Doing a Bit of the Washing Up...

Although the Herbal Quacksalvery is largely a place for learning about the healing benefits of herbs, we here at the "office" still need to clean up from time to time, and when we do... oh... you can be certain we make every attempt to do it... naturally.  That being said, we'd love to share with you an enormously helpful article which we feel will help you shape up without clogging up:

Cleaning Products Homemade, by the lovely biancaalice!

"You Do WHAT With Weeds?" My Dandelion Tea Experiment

Let me set the scene for you:
The day was warm but overcast, the air was moist and balmy. This was the day after the first – and last mind you – rain storm in months. With the rain, came the heaving onrush of floral beauty. In my backyard bloomed... dandelions. Yes, dandelions. Everywhere. Never one to waste anything, I set to work right away.



Now... I need to take a moment to step aside and explain what said "work" was. See... over the years I've become an avid student of herbalism – as should be no surprise by the general theme of this blog – and lately I've been on something of a dandelion kick, having just done some rather extensive research and writing on the subject. So when these common yard "pests" started blossoming 'round the back of the house, I decided I was going to take advantage of the situation, and put together my first round of homemade herbal tea.

By now my neighbors likely think I'm something of a witch, anointing the bottom of the fence with salt water (though, in reality this is just to keep the toads out), and strategically placing fragrant sachets throughout the grass (to deter the neighborhood skunks). This day, though, was likely to confirm any suspicions they may have had, what with little me ambling about the lawn, carrying around an ice cream tote filled to the brim with dandelion flowers and greens. Regardless of what any passerby might have thought, I was quite excited, and happily took my natural loot inside in order to wash and prepare it for drying.





After carefully inspecting and washing my dandelions, I placed the greens and flowers on separate cookie sheets, covered them in tinfoil (leaving two small corners open to allow for ventilation), and preheated the oven to a mild 175°F (79°C). I dried the greens for about two hours and the flowers for about four, turning the plants over every 30 minutes or so. Once dry and cool, I mixed the dandelion greens with the flowers, then ran them through the blender until they were a nice, fluffy pulp.



There is no getting around it... my dandelions were not so pretty anymore; however, they were now in a state that would be exceedingly useful. At this point, I could have placed them in empty gel caps, soaked them in alcohol to make a tincture, or I could have even baked them into some pretty earthy sugar cookies. But this time I decided I wanted to some dandelion tea. Given that this was a sort of spur of the moment decision, I didn't have any empty teabags in the house and didn't have the time to buy any, so instead, I used coffee filters that were expertly (ha!) folded. In my beautifully assembled baggies, I placed the standard serving, which is about two tablespoons per bag, them stapled the coffee filters closed and placed them in an old tea box that I was just about to put in the recycling bin.





Sticking with the standard serving, I boiled two cups of water and let my newly made dandelion tea bags steep for around 15 minutes.



It took a lot of effort, but I resisted pouring my cup earlier than the required 15 minutes, and it was well worth the wait. Though store bought dandelion tea may have a sweeter taste, some may be surprised to discover – as I was – that the homemade stuff has a very earthy flavor, a flavor that is not unlike sweet potatoes. Although it isn't at all unpleasant, I would definitely recommend a bit of organic honey, as the sweet potato taste starts to morph into a flavor that is similar to... well... mushrooms once the tea starts to cool.

All in all, I'm pretty happy with my first tea making experiment. Any suggestions for my next round? Lavender, maybe?

"The only thing worse than using lavender is not using lavender."

One of the most unquestionably popular floral herbs available – we're talking prom queen popular! – is lavender. Unlike the prom queen stereotype, however, lavender is both beauty AND brains – or, more accurately, curative benefits. This lovely-smelling plant is best known for its calming effects, but it is also thought to be capable of boosting your immune system, improving your circulation, healing your acne and blasting your fat. So how is that for a small, pretty little plant?

If you'd care to know even more about the super popular lavender plant, check out these links:

Healing Herbs: Lavender

How to Use Medicinal Herbs: Lavender

Does Your Caraway Taste a Little Bitter?

Belonging to the extensive family of "tastes like licorice" plants, caraway is an herb that people either love or hate in terms of flavor. Regardless of whether or not it meets your high taste bud standards, this amazing plant is good for you! A really good source of vitamins like A, C, and B complex – not to mention all of the fiber, volatile oils, and minerals – this plant has long been used to treat everything from gastric issues to female complaints, asthma to earaches.

If you'd like to know more, check out these links:

Healing Herbs: Caraway

How to Use Medicinal Herbs: Caraway

Your Apothecary Smells Like a Kitchen: Basil!

Although basil is a pretty common kitchen herb, what most people don't realize is that it is also an incredibly potent medicinal plant. No one is absolutely certain of this plant's origins; however, as far as squabbling for rights goes, India is winning! Even though India may have claimed parenthood of this plant, the rest of the world has adopted it, and it is now used in numerous regions to help treat kidney and heart conditions, oral and skin infections, and common illnesses like that cold.

If you'd fancy knowing more about the powerful basil plant, give these a looksee:

Healing Herbs: Basil

How to Use Medicinal Herbs: Basil

Alfalfa? Isn't That Horse Food 'er Sumthin'?

All right, so maybe alfalfa is a pretty common form of horse fodder – and yes, everyone knows it. However, this marvelous little plant is also an incredibly potent medicinal herb. Packed to the brim with nutrients like chlorophyll, vitamins A and K, protein, and a handful of minerals, this healing herb has long been a favorite among herbalists. It is frequently used to treat digestive and joint ailments, lung and skin conditions. It can be found, surprisingly, in pill form supplements, but may also be made into teas or placed into a number of recipes.

For more details on the marvelous alfalfa plant and information on how to use it, give these articles a look:

Healing Herbs: Alfalfa

How to Use Medicinal Herbs: Alfalfa