead to a unhealthy body, and maybe even sickness.

Making your own you know what is in it!! And it is a natural clean!

Homemade Deodorant
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup cornstarch or arrowroot
5-6 Tbps. coconut oil or (optional Tea Tree Oil about 5-20 drops)
which has natural antibacterial qualities.
Then mix this all up, and store in a small bowl with lid. If your home is warm this will cause your deodorant to be soft. But , if you want it to stay solid put it in the fridge ( in the fridge it is cooling and refreshing.) To use just apply under the arm.

Enjoy and please comment on how you think it works.

MaryJanesFarm Recipe for Roasted Dandelion Root "Coffee"

Roasted Dandelion Root “Coffee”

When brewed properly, dandelion root coffee closely resembles the rich flavor of traditional coffee, and it contains a wealth of vitamins and minerals.

1. Gather:
   One 5-gallon bucket of dandelion roots (to yield about 10 gallons of coffee).
2. Prepare the Roots:
   To wash the roots, fill the bucket with water and agitate the roots with your hands. Pour off the muddy water and repeat this process a few times until the water runs clear and you have a pile of luscious golden roots. Don’t worry if there’s still some dirt left on them—you’ll wash them again after chopping. With a sturdy knife, cut the roots into chunks. Put these into a large bowl (or sink), fill with water, then rub the roots and rinse until clean. Drain until fairly dry or pat with a towel. Chop about 2 cups of root chunks at a time in your food processor until they’re chopped into small, coarse bits.
3. Roasting the Roots:
   Spread the coarsely ground roots on cookie sheets about 1/2-inch thick. Place as many sheets as you can fit into your oven, set at 250°F, and leave the oven door slightly ajar to let moisture escape. The roasting process takes about 2 hours. Stir frequently and rotate the cookie sheets occasionally to ensure even drying and roasting. As the roots dry, they’ll shrink and darken to a rich coffee color—but be careful not to let them burn. Cool completely and store in glass jars. Flavorful additions such as anise, cinnamon, ginger, and carob can be added if you like.
4. Brewing the Coffee:
   You can either grind the roots in a coffee mill and brew in a coffee pot, or you can place the coarsely ground roots in a tea infuser and boil in a pot of water. Use 1 tablespoon of roasted roots for each cup of water (1/3 cup per quart of water). Adjust to your taste if you like it stronger or weaker. Add a dash of cream and sugar if you like, and enjoy a steaming cup of Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee!

Dandelion & Dandelion Coffee

by Rosalee de la Forêt

Before we get to the dandelion coffee, or should I say dandelion "coffee," let's learn a bit about dandelion.

Volumes could be written on the many uses of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) – indeed they have been!

This common weed is often hated and poisoned by those preferring a “weed free” lawn, while those of us in love with dandelion and its many uses happily support it taking over our lawns.

This plant was purposefully brought to North America by Europeans not wanting to leave this valuable resource behind. Every part of the dandelion can be used as food or medicine, making back door herbalism simple and easy, as it should be.

When the first spring leaves pop up out of the ground they can be harvested heavily and eaten fresh with salads, made into a delicious pesto, or dried for tea.

The leaves are highly nutritious, containing large amounts of vitamin A, calcium, potassium, and many more vitamins and minerals. The French call this plant pissenlit, which alludes to its strong diuretic properties.

A tea of dandelion leaves is a great way to flush excess water from the system. (Of course, before using this effective remedy we always want to make sure the water retention is caused by a non-serious condition like sitting on an airplane too long.)

When eaten with meals, the bitter taste of the leaves helps to promote digestion by stimulating bile to relieve indigestion and other digestive disturbances.

The root is a great ally for the liver. It can be tinctured or eaten fresh in a variety of recipes. We'll see below how to make dandelion coffee. Dandelion root can help clear up acne and other skin disruptions with the root cause being a stagnant liver. Most herbalists agree that long-term use of dandelion is needed for best results.

The flower can be eaten in salads, or fried up as fritters. An oil made from dandelion flowers is warming and can be applied externally to relieve arthritis and other aches and pains.

Lastly the latex, or sap, from the dandelion stems can be used topically on warts. Apply several times daily for best results.

My favorite way to enjoy dandelion is by making dandelion coffee with the roots. This beverage doesn’t contain the caffeine found in coffee, but does have a rich, dark taste similar to coffee.

Like burdock, dandelion’s strong diuretic activity makes it an inappropriate choice for someone with low blood pressure or excessive urination.

Now, on to dandelion coffee...

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Dandelion Coffee

Prior to decocting the dandelion root, roast the dried chopped root in a cast iron pan until it is fragrant and has changed color from being off-white to light and dark brown.

For each 8 oz of water you are making, use 1-2 teaspoons of the roasted root.

Add the root to simmering water and continue to simmer while covered for 7–15 minutes.

The resulting brew will be darkly colored.

Try dandelion coffee with cream, and many people enjoy adding honey as well.

I can not wait to try it out this week. I'm also going to try the dandelion greens for supper tonight. What I like about this is: it is good for your health. My liver count is always up and down. So it will worth it all if it does help my liver, as the info says. Found this information at www.learningherbs.com/dandelion_coffee.html

Another place you can find a recipe for dandelion root coffee is in Mary Jane's Outpost book (p. 203)

So yesterday my hubby dug up dandelions root for me. Last night I washed, and this morning I will be chopping and roasting the roots...

With coffee going up what a great way to save on making your own coffee and the best thing of it all dandelion coffee is so much better for you then the one's in the store. I roasted some this morning and it has a sweet aroma, like screw pine. (used in Asian cooking). Or the next closest scent would be like baked vanilla or a fresh croissant.

I will get back to you on what it taste like!

In a few days I will post dandelion Jelly/Jam...

If it is good for our health , why not try it out.

Tonight we studied : Cinnamon-I learned that it helps metabolize diabetes sugars 1/8-1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon per meal helps control bloodsugar level & lower cholesterol. Uses- The bark quills are added to savory dishes in Asian and African cookery, and to desserts and drinks in Europe. Essential oils in the leaves, bark, stems, and roots are used to flavor food and scent perfumes. The antiseptic, tonic, and warning leaf oil treats nausea and hypertension. The oils can irritate skin and must be avoided during pregnancy, as they may cause miscarriage. I will share about Lavender tomorrow. With great recipes.