Blogs

Morning Harvest:  Nettle, collard greens, three different types of kale, basil, apple mint tea, potatoes, green onions, onion, garlic, green beans, zucchini, three different types of cucumber, celery, five different types of tomatoes, egg plant, delicata squash and many varieties of peppers. 

Cucumber Salad:  You will need to pick up some organic whole milk yogurt and dill

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/cucumber_yogurt_salad/

Pickled Nettle and Other Nettle Recipes:  

Side Note:  I would leave out the Tamari in the pickled nettle recipe

http://www.dandelionherb.com/public_html/recipes.html

Savory Nettle Chips:  You could do this with your kale to.  

http://mountainroseblog.com/nettle-chips-recipe/

Baked Delicata Squash:  I would add few cloves of chopped garlic, organic butter and 2 tablespoons of organic maple syrup.

http://summertomato.com/better-than-butternut-roasted-delicata-squa...

How to make sun-dried Tomatoes: 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sun-dried-tomatoes-i/

You could add seasonings to this recipe if you like 

Roasted Peppers: 

http://markbittman.com/how-to-cook-everything-the-basics-roasted-pep/

Today marks the last few weeks of the harvest.    Just six weeks left.  Whew!  

This  season has been moving extremely fast.  We started off in June watering like it was August.  This has left us with the feeling of never catching up.    There were times you would walk around the farm and you could hear all the plants asking for water, they were extremely thirsty.  

It is September and most of our crops are almost done, due to the fast ripening of the season.   We are hoping to still have produce  towards the end of the season.    If things become slim, I will be giving herbal remedies to get you through your cold and flu season.   

We have had a lot of abundance this year, the salad greens were slim due to the heat and they bolted.

  I am very thankful for this season's beautiful abundance.  

This Weeks Harvest:   Nettle, kale, mixture of greens, rosemary, parsley, basil, wax beans, lemon cucumbers, cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash,  a variety of tomatoes, potatoes, a variety of peppers and cabbage.

Nettle Information: 

http://cedarmountainherbs.com/nettles.htm

How To Make Your Own Powdered Greens: 

http://gnowfglins.com/2014/07/03/dehydrate-your-way-to-green-powder/?utm_content=buffer18d23&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Wax Bean Recipe: 

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/warm-yellow-wax-beans-in-bacon-v...

Use organic bacon, (Roths usually carries it) 

You can use red wine instead of sherry vinegar 

You can use regular onions instead of shallots 

You will need garlic for this recipe 

Abundance 

We have had a lot of people asking us about "Liver Detox or Spring Detox"  Below is our thoughts and  our beliefs from our studies and experiences. Please also click on the links at the bottom of this blog for further research.   

You can see that spring is telling us what to eat.  But, Americans are clearly very disconnected to nature because they are not getting the message.  The only message humans seem to be getting is jump on the latest fad and start your spring detox and flush your system.  

Spring is not about the next new detox diet, the next fruit juice fast, etc..  Spring is the awakening of the new season to come.  It is the season to wake up from the sluggish winter and  eat bitter.  It is time to move your body more and get outside in nature.  

Feeling sluggish by spring, means you need to take better care of your body throughout the year and through winter season.  It does not mean do some radical detox and flush your body out.  

You feel sluggish because you gorged yourself with foods that were to heavy, toxic and sugary during the winter season.  

Spring brings us beauty and awakening.  If you were eating right through the winter and sleeping enough you would feel renewed.  Instead of focusing on a detox diet, focus on creating a better winter eating plan for next winter.   You need to be thinking about the long term damage to your body that your are creating , not short term quick fixes like detox/cleansing diets that really don't work and are damaging to your body.  

Spring brings us spring greens, spring edible weeds and spring herbs. Spring brings us beauty after a long dark winter.  Spring is a reminder to eat your greens , especially eat  your bitter greens, it is a reminder that you should always think about boosting your detoxifying process, not just once a year.  

Spring is not here to torture your internal organs with fad detox diets.  It is a reminder that if you feel sluggish because you made bad choices throughout the winter with heavy sugary holiday food, toxic food that maybe next winter you will make healthier choices for your body mind and spirit.  

What spring is telling you  is to wake up, take a walk out in nature, slow down your life because you refused to do it, breath more, and enjoy the beauty that the next few seasons will bring.  

Say NO to spring detox/cleansing diets, start making better choices/better life style habits and learn to eat your bitter greens.

 A life of eating to be healthy is truly about finding  balance, listening and seeing what nature  is bringing  to you.  

 Life Detox:

You are living a life that is too fast.  Slow it down.  Take deep breaths, learn to breath again.   A fast paced life gives you indigestion. Simply put, it is bad for your digestion to live a life that is fast.  Instead of a juice fast that will give you a blood sugar high, sit down under a tree with a cup of nettle tea.  

Drink nourishing bone broth made from animals that are treated beautifully and fed a non-gmo diet.

Practice being kind and learn to give instead of take

Get to bed by 10:00 PM

Cut out sugar

Find out your food allergies

Exercise is a must.  No excuses, humans need to move their bodies.  Find something you like.  It does not have to be something that is hard core.  Walking is a great way to exercise.  It is being consistent that is important.   You need to exercise at least 5 days a week.  

Eliminate chemical toxins out of your life.  Remember hair dyes and nail polish are toxic.  Eliminate products that are made from petroleum, synthetics and GMO's 

 All screens, cell phones, computer, gaming, video games, TV, I pads, kindles,  etc All of them put your body in Fight or Flight mode.  So, instead of reaching for the newest cleansing diet, turn of your screens and limit your use of them.   If you have a cell phone then only use it for emergency's or if it is job related and If you have to use it for your job then set limits right away.    Turn the ringer off.  

Stop texting and start making time to see each other.  Texting turns you off from this world and keeps you overly connected, it is stressing your digestive tract out.   You need to set limits.  

Gaming/Video games, this is one of the worst things you can do to your body.  Total fight or flight mode every time you log on.   Get gaming out of your life, it is a serious addiction to adrenaline and it turns you  off from the real world.   Set your bare feet onto the ground and drink a cup of burdock root tea.  

Be Here Now.  Simply put if you are waiting for someone or something, just be, look around, observe what is going on around you, start a conversation, smile at someone, bring a paper book to read,  just get off of your phone.  You are keeping your body in constant state of stress.  What does stress do to your digestion? 

Create community and get involved.  This gives your body happy emotions 

Smoothies are the new quick fix, and you are skipping one of the first steps to digestion by drinking your meals.   I truly feel people are having more digestion issues because of our liquid diet and the smoothie fad.   Chewing and saliva are the first steps to breaking down your food.  

Sit and eat.  Be still while you chill.  Breath while you eat.  Breakfast at the table.  No Screen time while you eat.  All of those routines are becoming extinct .  It is time to start the day by eating a balance breakfast  with cooked greens, a clean protein and a salad.   

Stop eating raw food in the winter. 

Eat more green vegetables.   To this day I have yet to meet someone who eats enough vegetables.  

Eat seasonally. It does not make sense to your body for you to go on a juice fast in the spring if you live in an area that fruit is not ripe or even growing at this time.  

 Shop local farmers markets.  They are growing the foods that you can eat seasonally.   Buy organic as much as possible.   It is important for your health to eliminate eating foods that have  chemical toxins in them.  

Drink filtered water or spring water.  Most people are not drinking enough water 

Eat Spring Greens

Wild Spring Greens, head out and harvest some spring energy

Nettle, Urtica dioica - Nutrient, diuretic, detoxifying, astringent, glactagogue, decongestant and hypoglycemic.  Highly nutritious, high in vitamins and minerals.   Great for a nourishing tonic.  They stimulate the action of the kidneys and bladder.  Nettles help cleanse the body of toxins and wastes.  In the respiratory system nettles help clear catarrhal congestion and relieve allergies such as hayfever and asthma (with a balanced, healthy, diet) 

Cleavers, Galium aparine - Diuretic, alterative, antiinflammatory, astringent, antineoplastic, tonic and refrigerant.  Cleavers cleanse and clear toxins from the system and reduce inflammation.  They are a diuretic aiding elimination of wastes and also act ot enhance the lymphatic system, promoting lymphatic drainage of toxins ans wastes.   These actions ( with a healthy balanced diet) make them excellent for fluid retention, skin problems , urinary infections, and more.  

Sheep Sorrel - click on link below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivx-B9iRcCo

Horsetail, Equisetum arvense - click on link below

http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-horsetail.html

Chickweed, Stellaria media - Alterative, demulcent, refrigerant, mucilaginous, pectoral, resolvent and discutient. It is a mild diuretic and is used for water retention.  Has many nutrients, including calcium, potassium and iron.  Use as a food, it heals and soothes.  

Violet Flower and Leaf, click on links below: 

http://www.herbalistlisewolff.com/violets.html

http://www.susunweed.com/An_Article_wisewoman3e.htm

Lemon Balm, Melissa officinalis - Antiviral, decongestant, antihistamine, antiseptic, carminative, antispasmodic, antidepressant, nervine diaphoretic, hypotensive and bitter tonic.   Lemon balm is an excellent remedy for soothing the nerves and lifting the spirits ( a rainy spring would be a great time to make a wonderful cup of tea with this beautiful herb) It has a particular affinity with the digestive system, it calms and soothes nausea, vomiting poor appetite, colic, dysentery, colitis and any stress related digestive problems.   Make a bitters and it will gently stimulate the liver and gallbladder and enhance digestion and absorption.   It is useful for nervousness or depression.    It makes a great remedy for headaches and migraines.  A hot infusion causes sweating reducing fevers and making a good remedy for childhood infections.    This is one plant I would make sure I had growing in my garden!  

Dandelion Greens, Taraxacum officinale - Cholagogue, diuretic, antirheumatic, laxative, tonic, nutrient and detoxifying.  The whole plant ca be used medicine and is highly nutritious.   Pick the leaves in the spring and early summer.   Eat them as a bitter tonic to cleanse the body of wastes from the heavy clogging food and more sedentary habits of winter.  Dandelion eliminates toxins, wastes and pollutants through the liver and kidneys, cleansing the blood and tissues.  The bitters in both root and leaf activate the digestive tract and the liver, increasing the flow of digestive juices, enhancing the appetite, easing digestion and cleansing the liver.    So instead of reaching for the latest detox/cleansing diet, take a hike and eat some Dandelion Leaves (in a no spray area) 

Plantain, Plantago major - Leaves: demulcent, refrigerant, detoxifying, astringent, vulnerary, decongestant, expectorant, antiseptic and diuretic. 

My recommendations are this:

I won't recommended a Liver Detox tea to flush out toxins. I would never recommend a juice fast.   I will recommend that you increase your intake of green raw and cooked veggies,  I will recommend Susan Weeds Nourishing  infusions, I will recommend nutritive teas that nourish and tonify your body. There are many more recommendations that I would make.  But the most important thing I will tell you is that you need to take care of your body all the time, think about detoxifying it all the time through nourishing your body with healthy habits.   

Wild Weed Pesto: 

http://mcminnvillehealthdefense.ning.com/profiles/blogs/let-food-be-thy-medicine-and-medicine-be-thy-food-hippocrates

Trying implementing Nourishing Infusions in your daily wellness plan: 

http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/September08/anti-cancer.htm

More information on Winter Detox Diet: 

http://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/winter-detox-diet.html

Herbs for your liver: 

http://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/natural-liver-cleanse.html

Today I started my day with chicken veggie soup.   It has  bone broth, that I started last Thursday (organic chicken raised on our farm) .  The other ingredients are parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary, pepper, garlic, onions,  celery, celery root,  and red peppers.

This morning I took a nice  long mountain hike.   While I was out on my hike,   I worked on rejuvenation, read my book, I had root chai with mushrooms and ginseng then, I ate two almond blueberry muffins (gluten free).

After my hike we had another bowl of chicken veggie soup and a gluten free nutmeg chocolate chip scone (no sugar added).

For our family meeting we will be sipping high vitamin c tea

Dinner is going to be a veggie cauliflower crust pizza with salad.

I will be using organic sheep feta  

http://detoxinista.com/2012/01/the-secret-to-perfect-cauliflower-pizza-crust/

My goals for this evening are, stretching by the fire and reading a book

I will start my nettle infusion tonight 

http://nourishingherbalinfusions.com/Nettle.html

I will be getting to bed early.  

What is celeriac root: 

http://sixburnersue.com/cooking-fresh-eating-green/2010/02/ten-yes-10-things-to-do-with-celery-root/

I have had several big glasses of cold spring water. 

Suggested Goals for the week:  

Drink more water, (the best water is filtered or spring) 

Take the No Wheat Challenge

Start your day with a good protein and veggies (kale, cabbage, collard greens, red bell peppers, spinach, garlic, onions etc.)

When you drink smoothies think less fruit more veggies.  Only use one serving of berries.  

Remember bitter veggies are really good for you

Start a journal, write in it daily.  You could also draw it it.  

Turn off all screens by 7:00 pm and aim for a 10:00 pm bed time

Don't eat while watching TV

Don't stand while eating 

At least, 30 minutes of heart pumping exercise 5 days of week

Food Journals: 

For those of you who are in the Seven Steps To Wellness Class, please make sure you use the original food journals that I passed out to you.  

I have been reading those food journals for over 15 years.   And even though they may not be the absolute best format, it is what I am used to.  Having so many journals to read I need them all to be uniform.    

Remember one full page is a day.  Please do not add extra days to the full page.  As each day needs its own page.  

If you need more room please attach a paper or use the back.  

I would  like brand names of bars, deli meats, cereals or packaged goods

Tell me what your exercise routine is.  What did you do?  

Blueberry Almond Meal Muffins: 

Yesterday, I made  this recipe.  They were really good!   

I added to the original recipe, nutmeg, cloves, cardamon, cinnamon, coconut flakes and goji berries. I used organic maple syrup for the sweetener and I only used 1/4 cup.   I used organic butter.  

http://www.chefshanekelly.com/2011/08/very-blueberry-almond-flour-muffins/

Our First Week: We have been working10 to 12 hour days since March.  All that hard work paid off for a wonderful first start.  I am grateful for the abundance. 

Week One Product:  Nettle, comfrey, calendula, garlic scallions, mustard greens,  salad, arugula, basil, radishes, carrots, spinach, herbs, evergreens,  kale and collard greens. 

Nettle:

Nettle Pesto

Makes: 1 generous cup

1/2 pound nettles
4 large garlic cloves, smashed or garlic scallions
1/2  teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup grated raw organic cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer for the nettles. Add the nettles directly from their bag and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes. (This denatures their sting.) Dump into a colander to drain. When the nettles are cool enough to handle, wrap them in a clean dishtowel and wring out as much moisture as possible, like you would for spinach. You’ll have about a cup of cooked, squished nettles.

In the food processor fitted with the paddle attachment, whirl the garlic, salt, and pepper to taste until finely chopped. Add the nettles, breaking them up as you drop them in, and the lemon juice and whirl until finely chopped. With the machine running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream, and process until smooth. Add the cheese, pulse briefly, and season to taste with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice.

http://mcminnvillehealthdefense.ning.com/profiles/blogs/spring-time-super-tonic-food-nettle

More Nettle Recipes: 

http://www.thekitchn.com/stinging-nettles-8-recipes-for-145582

Comfrey: Comfrey Infused Grapeseed Oil/Olive oil is  used in  salves, creams and lotion recipes.  I like to apply the salve to acne scars and inflamed skin rashes.  You can also just use it as an infused oil.  The magic of Comfrey is from the active component contained in the leaf and root called allantoin which helps to boost the production of new skin cells.  In fact it works so fast that you should NEVER use it on open wounds, dirty wounds or broken skin.  You should only apply it to areas that have already scabbed over.

A Recipe for Infused Comfrey Oil:

You will need:

• A clean, dry jar
• Cut and dried Comfrey leaves
• An oil of your choice, enough to fill the jar.
• A spoon
• A square of thin cotton material, or a sieve.
• A clean, dry, glass bottle.

Carrier oil: The oil can be chosen to suit your needs:
Pure sunflower oil is cheap, cheerful and perfectly good; olive oil is a little more luxurious and my favourite for medicinal purposes; other possibilities include sesame, jojoba, avocado, hemp seed, almond and many others.

Method:

• Fill a third of the jar with Comfrey leaves.
• Fill the jar to the top with a carrier oil.
• Using a clean spoon press the Comfrey leaves down to ensure that there are no air bubbles.
• Put the lid onto the jar and leave in a warm, sunny window for at least one week and no more than two weeks.
• Strain the mixture and pour into the glass bottle.
• Store in a cool, dry place.

This oil can be used to hasten the healing of abrasions, bruises and sore muscles.
It must NOT be used on deep cuts as it is capable of healing the skin’s surface so quickly that the deeper part of the wound could fester.

http://www.freshpickedbeauty.com/2012/01/comfrey-infused-oil.html

http://www.thekitchn.com/stinging-nettles-8-recipes-for-145582

Calendula Tea: 

The simplest use of calendula flowers - it's just weld Calendula as tea.
Pour one cup of boiling water over 2 tablespoons of fresh calendula flowers OR one to two teaspoons of dried calendula petals. Steep for ten minutes, then strain. By drinking two to three cups daily there will be a great improvement in blood circulation.

To help in the healing of skin wounds:
Soak a compress in Calendula Tea, and apply to the wound for 30 minutes twice daily.

Calendula can also be used to treat sore throat. Gargle with warm tea several times a day. This will help relieve the inflammation caused from the common cold.

Other Calendula ideas:

http://blog.esgreen.com/2010/04/marigold-flower-tea.html

http://mountainroseblog.com/healing-calendula/

Evergreen Tea: 

½ cup of pine needles (or other needles from fir or spruce trees)

Crush the needles slighly & add to a pot of boiling water (3-4 cups). Simmer for 15-20 mins, or simply steep the needles in not yet boiling water.

You can add a spoon of honey or other liquid sweetener (maple syrup, agave, etc), as well as herbs such as rosemary or green tea, to this wonderfully aromatic brew.

Left over tea can be added to a bath, poured over the stones in a sauna, or used as a rinse for the hair to combat dandruff!

Evergreen Tea: 

Other ideas for evergreens: 

http://mcminnvillehealthdefense.ning.com/profiles/blogs/evergreen-healing

Evergreen Infused Olive Oil.   Infuse for 6 weeks, strain and drizzle on meat, rice, bread etc. 

Arugula  And Spinach Stir Fry: 

Spinach  arugula, coarsely chopped.

Garlic scallions chopped

Basil chopped

Balsamic vinegar

A few dashes of coconut aminos or organic Brags liquid aminos 

Link to coconut aminos:http://www.coconutsecret.com/aminos2.html

Heat pan with oil of choice: 

Add chopped garlic scallions, cook until tender

Add arugula and spinach, sauteing for about one minute

Add chopped basil, sauteing for about a minute

Add 4 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar and then steam it down for another minute or two

Add coconut aminos or Brags

Optional:   add some organic cooked and chopped turkey bacon, or organic beef sausage

Serve with couscous, quinoa, or any one of your favorite starches!

Mustard Green Stir Fry or use your wild greens: 

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/mustard_greens/

Make sure you use organic broth

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2009/07/balsamic-glazed-chickpeas-and-mustard.html

I would take out the soy sauce and use organic Brags or use coconut liquid aminos

Thank you Mountain Mama Members for your awesome support.  If you have any questions please e-mail me.

Mountain Mama Wellness Box:  The food items listed below are what the  Mountain Mama Wellness Box members received.  For those of you who do not have a farm to home share/CSA, what are the food items you  have been eating?  Are you supporting local organic farmers at the farmers markets and in your area?  Are you purchasing more organic food in your life?   How is your green, red, orange veggie intake?  Are you eating too many potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, celery and not enough green veggies?  What new recipes have you tried this week?  Have you eliminated fast food from your life?  How about supporting a restaurant that supports local farmers?  Have you eliminated GMO food from your life?   Have you eliminated movie junk food out of your life?

A Parent challenge, how about you challenge yourself to not buy hot dogs, mac and cheese, sugary cereal, monster drinks, soda, non-organic chips, let go of my eggo, colored yogurt and colored candy?

Do you  have your kids in sports, how about giving your family a health challenge, by making a pact not to eat at the snack shack, turn down the little Debbie's snacks with a Capri sun, cheese and cracker sets, peanut butter Nabisco cracker, cheddar cheese fish crackers etc.. and never set foot into  an Izzy's?     

Health Challenge to all the coaches, the dance teachers, the school teachers, the martial arts teachers, you are mentors, you are around kids and some of  you for quite a few hours,   If the kids, teens and tweens see you eating crap, junk food, colored drinks, monster drinks, chips, candy, Izzy's, McDonalds, etc, you are teaching them bad health habits.  You should think about this.

Parents challenge those coaches, dance teachers,  public school teachers, martial arts teachers, gymnastic teachers etc.. a doughnut party is not cool,  Krispy Kreme, double not cool.  Ask them to look for healthier alternatives.

Someone needs to step up and be the leader.  Just take ONE of my challenges and take off with it.  Once you have developed a healthy habit then move on to the next challenge.  Imagine if you start and people see it, just maybe they will start and so on.

We will never have change in the world if you and I do not implement change in our own lives.  Period.  

Mountain Mama Wellness Box Items: 

Tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, collard greens, brassica stir fry, broccoli leafs (for wraps), nettle, kale, swiss chard, dandelion greens, onion, parsley, celery, green beans,lemon balm, tea mix of apple-mint, cleavers and lemon verbena, basil, zucchini and cucumbers. 

Adventure In Life

Life Is Either A Great Adventure Or Nothing

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” 

What is your story from yesterday, today and tomorrow?

What story, what adventures will you be able to tell your grand-kids?

What story will you be able to tell your children?

Have you played?

Have you added spice to your life?

Are you living or are you just existing? 

Has time been put off over and over and the day is over

Have days been lost?

What story can you tell from that?

Live Like You Are Dying...... 

Broccoli Leaves 

Potato and Dill Broccoli Leaf Wraps Original Recipe

http://www.thewoodenspoon.net.au/recipes/potato-and-dill-broccoli-leaf-wraps-with-parsley-and-pepita-sauce/

This is what I did: 

Two cups potatoes (or sweet potato), chopped

1 large leek or two small chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped or minced

2 cups (or more) collard greens chopped

1 organic sweet red bell pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons dried dill ( I did not have fresh dill)

sea salt and pepper to taste

You could also add some organic meat to these wraps.

SAUCE:

1/2 cup organic pumpkin seeds

1 big bunch parsley, chopped 

1 Small red mild pepper, chopped

1 tsp. organic onion granules

2 tsp. yellow mustard seed

1/4 organic hemp seed oil

1/4 cup spring water

a dash of apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp. honey

Sea salt  ( or celtic) and pepper to taste 

FILLING: 

Boil the potatoes until they are lightly cooked.  Strain

Saute chopped garlic and leeks.  (if you are going to add meat, start it with the leeks and garlic) 

Add dill 

Add chopped red bell pepper, cook for a minute

Add chopped collard greens cook for a minute

Add potatoes 

Turn stove off and add: 

Juice of half of a lemon

sea salt and pepper to taste. 

Large Broccoli Leaves 

Steam broccoli leaves 30 seconds to a minute.  Should have a nice dark green color.  

Lay  the large broccoli leaf out, add your filling and wrap like a burrito.  

Top with the sauce

Share and sit with family and friends. 

Wrapping It Up

Ready To Eat 

 Collard Slaw

High in nutrients, including phytochemicals and antioxidants  dark leafy greens are good source of calcium especially when combined with lemon juice.  

1 bunch of collard greens, ribs removed, leaves rolled and sliced into thin ribbons

1 1/2 cups shredded carrots

1 unpeeled apple, shredded 

3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons dijon mustard 

2 tablespoons live oil

1/2 tsp. sea salt 

Cut collard greens into ribbons and combine with shredded carrots and apple, set aside.  

In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, dijon mustard, olive oil and sea salt

Add collard greens mixture and toss to coat. 

Chill in frig for a few hours. 

Dandelion Leaf:

Dandelion leaf is good for the kidneys, high in B vitamins, restores and replenished energy, excellent source for calcium. High in vitamins and minerals including magnesium, iron and vitamins A and C.  

Here Are 10 Ways To Use Dandelion Leaf: 

http://www.thekitchn.com/10-ways-to-use-those-dandelions-recipes-from-the-kitchn-188774

7 HERB LONG-LIFE SOUP

A nourishing and restorative blend, soup.   It is an excellent broth to serve someone who is sick or recovering from illness.  Use fresh herbs whenever possible, if they are not available chopped dried roots will do.  

Pictured below is a broth I made.  I boiled a chicken carcass (last nights dinner) to make bone broth, I added Sunday's veggies scraps.  In this picture the scraps where leeks, collard green stems, broccoli leafs, garlic and one habanario pepper.

7-Herb Long-Life Soup:

Extra-virgin olive oil

2 onions, sliced or chopped 

2 - 3 cloves of garlic, chopped 

3 quarts filtered water OR Your own homemade broth 

8 large shiitake mushrooms (fresh or dried), chopped

4 ounces  fresh burdock root thinly sliced or 2 ounces dried 

4 ounces fresh dandelion root  thinly sliced or 2 ounces dried

2 ounces lycium berries

1 ounce  fo-ti (ho shou wu), cut and sifted 

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger root 

1 ounce ginseng root 

Organic miso paste 

In large pot, heat just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Add the onions and garlic and saute until tender and golden

Add water or your broth and bring to a boil

Add the mushrooms and herbs, turn down the heat, and simmer over low heat for several hours 

When the roots are tender, turn off the heat and strain out the herbs.  If the herbs are soft you do not need to strain them out.  It is up to you. 

Add other seasonings and chopped vegetables as desired 

Pour into soup boils and add miso paste to taste.  Start with a tiny amount first (1/4 tsp.)

Do not boil the miso, as it destroys its valuable enzyme's  

Pickled Nettles: 

Serve with toast, feta, and olives, pickled nettles are a tasty treat. 

Fresh tender nettle tops

Place them raw in a quart pickling jar  

Fill the jar to the top with apple cider vinegar, being sure that no nettles surface above the vinegar 

Add a few garlic cloves 

Add a whole cayenne pepper

Cap tightly, and let sit for 8 - 12 weeks. 

Enjoy 

This Weeks Goodies  

Pictured, self heal (purple flower), pineapple weed (daisy look a-like) and st. johns wort

It is time to start harvesting these items.  Take a nature walk and start picking.  You can infuse these in oil, make a tincture or dry them for later use.

Never pick anything that has been sprayed

St. Johns Wort is in the far right paper bag

This Weeks Wellness Box: Collard greens, lettuce, spinach,kale, mustard greens, garlic scallions, celery, onions, radish, wild greens mix, tea mixes,  sage, nettle, lemon balm, self heal, pineapple weed, st. johns wort

Self Heal: http://onlineathens.com/stories/071011/liv_854927721.shtml

The common name "self-heal" derives from the use of some species to treat a range of minor disorders. It is reported to have an antiseptic and antibacterial effect, and to be particularly good in cases of food poisoning. Highly revered herbalist Keewaydinoquay used self-heal to pull heavy metals out of the body.  On the physical body it acts as an astringent, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, mild antiseptic, detoxifier, diuretic, haemostatic and vulnerary (a substance used to help heal external wounds). Its astringent and anti-inflammatory properties help as a gargle for sore throats and as a mouthwash for mouth ulcers and bleeding gums.A tea, diluted tincture or fresh plant poultice is effective topically to stop bleeding from cuts or wounds, reduce swelling from insect bites, and to reduce the swelling from varicose veins, hemorrhoids and eye inflammations (sties, conjunctivitis). Self-heal can be used internally and externally to help dissolve nodules in the neck (such as goiter), lymphomas (fatty tumors).

You can make a tea, tincture or an infused oil.  

Mayweed:  Make a warm cup of tea with this one.   Known as wild chamomile, it is not a true chamomile, but it does have similar properties.

St. Johns Wort:   The unique therapeutic benefits of St. John's wort may not appear for several weeks, and the remedy must be used for at least a few months to produce lasting effects. This medicinal herb is prescribed for mild to moderate depression and anxiety and is also applied externally to heal wounds and reduce inflammation.

In natural medicine, the herb St. John's wort is considered to be the psychological counterpart of arnica, which alleviates physical pain. The benefits can temper emotional discomfort, lift depression and calm the nerves.

St. John's wort is also very similar to some types of antidepressant medications. It's believed to raise the concentration of serotonin in the brain and enhance its activity. This neurotransmitter (or chemical nerve messenger) helps to regulate mood. You can also make a tea from this medicinal herb and is known to relax and soothe the psyche without causing sleepiness or addiction.

St. Johns Wort Infused Oil.  Use for injuries. 

8 oz jar

St. Johns Wort

Olive Oil

Place herbs jar, fill the jar to the top with olive oil.  Place in the sun for 6 weeks.  Shake daily

Strain and enjoy! 

Lemon Balm:  Is the elixir of life, it sweetens the spirit, powerfully chases away melancholy and it strengthen's the brain.  It calms the nervous and digestive systems.  

Culinary:  http://3squaresproduce.com/recipes/item/8-lemonbalmrecipes

Lemon Balm Herbal Butter: 

1/4 cup finely minced lemon balm

2 tablespoons, finely chopped thyme

1 cup of organic butter 

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp garlic granules

Cream butter and stir in herbs. Chill for at least 3 hours to allow flavors to blend. Use on roasted meats, rice, vegetables and bread.  

Lemon Balm Sun Tea 

2 tablespoons of fresh leaves for each cup water

Place lemon balm and cool water in covered jar in the sun for a few hours

Strain add honey and, or lemon

Add mint for a refreshing lemony mint tea

Lemon Balm Roasted Chicken: 

Roasted Lemon Balm Chicken

Handful of fresh lemon balm leaves, stems removed 
1/4 cup or so of fresh sage leaves 
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) organic butter softened 
Salt and pepper, to taste 
1 large roasting chicken 
4 minced garlic cloves or 6 garlic scallions
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350

Trim herb leaves from stems; wash and pat dry. Set sprigs aside. Chop two-thirds of the leaves, and combine with the butter, minced garlic and/or garlic scallions, salt, and pepper.

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Loosen the skin in several places and insert the herbal butter underneath. Rub chicken with salt and pepper.  

Insert the remaining herb sprigs into the cavity of the chicken.

Place breast-side-down in a roasting pan. Bake 30 minutes, then turn chicken over. Bake about 20 minutes longer.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Lemon Balm Cordial 

From Adele Dawson’s Herbs, Partners in Life:  “A fine home-made liqueur can be made by taking two handfuls of crushed Melissa leaves, putting them in a glass jar or crock, pouring over them a fifth of vodka, three-quarters of a cup of honey, and a grated lemon peel.  Shake well and let stand for a week.  Strain, bottle, and wait an additional three weeks before using.

Lemon Balm Infused Vinegar

 Make sure you use a plastic lid with your vinegar/not metal

I like to use organic raw apple cider vinegar, but you can start with any vinegar you like.

Thoroughly clean about two cups of fresh lemon balm.

Allow them to dry, or gently dry them with a hair dryer set on cool.

Lightly crush the herbs with your hands, and place them in a clean jar.

Cover with vinegar that has been warmed almost to a boil, screw on the lid, and shake. Place the jar in a cool, dark place.

Shake every day, and then turn the jar upside down.

After one to two weeks, strain the vinegar through a coffee filter, and pour into sterilized glass bottles. Place a sprig or two of fresh herbs in the bottle, and screw on the top or insert a tight cork.

As long as herbal vinegar's are protected from light, they will keep for up to a year. 

Lemon Balm Tincture:

To make a tincture, you will need a 1 quart canning jar, lemon balm herb, 2 cups of either vodka, gin or brandy and 1 cup water. The liquid acts as the menstrum and will preserve the tincture for up to 5 years.

Sterilize the jar.

Fill the jar half way with the lemon balm herb.

Pour the 2 cups of alcohol over the herb until it comes up over the top of the herb.

Next, pour the 1 cup of water into the jar.

Shake well.

Leave in a warm place for 4 weeks. Shake it every day or so.

If after a few days, the herb is not still fully immersed, add a touch more water. Herb needs to stay totally submerged under the liquid for the 4 weeks.

After 4 weeks strain out the herb.

Place tincture in a dark bottle, and label with herb and date.

Take 20 drops of tincture in juice, warm water, or tea  3-4  times a day. Do not take it for more than 2 weeks at a time. Give your body a rest, and take it again for 2 weeks if necessary. If the condition persists, contact your health care provider or herbalist.

If you don’t want the alcohol of a tincture, you can use vegetable glycerin or honey to make a glycerite.

The formula for making the glycerite is the same as a tincture. Follow the above steps, and replace the vodka with either the vegetable glycerin or honey. Allow the 6 weeks and then strain. Dosage is 1/4 tsp. 3 – 4 times a day.

Lemon balm should be avoided by those on hypothyroid medication as it is believed that the herb inhibits the absorption of this medicine.

Pictured Lemon Balm

Wild Food Mix: Use as a stir-fry, omelet or a frittata:   Sweet cicely leaves, dandelion leaves, yellow dock leaves and plantain.  

Sweet cicely appears to have been used medicinally since Roman times. Today, it is used exclusively in cooking.  An infusion of the herb was once recommended for flatulence and coughs, and it was an ingredient of wound healing ointments.   The sugary tasting leaves have an anise-like taste, and they are traditionally cooked with tart fruits, such as rhubarb and gooseberries and used to flavor fruit salads and fruit pies.  The fresh leaves impart their own sweetness and are, therefor e helpful for diabetics and those on low-sugar diets.   Sweet cicely has been long appreciated in Europe for the sweet anise flavor of its young shoots, leaves, and fruits, sweet cicely has yet to make many inroads into American cooking. 

Leaves may be harvested from early spring to early fall; they are best used raw, as they lose most of their scent and flavor when dried.   The leaves sweeten salad dressings, omelets, soups, stews, and vegetable dishes.

Wild Food Frittata:  Serves 2/ Double if you need four servings

This recipe is so easy and satisfying. It can be adapted for just about any edible plants growing in your garden. Of course, any veggie, cheese, herb combination can be substituted as well. 

Ingredients

4 local, organic, free-range eggs
1/2 cup grated organic parmesan, feta, or raw cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp plain organic yogurt
1 bunch of wild greens
1/2 organic onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves organic garlic, crushed or 3 garlic scallions 
Sea salt and fresh cracked organic pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Sauté onions in olive oil using a small cast iron or another oven-safe skillet over medium heat until they become nice and caramelized. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Toss in the nettle leaves and dandelion flowers and sauté with onions and garlic for another minute or two.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, and cheese. Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes, capers, and season with salt and pepper.

Spread veggie mixture evenly on bottom of the skillet. Pour egg mixture into the skillet and gently stir together until the veggies are covered, then allow to cook for a few minutes.

When the egg mixture is about half set, put the whole pan in the oven. Bake for 7-10 minutes, until your frittata is puffy and golden around the edges. Remove the pan from the oven using oven mitts and let stand for several minutes.

Nettle Frittata http://mountainroseblog.com/dandelion-frittata/

More options: http://kimwiney.blogspot.com/2013/04/dandelion-frittata-truly-radical-food.html

Wild Tea Of The Week: Mayweed,chamomile,lemon verbena,lemon balm, lemon verbena and valerian flower tea: 

Wild tea mix

2 to 4 cups of water

Bring water to boil and pour wild tea mix in, turn off burner and steep for 2 to 5 minutes.

 If you would like to have the mix stronger for more health benefits make an infusion. 

Lemon Verbena:  http://www.healthyliving-herbs.co.za/index.php/herb-articles/568-lemon-verbena-aloysia-triphylla-lippia-citriodora

More recipes for lemon verbena: http://oldfashionedliving.com/lemonverbena.html  

Sage:  is a superb aid in the digestion of rich, fatty meat.  It also helps lower cholesterol levels and is a bitter tonic for the liver.  It is an excellent herb for rebuilding vitality and strength during long-term illness.  Sage is a well-known cold and flu fighter.  Because of its astringent, antiseptic, and relaxing action on the mucous membranes, sage is the classic remedy for inflammation of the mouth, throat, and tonsils.  It is one of the best remedies for laryngitis, tonsillitis, and sore throat.  Sage has many more healing qualities, for more information on this herb I suggest getting Rosemary Gladstar's book, Medicinal Herbs, a beginners guide.  

Sage Pesto: 

This is a great recipe for a healthy, healing herb paste.  Sage dominates the flavor of this pungent, strong pesto.  You can use less sage fi you find it overpowering.  If you would like to add more healing nutrients try adding fresh wild herbs such as dandelion greens, chickweed, and plantain.  

Recipe from Rosemary Gladstar's book:  Medicinal Herbs, a beginners guide 

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems

1/2 cup parsely

1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh sage leaves, first time making it try the 1/4 cup version and if you would like it stronger than next time add more

3 cloves garlic

3/4 to 1 cup olive oil

1/4 to 1/2 cup sunflower seeds or walnuts or a mix

1/4 cup raw cheese (optional) 

Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt 

To make: 

Combine the herbs, garlic and olive oil in a blender or food processor and pulse until creamy.  Mix in the nuts or seeds and cheese (if using) and salt and pepper ot taste.  

To use: 

Serve on toast or crackers, pasta, steamed grains, omelets, vegetables or organic meat.

Sage Stress Reliever Tea

Handful of fresh sage leaves

Handful of fresh mint or small amount of fresh rosemary

Handful of fresh lemon balm 

These measurements are the playful way to connect with yourself and make tea.  

Gather your ingredinets and listen to what your body is telling you.  If you body says little more or a little less listen to it.  

I would start with about 4 cups of water, bring to boil add herbs turn the stove off and steep for 2 to 5 minutes. 

Enjoy it outdoors or with a loved one. Make sure all electric gadgets are turned off. 

Pictured, Sage and Lemon Balm

Nettle Garlic Buttermilk Biscuits:  Makes 12 - 15 Biscuits

2 cups organic unbleached flour 

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder, aluminium free! 

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. fine sea salt

5 Tbls. organic butter

1 cup of organic buttermilk, (when I can not find organic butter milk I use yogurt.  I mix 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/2 cup  water and mix)  

4 cloves fresh garlic, crushed or 4 finely minced garlic scallions

1 cup finely chopped fresh Nettle leaves, thick gloves for  chopping the Nettles

Preheat oven 400 degrees

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir thoroughly.  Using two better knives or a pastry cutter, add butter until mixture resembles a crumbly meal.

Ina separate bowl, combine buttermilk with garlic and nettle leaves.  Add this liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and gently fold together to forma soft dough. 

Turn dough onto a floured cutting board, kneed gently until it just comes together, adding a little more flour if needed, and roll the dough out until it's about 1/2 think.  Using the rim of a small glass, cut the dough into 2 1/2 - 3 inch rounds and place on an un-greased baking sheet.

Bake for 18 minutes or until light golden brown.

Remove immediately from baking sheet to avoid over-crisping the biscuit bottoms and serve warm with butter. 

It Is Time To Drop The Potato Chips!!!! Make Kale Chips

Spicy Kale Chips

1/3 tsp ground cumin 
1/3 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne (add 1/8 tsp for spicier chips)
1/8 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ lb kale (about ¾ a bunch), large stems removed, cut into 2 to 3-inch pieces 

How to make it:
1. Preheat the oven to 275ºF. In a medium bowl, combine the spices, salt, and oil. Stir to dissolve. Add the kale and toss to coat. 
2. Spread leaves in a single layer on two baking sheets. Try to flatten any folded-over pieces for optimum crispness. Bake until the tips of leaves are slightly crispy, about 10 minutes. Use a spatula to turn the leaves over, and continue to roast until the leaves are crisp and slightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes more. Makes 4 servings.

Pizza Kale Chips: http://www.youngandraw.com/pizza-kale-chips-by-chef-amber-shea/

More Recipes For Kale Chips: 

http://blog.womenshealthmag.com/dish/kale-chips/

Urtica dioica - Nettle 

Stinging Nettle

Parts Use:  Entire Plant

Medicinal Properties:  

Pectoral - Relieves disorders of he chest and lungs, such as an expectorant. 

Diuretic - Promotes the production and secretion of urine

Astringent - Herbs that are drying and drawing.  Externally astringents can be used to ease bug bites and burns and infections from a wounds. Internally, they work to help tone mucus membranes and dry up conditions of excess, like diarrhea or too much urine.  

Tonic - Herbs that restore and strengthen the entire system  

Styptic  -  Astringent, arrests hemorrhage and bleeding 

Rebefacient - An agent that reddens the skin by increasing the circulation when rubbed on the surface. 

Nettle is a weed most people dislike because when they touch it, it stings, but what some don't know is that this is a wonderful plant with medicinal and nourishing properties.  Handel with care or she will let you know.   Nettle has small sharp spurs that can cause stinging and irritation.    When you harvest nettle leaf make sure they are new plants not old.  

A rhyme from the book Garden of Eden, by Jethro Kloss

"Tender-handed grasp the nettle

And it stings you for your pains.

Grasp it like a man of mettle

And it soft as sil remains." 

Stinging Nettle is a super tonic herb, a blood purifier.  It is consider the "long life" herb and is a vitamin factory, rich in iron, calcium, potassium, silicon, magnesium, manganese, zinc and chromium as well as a host of other vitamins and minerals.   It even makes a great hair tonic! 

Cooked you can use them like you use spinach.  You can use them to make a tea, pesto, infused vinegar, steamed  and they taste really good..  

Stinging Nettle activates the metabolism by strengthening and toning the entire system.  Great for growing pains in young children.  Nettle is used for alleviating the symptoms of PMS, menopause, and is excellent for making a  reproductive tonic for men and women.  Rosemary Gladstar says "it is a superb herb for the genitourinary system and will strengthen weak kidneys, essential for vitality and energy".  Also great for liver problems and is excellent for allergies and hay fever. 

Here is a list of things Nettle can do.  Of course this also means changing your eating habits and life style habits to.  To achieve great health one must seek balance in all areas of their life.  

Nettle Can Be Used For: 

Spring tonic

Daily infusions for better health, increase energy

Eczema

Tea made from the leaves of the nettle will expel phlegm from teh lungs and stomach.  

Tea hair tonic, massage into scalp

Excellent for kidney troubles and kidney tonics, use in formulas to expel gravel from the bladder and to increase flow of urine. 

A poultice of the green steeped leaves can relieve pain, but can raise blisters if kept on too long. 

For liver disorders

To tone the nervous system, make a lemon balm and nettle tea

Reduce allergy and hay fever symptoms (with dietary changes to)

Drink 3 cups a day for edema

And so much more. ....

Information about Nettle Seeds: 

http://whisperingearth.co.uk/2010/08/23/harvesting-nettle-seeds/

Now is the time of year to go look for it and harvest some.  I also like to dry it for future use.  Remember wear gloves! Make sure you do not collect Nettle where someone has sprayed chemicals!  

How to harvest: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eth05p_UYh8

How to make a Nettle infusion.  I really recommend this! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRoMWmQaWvU

 Of course you cook Nettle, there are some who eat it raw, but if eating it is new to you I do not suggest doing this yet.  Here are just a few great recipes that you can make using  this wonderful plant.  

Nettles Pesto

2 cups stinging nettles leaves, packe

1 cup basil leaves, packed

3 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons organic olive oil

2 medium cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

The body is a dynamic organism, constantly changing  constantly repairing.  Everything looks the same, with gradual signs of aging appearing as decade after decade passes.  But every second in life, cells are being born, are dying, and are being reborn.  new tissue is being laid, old tissue is carried out.  

Billions of new red blood cells are manufactured in the core of bone tissue every day.  Every two to three days, each cell lining the digestive tract dies and is reborn with new materials brought in from the outside.  Minerals are carried out of the bone matrix and deposited into the bloodstream, then drawn from the blood stream and laid down into the bone matrix again.

In the words of Deepak Chopra, as though you were living in a house in which bricks were constantly being removed and replaced.  In time, a new house will have been constructed, a house that looks and "feels' the same but is completely different.

Ninety-eight percent of the atoms in our body were not there a year ago.  The skeleton that seems so solid was not there three months ago.  The configuration of the bone cells remains somewhat constant, but atoms of all kinds pass freely back and forth through the cell walls, and by that means you acquire a new skeleton every three months.

The skin is new every month   You have a new stomach lining every four days, with the actual surface cells that contact food being renewed every five minutes.  The cells in the liver turn over very slowly, but new atoms still flow through them, like water in a river course, making a new liver every six weeks.  

Our body's ability to heal and rejuvenate is fantastic, beautiful and I think a precious miracle.  

Nerve cells do not undergo the type of renewal experienced by other cells, that once the  neuronal tissue is laid into place, it is there for life.  The Brain, cells are not replaced once they die.  

Are you doing all you can to slide into your senior years with as many brain cells intact as possible? 

Most humans are not even close,  They engage in  "antinutrition."   Instead of minimizing the damage to their nervous system, they are accelerating the damage by the very foods (or nonfoods)  that they are stuffing into their mouths.  Humans are digging their graves with their forks.  

Are you taking care of your adrenal glands by eating better food?

Do you drown your anxieties in more work,  junk eating, buying more toys, drinking more coffee, drinking alcohol, taking drugs...anything other than slowing your pace?  

Are you planning your foods carefully and enjoying the process of meal preparation?

Are you savoring a healthy meal with people you love?

Do you see good nutrition as yet another impossible task to squeeze into an overcrowded schedule?  

Do you schedule play days?

How is your exercise program ? ("NO EXCUSES")

You can design a program to feed your brain, and give your body the proper nutrients it needs to rebuild.  But, only by turning your backs on the "American Food Culture" "The SAD Diet is the Standard American Diet, SAD." 

It goes without saying that if you are serious about feeling better, you will need to stop indulging in your favorite junk foods, processed foods, fast food, most restaurants,  coffee drinks, soda, caned soups, hamburger helper, frozen TV dinners, deli meats, movie theater junk food etc.. (this list can go on and on) , that poison your body and brain.  

Are you making a point to get to your farmers markets once or twice a week and purchase organic foods, grass fed meats and pasture raised poultry?  

Here is a list of foods the Mountain Mama Wellness Box Clients received today.  How can you implement new and healthy foods in your daily intake? 

Mountain Mama Wellness Box

Hops, , nettle, cleavers, yellow dock seeds, apple mint, catnip, beets,  carrots, potatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, kale, swiss chard, salad mix, peppers, green beans, tomato, leeks  and basil.   

Nettle Bed

Green Mayonnaise:

1/2 cup cooked drained and finely chopped (steamed) nettle

1/2 cup mixed basil, mint, parsley, dill and chives

1/3 cup organic plain yogurt

3 Tablespoons coconut mayonnaise

http://www.selinanaturally.com/organic-mayonnaise-organic-mayo-with-coconut-oil/

1 Tablespoon organic olive oil

2 - 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

sea salt and pepper to taste 

Place all ingredients in a blender of choice.   Blend and Enjoy! 

Side note:   Sometimes, I love adding a little bit of roasted garlic and a small amount of minced onion.  

Apple Mint

Hops:

Make a tincture, combine with catnip mint

How to make a tincture: 

http://mountainroseblog.com/guide-tinctures-extracts/

Hops is a potent medicinal herb highly valued for its relaxing effect on the nervous system.  It is great for insomnia.  It is especially useful for hypertension and eases tension and anxiety in men.   Hops is one of the most potent bitters and is excellent as a digestive bitter.  Great for indigestion due to nervous energy and anxiety.  If you suffer with heartburn try taking a hops cincture with every meal ( please note that if you do suffer with heartburn, dietary changes need to be made). 

Catnip Mint :  Is an excellent calming herb and can be used for all manners of stress.   It is also a restorative digestive aid used for indigestion, diarrhea, and colic.   Also, used for lowering fevers and for the pain of teething or toothaches.  

Catnip Mint

Cleavers ( other names are goosegrass, grip grass, sticky Willie and Rubiaceae)

Make a tincture with your cleavers

http://mountainroseblog.com/guide-tinctures-extracts/

Cleavers have been widely used in herbal medicine for centuries, on account of the tonic, blood-purifying, and diuretic properties of the fresh plant.   In spring, after a starchy winter diet, the fresh green tops were made into a cleansing drink.  An infusion of cleavers is a traditional remedy for skin eruptions, while its diuretic properties are helpful for urinary problems.  Modern herbalists value cleavers tonic effect on the lymphatic system.  This encourages the elimination of toxins and explains the cleansing reputation of the herb.  

More information on Cleavers: 

http://www.eattheweeds.com/galium-aparine-goosegrass-on-the-loose-2/

 Yellow Dock Seeds: 

Yellow Dock Seed Crackers: 

http://www.methowvalleyherbs.com/2012/03/yellow-dock-pesky-weed-as-food-medicine.html

Yellow Dock Seed Vinegar: 

http://www.hardyecogarden.com/2011/07/eat-your-weeds-rumex-crispus-curly-dock.html

New Salad Bar Bed: 

Sunflowers that smile at you.... 

One of the tomato beds, patiently waiting for them to ripen.........

You don't have to eat less, you just have to eat right... On that note have you been to your farmers markets this week?  Have you tried some new recipes, have you tried a new veggie for the month and how about starting a family and/or single person cooking day once a month or once a week.

Last week my wellness box clients received:  nettle, tea mix of apple mint, lemon verbena and cleavers (wild edible food this week is in the tea mix, it is called cleavers), collard greens, cabbage, comfrey, zucchini, leeks, onion, potatoes, peppers, tomato, green beans, swiss chard, kale, basil, celery and salad mix.  

Tea Mix:  apple mint, lemon verbena and cleavers:  Put bag into a gallon jar fill with spring water or filtered water.  Let sit for 8 hours drain and enjoy 

Cleavers ( other names are goosegrass, grip grass, sticky Willie and Rubiaceae)

Cleavers have been widely used in herbal medicine for centuries, on account of the tonic, blood-purifying, and diuretic properties of the fresh plant.   In spring, after a starchy winter diet, the fresh green tops were made into a cleansing drink.  An infusion of cleavers is a traditional remedy for skin eruptions, while its diuretic properties are helpful for urinary problems.  Modern herbalists value cleavers tonic effect on the lymphatic system.  This encourages the elimination of toxins and explains the cleansing reputation of the herb.  

More information on Cleavers: 

http://www.eattheweeds.com/galium-aparine-goosegrass-on-the-loose-2/

Nettle Greens:  I got this recipe out of a cookbook that I have that is dated 1937

Put on your gloves to gather, wash, and cup up the nettles.  Pour boiliing water over and the sting will be gone.  Drain and chop fine.  Heat 2 tablespoons butter in saucepan, stir smooth with 2 tablespoons, flour.  Add 2 cups milk, stir and heat until thick.  Seaosn with salt, pepper, and a few dashes of nutmeg:  add chopped nettles and simmer.  This with a little cream if you wish.  This recipe serves for all greens. 

Basil Infused Organic Olive Oil:  

Basil is considered a sedative and digestive.  Hot basil tea is said to be helpful in alleviating indigestion and stomach cramps.  

Sweet and Sour Red (or green) Cabbage and Apples with Red Wine and Thyme 

2Tbls extra -virgin olive oil or coconut oil 

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced 

1 cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves 

1 large head red cabbage (or green), cored and thinly sliced 

2 Granny smith apples cored peeled, and cut into 1/2 inch dice

1 cup spring water or filtered water 

1 cup organic red wine

1/4  cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar 

6 fresh thyme sprigs 

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

In a large Dutch oven, heat olive or coconut oil over medium heat.  Add the onions, cinnamon, bay leaves, and salt.  Cook stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened. 

Increase the heat to medium high;  add cabbage and cook, stirring, until cabbage wilted, about 8 minutes.  Add the apple, water wine, vinegar, brown sugar and thyme sprigs.  Let come to a boil, then lower heat until simmering. 

continue to cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender, about 45 to 60 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Uncover, and let simmer, stirring until the liquid is reduced to a slightly thickened sauce. 

Makes 8 servings

No-Knead Bread:

I love to knead bread but, for some people, time is a big issue and kneading does take from your time. With this recipe I would only use Organic Wheat Flour, and better yet, if you can grind your own. Flour that you grind yourself is better for you.  I would also use organic yeast. 

 http://www.frugallivingnw.com/frugal-homemaking/amazing-no-knead-bread-step-by-step-recipe/

Peasant Bread: 

http://www.alexandracooks.com/2012/11/07/my-mothers-peasant-bread-the-best-easiest-bread-you-will-ever-make/

Why do you spend money for what is not bread, 

and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen

carefully to me and eat what is good, and delight

yourself in abundance. 

Author Unknown 

This Weeks Goodies

Collard greens, wild greens mix, arugula, mustard greens (two types), kale, nettle,mixed lettuce, cabbage, brassica  mix, comfrey, celery, garlic scallions, dill, apple-mint, lemon verbena, stevia, salad burnet,   and basil 

Wild Mix:  Plantain, dandelion, lambs quarters (wild spinach)  and yellow dock.  Use in stir fry, lasagna, casseroles, frittata, omelettes etc.. 

Information for Lambs Quarters: http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/edible-wild-foods-zmrz13fmzhun.aspx#axzz2Wz83KBnq

Wild Food Of The Week To Look For:  Lambs Quarters, picture below

Tea Mix:  Lemon Verbena and Rose Petals

http://mcminnvillehealthdefense.ning.com/profiles/blogs/lemon-verbena-and-rose-petal-tea?xg_source=activity

What is Salad Burnet?: 

Salad burnet is a member of the rose (Rosaceae) family. The plant is an attractive perennial grown for both its edible leaves and its medicinal properties. Medicinally, it was once used against the Plague and to control hemorrhaging, but today it is mostly know, medicinally, for its astringent properties. Use whenever you want to add a cool, cucumber flavor. Leaves can be tossed into salads or used on sandwiches. They make a nice addition to cold drinks, like lemonade and wine spritzers. Use salad burnet to flavor dips and vinegars. Toss leaves into soups, eggs and other hot dishes at the last minute.

Brassica Mix: 

You can use it as a stir fry or try this yummy recipe:  Simple and Quick

Roasted Brassica's

Use any leaves:  Cauliflower, Broccoli, Kale or any green:

Organic Tamari, 

Onion Scallions or one red onion chopped

Four cloves of garlic.  More or less 

Sesame Oil or Olive Oil 

Pepper to taste

9 x 11 glass baking dish

What To Do:

1. Pre-heat the oven at 350
2. Wash  and cut into bite-size pieces, a
3. Smash a few cloves of garlic and chop them coarsely. Chop some scallions or red onion.   The whole scallion, not just the white part.  
4. Toss the garlic, onions, and brassica mix with a generous splash of soy sauce and oil in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.   Just filled it up with the leaves, cauliflower and broccoli.  If you have to much make another batch.)
5. Place the uncovered roasting pan in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the green leaves are crisp and both the florets and the thicker stalks are tender and can be pierced easily with a fork.  

This recipe is amazing.  Don’t worry if you overcook the leaves they can get crispy.

Celery Tops, Flowers and Leaves: 

Dahl

2 cups yellow split peas

2 onions chopped or 2 leeks 

1/2 cup cilantro or  more  chopped

2 gloves garlic minced or 3 garlic scallions chopped. Garlic can always be adjusted to more or less

2 to 3 tsps. Curry powder

Sea salt

 2 cups celery tops, flowers and leaves chopped or  minced 

Cook 2 cups of yellow split peas in 6 cups of water with 1 tsp. sea salt and celery tops,flowers and leaves.  

Cook until tender and creamy

Saute onions and garlic until tender then add cilantro

Add sauteed mixture to yellow split peas 

Add Curry  powder and mix well 

Serve over rice, potatoes or enjoy it with some home bake bread or tortillas 

Taking the bitter out of the green

Mustard Greens and Organic Turkey Bacon (Organic turkey /  chicken sausage)

Bag of Mustard Greens or more

2 cups organic chicken stock or veggie stock

1/2 cup organic white or red wine

1 cup water

1 large onion sliced

4-6 chopped cloves garlic

3 small chopped shallots

1/2 pound organic turkey bacon chopped or sausage

1/4 cup olive oil

sea salt

pepper

Heat large pan and add olive oil.

2. Sauté turkey bacon, onions, garlic and shallots in pan. Stir Occasionally.

3. Separate and rinse mustard greens under water

4. Roll 2-3 leaves together. Slice into thin strips.

5. Add mustard greens to sauteed ingredients in pan.

6. Pour in white/red wine, chicken/veggie stock and water.

7. Cover pan and let cook for 30 minutes on medium heat.

8. Stir every few minutes.

9. Taste to confirm the tenderness you prefer.

10. Add salt and pepper to taste

Plantain

Parts used:  Seeds, roots, and leaves

Benefits:  Plantain is a common weed across almost all of North America and is a highly nutritional food.  It is one of the best poultice herbs and is often referred to as the “green bandage”  Great herb for treating blood poisoning, used externally on the infected area and internally as a tea.  This herb is very effective for treating liver sluggishness and inflammation of the digestive tract.

Suggested uses:  It is considered a bitter, make as an infusion,  edible green leaves, make a poultice with the fresh leaves to soothe irritation (bee stings and infection).

Oregon Grape:

Parts used:  Roots

Benefits:  It has exceptional anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antiviral properties.  It is excellent for fighting systemic infection, as well as topical cleansing, making it especially useful for treating skin conditions such as acne, eczema and psoriasis.

Suggested uses:  Decot the root and use it as a topical wash for infections, or take it (tincture) internally for infections, poor digestion, and as a tonic for the liver.

Mullein:

Parts used:  leaves, flowers and roots

Benefits:  absolutely the best oil for ear infections.  The leaves are used most often especially in cough formulas and for respiratory infections, bronchial infections, asthma and glandular imbalances.   Mullein used to be called the torch plant, because  its long, flowering stalks were dried, dipped in fat or oil and lit as a slow-burning  torch.  

Suggested uses:  Prepare the flowers as an infused oil for treating ear infections.  The leaves can be prepared as a tincture or an infusion for bronchial congestion, colds, and coughs. 

Nettle:

Parts used:  leaves, seeds, roots, and young tops

Benefits:  It is a vitamin factory, rich in iron, calcium, potassium, silicon, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and chromium as well as a hot of other vitamins and minerals.  It activates the metabolism by strengthening and toning the entire system.  Strengthens weak kidneys and liver.  It is an excellent herb to help with allergies and hay fever. 

Suggested uses:  tea, freeze-dried capsules, Young nettle leaves can be used to replace spinach in any recipe.

Lemon Balm

Parts used:  leaves and flowers

Benefits:  Calming, antiviral, and antiseptic.  Excellent for stomach distress and general exhaustion.  Can be used as a mild sedative and for insomnia. 

Suggested use:  It makes a delicious tea and tincture.  

 A few other things to look for on our nature walk:  Cat's ear, dandelion, st. johns wort and yellow dock.