HANE’s Top 10: The Best Vegan Books
The best vegan books – well, almost all vegan – brought to you by Lisa Kelly, the founder, personal chef, and blogger of The Vegan Pact. Lisa is joining HANE this September through November for the Vegan Cooking Series in Bedford, MA. We’ll be whipping up beginner vegan meals and more advanced plant-based entrées, mastering raw…
Cacao Dusted Peanut Butter Cookies
Mmmm, the warm, cozy smell of peanut butter cookies baking in the oven. What other scent is more beloved? Don’t let these healthy, almost raw cookies fool you – they spent not a nanosecond in the oven. They are also gluten and wheat free, without flour, refined sugars, eggs, or butter. What?? Not exactly like…
Oats: Herbs We Love For Summer
Oats (Avena sativa) and their versatile components have been used for everything from stuffing mattresses, poultices, facial scrubs, cereal, teas, and baths. This small wonder, native to Northern Europe, packs a powerful nutritional punch with its protein, B-vitamins, calcium, and other minerals.
Licorice and Ginger: Herbal Decongestants
For many of us, the worst thing about getting a cold is the seemingly interminable congestion that takes over our respiratory system. It’s distracting enough to make us miserable, but isn’t enough of an issue to allow us to call in sick from work or school. And not only does the offending mucus seem to…
How to Grow Fresh Basil
Whether it’s to cleanse the blood, act as an anti-inflammatory, or simply to make pesto for an Italian feast, basil can be a valuable staple of an herbalist’s kitchen and a delicious way to ensure continued health. Though it’s easy enough to buy fresh basil at the store, it’s an herb that’s incredibly easy to…
Catnip: Herbs We Love For Summer
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) or catmint, is probably best known as a stimulant for cats, inducing euphoria and friskiness. The scent alone is irresistible to most felines—my own kitty immediately darts into the kitchen the moment I open my jar of catnip. So as not to undermine her feline superiority, I share a pinch with her before adding…
Herbs for Prostate Health
It’s a scenario familiar to many aging men: he goes to bed, much as he has for decades, only to wake up two, three, or even four times to go to the bathroom to urinate. It’s difficult for him to urinate regardless of the time of day, for the urine dribbles out and is hard…
Rose: Herbs We Love For Summer
Rose. The Queen of Flowers has origins in the Middle East, and has been cultivated and cherished the world over since antiquity. The oldest known rose bush is believed to be at least 1000 years old, growing on the walls of the Cathedral of Hildesheim, in Germany. Subject of many a sonnet and poem, lauded…
Chamomile: Herbs We Love For Summer
German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) is a delicate, apple-scented member of the Asteraceae or daisy family, and makes one of the most popular teas in the world. A cooling and calming herb, chamomile is beloved by herbalist and lay person alike! Chamomile is an antispasmodic, relaxing the smooth muscles throughout the body including the digestive track. When…
Making the Connection
Sitting down to eat breakfast, I began to look around. Showing prominently in the center of the table was the loaf of 7 grain bread used to make our toast, but there was also cereal of many grains, almond milk, coffee, half-and-half, orange juice, fresh berries, butter, jam, almond butter, honey, flax seeds, chia seeds,…
