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| Immune Boosting Herb Balls |
I recently made some immune boosting herb balls for a brunch potluck and got rave reviews! They are very easy to make and, in my opinion, are the most delicious way of ingesting herbs! (Though this is really only the case for ground roots and powders- don't want any leaves sticking out of them!)
Here's what's in them:
16 oz nut butter (I used sunflower seed butter)
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1.5 teaspoons Astragalus ( Astragalus membranaceus)
.5 teaspoon ground Licorice root ( Glycyrrhiza glabra)
1.5 teaspoons Cat's claw ( Uncaria tomentosa)
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon ( Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 cup honey
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (plus 1/2 cup for rolling balls in)
3/4 cup chopped almonds
1 cup raisins
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, then form into balls and roll in coconut flakes!
I decided to focus on immune boosting herbs for these since there is a lot of illness going around, but there are a wide range of herbs that can be used! They are a really great way to get some healthy ingredients in kid's bellies too.
Tip: Make for an event or function because they are dangerously delicious!
I haven't shared some herbal info in a little while, so here I go with an overview of Catnip:
Catnip is not just for cats! In fact it affects humans in quite the opposite way. A part of the mint family, it has a pleasant taste and is most well known for promoting restful sleep. It is an extremely safe herb, so it can be taken regularly without fear of toxicity or unpleasant side effects.
It is believed to have insect repelling constituents, so it is sometimes used as an ingredient in all natural insect repellants. The plant itself attracts butterflies and bees and is also deer resistant!
Latin Name: Nepeta cataria
Common name: Catnip
Parts of the Plant Used: Leaves and flowers.
Extraction Methods: Tea or tincture. Can also be used in cooking.
Habitat/Bioregion: Catnip grows in the United States as well as other temperate bioregions. As one can imagine, it is often cultivated for our furry feline friends.
Actions: Carminative (expels gas), lowers fever, aids digestions, promotes sleep, relieves stress, stimulates appetite, treats inflammation, pain, stress, colds & flu.
Body Systems Supported: Digestive system, nervous system, immune system.
Additional Information: Catnip is mild in nature and has no toxicity, so it is safe to give to children!
Last night was the last day of my Level 1 HEAT Class (Herbal Education and Training) at Farmacy Herbs! We each presented our final projects: an herb chart detailing 19 different herbs- their actions, body systems they support, where they grow, how they are prepared, their contraindications, and what they are used to treat.
We also had a delicious potluck! I thought it most appropriate to include some herbs in my dish so I made an herbal root stew with burdock root, parsnips, carrots, sweet potatoes, garlic, ginger, chick peas, nettles, and white sage!
I also received my certificate of completion for the Level 1 course! I will definitely be continuing my herbal studies personally and I am hoping to further my studies at Farmacy Herbs this summer! If you are interested in learning about herbalism and herbal preparations, I highly recommend their courses! This summer they have both Level 1 HEAT class offerings as well as a summer intensive course for those with some herbal knowledge. The summer intensive is held on the Farmacy farm in West Greenwich and includes guest lectures from some really amazing and well-practiced herbalists! To learn more, read about their class offering on the Farmacy Herbs website.
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| White Bean & Kale Soup |
I make soup a lot, but all too often I find myself comfortably drifting back to familiar flavor profiles. I felt the need to switch it up a little and try something new. White beans are not a regular pantry item for me, but I do like them and I was craving a soup with a creamy texture, but without any dairy ingredients. Here's what I came up with:
White Bean & Kale Soup
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium yellow onions
6 cups vegetable stock
6 cups bean broth (water from simmering beans)
4 cups white kidney beans (soaked overnight, rinsed, then simmered for a few hours, about 2 cups dry)
3-4 cloves garlic (or however much you like)
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3 teaspoons fresh thyme
sea salt to taste (I used a few teaspoons)
a bunch of kale
3/4 cup quick oats
Approximately 1 tablespoon black pepper (or to taste)
2 lemons
Dice onions then saute in olive oil for about 10 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, bean broth, kidney beans, and garlic. Bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes. Add coriander, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 10-20 more minutes, turn off heat, then stir in kale (chopped), quick oats and thyme. Let sit, covered for 10 minutes, then pour half off the soup into a food processor and process until smooth (or desired consistency). Mix with the other, un-processed half of the soup, squeeze in lemon juice.
*This recipe assumes white kidney beans have been fully cooked prior to soup preparation. If beans need more time to cook the recipe can be adjusted by extending the first simmering duration.
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| Sandor Katz. His book The Art of Fermentation |
Broadly defined, "fermentation is the transformative action of micro-organisms" - Sandor Katz, author of both The Art of Fermentation and Wild Fermentation.
Fermented foods provide our digestive system with beneficial strains of bacteria ("probiotics"), which our body needs to digest food. Our gut is actually filled with 3 to 5 pounds of beneficial bacteria! Many commonly eaten foods are fermented, like cheese, yogurt, and sauerkraut, but some people may be weary of trying lesser-known fermented varieties. A deficiency of beneficial bacteria in the gut can be associated with a range of digestive disorders and allergies, so it is important to keep your belly's micro-organisms alive and well!
Here is a podcast from HerbMentor Radio with author Sandor Katz. He exposes some common misconceptions about fermented foods, explains their historical significance, and explores the health benefits of fermentation. Definitely worth a listen!
A lot of my nutritional research has been focused on omega-3 fatty acids. They are essential nutrients that modern diets often do not include in adequate amounts. As a psychology major in college I researched omega-3s and nutritional therapy for the treatment of depression; I am fascinated by the relationship between diet and mental health. Many people take fish oil supplements to obtain marine based omega-3s, but there are many dietary considerations for supplementation to be effective. Here is an introduction to omega-3 fatty acids, which I will be posting more information about in the future.
OMEGA-3's
Omega-3’s are poly-unsaturated fatty acids that are essential nutrients for humans (we cannot produce them internally). The three main types of omega-3s required by the body are alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA), and Docasahexaenoic Acid (DHA).
ALA is a short chain fatty acid found in plant foods like canola oil, flaxseed oil, and walnut oil, EHA and DHA are long chain fatty acids found in marine food sources like fish, seafood, and algae. [Fish don’t actually contain omega-3 fatty acids, but rather obtain it from dietary intake of algae].
ALA can be converted to EHA and DHA endogenously, but at a very low rate; thus it is important to obtain both EHA and DHA from dietary sources. I personally obtain omega-3's from eating seafood, but also taking algae-oil supplements.
Long chain, poly-unsaturated fatty acids:
- Are essential components of neuronal membranes
- Suppress pro-inflammatory molecules
- May promote neuroplasticity (“re-wiring” and adaptation of the brain)
- Are found in fish, seafood, and algae.
- Are the most abundant fatty acids in the brain
- Are required for optimal neurotransmitter signalling
- Compete with omega-6 fatty acids, so it is important to keep a low omega-6:omega-3 ratio in one’s diet.
Other important nutrients for brain health:
- Zinc
- Selenium
- Folic Acid
- Antioxidants
These nutrients assist with processes involving omega-3 fatty acids and help reduce inflammation in the brain.
Earlier today I purchased a whole fish at the farmer's market from The Local Catch. I decided to cook the scup whole! In my food processor I put 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, a small bunch of cilantro, parsley, and scallions, 3 cloves garlic, salt and pepper to taste, as well as a few tablespoons of olive oil and the juice from 1/2 a lemon. I processed these ingredients into a paste then put it on the fish and baked it for about 30 minutes. I then squeezed the remainder of the lemon juice onto the scup.
I like pairing cilantro and parsley with seafood because these herbs contain constituents that bind with metals and move them out of the body. Selenium, present in variable amounts in seafood, also has this action.
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| Pumpkin seeds, organic lemon, organic garlic, local and naturally grown parsley, cilantro, and scallions. |
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| Processed to a paste |
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The scup was delicious! A little tricky to separate from all the little bones, but for my first time I think I did just fine! It is a white fish with a mild, subtle flavor and went well with the spices. I also roasted some beets and summer squash with onions and thyme and sauteed some organic greens from The Good Earth Organic Gardening Center.
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| Beets, summer squash, braised greens, and local scup with spices |
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Before discarding the fish scraps I boiled the fish bones, head, and skin with some spices to make a nutritious broth. Will be a great addition to some miso soup later!
I thoroughly enjoy visiting the Wintertime Farmer's Market in the Hope Artiste Village every Saturday morning. Today I picked up a lot of exciting items and got my knife sharpened too!
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| Locally and naturally grown onions, cilantro, carrots, and scallions. |
I have been dealing with a back injury for the past 10 months. Its not debilitating, but it is frustrating and makes certain tasks difficult, such as gardening and bicycling, two of my favorite things! But on a more positive note, I have recently begun seeing a new chiropractor, Dr. Tom at Northeast Chiropractic in Providence. He was finally able to tell me what is wrong with my back and is working with me to correct it. Combined with physical therapy visits, my back is feeling better already and I finally feel as though I am making true healing progress.
In addition to the exercises and adjustments necessary for recovery, I am also eating foods and herbal preparations that contain nutrients essential to spinal health. Every day I drink a tea blend of tonic herbs that provide me with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that focus on the nervous system (a class of herbs known as adaptogens). I make all different tea blends, but almost always include oatstraw, tulsi, nettles, and alfalfa. Nettles and oatstraw in particular are great sources of silica, making them great for bone and joint health. They all contain a wide range of vitamins and minerals; alfalfa alone provides vitamin A, B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B5 (Panothenic Acid), B6 (Pyridoxine), B12 (methylcobalamin), C (ascorbic acid), D, E, and K. As far as minerals, it contains calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, selenium, and zinc. ( more information on alfalfa here).
I recently came across a very informative podcast on herbs and back pain with Jim McDonald. He describes herbs that can be beneficial for different types of back pain. In terms of nerve related issues, he highly recommends St. John's Wort. My injury involves a sort of pinching pain that leads me to believe it is nerve related, but my intuition also tells me so. St. John's Wort is different from other plants in that its beneficial constituents can only be extracted using the fresh plant. It grows in New England, but not this time of year, so I knew that I had to find the herb in tincture form (preserved in alcohol, tinctures last forever and make constituents available that are not water soluble). Fortunately, I was able to get a bottle from Farmacy herbs.
I have also been eating a lot of seafood! Seafood contains omega-3 fatty acids that are essential components of many organs, but especially critical in nervous system health. B vitamins and selenium are other important nutrients provided by seafood. Today I purchased some Scup! A whole fish as you can see from the picture. Scup is a local species that is often considered a "trash fish". There is nothing wrong with these fish, they just aren't a traditional part of the local seafood market. This species was one of the varieties that graced plates at the recent Trash Fish Dinner. I picked up this one fresh from The Local Catch at the farmer's market.
Okay, time to cook some fish! I have never prepared a whole fish before...wish me luck!
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