Results for Category: DIY
Winter Herbal Cocktails to Toast the New Year
What a year it was! With the ups, downs, twists, and turns of the last 12 months, we’re approaching 2021 head on and with fervent hope. To reflect on a year gone by and to anticipate a year ahead, we’re pouring ourselves some winter herbal cocktails and jotting down what we envision for this new […]
Pine Needle Gimlet Recipe
The addition of a conifer simple syrup to any beverage adds a level of richness and earthiness to the recipe. The pine needle simp...
Herbal Hot Toddy Mocktail Recipe
While traditional hot toddy recipes feature dark liquor like rum, whiskey, or bourbon, you can still get the same warm, cozy effec...
Conifer-Infused Vodka and Simple Syrup Recipes
Evergreens not only provide a much-needed pop of color during the winter months, they are also a wonderful natural source of vitamin C. Conifer needles also have anti-inflammatory properties, and in addition are antiseptic, antibacterial, and antifungal (Walker, 2015). If you find yourself out foraging this winter season, harvest a cup or two of conifer […]
Nettle Leaf Nursing Tea with Oatstraw and Alfalfa
Nursing tea, sometimes referred to as lactation tea, is an herbal tea blend thought to promote milk supply in nursing mothers. Nettle (Urtica dioica) leaf, alfalfa (Medicago sativa) aerial parts, and oat (Avena sativa) leaf and stem, known as “oatstraw,” are often found in nursing tea blends due to their nutritive properties. While many feel […]
Adaptogen Cherry Bites
Adaptogen cherry bites are the ideal winter snack, blending good taste with good balance. This recipe calls for nourishing ashwaga...
Homemade Nipple Balm with Calendula and Marshmallow
None can know the pain of cracked nipples from nursing, and the overwhelming relief of good nipple balm unless they’ve been ther...
Herbal Bath Tea with Chamomile & Rose
Herbal bath tea makes a wonderful homemade gift, especially if that gift recipient is you! By blending together botanicals known for their nervine effects, this recipe includes chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) flowers and rose (Rosa spp.) petals to combine relaxation with aromatics. Chamomile contains a flavonoid, apigenin, thought to be the source of the plant’s sedative […]
2 Herbal Desserts Featuring Pumpkin: Brownies & Pie
Get ready for tasty, seasonal, and surprising combinations of herbal desserts! You may have heard of mint brownies or even lavender brownies, but read on for a unique herbal twist on a chocolatey favorite. Perfect for autumn and winter, this Pumpkin and Herbs Brownies recipe contains both fresh thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus, […]
Stress-be-Gone Herbal Bath for New Moms
This relaxing herbal bath blend for the new mother is composed of three well-known aromatic nervines: chamomile (Matricaria recuti...
Mom’s Chamomile Tea Recipe with Lemon Balm and Linden Flower
Chamomile tea made from chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) flower with lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) leaf and linden (Tilia cord...
Best Herbal Oils for Homemade Soaps
In my five years of professional soapmaking, I’ve discovered herbal oils are a true luxury that adds vitality to homemade soap. Our skin is alive, but lifeless chemicals cannot give back life to the skin. To be “alive,” beauty products and topical formulas should be made purely of plant-based and natural ingredients (Raichur,1997). As the […]
Mom’s Raspberry Leaf Tea with Lady’s Mantle and Mint
Raspberry (Rubus spp.) leaf mixed with members of the rose and mint families come together in this new mother’s tea recipe, making the most of herbs and botanicals that are known for their association with pregnancy and postpartum health. Mineral-rich and aromatically soothing, this raspberry leaf tea with mint (Mentha spp.) leaf and lady’s mantle […]
Herbal Sugars for Baking
Winter means spending more time indoors, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the abundance from our herb garden long after th...
Overnight Hawthorn Infusion
Creating your own hawthorn herbal infusion is a great way to pack a powerful nutritious punch from this member of the rose family....
Soothing Herbal Sitz Bath for New Mothers
You can blend together botanicals celebrated for their relaxing aromas and cooling astringent properties to create a soothing herbal sitz bath. Both yarrow (Achillea millefolium) aerial parts and St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) flowers have been found to aid mothers recovery from the birthing process. Their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties soothe the skin and stimulate […]
Herb Stuffing Recipe with Sage and Thyme
A lot of folks wonder how to make stuffing with sage (Salvia officinalis) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris) in a way that maximizes the herbal properties of these two related plants and enhances the proteins in their main dish. Both sage and thyme belong to the Lamiaceae, or mint family (Ware, 2018), making them complimentary flavors […]
Spiced Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Cloves
Spiced pumpkin bread offers an elevated flavor to a classic fall treat that contains nutrient-filled spices to warm the body and s...
Apple Cinnamon Stovetop Potpourri Blend
If you love the smell of freshly baked apple pie (honestly, who doesn’t?), then this Apple Cinnamon Stovetop Potpourri Blend is ...
3 Stovetop Potpourri Recipes for Winter
Don’t you just love the smell of the holidays? Fresh evergreen trees, cinnamon-covered desserts, and spiced cider all mingle together during this exciting and hope-filled time of year. Unfortunately, these delightful scents are often overpowered by well-intentioned candles and cleaning supplies that are stuffed with synthetic scents. These artificial smells can be nice at first […]
Woodland Winter Stovetop Potpourri Recipe
A long walk in the woods is good for the body and the soul. If you’ve ever walked through a dense evergreen forest, then you know just how rejuvenating it can be to take deep breaths of the fresh, piney scent. Just the smell itself can boost your mood! To bring the smell of the […]
Easy Cinnamon Homemade Applesauce
A perennial favorite among children, homemade applesauce is simple to make. Adding cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) provides a nutrient...
Make Your Own Apple and Pumpkin Pie Spice Blends
Creating the best apple or pumpkin pie spice blend for your fall desserts is a simple matter of blending together spices many of u...
Craft Your Own Delicious Hawthorn Berry Cordial
Harvesting hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) berries in late fall can produce a basket of sweet red berries ideal for a vitamin-rich homemade cordial (Harford,2020). Blended with seasonal favorites, including apple, rosehip (Rosa spp.), and cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.), this hawthorn berry homemade cordial is sure to delight and soothe. The hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) tree offers many gifts: […]
Herbal Spiced Apple Cider Recipe with Cinnamon, Chamomile, and Astragalus
There’s something comforting about a warm drink on a cold night, making spiced apple cider the perfect beverage for a cool fall evening. It is the ideal way to end a day of apple picking or a fall visit to the local farmers’ market. “Apples are sweet and delicious, but also offer health benefits in […]
French Apple Cinnamon Tea
This French Apple Cinnamon Tea recipe calls for cinnamon, apples, and honey, providing a little crispness with a dash of sweetness...
Shelf-Stable Calendula Cream Recipe
As herbalists, we turn to our trusty herbal allies to create simple and safe skincare products. We love our calendula-infused oil,...
Herbal Tea Blends for Morning, Midday, and Night
Timing is everything. This well-worn saying couldn’t be more true when it comes to herbal tea blends. The Sanskrit word kala refers to time or timing, and desa to place. According to Ayurveda, harmonious living isn’t just about what; it is also about when, how, and where. When it comes to what we put into […]
Citrus and Spice: DIY All-Purpose Cleaner
Crisp cool air and tree colors turning to auburn and golden hues welcome the arrival of autumn and winter months. Tis the season to enjoy the comforts of home, like a crackling fireplace, a cozy couch, or a clean kitchen that’s ready for cooking up hearty recipes. And speaking of recipes, have you ever tried […]
Floral Mist: DIY Room Spray
A few spritzes of our DIY Room Spray will transport your mind and spirit to bright and colorful gardens bursting with flowers and ...
