All natural Bug Repellent Balm

As summer in the White Mountains of NH starts to bloom, so to do the bugs and bitey things come back to plague our outside activities. 

So I did some digging and found a great recipe for an all natural bug repellent balm and thought I'd give it a try.

You Will Need:

8 Oz of oil- Jojoba, coconut, sweet almond, sesame-

1-2 Oz beeswax (grated or broken into small chunks)

.4 Oz Citronella Essential Oil

.2 Oz Eucalyptus Essential Oil

.2 Oz Lemongrass Essential Oil

.2 Oz Cedarwood Essential Oil

Small jars, tins, or tubes to hold your salve

Start by gathering all of the ingredients. Possibly the longest (and most demanding) part of the whole project is grating the beeswax. You want to get it as small and loose as possible..the theory there being the more surface area, the easier to melt.

A quick note on your oil of choice...

Choose a good carrier oil like jojoba, coconut, grape seed, sweet almond, or sesame. 

Combine the Oil and the Beeswax in a double boiler or small sauce pan over LOW HEAT. Patience is needed for this so make it low and slow.

 Now that your wax is melting into your oil, be sure to stir gently often. Should take no longer than 15 minutes depending on how small your beeswax is broken up. I like to use a glass swizzle stick because its easy to clean.

 

Once completely transparent and smooth, remove oil from heat and allow to cool slightly before adding the essential oils. 

Before the mixture begins to turn opaque again, add the essential oils to the pot and give it another good stir.

Pour the warm liquid into containers for cooling and storage. I used a large metal tin and a small mason jar. Im a re-user as much as possible. The tin originally was a martini rim sugar container...so upcycle as much as you can!!

Now time for clean up. The easiest way Ive always found to clean up salve making messes is to boil a pot of water. The soft wax is easiest to clean when warm. Most of my utensils that got used got a good thorough dowsing with boiling hot water, then a thorough soaping and a final rinse. You can always feel the equipment your cleaning to make sure all oily residue is removed before putting it back in the cupboard.

Spring Detox

Well it has certainly been a harsh winter here in the North Country. Not just bad weather but since my last updates I've walked a long and hard path. There were many difficult decisions that needed to be made and a few difficult situations to survive, but I've come out the other side into the sunlight of spring and I think I'm a better person for it. And as it is the season for spring cleaning, I thought what a better way to start than with myself. I started a Spring Detox that I've heard great things about, and I wanted to share the recipe with all of you.

This Detox is pretty simple, and has just a handful of ingredients. Water, Lemons, Ginger, Cayenne, Turmeric and sweetener (I used maple syrup but honey or stevia work well also)

 Lets start by looking at the amazing Lemon. Like members of the allium family (onions and garlic) the lemon can do just about anything. Antibiotic, antiseptic and styptic, immune boosting, and a blood purifier among countless other traits. Full of vitamin C, B, phosphorous, proteins and carbohydrates, lemons are marvelous fruits. They have been used medicinally and nutritiously (as well as deliciously) in all indigenous cultures where they grow and their history can be traced back through the centuries.

Cayenne (powder) has wonderful attributes. It is a nervine stimulant, heart tonic, and has long been used to treat poor circulation. The heat that cayenne brings helps "warm and move" the blood around the body and has been used to aid in digestion and sluggish bowels. Its absolutely a must for a detox as it gets everything moving so that the toxins can move right out.

Ginger, one of my personal favorite herbs, has a history as old as mankind according to experts. It works fantastically for battling nausea, bloating, and morning sickness. It has antispasmodic qualities that help soothe and tone muscles, especially in the digestive tract. The herb helps reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and helps prevent blood clots, making it useful in preventing heart disease and stroke. And all this not to mention it has a wonderfully sweet and hot flavor.

The last herb I want to share some information about is Turmeric. Only recently gaining popularity in American spice cupboards, it is a staple in most eastern cultures, both medicinally and in cooking. Its an incredible immune system stimulant and has been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, dementia, ulcers, colitis, arthritis, cataracts, scabies, liver damage, food poisoning, and IBS. AND its a key ingredient in curry, and you really can never have too much curry.


INGREDIENTS:
4 cups of water
1 Tbsp Turmeric
1 Tbsp Ginger (I used grated because of my obsession with ginger, but powder is preferable)
1/2 tsp Cayenne powder
2 lemons (1/3 cup lemon juice fresh squeezed...it took me 2 lemons)
OPTIONAL:
Maple Syrup, Honey, or Stevia as a sweetener

 Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. I used my electric tea kettle because it was fastest and it turns itself off, just in case my hands were busy when it was ready. Remove from heat and let cool a bit. You don't want to use really hot water as it breaks down some of the properties of the lemon juice, but you do want the water very warm.

Have fun juicing your lemons. You need a total of 1/3 cup of lemon juice so it may take you one, it took me two. Either way, its a good stress reliever to grind a lemon to pulp, really got me into the mood to rid myself of toxins.

Its probably preferable to use powdered ginger instead of the grated ginger that I used, but I was limited by availability (I happened to have left over ginger root in my fridge but no jar of powdered ginger on hand so I cut my losses and decided I didn't mind a little chunky in my drink.) either way, a TBSP will work just fine.

 Grab a pitcher big enough for about 36 OZ of liquid and put all the ingredients except for your cooling water and your sweetener inside.

When the water is cool enough pour it over the ingredients and give it a stir or a shake.

I take this detox for no more than 7 days. I sip on it through the day and drink total between 4-6 glasses. In between I stick with water and I eat only light meals at regular intervals. After just 2 days I feel lighter and more energetic. I find it has an amazing debloating power to it which makes it such a great annual spring cleanser.

Enjoy!

Sources:

http://soulfoodliving.com/?p=894

http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-lemon.html

Rosemary Gladstar-  Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health

Michael Castleman- The New Healing Herbs Guide 3rd Edition



Note: not an alternative to seeking medical assistance. Always consult your physician before taking any alternative/herbal treatments for any conditions. Dosage may vary based on preference, taste, and size of person. Recipes call for 1tbsp per dose up to 3 times per day but again dosage varies person to person. I am not a physician, I just prefer to care for my own health and the health of my family in the most natural ways possible.

Horehound Cough Drops

Its a cold and dreary day here, lots of rain and fog. I'm sitting in my customary spot at the kitchen counter with my cup of tea and beside my computer is a heaping dish full of my favorite homemade candy remedy, Horehound cough drops! I love these little "suckers" throughout the winter season. Not only are they great for any kind of upper respiratory discomfort but they're sweet little candies that can help with dry-mouth and are just a general pick me up.

Now I have to admit that I created this batch yesterday, and was less than pleased with the results. Its not that they came out bad at all, I simply didnt listen to my own advice scrolled in the margins of my recipe and I did not prepare enough "molds" to make as many cough drops as I had syrup for. However, I realized last night while I was pondering, that this blog is not to prove how perfect I am at being a kitchen witch or to show off in any way, this blog's main purpose is to share the knowledge and wisdom that was once shared with me so that others may develop a new interest or rekindle an old interest, and learn something new along the way. So please don't judge the recipe by the photos. Its quite possible to create cute little prefectly circular cough drops that can be wrapped up in wax paper or just coated with extra sugar and are great for sharing, I just didn't accomplish that this time. My batch, at least for now, is going to be saved just for me as I dont mind if the candy is all lumpy and oddly shaped.

First a little background on Horehound. It is an herb that is related to the garden variety mints and is a native of Asia and Europe although it is naturalized in the US as well. For decades its common use has been as an expectorant and is a common ingredient in most cough medicines. If you like Ricola brand original cough drops than you have had Horehound cough drops. Theirs are just fancy. New research by the German Commission E concludes that Horehound is also good for treating loss of appetite and dyspepsia. The history of the herb and its uses goes back to ancient times, as it was used for these same purposes by the Egyptians and the Romans. An herb with a history that goes back that far is generally considered to be very reliable. One particular characteristic of Horehound is its incredibly bitter taste. Although it has for centuries been brewed into teas and infusions, its most common application is in candied lozenges because the taste is more tolerable with the sugar and honey that goes into that production. Now on to some fun!

What you will need:

Essentially with this recipe you are making candy, so you need a cooking thermometer that goes up at least to 330 Degrees F which is sugar's hard crack stage. I have a digital meat thermometer that goes that high and I paid about 10$ for it at a discount store. They can be found without paying gobs of money for a special "candy thermometer"

Really there are only 4 ingredients.

Water 1cup
Herb 1cup fresh OR 1/2 cup dry
Sugar 2cups
Honey 2-3 heaping tablespoons

The only other thing you may need (unless you have candy molds) is confectioners sugar. I use confectioners sugar to create a make shift candy mold in a pie pan or other shallow dish. More details to follow.

Start by making a decoction with the Horehound and water. Decoction means to boil an herb for 10-15 minutes as opposed to steeping it for 3-5 minutes. You want to put the herb and the water into a small saucepan (non-reactive) and boil together for 10-15 minutes.

In the meantime, while your herb is boiling, grab a shallow pan or dish (I used an aluminum pie pan but anything will work really) and fill it at least 1/2 inch with confectioners sugar. You want to tamp the sugar down and pack it all the way to the edges of the dish.  I used the handle end of a wooden spoon to make small holes in the surface of the sugar, this is a make shift candy mold. Because the sugar will repel the hot candy when you pour it, the candy will find its way into the little holes and be able to harden there separately and quickly. I also find this method very convenient because I coat the drops at the end with powdered sugar so they do not stick together and this way they are already in the pan all I have to do is shake them up when they cool and coat them evenly.
NOTE: Make multiple molds ready. Even if you do not use them all, when the end of the process is near you will not have time to make another mold ready. make up 3 or 4 dishes worth and you should be well covered for this size recipe

OK back to the herb you have boiling away.

When its done itll look like a really thick, dark, tea.

Take it off the heat and let it cool a little bit. the next step is to strain the herb out and have just the liquid left. I used just a small colander strainer but you can use cheese cloth in a pinch. You want to squeeze the herb as best you can with the flat side of a spoon to get out all the juice possible.

When you have all of the juice strained out, rinse out your sauce pan and put the juice in and set back on the stove. Add sugar and honey and stir with a wooden spoon as the concoction starts to bubble. Turn the heat down to super low/just barely medium and keep an eagle eye on this stuff. It will try to boil over on you so you must keep stirring it and keeping it moving. Use a wooden spoon as the metal could do funny things to the mixture, and besides, wooden spoons are always best when cooking and creating with herbs.

It took my mixture about 20 minutes to reach the hard-crack stage of sugar which is 330 Degrees F. When its ready this stuff is wicked hot. I did not feel comfortable playing with the camera and a sticky sugar that was over 300 Degrees to take any shots of the pouring but just go slow and steady and very carefully. Wear oven mitts as the chances are the handle to the pot is pretty hot as well. Please always wear closed toed shoes when you're in a kitchen. Its a rule I learned once upon a time and have since been proven correct any time a knife falls or hot liquids spill. Precaution. Its kind of a big deal.

Once its reached the temperature it needs to be, pull it off the stove and carefully pour into the molds. Either set the molds (once full) on a heat-proof surface or throw them in the refrigerator or freezer to cool them quickly. Wash your saucepan with as hot of water as you can stand. If you cant get the sugar off just fill the pan with water, put it back on the stove and heat it up. Boil the water and the sugar will come off and make it very easy to wipe out.









Once cool toss the drops in the powdered sugar to evenly coat them. I store mine in the refrigerator so they do not risk melting and getting sticky before I can use them.

Enjoy!!


Sources:
http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/horehound.php

Sacred Plant Medicine- Stephen Harrod Buhner

Note: not an alternative to seeking medical assistance. Always consult your physician before taking any alternative/herbal treatments for any conditions. Dosage may vary based on preference, taste, and size of person. Recipes call for 1tbsp per dose up to 3 times per day but again dosage varies person to person. I am not a physician, I just prefer to care for my own health and the health of my family in the most natural ways possible.

Honey and Onion Cough Syrup

Good afternoon!  

Its a beautiful day here in NH, so I am enjoying some precious time to myself. Cup of tea in hand I have been cleaning and preparing all morning. It seems I still have a lingering cough from my last bought of cold and a friend was concerned. Knowing how she cares for me I took her advice and whipped up a new batch of my all-time favorite cough remedy.

Its the simplest cough syrup to make (à mon avis) all you need is:   Honey
                                                                                                    Garlic
                                                                                                    Onions

See, pretty simple. First, a little history.

Honey is one of those substances on the planet that is just absolutely amazing. It has so many properties for health and wellness that its hard to imagine that anyone would go without honey in their diets. It is antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, expectorant, anti-allergenic, laxative, antianemic, and tonic properties. According to the Koran "[Eat thee of honey] wherein is healing for mankind." Even the ancients knew of its revitalizing powers as one of the first fermented beverages was Mead made of honey.

Onions and garlic are wonderful little bulbs that are packed with sulfer, of vitamin C, B6, biotin, chromium, calcium and dietary fiber. Also they contain Vitamin K, B1 and folic acid. Hard to ignore the fact that onions are so very good for you, and they taste great in almost everything. There must be a reason why all over the world onions are grown and incorporated into almost every food/cooking style from asian to french, german and south american. They are a staple part of almost every diet and that has to be due in some part to their many health benefits.

Now onto the good stuff. Start by gathering everything together. I strongly recommend using raw honey from the closest local apiary to you. By choosing raw and local over store bought you are consuming pollen from the area in which you live. This will help your immune system adjust to the allergens in your home and neighborhood. Also all the properties above are muted when the honey is pasteurized. the pasteurization process kills all of the bad bacteria (which there is little of in honey) but it also kills the good bacteria that give honey its amazing properties. So, when in doubt, find someone local that keeps bees and I am quite confident that they will part with some of their honey. (chances are its much cheaper than the store-bought brand as well)

 So on to gathering the ingredients. I used 2 cups of honey. 1/2 of a large onion, and a handful of garlic cloves.

Measure out the honey and pour into a medium sized sauce pot.

Chop up the onion. I used 1/2 of an onion because it was large, but if you have small onions perhaps a whole one or two would work for you. Just a rough chop nothing fancy.

Next chop the garlic. Again, a rough chop works just fine. *spoiler alert* its all going to get strained out in the end. I just grabbed a handful of garlic and began chopping but if you're not a huge fan or you dont like garlic at all it can be omitted.

Then throw it all in the pot with the honey and place on the stove. Heat on medium until the honey loosens up and is easily stirred. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

While this is doing its own thing find a container to hold your cough syrup. I chose medium sized Ball jars. Whenever I make any kind of remedy that needs storing I always sanitize my utensils. Because this batch wont stick around long I didnt do a full boil bath with the jars. Instead I heated enough water in my tea kettle to fill the jars and fill a small bowl to sanitize the lids. The other important reason for the process is to warm the jars before putting hot liquids in them. If you dont heat the jars before putting the cough syrup in you are much more likely to have one explode and that is not alot of fun.

By the time you clean up and get your jars ready your syrup should be just about done.

Carefully strain into your chosen jars and Voila!

Dont forget to label your concoction with the date and what it is, and I hope you feel better soon!

Sources:
http://www.foods-healing-power.com/health-benefits-of-onions.html

Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers - Stephen Harrod Buhner


Note: not an alternative to seeking medical assistance. Always consult your physician before taking any alternative/herbal treatments for any conditions. Dosage may vary based on preference, taste, and size of person. Recipes call for 1tbsp per dose up to 3 times per day but again dosage varies person to person. I am not a physician, I just prefer to care for my own health and the health of my family in the most natural ways possible.

Fire Cider

Its a nice quiet Friday morning in New Hampshire, the cloud cover from hurricane Sandy is finally breaking after its 4th day and we have some scattered sunshine peaking out this afternoon. Im sitting enjoying a cup of tea with my dog's head tucked under my arm as she is helping me post this blog today. She could possibly be the best dog ever, whenever Im sick (like today being the third day of the seasonal cold) she refuses to leave my side and i feel all her love and trust flow between us when we're curled up this way. Dog is definately this woman's best friend.

On to more important business. Since I do have a nasty bit of a cold I would like to share a recipe for fire cider!

Fire Cider is an age old folk remedy that is antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and basic all around immune boosting. The ingredients are proven to improve circulation and generally promote good health. 1 teaspoon of this tincture when you feel the sniffles come on should help boost your immune system and fight off more serious symptoms. Some people take 1 teaspoon a day during the duration of cold and flu season to ensure that they're health is in good working order. (Note: not an alternative to seeking medical assistance. Always consult your physician before taking any alternative/herbal treatments for any conditions. Dosage may vary based on preference, taste, and size of person. Recipes call for 1/2 teaspoon to 1 oz per dose but again dosage varies person to person. I am not a physician, I just prefer to care for my own health and the health of my family in the most natural ways possible) well not that the disclaimer has been established, let us begin!

You will need:
1/2 cup fresh grated ginger root
1/2 cup fresh grated horseradish root
1 medium onion, chopped
10 cloves of garlic, crushed or chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
Several sprigs of fresh rosemary or 2 tbsp of dried rosemary leaves
1 tbsp Turmeric Poweder
 apple cider vinegar
raw local honey to taste

One Big Jar

Start by grating the horseradish and the ginger root. (by the way if youre doing this like I did while having a cold, youre in for a sinus opening surprise!) place in bottom of jar. Next I chopped the onion and the jalapeno (be sure to save all the seeds) and also placed in the jar.

  Take the lemon and grate it into the top of the jar. Use as much of the rind as you can before you get down to the flesh. Once you have done that chop the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the jar as well. I used a neat gadget that is a measuring cup/grater/juicer/other stuff. (Thanks gram!) so with just one tool I did all of my grating of the initial roots as well as the lemon and the juicing with only dirtying one dish.

After the lemon I chopped up the garlic just roughly and added them to the jar, and crushed up the springs of rosemary and stuffed them in too. Top it all off with turmeric and apple cider vinegar and you've made yourself some Fire Cider!

To finish up be sure to add cider vinegar all the way to the top, and place a layer of wax or parchment paper between the glass mouth of the jar and the metal rim of the lid because the vinegar WILL CAUSE EROSION. no wiggle room on that one. you want to place this concoction in a shady place (so basically not in direct sunlight, put it on a low shelf or in a cupboard) and be sure to shake once a day for a month. After 4-6 weeks it will be ready to be strained and put in a new clean jar for keeping. It has a shelf life after straining of at least 2 years. 

To take: when the sniffles start coming on during the dreaded cold and flu season take 1 teaspoon once to twice a day. Sweeten with raw local honey to taste (its okay if you need alot of honey, its only gonna help the cause) and take like a shooter.

Now as much fun as this was to make today, unfortunately its not going to help me in the cold I am battling. Thats ok. The next time I get sick or someone in my house does, we will have Fire Cider at the ready to knock the cold on its arse. Bright Blessings to you all and may good health go with you!

Ivy