Medicinal Herbs for Various Conditions

***BEFORE TAKING HERBS ALWAYS CHECK FIRST WITH YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER


Credit To: http://www.holistic-online.com/herbal-med/Hol_Herb_for_diseases.htm

Herbal Medicine for Angina Herbal Remedies for Anthrax Herbal Medicine for Anxiety Disorders How To Make Sedative Herbal Medicinal Tea for Anxiety Disorders Herbal Medicine for Arthritis Herbal Medicine for Gout Herbal Medicine for Osteoarthritis Herbal Medicine for Rheumatoid Arthritis Herbs for Back Pain Herbal Remedies for Canker Sores Herbal Remedies for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Herbal Medicine for Depression Herbal Medicine for Heart Disease Kampo - Japanese Herbal Therapy for Depression Herbs for Diabetes Herbal Medicine for Endometriosis Herbal Remedies for fibromyalgia Herbal Medicine for Infertility - women Herbal Medicine for Infertility - men Herbal Medicine for Insomnia Herbal Therapy for Stress Management Herbal Medicine for Tinnitus Herbal medicine for Menopause Important Herbs Used for Menopausal Problems Herbs For Menopause Related Conditions Summary: Most Useful Herbs For Menopause- Actions, Uses, Dosage Herbal Remedies for Parkinson's Disease Herbal Medicine for Shingles Herbal Medicine for Varicose Veins

**Very interesting and very important:


Forms of Herbs

The goal of the herbalist is to release the volatile oils, antibiotics, aromatics, and other healing chemicals contained by the herb. Herbs can be prepared in a variety of forms depending on their purpose. Such techniques include:

	Juice squeezed from herbs.
	Mashing herbs into a paste.
	Decoction or extracting the active ingredients by boiling down the herb in water.
	Hot infusion (like hot tea)- Herb is steeped in hot water.
	Cold infusion (like sun tea) - Herb is steeped in cold water.
	Herbs ground into a powder and used as such or as compressed into a pill.
	Herbal wine made by adding the herb to water and sugar and letting it ferment.
	Tincture, made by combining ground herbs with alcohol, glycerin or vinegar and used internally.
	Liniment - Made like a tincture except it is used externally.
	Salves and ointments made by adding herbs to a medium such as petroleum jelly.
	Syrups - Made by adding herb to a medium such as honey, sugar or glycerin.
	Poultice - Herb is applied directly to a wound or body part and held in place with a cloth.
	Herbal Oil - Usually made with common base oil, such as olive, almond, grape seed, or sesame oils. The herb is allowed to sit in the oil for a week. It is strained and bottled.

In general, delicate leaves and flowers are best infused. Boiling may cause them to lose the volatile essential oils. Roots, barks, and seeds are best made into decoctions.

****Standardized vs. Whole Herb
As the herbs are getting more and more popular, more and more manufacturers are supplying standardized herb extracts. A standardized extract means that the manufacturer has verified that the active ingredient believed to be present in the herb is present in the preparation and that the potency and the amount of the active ingredient is assured in the preparation. The problem is that, the action of the herb may be from a number of constituents and not from just one or two ingredients. Thus, the standardized preparation may omit some of the ingredients and we will lose out on the effect from the complex combination of the constituents.

***BEFORE TAKING HERBS ALWAYS CHECK FIRST WITH YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER

Medicine - Herb/Food Interactions:
  http://www.holistic-online.com/herbal-med/hol_herb_med_reac.htm

100+ Recipes For Homemade Mixes & Seasoning Blends

Credit to:  http://tipnut.com/baking-mixes-seasonings/

Looking for a few ways to save money on your next grocery bill? Making your own pantry supplies is one way to shave those dollars!



You can whip up batches of homemade cake mix, Bisquick, Hamburger Helper, dry soups plus a whole lot more…even your own spice and seasoning blends.
Not only are these ideal for stocking up the pantry, many are also suitable for packaging as gifts in a jar (see this page ^[1] for more ideas). They also come in handy as a substitution for out-of-stock items when you’re in a pinch.
Here are over 100 goodies you can check out, you’ll find them separated into two groups for easier browsing. I’ve included a few recipes from the Baking Substitutes ^[2]and Herbs & Spices: Storage Tips Guide ^[3] pages.

Lots here folks, enjoy!

PS: This is just the start! As with all collections here on Tipnut, I’ll be adding more goodies as I come across them. You may want to bookmark this page for future reference, it’s sure to come in handy  .

Apple Cider: theblessedhearth.blogspot.ca [4] Bisquick – Biscuits – Baking Mix: parents.com [5] goinghometoroost.com [6] heart-hands-home.blogspot.ca [7] grandmaskitchen.com [8] Bread: bhg.com [9] (Cheddar/Herb) criscocanada.com [10] bettycrocker.com [11] (machine) Breadcrumbs (Seasoned): marthastewart.com [12] Brown Sugar: 3 cups Sugar (white) plus 1/4 cup Molasses, combine with your hands or a fork then store in an airtight container. Brownies: countrymommacooks.com [13] littlehouseliving.com [14] pbs.org [15] Cake Mix: Chocolate: alighterjourney.com [16] Chocolate: afewshortcuts.com [17] Yellow: chickensintheroad.com [18] Yellow: momables.com [19] White: iambaker.net [20] White: countrymommacooks.com [21] Cocoa/Hot Chocolate: handletheheat.com [22] (Peppermint) myrecipes.com [23] momadvice.com [24] melskitchencafe.com [25] Confectioners’ / Icing Sugar: mynewoldschool.com [26] Cornbread: countrymommacooks.com [27] heart-hands-home.blogspot.ca [28] chickensintheroad.com [29] Flour: Gluten-Free: tasteofhome.com [30] Almond: pastrypal.com [31] Cake: Add two level tablespoons of corn starch to a one cup measuring cup, then fill with bread flour. Sift three times then use as needed. Self-Rising: In a one cup measure, place 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt, then fill to top with flour. Gingerbread: foodformyfamily.com [32] heart-hands-home.blogspot.ca [33] Hamburger Helper: chickensintheroad.com [34] my-extraordinary-life.blogspot.ca [35] Italian Salad Dressing: eatnourishing.com [36]

Mocha: (Iced) thricethespice.blogspot.ca [37] (Assorted) tipnut.com [38] Nesquick: sugarbananas.blogspot.ca [39] Pancake: treehugger.com [40] superhealthykids.com [41] countrymommacooks.com [42] (Blueberry) eatingwell.com [43] (Buttermilk) phemomenon.com [44] Instant Pudding: Vanilla: browneyedbaker.com [45] Vanilla: creativeprincessbrandi.com [46] Chocolate: satisfymysweettooth.com [47] Chocolate: ponderedinmyheart.typepad.com [48] Ranch Dip & Dressing: taracooks.com [49] everythingscomingupdaffodils.blogspot.ca [50] Rice-A-Roni: cheftessbakeresse.blogspot.ca [51] chickensintheroad.com [52] chefmichele.blogspot.ca [53] Shake ‘N Bake: kitchensimplicity.com [54] momskitchencooking.blogspot.ca [55] KFC Coating: chickensintheroad.com [56] Stuffing: motherearthnews.com [57] tipnut.com [58] (bottom of page) pioneervalleyma.blogspot.ca [59] Teas: Dried Fruit & Herb: wholefoodsmarket.com [60] Chai: nadinesnook.blogspot.ca [61] Chai: faithfulprovisions.com [62] Spiced: tasteofhome.com [63] Tortilla: heart-hands-home.blogspot.ca [64] tasteofhome.com [65] Soups Cream Soup Substitute: thyhandhathprovided.com [66] food.com [67] Instant Noodle: ellenskitchen.com [68] Onion: selfreliancebyjamie.blogspot.ca [69] cheftessbakeresse.blogspot.ca [70] Potato: ellenskitchen.com [68] Vegetable Noodle: ellenskitchen.com [68]

Gin Soaked Raisins For Treating Arthritis Pain

Credit to: http://tipnut.com/gin-raisins/

Gin Soaked Raisins For Treating Arthritis Pain 

This home remedy was sent in by three different readers over the past year or so but I was hesitant to publish it since it involves consuming a bit of alcohol and I’m extra cautious with those…but I finally got a chance to do a bit of investigating and found some credible online sources who have declared that it can work for relieving arthritis pain (and why).
First, here’s the gist of the remedy (all three recipes were pretty much the same so I’ll combine them into one), I added the sources I researched underneath:
Ingredients:
*Can make any amount you wish, this is just a rough guideline

• 1 cup Golden or “White” raisins (can’t be any other kind)
• Approximately 3/4 cup good quality Gin

Directions:

• Dump them into a glass or ceramic bowl (a large canning jar works too) then pour the alcohol over top until they are *just* covered (they must be fully covered).
• Cover bowl with a piece of cheesecloth or a coffee filter (to keep out dust) and set it out of the way (keep at room temperature).
• Leave for two weeks or until all the liquid has been absorbed by the fruit (minimum one week, top up with more if necessary).
• Store them in a sealed glass jar and refrigerate.

Instructions:

• Eat 9 of them each day, you can add them to a bowl of cereal if you don’t care for the taste of them on their own. You can also sprinkle with cinnamon to help with the taste.
• May take 4 to 6 weeks of daily consumption before it starts working.
• *Variation: One tip suggested eating 15 each day for the first two weeks, then drop to 9.

Who says it works? Dr. Oz himself ^[1] has declared this one a winner:

Verdict: It works! Drinking alcohol has been shown to cut the risks of developing rheumatoid arthritis in half. Gin is flavored by the juniper berry, which contains anti-inflammatory properties. Raisins contain ferulic acid, gentisic acid and salicylic acid – all natural pain relievers

Here’s an article from FoxNews ^[2] explaining in more detail why it can work, a brief quote (they also advise eating 10 a day):

The deductions here do not add up to an absolute guarantee that gin-soaked raisins will work to relieve your arthritis. But without question, there are enough anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving compounds in the golden raisins, the sulfur dioxide and the juniper gin to add up to a lot of very likely relief.

Thanks very much to Bill, Cheryl and Maria for sending this in (who each claimed it works for them or for a loved one), sorry I took my time posting it!
If you’re looking for a remedy that doesn’t contain alcohol, I do have a few here to try:

• Eat tart cherries or drink sour cherry frequently.
• Cinnamon & Honey: Each morning take 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon with 1 tablespoon of honey.
• Fresh Ginger: Take a small piece of peeled, fresh ginger with breakfast, lunch and dinner (piece size about 1/2″).
• Organic Apple Cider Vinegar & Honey: Each day take one tablespoon of honey and one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with a large glass of water (warm).

Note: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and is simply a collection of information that I’ve gathered.

---

15 Best Herbal Tea Ingredients for Healing

A little help from Nature for those who can't afford (or in conjunction with) to see a doctor.
All Credit to: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4350/15-Best-Herbal-Tea-Ingredients-for-Healing.html


15 Best Herbal Tea Ingredients for Healing

By Jackie Leavitt

Staring at a grocery store's wall of teas can be intimidating. There are so many options to scan before picking the one you will eventually ring through at the register. And every one has a different purpose, from soothing your throat to helping you lose weight to just tasting pretty darn good. Having recently been sick with a combination of allergies (due to the move cross country - there are so many new plants out here!) and what I assume is the common cold, instead of going out to buy a few teas for all my ailments, I concocted my own (ginger, garlic, rosemary, tumeric, oregano, plus a little local honey).

Making your own tea is surprisingly simple - it’s like making a soup, really. You just take a whole bunch of ingredients, chop them up, throw it all into a boiling pot of water for five to ten minutes, then strain the flavored water into your favorite mug.

The only thing you need to figure out is what ingredients you need. So based on my research, here are some of the most helpful tea ingredients (all found in your local health food store) to combat any ailments you might experience.

1. Ginger - Anti-viral. Containing nearly a dozen antiviral compounds, it is also pain-relieving, antiseptic, and antioxidant. Helps prevent and treats colds, sore throats, and inflamation of mucus membranes. It also reduces pain and fever and has a mild sedative effect that encourages rest.

2. Echinacea (leaves and flower petals) - Anti-bacterial. Increases levels of properdin, a chemical that activates part of the immune system responsible for increasing defence mechanisms against viral and bacterial attacks.

3. Garlic - Anti-bacterial, anti-fungal. Contains several helpful immune-boosting compounds, including allicin, a potent, natural antibiotic. Best used raw.

4. Goldenseal - Anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal. It is both antiseptic and immune stimulating, increasing blood supply to the spleen. The chemical berberine in goldenseal activates white blood cells that destruct bacteria, fungi, viruses, and tumour cells.

5. Sage - Antiseptic, anti-bacterial. Sooths sore throats, promotes good digestion, and helps ease menstrual cramps.

6. Peppermint - It is not only a painkiller for headaches and reduces fevers by inducing sweating and cooling of the body, but it helps bring up mucus and other material from the lungs, bronchi, and trachea during bronchitis, colds, and the flu.

7. Blackberry (leaves or fruit) - The fruit is very rich in vitamin C, and the leaves can be used in teas.

8. Cinnamon - Anti-bacterial, antiviral, antifungal. Helps stop vomiting and relieve nausea, and increases restricted blood flow.

9. Clove - Antiviral, antifungal, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory. Helps fight infection and ease pain.

10. Lemon - Another rich source of vitamin C, squeeze some into your tea.

11. Chamomile - Anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory. Natural sedative.

12. Lemongrass - Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, antifungal. Relieves digestive ailments and fluid retention, improves blood circulation, and dilates blood vessels.

13. Oregano - A general tonic and immune booster.

14. Rosemary - Antibacterial, antiseptic, antiparasitic, antifungal. Good for the nerves and has a stimulating effect.

15. Tumeric - Antioxident, anti-imflammatory, antifungal, and anticancer. It is a blood purifier, and helps lower blood sugar levels.




About Jackie Leavitt

Jackie Leavitt is a traveler with a passion for writing. Or a writer with a passion for travel. She currently lives in San Francisco, pursuing both loves and dabbling in other interests, including yoga, cooking, rock climbing, running, latte art, photography, and painting. She graduated from the University of New Hampshire with B.A.s in Journalism and European Culture Studies, and after working behind a desk as an editor for 16 months, she moved to the West Coast to involve herself more in her life passions.

To read more of Jackie's writing, please visit Jackie-Leavitt.com and SolYogaTrips.com/blog

A Yummy-licious Cough Remedy

All Credit to: http://nancyvienneau.com/blog/articles/home-remedy/

MAGGIE’S COUGH REMEDY

¼ teaspoon Cayenne
¼ teaspoon Ginger
1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar (an organic one, like Bragg’s, is preferred.)
2 Tablespoon Water
1 Tablespoon Honey (use a locally produced raw honey, if possible.)

Dissolve cayenne and ginger in cider vinegar and water. Add honey and shake well. Take 1 Tablespoon as needed for cough. Hoo-wee.
Note: this doesn’t dissolve perfectly. Always shake well before using.

If you make this in small batches as the recipe is written, there is no need to refrigerate.
If you prefer, you may refrigerate this. It keeps as long as you need it. 

Some  like to make small batches (it is so easy to mix up.) and use it up in a just a few days.

Make Your Own Vegetable Powder

Credit to: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Vegetable-Powders

You can use vegetable powders to: 

Tuck more nutrition and flavor into the things you cook.
Provide value-added thickening for soups (as opposed to using wheat flour or cornstarch for this job).
Stretch your grocery dollar by (a) powdering less-expensive vegetables that may not be so popular with your family, but are nevertheless nutritious, and (b) making use of all your clean, uncooked leftovers, including the trimmings.

Keep in mind that while a batch of mixed vegetables can yield interesting results, batches of the same vegetable will dry more uniformly and provide a more predictable "punch" for your other recipes. You can always mix single-veggie powders later.


Steps 1

Clean the items selected for dehydration.Clean the items selected for dehydration. Cosmetic perfection is unnecessary, but trim off any damaged, bruised, or browned areas.


Step 2

Blanch the items to preserve color.Blanch the items to preserve color.

Step 3

Shred rather than chop.Shred rather than chop. Shredded vegetable matter is far easier than hard chunks to grind into powder.

Step 4

Spread the shreds onto a lined dehydrator shelf.Spread the shreds onto a lined dehydrator shelf. Follow manufacturer's directions for drying times.

Step 5

When dehydration is complete, allow the shreds to cool before grinding them in a coffee-bean grinder.When dehydration is complete,allow the shreds to cool before grinding them in a coffee-bean grinder.

Step 6

You may find it useful to shake the material from the grinder through a sieve.You may find it useful to shake the material from the grinder through a sieve. Put the larger pieces left behind through a second grind.

Step 7

Store in sealed jars.Store in sealed jars.


Tips

In most cases, the items you place in a dehydrator should not overlap. This is difficult to accomplish with shreds. Return to your dehydrating project every few hours and use clean fingers to stir the shreds so that all surfaces get exposure.

Dehydrated items generally shrink as they lose water content. Your shred piles will shrink, sometimes dramatically, during dehydration.

Add vegetable powders to soups, breads, dips, and certainly any savory mix, such as meatloaf, stew, pizza, or hamburger (including vegetarian versions of these).

Make vegetable pate by mixing enough of any vegetable powder with any one of the following "bases" to form a paste: olive oil, feta cheese, unsalted butter, plain yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream. Select the base that you feel goes best with the vegetable in question. Serve with crackers.

Consider using vegetable powders to artistically color mashed potatoes or cauliflower to entertain and interest the younger set. Beets provide a deep red, carrots offer orange, many other vegetables contribute green--and all so much more nutritious than food coloring! Divide the food to be colored into multiple bowls and add your coloring ingredients by bowl, so that the colors remain as unmixed as possible until serving time.


Warnings

Don't plan on grinding chunks of dense vegetables (e.g., carrots, parsnips) in your food processor post-dehydration. Doing so is almost certain to damage your food processor. Go ahead and shred.


Things You'll Need

A home dehydrator. If you don't have one, you can spread the shreds onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. (You can find parchment paper in most supermarkets near the aluminum foil and other food-safe wraps.) Place the cookie sheet in an oven set at a very low temp (150-200 degrees F). A less costly and more creative approach may be to wedge a clean window screen so that it provides a flat horizontal surface between the seats of a car parked in a sunny spot. At any rate, you can consult the Internet for plans for ad-hoc, home built dehydrators.

A food processor with a shredding function, OR a large-bore grater--and lots of patience.
A coffee-bean grinder.
A fine-meshed sieve.
Glass containers with lids that you can seal.

Make Your Own Mixes

MIX RECIPES 

Credit to: http://www.budget101.com/frugal/mix-recipes-166/

Here is a complete list of our various Mix Recipes in 31 Easy Categories so you can find whatever you need ! Making your own mixes can help your family save bundles of cash every week!

1. Beverage Mixes
   • Assorted Drink Mixes
   • Coffee/ Cappuccino Mixes
   • Cocoa/Hot Chocolate Mixes
   • Creamer Mixes
   • Tea Mixes
2. Bread Mixes
3. Breakfast Mixes
4. Cake in a Mug
5. Cake Mixes
6. Condiments
7. Cone Mixes
8. Convenience Mixes
9. Copycat & Clone Recipes
10. Cookie & Bar Mixes
11. Dips & Dressing Mixes
12. Diabetic Mixes
13. Dehydrated/ Dried Food Mixes
14. Easy Bake Oven Mixes
15. Gift Basket Meal Mixes
16. Gluten Free Mixes
17. Household Cleaner, etc Recipes
18. Jar Gift Mixes
19. Kids Oven Mixes- Easy Bake, Queasy Bake, etc.
20. Muffin Mixes
21. Mug & Cup Mixes
22. MYO: Make your Own (Items that you often purchase but can easily make yourself)
23. OAMC Recipes - Once a Month Cooking Recipes
24. Popcorn Mixes
25. Pudding Mixes
26. Ramen Noodle Recipes
27. Sauce Mixes
28. Seasoning Mixes
29. Side Dish Mixes
30. Soup Mixes
31. Substitute Anything - what to use when you've run out of something

Visit: http://www.budget101.com/frugal/mix-recipes-166/   For many more fantastic idea!!!!

Making Dandelion Coffee

The price of coffe is outrageous so I thought: 'why not give this a try'?

 Here there are two methods for making Dandelion Coffee.



 Careful here, I would not recommend this young man's method for cutting the
 dandelion roots; I have awful visions of tip-less fingers *shuddering*

  

Make Your OwnTea Blends: Herbal and Caffeinated

Lately I've been making my own Tea Blends.  One of my favorites I came up with one morning was a happy accident.  My plan was to try out a cup of Lavender Tea with honey.  I've never had it before but told how wonderful it was by one of my D&A Counseling instructors several years back.   It sounded -oh so-  exotic and enchanting, I had to try it.   Only, I didn't know where to get it.  Then I thought: 'Amazon.com' Of Course!  Amazon.com is the portal from which all good thing come through so I ordered a pound bag of 'Organic Culinary Lavender' (you won't believe how many little lavender buds there are in a pound).  Anyway..... I made a cup and I HATED IT!!!  It was strong in flavor and bitter.  I'm sure I must have done something wrong.  So in my I decided on my usual Green Tea instead.  Pulled out my three cup French Press (a GoodWill Shop find), dumped in 3 teaspoons of Gun Powder Green Tea,  then I thought: 'Why not make it Vanilla Green Tea' so sliced  (I used scissors )very thin 1/4 Vanilla Bean...then I noticed a few Lavender buds  had fallen and scattered across the countertop... and I though: 'Oh hell, why not'? so I scooped them up and dropped them into the French Press with the sliced vanilla bean & green tea, poured in the boiling water, let it steep for about 5 minuts.  Poured a cup,  sweetened with honey -and-  it was DELICIOUS!  A perfect blend.  Other blends I've tried are Earl Grey & Lavender -and- Chamomile with Lavender.  

I grow Mint in my herb garden and have tossed a few mint leaves in with my green tea...very good.

Tea bags are convenient, but you pay a pretty price for that convenience. I've been using my French Press or  a stainless steel one cup tea strainer ( which by the way, you can get a 2nd and sometimes even a weak 3rd cup from the same tea leaves).  

So far I've been purchased all of my Loose Teas from Amazon.com and I buy only Organic.  Awhile back I got an Amazon Prime membership for $79 a year for the 'Streaming Videos' and the membership includes free 2 day shipping  for all products that have 'Prime'  and because it's very convient for me.  

I haven't tried the recipes below yet but am looking forward to doing so. Soon I will be filling pint Mason Jars with different Loose Tea Blends, labeling and decorating.....  Guess what the people in my family are going to be getting for Christmas?

Credit For The Information Below to:

 http://www.homesteadanywhere.com/kitchen/herbal-and-caffeinated-tea-blends/

Overview

1. Buy your favorite herbs (mint, chamomile, ginger, etc.) and teas (black, green, white, oolong, mate’) in bulk from a natural food store or online suppliers.
2. Pair good flavors together and mix them up in small batches. See Recipes. Store your blends in airtight containers. (Small glass mason jars work best.)
3. To drink, put loose tea (about 2 tsp. per cup of boiling water) in a tea ball, tea strainer/infuser, muslin bag, tea bag, coffee filter, or tea pot with infuser and cover with boiling water. Let steep, covered anywhere from 1-10 minutes (depending on the tea). See Tips for how to prepare different teas.

How To

What should I use to make great tasting tea?

Best Fresh Herbs:
Basil, Elder Flower, Lemon Balm, Rosemary, Sage, Stevia (to sweeten)

Best Dry Herbs:
Chamomile, Elder Flower, Hibiscus, Honeybush, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Lemon Grass, Oatstraw, Orange Peel, Peppermint, Rooibos, Rose Buds, Rose Hips, Raspberry Leaf, Spearmint, Stevia (to sweeten)

Best Roots, Seeds, and Barks:
Allspice, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves, Dandelion, Fennel, Ginger, Licorice, Marshmallow, Sarsaparilla, Star Anise

Best Caffeinated Teas:
Green (Jasmine, Gunpowder, Pearls, Twig, etc.), Black (Ceylon, Darjeeling, Orange Pekoe, Oolong, etc.), White, Yerba Mate’

Recipes

Sweet Mint Tea
Makes: about 1 C. dry and 18 servings
¾ C. peppermint leaf
3 T. licorice root  ( known to raise Blood Pressure) I would try substituting with crushed Anis Seed

Caffeine-Free Chai
Makes: about 1 C. dry and 25 servings
6 T. cinnamon chips
4 T. dry ginger root
2 T. whole allspice, lightly crushed
2 T. cardamom, decorticated (or whole pods, crushed)
1 T. fennel seeds
1 T. whole clove, lightly crushed
1 T. black pepper corns

Directions: combine 1 tsp. of chai mix per cup of water in a small pot with a lid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let it steep in the pot with the lid on for 5 minutes. Strain into a mug. Use more chai mix and/or less water to make a stronger chai if you are going to add milk.

Caffeinated Chai
Follow the above directions for herbal chai. After boiling the herbs for 1 minute, add 1 tsp. of loose black tea per cup of water and then steep for 5 minutes off the heat. Strain into a mug.

Flower Tea
Makes: about 1 C. dry and 20 servings
¼ C. lemon balm
¼ C. chamomile flowers
¼ C. rose petals
¼ C. calendula petals
1 tsp. lavender flower
1 tsp. stevia leaf

Ginger Tea
Makes: almost 1 C. and 16 servings
½ C. orange peel
¼ C. ginger root
2 T. fennel seeds

Holiday Hibiscus Tea
Makes: 1 C. plus 2 T. and 22 serving
¼ C. cinnamon chips
¼ C. orange peel
¼ C. red rose petals
2 T. whole cloves, lightly crushed
2 T. whole allspice, lightly crushed
1-2 T. hibiscus flowers (petals)

Chamomile – Mint
Makes: 1 C. plus 2 T. and 22 servings
½ C. mint
½ C. chamomile
2 T. licorice root

Dandelion Root “Coffee”
Makes: 1/2 C. and 12 servings
1/2 C.raw dandelion root pieces
Directions: Preheat oven to 400. Place 1/2 C.raw dandelion root pieces in a glass pie plate or small baking tray so that it makes an even layer. Bake for about 10 minutes depending on the cut of dandelion root. Shake the pan to stir and check for doneness every 2-3 minutes. You want a deep brown, but not burnt. Let it cool completely. Grind in a small coffee or spice grinder until powdery. Place 2 tsp. of the ground dandelion in the bottom of a mug or in a tea strainer, pour boiling water over, and let steep for 5 minutes. The bigger root pieces will stay at the bottom, so don’t drink you last sip unless you want to eat dandelion too! Store the remaining powder in a jar in you tea cabinet.

Imported Blog Posts

Hi Folks!!!

I just imported blog posts from an older blog (Green & Groovy).  I can't keep up with both so I merged them since being Frugal and living Green are profoundly connected anyway.  So sip a cup of tea/coffee/beer/whatever,  put your feet up and explore older posts...I'm sure you'll find something interesting, if not useful.

Patty

Simple Homemade Eye Makeup Remover {A Picture Tutorial}

Credit to:  

http://frugallysustainable.com/2011/10/simple-homemade-eye-makeup-remover/

Gather the ingredients:
-1 cup distilled water
-1/4 teaspoon Dr. Bronner’s unscented baby-mild liquid castile soap
-1 teaspoon olive oil

Combine water, castile soap, and olive oil in a glass jar.

Give jar a little shake.

Apply solution to cotton ball and remove makeup as you normally would.

Admire the amazing results.

Store on the bathroom counter.

31 Ways to Use a Mason Jar in Your Kitchen

Credit To:  http://wakeup-world.com/2012/06/18/31-ways-to-use-mason-jars-in-your-kitchen/

1. Leftovers. Perfect for soups or stews, grains like rice, chopped veggies, scrambled eggs… endless possibilities.

2. Smoothies. Make extra and store it in the fridge for later in the day, or use the jar to bring the smoothie when you’re on the go.

3. Drinking water for day. Need a way to visually measure how much water you are drinking throughout the day? Try using quart or 1/2 gallon mason jars to put your daily water out on the counter, then use it to refill glasses until it’s gone. You’ll know for sure whether you hit your water target or not.

4. Sprouting seeds or grains. With the sprouting lids I mentioned, this is a breeze for making fresh green sprouts. But even without fancy lids, I’ve been using jars for sprouting for years. Works for sprouting grains, too.

5. Soaking nuts or seeds. Soaking overnight reduces enzyme-inhibitors in nuts and seeds.

6. Store nut butter. After you soak your nuts, make homemade nut butter!

7. Sourdough starter. I like pint jars for creating new sourdough starter, then I’ll transfer it to a quart or 1/2 gallon jar for storing and maintaining the starter long term.

8. Making/storing kombucha. This healthful, fermented drink can also be flavored.

9. Homemade yogurt. I like making mine directly in jars, either in my oven or in my Excalibur dehydrator. Another option is to make yogurt in your crockpot, then transfer to jars once cool and set for easy fridge storage.

10. Mason jar meal. This creative idea would be great for a picnic!

11. Flower vase. Simple, quaint, beautiful.

12. Making milk kefir or water kefir or coconut milk kefir.

13. Storing homemade juice or iced teas in fridge. The large 1/2 gallon jars are particularly perfect for this, and even for brewing the tea, especially with the screw-on plastic lids.

14. Keeping herbs fresh in the fridge (green onions, cilantro, etc.). Fill a jar 3/4 full with water, place your bunch of fresh herbs in it, then store in the fridge for herbs that keep much longer than they would in your produce drawer.

15. Spice mixes. Making your own spice mixes is cheap and easy. The small jar (1/2 pint or smaller) make ideal spice jars.

16. Dry pantry staples. I like to buy in bulk, then store staples like sea salt, baking soda and baking powder in jars.

17. Dried vegetables from garden. Not only is it practical, but dehydrated summer produce looks beautiful in jars.

18. Canning. Whether you stick to a batch or two of jam each season, or you want to get serious about preserving the season’s bounty, this is the season to think about stocking up on jars if you plan to do some summer preserving.

19. Storing dry beans, pasta, rice, etc. in the pantry. There’s something particularly pleasing about a pantry full of mason jars.

20. Mixing salad dressings. I use 1/2 pint or pint jars with lids to mix up salad dressings, then store them in the door of my fridge to make salad eating simple. You could do this with homemade marinades or other types of sauces as well.

21. Homemade syrup. Our two favorite syrups (aside from genuine maple syrup, our number one choice) are honey butter syrup or a more typical syrup made with Sucanat (unrefined sugar) or coconut sugar. A perk of using glass is that you can soften extra honey butter syrup (since it will harden in the fridge) by letting it warm up in a pot of lightly boiling water for a couple minutes.

22. Mason jar salads. Love this brilliant idea!

23. Homemade cough syrup or other cold-kicking remedies.

24. Fermenting foods like salsa or pickles or sauerkraut. Leave them out on the counter while fermenting, then add a lid and store in the fridge, while you enjoy these digestion-boosting foods.

25. As a drinking glass. I’ve seen many people actually build up a collection of various mason jars, purely for the sake of using as drinking glasses. Great for everyday, or fun for a party or special event.

26. Dry baking mixes like bread, pancakes, etc. Making your own homemade baking mixes saves money and time. Store them in amounts that are just right for one morning of pancakes, or two loaves of bread, to simplify the baking process even more (no measuring!).

27. Culture your own creme fraiche (or sour cream).

28. Soup broth. Store your homemade bone broth for a few days in your fridge, or in your freezer (but make sure to leave a good amount of headroom so that your jars don’t crack).

29. Food gifts. Layered food mixes, like dry bean soup or cookies in a jar, look so lovely and homey in a mason jar. Add a pretty fabric or decorative paper label to the lid to make it extra special.

30. Decoratively. Aside from their practical uses, they’re also just plain old pretty. Try doing a search on Pinterest for Mason Jar. You won’t believe how many amazing ideas you find. Candles, lanterns, party decor… the possibilities are endless!

31. Edible beauty products. Did you know that you already have a kitchen full of beauty supplies? Try making some of these edible beauty products, or homemade scrubs like the ones in Simple Scrubs to Make and Give.

About the Author

Stephanie Langford has a passion for sharing ideas and information for homemakers who want to make healthy changes in their homes, and carefully steward all that they’ve been given. She has written two books geared to helping families live more naturally and eat real, whole foods, without being overwhelmed and without going broke. She is the editor and author of Keeper of the Home. View all posts by Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home

Homemade Calamine Lotion

I found this great recipe for itchy rashes and bug bites however I replaced one ingredient: Witch Hazel -for- Water for a longer shelf life.

Source: http://frugallysustainable.com/2012/07/a-recipe-for-homemade-calamine-lotion/

Ingredients:

-1 tablespoon sea salt
-1 tablespoon baking soda
-1 tablespoon bentonite clay-15 drops essential oils (use one or a combination of lavender, geranium, chamomile, yarrow, peppermint, and tea tree)
-enough **Witch Hazel**  to form a paste (original recipe called for 'water')

Method

1. In a small glass or ceramic bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients.

2. Slowly mix in the water until a smooth paste forms, then add the essential oils.

3. Use as you would calamine lotion and apply directly to affected area.