The Home Herbalist

Elderberry Flower Fritters

Belle — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 06:44:18 +0000

These fritters make a delightful and delicately flavoured dessert, especially when served with double cream or vanilla ice-cream.

12 clusters of elderberry flowers

¼ cup plain flour

1½ cups water

1 egg

Oil for deep frying

Cut the stalks from the flower clusters leaving a small stub. Mix the flour, water, and egg together in a food processor or blender or if you don’t have these you can gradually whisk the water in to the flour and then the egg.

Heat enough oil to just cover the flowers to 190°C. If you don’t have a thermometer or deep fryer you can test the heat of the oil by dropping in a small cube of bread; if it browns in 1 minute then you will have the correct temperature.

Dip each cluster in to the batter and carefully slip it in to the oil. Cook them until they are golden brown turning them with a slotted spoon. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towel. Sprinkle with a little icing sugar if desired.

This recipe will serve four.

Comfrey, a Great Healer

Belle — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:38:41 +0000

Many years ago when I first started studying to be a medical herbalist my husband badly injured his little finger at our shop; it was almost cut right through and only had a small amount of flesh still holding it together. He phoned me at home and told me he’d hurt his finger. Not realizing how bad it was I told him to go across the road to the ambulance and I’d drive straight to our shop, which was only a minute or so away.

Back then the ambulance used to dress wounds and attend to minor injuries but they haven’t done that for quite some time now. When I got there the ambulance officer on duty had told my husband it was too bad an injury for him to do anything with it and to go to the hospital. When I realized that it wasn’t just a deep cut but a severed finger I felt terrible; I should have told him to go to the hospital not the ambulance!

I had to mind the shop so my husband drove himself to the hospital where he was admitted straight away and taken into surgery as soon as the surgeon could get there. Refusing to follow my husband’s wishes and amputate the finger, the surgeon pinned the severed half back on to the remaining stump.

Two weeks later my husband had to go for a check-up and have the pin removed. When the surgeon pulled the pin out the finger came apart! So he pushed it back together and sent my husband away telling him to give it another two weeks to heal.

When I was told what happened I suggested we rub the comfrey ointment I had made in to the finger. We did this for the two weeks and when the surgeon pulled the pin out the finger remained intact. He was totally amazed so my husband told him that we had applied comfrey ointment to the finger. At that stage comfrey had been banned for internal and external use in Australia. There was such an uproar over this that the ‘powers-that-be’ eventually allowed us to use the herb externally. Anyway, getting back to the surgeon, he couldn’t get over how well the comfrey ointment had healed the finger and said to my husband, “How were you able to get it?” To which my husband laughingly replied, “Can’t tell you that.” “Well anyway,” said the surgeon,” just keep using it – it’s a great healer.”

One of comfrey’s common names is Knit Bone and this story certainly adds credence to such a name. If any of you have stories about using comfrey we’d love you to share them with us.

What is Pet Grass?

Belle — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 23:34:49 +0000

Pet Grass (Dactylis glomerata)

If you have pets such as dogs, cats, and guinea pigs, you’ve probably noticed them eating this grass in your yard unless of course it’s always maintained and there is no place for weeds or grass to grow long.

Pet Grass (Dactylis glomerata) has been described as pet medicine and is even very good for birds. It contains high levels of vitamins and minerals so it’s a perfect natural supplement for your pets whether they have four legs or wings. It’s a perfect breath freshener for dogs and will assist cats with eliminating fur balls.

Let it grow in your garden or grow it in containers if you live in an apartment or don’t have a garden. Wherever it grows make sure it’s handy for your pets so they can chew on it whenever they need to.

This health-giving grass grows in full or part sun to a height of 30 cm (1ft) and likes well drained soil; water and fertilize regularly.

Medicinal Herbs at the Markets

Belle — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 10:46:16 +0000

Thyme, Dogbane, Aloe vera, Soapwort

Once a month when the popular Nanango Markets are held it’s very difficult to find a parking space. People come from a widespread area to purchase all manner of items but one of the most popular stalls is the one selling medicinal herbs and garden plants. This stall is usually my first port of call, I just cannot resist buying more herbs and they are usually of very good quality.

This morning I bought Pet Grass for my little elderly feline and eight year old cockatiel; I have written about it in a separate article. I also bought some beautiful quartz crystals to use for making orgonite, which is a project for next week.

Other items of discovery were a couple of books about gardening and herbs (of course), and a beautiful enameled dress ring I bought from an Asian lady who ran after me when I left the stall; she gave me a complimentary CD of Buddhism chants. To receive such an unexpected gift really made my day.

Below are some more photos of the herbs for sale at the markets. Market stalls selling herbs like these give those interested in herbalism the chance to have a very useful herb garden.

Various Varieties of Basil

Mexican and French Tarragon

Lovage

Lamb's Ears

Tansy, a Garden Favourite

Belle — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:34:24 +0000

Other names for Tansy, Stinking Willie and Scented Fern, describe its strong aroma, which I think is rather pleasant in an antiseptic sort of way. I have the herb growing in my garden for its value as a delightful garden plant, its medicinal properties and its action as an insect repellent.

Tansy has fern-like leaves and pretty yellow flower heads that are long-lasting and look pretty in the garden or in vases either freshly cut or dried.

It may come as a surprise to some of you that in the past, Tansy leaves were used to flavour small cakes eaten during Lent because Christ’s suffering was symbolized by their bitter taste.

Because of Tansy’s insect repellent properties it’s an ingredient in commercially produced insecticide and has been used to repel moths and deter fleas from the home. However, Tansy’s insect repelling properties have been known for centuries; in the Middle Ages it was hung from rafters, rubbed on meat to deter flies and other vermin, and packed between bedsheets and mattresses.

Herbalists believe that the name, Tansy, comes from athanasia, the Greek word for immortality. Historically, a tea made from the leaves of the herb was commonly taken for intestinal worms, stomach ache, and colds. The leaves were also used to make poultices to treat cuts and bruises. Today the herb is still used as an emmenagogue (brings on menstruation), a vermifuge (expels worms), and as an antispasmodic.

Tansy is quite a tough herb resisting cold and frost – patches of it can survive for decades in the same spot. Although it’s a native of Europe and northern Asia it’s now widely cultivated and naturalized in other temperate regions of the world.

Herbal Teas

Belle — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 07:10:44 +0000

Over the years I have tried many herbal teas, I call them teas because they are tea substitutes made the same way as tea. Herbal infusions are used to extract the medicinal properties from herbs so they can be used therapeutically while herbal teas are used for a ‘quick fix’ or just to have a refreshing drink.

Lemon balm tea is great when you’ve had a big day and need to relax and unwind. Add a little mint to it to help you rejuvenate if you still need to prepare dinner and so-on. Taken just before bed, lemon balm will give you a restful sleep.

Chamomile will help ease an upset tummy caused from stress or nervousness and it will help calm nerves as well as help you sleep. It’s also very good for children and you can add honey and milk to it if they prefer.

Sage tea made with hot milk and sweetened with honey is excellent for those sleepless nights and it’s also another good one for restless children.

Cinnamon tea is delicious and is very warming when feeling chilled or feel the need for comfort. It will also help warm the stomach and digest food after a heavy meal.

Ginger tea is great for a bloated and/or a nauseous tummy and for warming the body. It’s also a good pick-me-up and helps with morning sickness.

Lemon grass tea tastes delicious and is very refreshing. I like it on its own or added to tea leaves in a pot. It’s also very refreshing on a hot day and is useful when feeling a little tired.

Mints make lovely refreshing and cooling teas. They are particularly good in summer for refreshing and rejuvenating a tired, hot body.

Rosemary tea gives a clearer head when doing bookwork, studying, or anything that needs a great deal of concentration. It’s also warming and calming.

Parsley tea is great if you feel that you’ve eaten or drunk too much of the wrong thing as it helps to flush out toxic material from the body system. It’s also very refreshing and nutritious.

Sometimes I like to blend my teas, for instance, I will add mint to parsley tea if I feel my digestion is sluggish and need a general pick-me-up. I also like to combine ginger and cinnamon when I feel chilled – I wouldn’t have them on a hot day as they are very warming.

Milky tea with a good sprinkle of cinnamon is a delicious night-cap that helps give a relaxing sleep; it’s also very good throughout the day to help calm the nerves.

Dill is another herb that can be taken as a tea to help expel gas and relieve a bloated stomach.

Parsley leaves combined with chopped shallots and made as a tea will help flush out and cleanse the urinary tract when suffering from cystitis.

Pregnant women should be careful of how much herb tea they drink; always check to see if any particular herb is safe during pregnancy before having too much of it.

I’ll add more herbal teas here as time goes by.

Until my next post stay healthy, happy and wise!

Wild Plants for Food

Belle — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 05:43:15 +0000

Even before I became a medical herbalist I was interested in wild plants not only for their medicinal properties but also for food. Throughout the years I’ve searched for wild plants wherever I’ve lived or been in my travels.

When my husband and I moved on to our 6 acre property it was very overgrown and the only cleared area had been constantly slashed by the previous owner so there wasn’t much in the way of wild medicinal and culinary plants to be discovered. The area that was overgrown was so thick with dried vegetation and cleared timber embedded in dirt that had been pushed up against the trunks of trees that it wasn’t safe to pick my through it.

It would have been a mammoth task to clean it up and the wildlife such as goannas, lizards, skinks, snakes and birds nests would have all been disturbed if not destroyed in the process so we just left it as it was. However, in January last year a careless neighbour lit a fire on a day of extreme fire weather conditions and needless to say a fire tore through our property only just avoiding our buildings thanks to the prompt response of the wonderful and very efficient rural fire brigade.

The clearing of this area on our property was taken out of our hands and the only wildlife that we could see was affected was a small skink under a piece of partly charred wood; the skink hadn’t been burnt so must have died from the smoke and fierce heat. It was a sad sight indeed.

After the Rain

When what remained stopped smouldering and we had the first shower of rain after the fire we had a machine come in to clean the place up. Now, after an incredible downpour of rain for our area we have lush green fields and plants I haven’t seen growing here before are springing up.

To date I have found green amaranth, pigweed (purslane), dandelion, sida retusa, wild tobacco, and another plant that looks very interesting but is yet to be identified. Edible plants from this list are amaranth, pigweed, and dandelion.

Herbalism isn’t all about healing with herbs, it also involves using herbs in everyday life – for cooking, eating, drinking, cleaning, decorating, and so on. There isn’t a day go by that I don’t use herbs for some reason or another and I get great pleasure from gathering wild herbs.

While they are plentiful I’ve been gathering amaranth leaves, pigweed, and dandelion leaves to make a delicious salad. Wash, rinse and chop them then add chopped tomatoes and red onion. Add sea or celtic salt and allow to sit for a little while to let the juice from the tomatoes and onions soak through the salad. It’s so delicious that it doesn’t need any salad dressing.

Now I must get on and mark more assignments but I will post more wild plants as I find them.

Amaranthus Species

Belle — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 05:48:26 +0000

Green Amaranth (A. Viridus)

Food and medicine can be found right under our noses in our gardens if we only take the time to identify some weeds.

Recently I had to relocate my vegetable and herb garden to make room to build our house. It was a huge task but thanks to my husband’s help everything was transplanted beautifully apart from several small rhubarb plants.

They failed to grow but in their place a very healthy crop of green amaranth (A. viridus) sprang up. My husband almost pulled them out because he thought they were weeds. Thankfully he checked with me first (as he has learned to do over the years!).

We may not have all of the rhubarb plants from the original garden but in their place we have a plentiful supply of a green pot herb that is also a medicinal herb.

Other edible amaranths include A. caudatus, a. cruentus, a. lividus, and A. powelli. The young stems of these amaranths can be boiled or steamed as a vegetable and while tender they lack fibre. Green amaranth leaves are an excellent substitute for spinach and can successfully replace it in most dishes. They can also be added to salads, stews, soups, and casseroles. Apart from the plant’s use as a vegetable or pot herb, the clusters of nutty edible seeds are certainly worth eating as a raw snack or added to biscuits to give them a mild flavour and crunch. The seeds can be easily harvested by scraping the ripe (reddish-brown) spikes and boiled in a little water to make a simple but healthy porridge.

As for green amaranth’s medicinal properties, the leaves are emollient and have traditionally been used to treat scorpion sting and snake bite, tumours, and to help rid the body of intestinal worms. Many cultures have different uses for the plant but they are not well documented. However, the leaves can be used as a poultice to treat bruises, boils, and wounds.

Weeds can be a nuisance but those I’ve identified have mostly been beneficial to man and animals and well worth allowing to grow in my garden, which isn’t difficult to do if they are kept in control.

A Rose and an Amaranth blossomed side by side in a garden,

and the Amaranth said to her neighbour,

“How I envy you your beauty and your sweet scent!

No wonder you are such a universal favourite.”

But the Rose replied with a shade of sadness in her voice,

“Ah, my dear friend, I bloom but for a time:

my petals soon wither and fall, and then I die.

But your flowers never fade, even if they are cut;

for they are everlasting.”

Aesop’s Fables

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)

Belle — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 06:12:16 +0000

In 1885 Baron Ferdinand von Mueller noted that the leaves and flowers of this popular garden plant could be eaten as a replacement for cress and considered it to be -anti-scorbutic (scurvy-curing). Although nasturtium is known more for its culinary uses Europeans use the essential oil made from the plant as an antiseptic. Unfortunately, its vitamin C content has never been assessed so the plant’s treatment of scurvy has never been substantiated.

A native of Peru, nasturtium was introduced to Europe in the sixteenth century by the Spanish conquistadors after their expeditions to South America. As long ago as 1837 the plant was growing as an ornamental in the gardens of Australian settlers who valued it not only for its hardiness and colourful blooms but also because it was good to eat.

The flower buds and young fruit of nasturtium were and still are pickled in vinegar and spices to make a substitute for capers and the leaves are used as cress, and served as a vegetable or added to salads to give them a peppery flavour.

Nasturtium tastes similar to cresses, capers and mustards because although it’s not related to them they all share identical oils. In Australia in the 1800s the plant was known as Indian cress, in fact, nasturtium is the old name for watercress, which has the botanical name Nasturtium officinale.

Herb and Nasturtium Blossom Salad

1 kg/2lb mignonette or cos lettuce leaves

¾ cup of chopped fresh parsley, chives, and basil

8 nasturtium blossoms

Wash and pat or spin dry the lettuce leaves, add herbs and salad dressing and toss together. Garnish with the blossoms. Serves 4.

Christmas Pavlova – a Family Tradition

Belle — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 00:52:47 +0000

This is a little late, however, I would like to share this lovely and easy Pavlova recipe that I make every year for my family’s Christmas dinner.

4 egg whites

1 cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon cornflour

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Preheat oven (140°C/275ºF). Grease a Pavlova tray ( I use a pizza tray) and line with foil or baking paper. Beat egg whites until stiff . Gradually add sugar, beating constantly, then continue beating at medium speed until very glossy. Gently fold in remaining ingredients and spoon or pipe the mixture on to the prepared tray. Bake for 1½ hours or until cooked. Turn off the heat and allow to cool in oven. Carefully remove foil or baking paper and fill as desired. My family’s favourite topping is lots of whipped cream topped with tropical fruit salad.