Dandelion Root Coffee with Chicory

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Anne Linn

Spring is here. I enjoy the warm weather and the sunlight, as well as the occasional rain that makes the sky alive with dark clouds. I feel changes in my body as well. I crave more greens, more fresh vegetables. I’ve been eating asparagus like crazy.

And I’ve begun drinking dandelion root coffee every day, usually in the morning when I wake up. It tastes wonderful with raw milk or cream, and I find it to be a rather satisfying start to my day. Quite often I have some raw chocolate on the side as well. It’s a very comforting food for those who need comfort without the guilt of eating something unhealthy.

Last Saturday I walked into my favorite herb store to get some more roasted dandelion root. I ended up getting some chicory as well and the combination of the two is even more extraordinary

Below is a simple recipe for dandelion root coffee with chicory. Please experiment with it and make it delicious to your taste.

You can buy the roots already roasted or just roast them in the oven yourself.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp Roasted dandelion root
  • 1 tbsp Roasted chicory root
  • 2 cups Water
  • Milk or cream (optional)

Add the first three ingredients together and let it simmer for at least 15 minutes. Add milk. Enjoy!

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Rose tea

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Anne Linn

Beautiful rose continues to be one of my favorite herbs. I used to make tea from the dried petals, but I lately discovered an herb shop in San Francisco that seemed to have good quality herbs. I purchased pink rose buds there and the tea I made from them was heavenly! This is my new favorite tea with rose as the only ingredients.

Rose inspires love and self care. To allow myself to be vulnerable and yet seeing the strength in letting myself be honest in the way I act, and in who I am. I’ve suffered a lot of emotional abuse from myself, and also a lot of heart ache from losing my family. I feel I need a lot of healing from lovely rose.

Posted in Herbs | Leave a comment

How to Make Composition Powder

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Anne Linn

It can be a fight sometimes to find time to make herbal medicine. In the East West course manual, one of the first remedies I’m asked to make is composition powder. For one reason or another it took time for me to actually buy the ingredients and make the formula.

I’m waiting right now to take my first sip of my composition powder tea. So what exactly is composition powder? What is it’s purpose? I was wondering the same thing and did some research.

Not very long ago this herbal remedy used to be a staple  in people’s kitchens. They would use it for colds, flues, indigestion etc. It is both stimulating and heating, and is safe even for children.

How to make composition powder

Ingredients

16 parts bayberry root
8 parts white pine bark
8 parts ginger
1 part cloves
1 part cayenne

Grind the herbs into powder and combine. Store in a container of your choice, in a dark cool place.

How to Use

Stir a teaspoon of the powder in a cup of hot water. Let it steep for about 15 minutes. It is recommended to drink the powder as well as the clear liquid for its stimulating effects.

My Experience

My experience with composition powder is still limited. But my first impression is that it aids indigestion. I drank my tea after eating a heavy meal and very soon after I felt things move along in my stomach. The powder also felt nice and warming, and helped against the slightly sore throat and ear ache I was experiencing.

I might experience with different ways of taking the powder. It does not taste bad, but I find drinking the powder to be somewhat unpleasant. I have a feeling I will continue using composition powder a lot for various ailments.

Posted in Herbs, How to | Leave a comment

The best place to buy herbs

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Anne Linn

I’m pretty excited! I just put in an order with Mountain Rose Herbs, which is in my opinion the best place to buy herbs online. At least I haven’t found any other store that give me the same quality herbs. The only time I don’t buy herbs from Mountain Rose is when something is out of stock or they just don’t have that herb I need.

One of my favorite herbs is oatstraw. I drink oatstraw as a strong tea a lot because it tastes good, is deeply nourishing and helps calms my usual overactive nerves. Every time I bought it from somewhere else than Mountain Rose Herbs I got a bag of pale yellow straw that smelled old and tasted like dust. The one I get from Mountain Rose is pale green and smells and tastes delicious!

I’m sure there are other good stores that sell fresh, good quality organic herbs. But I still haven’t found anything to match Mountain Rose, and so it is in my opinion the best place to buy herbs online.

I also want to share with you that Mountain Rose currently has a giveaways each week!

Posted in Herbs | Leave a comment

Winter Solstice

Posted on December 26, 2011 by Anne Linn

Winter Solstice has always held a sense of mystery with me. Ever since I can remember I’ve wanted to celebrate it but I never knew how. It was a little frustrating because something inside of me told me that it was a very important event, somehow a way to connect to both the earth and the universe, and yet I had no way of practicing what I felt in my heart.

This year everything changed. I got to attend a very sacred ceremony on the Winter Solstice that has touched me deeply. I have written more about it in my other blog.

Do you celebrate the Winter Solstice?

Posted in Rituals, Spiritual | Leave a comment

Chai Recipe

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Anne Linn

In these colder winter months I will often bring a pot of water to a simmer and add various warming spices like cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Then I will perhaps prepare breakfast or do other tasks while I wait for my tea to be done. I love the sweet and spicy aroma that seeps through my apartment as I make my chai. It’s beautiful aromatheraphy.

Chai is what I order whenever I venture into a coffee shop (as I don’t drink coffee) and the taste reminds me of Christmas.

Almost a year ago I took the culinary herbalism course with K.P Khalsa who shared how to make chai tea from scratch. In this recipe the spices are allowed to simmer for some time to extract all the medicinal properties and also bring those beautiful scents into your home.

Below is the recipe with a few alterations of my own. For the original recipe by K.P Khalsa please watch the video at the end of this post. He will also explain all the various properties of all the different spices.

Ingredients

20oz of water
2 cinnamon sticks
16 cardamom pods
12 cloves
24 black pepper corns
4 slices of ginger
1 cup milk
4 bags of black tea
honey to taste
optional: 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Pour water into a pot
2. Add all the spices
3. Let simmer for 20 minutes or longer (I usually leave it for at least 30 minutes. I also usually leave the lid on so all the water does not evaporate)
4. Turn off heat and add the black tea. Leave for 3-5 minutes before removing.
5. Add milk and heat once more to just before boiling.
6. Strain tea
7. Add honey to taste

Enjoy!

Posted in Ayurveda, Food, How to, Recipes | Leave a comment

Health Benefits of Honey

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Anne Linn

A sweet little post about the health benefits of honey and why I love it so.

My favorite thing to buy at the farmers market is honey. I love the various sized containers with caramel or cream colored honey that is so sweet and so delicious. In my romantic heart I think of it as sunshine in a jar.

The reason I prefer buying my honey at the farmers market is that it’s usually raw and local. These two factors combined make more powerful medicine as heating the honey destroys many of its benefits. Honey is one of those amazing healing food that can help us in so many ways while at the same time being delicious.

I like to eat yogurt with fruit and honey for breakfast. I also use honey a lot in my tea. But what exactly are the health benefits of honey?

It gives you energy immediately, when you need it. I have a friend who spreads raw honey and almond butter on toast and says it keeps her going for a long time. When exercising, or if you’re just on your feet a lot it is very useful to stir some honey into your water bottle for quick pick me up.

It boosts your immune system. And soothes a sore throat. This might be the most known health benefits of honey. It is frequently used in herbal formulas for its taste and immune boosting qualities. Whenever I feel a cold coming on I mix up a potion of apple cider vinegar and honey.

It heals wounds and can be used in skincare. I have a friend who uses honey to heal scrapes and wounds. Personally I’ve used honey to heal painfully sore lips by applying it before going to bed at night. It works great, but you have to make sure not to lick it off before it has had a chance to work its magic.

Honey helps you sleep. There are few things more comforting than warm milk with honey. Drink this in the evening to get nice and drowsy before bed.

These are just a few of the health benefits of honey. I’m sure it has a lot more uses as it has been valued for its healing magic for thousands of years. The vikings made it into mead, religious texts praises it,  and honey has even been found in the ancient tombs of Egypt, still edible. This golden sunshine made into food is magical, healing and will last forever.

If you can’t find raw honey near you I recommend getting it from Tropical Traditions. They sell high quality products and I have only good experiences buying from them. If you’re a new customer you will also receive a free book on Virgin Coconut oil if you buy through one of my links. Currently their raw honey is on sale!

Posted in Food | Leave a comment

Apple Cider Vinegar for Colds

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Anne Linn

Autumn has arrive with its colder and darker days, some crisp and full of colors and sunlight, others grey and rainy. It is my favorite of the seasons. The trees are so beautiful at this time of year and the sunlight seem to be painted gold. I also love the warming and nourishing autumn foods, and staying warm and cozy inside while drinking tea to the smell of burning incense.

What I don’t like is the increased chances of getting sick this time of year. But luckily I got some healing potions ready in case I need them.

I’ve tired various remedies to fight off a cold, but the one I swear by the most is my apple cider vinegar mix. It is surprisingly powerful, especially if you take it before the cold has developed fully. I drink it whenever my throat feels slightly sore, or if my body feels weak and funny somehow.

This remedy is very simple with only three ingredients.

  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Water

Directions

Pour a small amount of apple cider vinegar into a glass, and then fill it up with warm water. Stir in honey to taste. You can add more apple cider vinegar to taste as well. I like making the mix as strong as I can while still keeping it tasty. Try different amounts of vinegar and honey to find what works for you.

Posted in Food | Tagged | 1 Comment

Smudge Bundles

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Anne Linn

Tonight I made rosemary smudge sticks. I’ve always been drawn to the magic of burning herbs though I’ve never really researched the deeper purpose of it.

I can sense how each plant or resin has its own energy that is released through smoke. The groups of mystics that I am part of often burn incense, especially frankincense before doing practices together. The scent of the incense really transforms the whole place and inspire spiritual feelings.

I’ve made smudge bundles before. The one I had the deepest connection with was mugwort as I wildcrafted the plant myself and spent time tuning into it. Mugwort is very magical to me and burning it really brought me in touch with my intuition. I remember doing a meditation practice after burning mugwort and somehow the practice flowed much better than normal, perhaps because I was able to let my intuition guide me through it instead of being stuck in the mind.

Rosemary is not new to me, but I feel I need to spend some more time getting to know her. Smudging in general is said to clear the energies, but I have no experience of this. I do know that burning white sage makes me feel very good, and the scent is amazing. And it makes me happy to do magical things that connects me to the mystical sides of life.

I wonder if smudging rosemary will kill germs in the air. Does anyone know?

I’m eager for my smudge bundles to dry so that I can start burning them and they look so pretty and witchy hanging in my room.

It is past midnight and it’s time to end this somewhat scattered post. Below is a video on how to make smudge bundles.

Posted in Rituals | Leave a comment

Chamomile

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Anne Linn

I’m sipping chamomile tea in my big yellow cup before bed. It’s a simple tea, and not at all flashy or exotic. It’s one of those herbs that everyone knows about and I think because it’s so common we can easily overlook its power. Yes chamomile is gentle and sweet. It’s safe for children and it’s soothes a queasy stomach or an anxious heart.

But there is strength in that little yellow and white flower. Drinking a strong chamomile tea can make you extremely sleepy, enough so that you can barely stay awake, pretty much like how I feel now. But I’m still writing as there is someone in the bathroom and I still have to brush my teeth before jumping into bed. But even drinking a strong tea during the day after a good nights sleep will make me tired.

Anyway, I wanted to make a tribute to this sweet little herb with hidden power. Chamomile seem to me like those gentle people that are soft spoken and almost frail looking, but that has a strength about them that is revealed when tested.

I like to drink chamomile tea after a heavy meal to help my stomach digest everything. Chamomile is a bitter herb which is something you will notice if you brew a strong enough tea. In fact strong infusion of chamomile can be powerful enough to break up kidney stones! Of course it will also be almost impossible to drink, that’s how bitter it is.

Chamomile also helps digest the troubles of life. I’m a very anxious person by nature but with each sip of my tea I feel the anxiety in my stomach subside and I start to relax.

Chamomile has been loved since ancient times. There has been books upon books written about it. Here is a short summery of some of the things you can use it for.

  • digestive aid
  • helps you sleep
  • help you relax
  • calms frazzled nerves
  • soothes a tooth ache
  • heals eye problems such as pink eye and dry irritated eyes. I haven’t had the chance to try this one. But all you need to do is soak two teabags, let them cool and place them over your eyelids. Leave them for a bit and then discard. Reapply new teabags as needed. The chamomile will absorb impurities in the eye and heal it.

I’m going to have chamomile on hand at all times. It’s only recently that I’ve understood how useful this herb is, especially do deal with my anxiety and help me relax. I like to buy the loose herbs and brew them in my teapot as they seem more potent than the teabags.

If you haven’t already I would suggest you take some time to get to know chamomile. Drinking the tea and notice how the herb feels like inside your body, smell it and  put it in your bath to relieve stress. Welcome chamomile into your life like a long lost friend with many gifts.

I buy my chamomile here.

Posted in Herbs | Leave a comment