Bread

by | Feb 3, 2018 | Kitchen Recipes

Banana Bread with Honey
Delicious & Healthy.

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar free applesauce
3/4 cup honey
2 eggs, beaten
3 mashed overripe bananas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix applesauce and honey. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes and turn out onto a wire rack.

Banana Bread with Honey and Applesauce
No sugar & oil

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar free applesauce
3/4 cup honey
2 eggs, beaten
3 mashed overripe bananas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together applesauce and honey. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, turn out onto a wire rack.

Cloud Bread (nut and grain free)

3 Eggs separated
3 Tbsp cream cheese (can use cottage cheese, yogurt)
1/4 Tsp Cream of Tartar
4 drops of liquid Stevia or honey to taste.
Preheat oven 300°F. Separate eggs. Add Cream of Tartar to the whites and beat whites stiff. Beat the yolks, cream cheese and sweetener until combined. Add whites to yolk mixture and fold in gently. Place baking paper on cookie sheet or rub with coconut oil. Place spoonfuls on the cookie sheet, piling upwards as they tend to spread when baking. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. When cooled, carefully remove from tray, store in fridge.

Paleo Sweet Potato Bread

1.5 cup cooked sweet potato
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 Organic Soy-free Eggs
1/4 cup melted Virgin Coconut Oil
2 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together. Mix wet ingredients in a bowl with a whisk. Mix all ingredients together until well combined. Put mixture into a small casserole dish or stainless steel loaf pan and bake for 25 minutes or until the middle is set.

Sundried Tomato Madeleines

½ cup whole wheat flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup finely grated Parmesan
sea salt and crushed red chili flakes
2 tablespoons of chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 egg
1/3 cup buttermilk or thinned yogurt

Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease a Madeleine tray. Mix alL dry ingredients – whole wheat flour, baking soda, cheese, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, salt and chili flakes in a mixing bowl and combine. Add the olive oil, egg and buttermilk and stir until smooth. Using a tablespoon, pour the mixture, one spoon at a time, into the Madeleine tray taking care not to fill to the brim. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove tray from oven and cool on rack.

Lemon Verbena Tea Bread

½ cup milk
10 lemon verbena leaves plus stems
½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons finely chopped lemon verbena leaves (about 20 leaves)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup powdered sugar
Lemon verbena leaves

Combine milk and lemon verbena leaves and stems in a small saucepan. Heat on low just until milk is hot (do not boil). Set aside to cool to room temperature. Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a glass measuring cup, discarding lemon verbena. Add additional milk to measuring cup to equal ½ cup, if needed, and set aside.

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with reserved milk, beating at low speed just until blended, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in lemon rind. Spoon batter into greased and floured 8-x 4-inch loaf pan.

Bake at 350˚ F for 1 hour. Let cook in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Combine chopped verbena leaves and lemon juice in a small bowl. Cover and set aside. After bread has cooled completely, pour herb-lemon juice mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a small bowl, discarding lemon verbena. Add powdered sugar and stir with a small whisk until smooth, adding additional lemon juice, ½ teaspoon at a time, if needed, until desired consistency. Spoon glaze over top of bread, letting excess drip down sides. Garnish with lemon verbena leaves.

GRAIN-FREE SANDWICH BREAD

2/3 cup coconut flour
3/4 cup almond flour
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut oil
8 eggs
1 Tb raw honey
1.5 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 tsp sea salt
3/4 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 300. Melt oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Turn off heat and allow it to cool a bit. Then stir in the honey and vinegar. Break eggs into a medium bowl. Add the salt, baking soda, almond flour and the ghee/oil mixture. Mix together with a hand mixer. Add the coconut flour and blend well. Pour the batter into a well-greased bread loaf pan (9×5). Bake for 50-60 minutes. It will be done when it is set in the middle. Let cool for about 15-20 minutes, and then use a spatula or knife to go around the edges. Invert the pan and move the bread to a cooling rack.

Grain Free Walnut Shortbread

2 ½ cups blanched almond flour
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp baking soda
1 cup walnuts, chopped
5 Tbsp honey or stevia liquid to taste
½ cup grass fed butter, softened or sustainable palm shortening
1 tablespoon almond extract

Combine almond flour, salt, baking soda and chopped walnuts. In a small bowl, mix together the fat and almond extract. Mix the wet ingredients with dry. Place dough in the center of a large piece of parchment paper and form into a large log approximately 2½ inches in diameter. Place in freezer for one hour, until firm, unwrap and cut into ¼ inch thick slices. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place slices on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven until golden brown, 7-10 minutes

Gluten-Free Sprouted Corn Bread

2 cups sprouted corn flour
½ cup coconut flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
5 pastured eggs
2 cups whole pasture raised milk
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp maple syrup
4 tbsp butter

Pre-heat oven to 400°. Mix dry ingredients. Then add all wet ingredients except butter and mix well. Put butter in a 10 or 12-inch cast iron skillet and put in the oven to let the butter melt. Once butter is melted remove the skillet form the oven and pour batter into the skillet. Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Grain Free Butternut (or Sweet Potato) Flatbread

1 Tbs. coconut flour
1 ½ tsp. gelatin
3 Tbs. cooked and mashed butternut squash (or sweet potato)
1 Tbs. butter, ghee or coconut oil
1 egg
¼ tsp. sea salt

Have all ingredients at room temperature. If the squash and butter is cold, you can stir them together in a saucepan over low heat to bring them to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir together the coconut flour and gelatin. Stir together the squash and the butter until smooth. Stir in the coconut flour/gelatin mixture until combined, then stir in the egg and sea salt.
Spoon mixture into rounds on the baking sheet about 1/4 inch thick. Bake for about 12 minutes. Carefully peel them off the parchment paper and flip. Bake for another 5 minutes until they are dry to the touch and pliable.

Almond Flax Bread Recipe
from The Nourished Kitchen Guide to Grain-Free Baking

1½ cups blanched almond flour
¼ cup ground flax seeds
1 tbsp whole flax seeds
½ tsp unrefined sea salt
½ tsp baking soda
4 eggs beaten
2 tsp honey
½ tsp raw cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 300°. Grease loaf pan with butter. Mix ingredients together and pour into a greased standard sized loaf pan. Bake loaf at 300° for 45 minutes. Cool completely.

Bacon Bread with Goat Cheese and Chives

6 slices thick-cut bacon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt or flaky or coarse sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups (about 6 ounces) finely crumbled fresh plain goat cheese
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs 1 cup whole milk
1/3 cup chopped fresh chives

Cook the bacon slices turning the slices every couple of minutes until browned and crisp. Allow to drain and cool. Crumble into small pieces and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour an 8- or 9-inch round cake pan. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and mix. Combine
1 ¼ cups of the goat cheese and the butter in the bowl of a stand and beat at medium speed until smooth. Add one of the eggs and beat until incorporated, then beat in the second egg. Gradually add the dry ingredients with the mixer at low speed, alternating with the milk. Take the bowl from the stand and stir in the bacon and chives by hand until mixed. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of goat cheese over the top. Bake until the top is lightly browned and the bread pulls away from the sides of the pan, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly in the pan, then turn the bread out onto the rack to cool completely, inverting the bread so that the goat cheese topping is upright.

My Favorite Honey Oatmeal Seed Bread

4½ cups whole-wheat flour
3 packages active dry yeast
2 cups milk
1/3 cup honey
¼ cup cooking oil
1 T salt
½ cup oats
½ cup flax seed
½ cup sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
I usually add some pine nuts too.
Combine 2 cups of the flour and the yeast in a large bowl. In saucepan heat milk, honey, oil and salt until warm (115*). Add this to the dry mixture slowly and beat at low speed for ½ minute. Beat for 3 minutes at high speed. Stir in the oats and seeds by hand and enough of remaining flour to make stiff dough.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (8-10 minutes).Shape into a ball and place in lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double (45 minutes).
Punch dough down and turn out on lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Shape into 2 loaves and put in two greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise in warm place till double (30 minutes). Bake at 375 for about 40-45 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool on wire racks. Slice and eat! Delicious!

Cranberry Orange Bread
2 cups sifted flour
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp soda
1 cup chopped fresh cranberries
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp grated orange peel
1 beaten egg
¾ cup orange juice
2 T salad oil

Sift dry ingredients together. Stir in cranberries, nuts, and orange peel. Combine egg, orange juice, and salad oil and add to dry ingredients stirring until moistened. Bake in greased loaf pan at 350* for 50 minutes

Coconut Flour Banana Bread

1 cup coconut flour
1 ½ cup very ripe bananas (2-3 bananas)
4 eggs
6 tbsp butter or coconut oil (melted)
5 tbsp raw honey or vanilla honey
2-3 squirs full of stevia (40-60 drops drops in a squirt)
¼ tsp sea salt
1tsp-1 tbsp cinnamon
½ tsp baking soda
1 tbsp vanilla

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Oil or butter your bread pan. Line with parchment paper. Smash the bananas. In the banana bowl mix in honey, butter, vanilla, eggs, and stevia. In a separate bowl mix coconut flour, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to the wet and stir until combined. Spoon the batter into bread pans.
Bake 1 hour 15 minutes. The top and edges should be a golden brown color. Remove form oven and let it cool for 15 minutes in the pan.

Delicious Coconut Banana Bread

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, plus some for greasing the pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 very ripe bananas, mashed with a fork until smooth
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup grated dried unsweetened coconut

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan. Mix together dry ingredients. Cream the butter and beat in the eggs and bananas. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients; stir just enough to combine. Gently stir in the vanilla, nuts, and coconut. Pour the batter into loaf pan and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until nicely browned. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before removing from the pan.

Coconut Flour Bread

6 eggs
½ cup melted coconut oil or butter
1-2 tablespoons honey (optional, I usually leave it out)
½ teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup coconut flour

Mix ingredients together and pour into a small buttered loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Turn the loaf out and cool completely on a rack before serving.

Sweet Potato Banana Bread

2 cups whole wheat flour (pastry flour preferred)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder (preferably aluminum-free, available at health food stores)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup honey
1 large cooked sweet potato, mashed
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup oil
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup raisins, plumped in 1/2 cup orange juice

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together remaining ingredients and stir into dry mixture, stirring just enough to avoid lumps. Pour into an oiled and floured 9- by 9-inch pan. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Coconut Flour Pumpkin Bread

¾ cup coconut flour
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup palm sugar
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
7 eggs, separated
¾ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup palm oil or coconut oil
½ tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites and sea salt together until stiff peaks form. Set aside. Mix egg yolks, pumpkin puree, palm oil and vanilla together. Mix dry ingredients with pumpkin mixture until well combined. Fold in egg whites. Pour bread batter into a well-greased bread loaf pan. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Take foil off and continue to bake until cooked through, another 15-30 minutes. Turn off oven and leave bread in the oven for 30 minutes (to allow the middle to finish cooking). Remove bread from pan and let cool on wire rack.

Banana Bread Pudding

2 cups organic milk
6 mashed bananas
1 cup sugar (or your preferred natural sweetener)
2 large organic eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons bourbon or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 cups day-old bread cubes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk milk, banana, sweetener, eggs, spices and bourbon or vanilla in large bowl to blend. Fold in bread cubes. Let stand 15 minutes, then put pudding mixture in a 9 x 12 pan. Use a 9-inch springform pan for a more-elegant result). Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Serve plain or with fresh fruit.

Zucchini Walnut Bread

Makes 2 large loaves or 4 small loaves
The flavor improves with age and keeps well frozen
You can substitute pumpkin for zucchini.

  • 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 4 eggs beaten
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 cups grated zucchini
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 3 cups of sugar( or less)
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Mix dry ingredients except for nuts in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients; fold into dry and add nuts.Bake in 2 loaf pans for 1 hour at350 degrees or until done.

 

 

 

 

Muffins and Bisquits

by | Feb 3, 2018 | Kitchen Recipes

Grain Free Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

1/2 cup coconut oil
6 Organic Soy-free Eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pumpkin puree or fresh baked pumpkin
1/2 cup Organic Maple Syrup or honey
6 oz Unsweetened Dark Chocolate (99% Cacao)
1/2 tsp Real Salt
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp baking soda

Pecan Pie Muffins
8 large muffins or 16 mini muffins

1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chopped pecans
2/3 cup butter softened
2 eggs beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease muffin cups generously. In medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour and pecans. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and eggs together. Stir in dry ingredients until combined. Spoon batter into muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake for 12-13 minutes for mini muffins or 15-17 minutes for regular size muffins. Run a knife around the edge of each muffin and pop it out.

Grain Free Pumpkin Zucchini Bread Muffins

1 cup Pumpkin Puree
4 eggs
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup coconut flour
¼ cup melted Virgin Coconut Oil
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
2 medium shredded zucchinis
2 droppers full of Stevia Liquid or 2-4 Tbsp honey
¼ tsp Real Salt

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Fill baking cups and bake for about 40 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Grain Free Mocha Coffee Cake Muffins
½ cup coconut flour
¼ cup almond flour
½ cup coconut oil, melted
6 soy free pastured eggs
½ cup coconut sugar or honey
1 cup strong coffee
¼ tsp of baking soda
3 Tbsp organic cocoa powder
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamonPreheat the oven to 350. Mix the wet ingredients together in one bowl. Mix the dry ingredients in another bowl. Combine and whisk them all together. Put in muffin cups and bake for 30 minutes.

Chocolate Grain Free Muffins
3 pastured eggs
1 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
2 Tbsp of raw cocoa powder
2 tbsp of honey OR 10-15 drops of stevia
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract (gluten free)
1/2 tsp baking sodaHeat up the oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl with a whisk.
Pour into a silicone muffin cup holder. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until set.
Let them cool for 5 minutes then pop out of silicone.

Pumpkin Bran Muffin

Preheat over to 350 degrees.
Mix together:
2 slightly beaten eggs
2 1/2 cups mashed pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup bran cereal.

In separate bowl combine:
1 cup whole wheat flower
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ginger
Stir together and add to pumpkin mixture. Do not over mix. Fill lined or greased muffin tins almost full. Bake for 30 minutes, cool pan before removing muffins. Makes 18 muffins.

Blueberry Muffins

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups blueberries

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, stir together the milk, oil, egg, sugar, and vanilla extract until blended. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Do not over mix. Gently fold in the blueberries. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full. If you want a cruchy top sprinkle a little sugar mixed with some butter on the top of each muffin. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes. Remove to the rack to cool.

Dill Puffs

1 envelope dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup cream-style cottage cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon instant minced onion
2 teaspoons dill weed
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/3 cups sifted flour
Melted butter. Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl. Heat the cottage cheese in a small saucepan until lukewarm. Stir into the yeast. Add the egg, sugar, onion, dill weed, salt and baking soda, stirring well. Add the flour gradually, beating until combined. Beat another 20 strokes. The dough will be sticky and heavy. Let rise, covered, in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch the dough down. Divide evenly into 12 greased muffin cups. Let rise, covered, for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped. Remove to a wire rack and brush the tops with melted butter.

Maple Walnut Muffins makes 24

1-3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
Warm maple syrup
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin tins. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and baking soda and set aside. In a medium bowl, beat the butter until smooth, then slowly add maple syrup, beating constantly. Beat in sour cream and egg. Stir in walnuts. Add the combined dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Spoon into the prepared muffin tins, filling two-thirds full. Bake 12 to 16 minutes. Cool in tins 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack. Dip muffin in syrup and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm.

Pecan Muffins

2 eggs beaten, 1/2 cup self rising flour,1 cup brown sugar, one teaspoon vanilla, 1/3 cup melted butter 1 cup pecans broken or chopped. Mix all ingredients together and pour into baking cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Makes 1 dozen.

 

 Biscuit mixes are easy to create and make a healthy delicious gift for someone. Layering the dry ingredients in a clear cellophane bag makes an inviting package. Don’t forget to add instructions that tell how to add fresh wet ingredients and bake.
Put 2 cups biscuit mix in each package. One package will make 10 biscuits. Include the following instructions:Pour the contents of this package into a bowl, add 1 large egg lightly beaten, and 1/3 cup milk. Stir until mixture forms a ball. Do not over mix. Place dough on lightly floured surface and roll out to 3/4 inch thick. Cut out biscuits and arrange on an un- greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes until browned.

Biscuit Mix: (makes 10 cups) 3 cups whole wheat flour, 3 cups all purpose flour, 2 cups powdered buttermilk, 3 tbl. baking powder, 2 tsp salt, 1 cup shortening. Sift together the dry ingredients. Cut in shortening till fine crumbs. Refrigerate for 3 weeks or freeze up to 3 months.To Bake:Pour 2 cups biscuit mix into bowl. Add 1 lrge. Egg lightly beaten and 1/3 C milk. Stir till mixture forms a ball. (don’t over mix) . Place on floured surface and roll to 3/4 inch thickness and cut . Arrange 2” apart on un-greased baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Cheese and Sage Biscuits:

Combine 2 C biscuit mix with 1/2 C parmesan cheese, 2 tbl. dried sage and 1 tbl. dried parsley.
Lemon Dill Biscuits: Combine 2 C biscuit mix with 1 tbl Lemon Dill Herb Blend

 

 

Beverages

by | Feb 3, 2018 | Kitchen Recipes

High Energy Breakfast Shake

1 medium banana
1/2 cup whole strawberries
1-1/2 cup low-fat milk
2-1/2 TBS almond butter
2 TBS ground flaxseeds
1-1/2 TBS blackstrap molasses
Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Cucumber-Lime-Mint Soda Water

1 bottle (1 qt. + 1.8 fl. oz.) seltzer water
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 c. cucumber, sliced crosswise into thin (1/8″) rounds
1/2 c. lime (1 large lime), sliced crosswise into thin (1/4″) rounds
1 Tbsp. mint, finely minced
1 c. ice cubes

Add mint & limes to a glass pitcher. Mull these ingredients by pressing them against the sides of the pitcher with a spoon. Add all other ingredients to pitcher & stir. Place into the refrigerator and allow flavors to meld for at least a half hour before serving. Add ice cubes immediately before serving.

Simple Ginger Juice

1-2 apples
2 stalks celery
2 carrots
1 cucumber
1 lemon, peeled
1 lime
1 inch of ginger, peeled
Put all ingredients in a juicer and enjoy!

Ginger Tea

4 o 5 thin slices of ginger
2 cups water
1 Tbsp. raw honey
Juice from ½ lime
Bring water to a boil, add ginger and steep covered for 30 minutes – Steep longer for a stronger tea. Pour into a cup and add honey and lime. This tea tastes amazing and is simple to make! I freeze the ginger and then grate an inch piece of ginger with peeling.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

1 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons cooked organic pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon maple syrup
¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup organic brewed coffee or espresso
Pour the coconut milk in a small pot over low heat. Stir often until heated through. Add the milk and remaining ingredients to a blender and blend until combined. You can also add other ingredients like ginger, vanilla bean, cloves, or cinnamon.

Maple Pumpkin Spice Lattes
Makes 14 cups
4 cups espresso or very strong coffee
1/2 gallon (8 cups) milk (substitute almond milk for non-dairy)
3/4 cup canned pumpkin (plain, not flavored)
3/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker, cook on high for 2-3 hours.

Shamrock Shake
1 ounce Bailey’s Original Irish Cream
1 tablespoon matcha powder, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup whole milk
Whipped cream (optional)

In a blender, combine the Bailey’s, matcha powder, vanilla ice cream, and milk, and process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour into a glass and top with the whipped cream and additional matcha powder.

Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix

2 cups sucanat, palm sugar or evaporated cane
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup chocolate chips

Pour your sugar of choice and cocoa powder into a blender. Blend on high for 2-5 minutes until the sugar and cocoa are mixed well. Add the chocolate chips and blend for another minute or two until the chocolate chips have broken into small pieces about ¼ of the original size. Pour into a quart size glass jar or four ½ pint jars to give as gifts. Add a note instructing to add two tablespoons of mix to a cup of hot milk of choice.

Ginger Liqueur
Store it as you would any liqueur; no refrigeration is required. Makes a great gift!

2 oz ginger root, peeled and cut into thin slices
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. honey
1.5 C. water
Lemon zest from 1 whole lemon
1.5 C. St. Remy Brandy

In a saucepan over high, bring the ginger, vanilla, sugar, and water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the ginger is soft, approximately 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature. Place the honey and lemon zest in a glass jar with the syrup and brandy. Close tightly and shake. Let this mixture steep for 24 hours.
After one full day, remove the vanilla bean (or vanilla will be overpowering) and let the mixture steep for another 24 hours. Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer and strain again through a coffee filter.
Let your liqueur sit for one more day to allow the flavors a little time to settle. For a clear liqueur, allow any remaining solids to sink to the bottom, then filter the liqueur several more times. Enjoy!

Homemade Ginger Ale

4 cups water
2 cups Sliced fresh ginger root (not necessary to peel, you can also grate the ginger which will produce a sharper flavor)
2 Tbsp. Fresh squeezed lemon juice (or lime juice!)
2 Tbsp. Honey (or a combination of Stevia and Honey)
Sparkling mineral water or club soda

In a medium saucepan, combine water and ginger over high heat. Once boiling, lower heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for one hour. Remove lid and continue to simmer 30 more minutes. Take off heat and strain mixture to remove ginger. Stir in lemon and honey. Cool completely. This is your ginger syrup.
To make ginger ale, put a handful of ice into a glass. Add ¼ cup ginger syrup, and fill the rest of the glass with sparkling water.

I don’t usuall publish anything alcoholic but this guy is really something.

Recipe: Ron Duan’s Father’s Advice

1½ ounce Bacardi gold rum
½ ounce Cardamaro
½ ounce Italian red vermouth (preferably Punt e Mes)
½ ounce Amontillado sherry
¼ ounce banana cordial (preferably Giffard Banane du Brésil)

Combine all ingredients and stir for 45 seconds. Pour into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with an orange swath.

The drink Duan has chosen to get him through the international competition honors his father. “It’s called ‘Father’s Advice.” His father’s advice was:

‘The greatness of a man is not measured by his wealth but by his integrity to love and his abilities to put someone else’s needs before his. To love someone unconditionally, to want to provide, to want the best for them.”

He took that philosophy and poured it into a cocktail. The drink is somewhere between a Manhattan and an El Presidente.
“Typically in a bar you only shake anything with citrus in it,” to incorporate the acid and aerate it, he says. “The reason why you stir a Manhattan or a martini is because you want it kind of velvet, and you don’t want to aerate it too much because you want it kind of silky.”
Duan says his father’s words represent what both fatherhood and the American dream are about. “I’m certainly proud of my dad and most importantly this cocktail really represents our family and our struggle,” he says.

Coconut Almond Blizzard

2 frozen ripe banana
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2-3 tablespoons almond butter
2 tablespoons flax seeds
2 tablespoons raw cocoa powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup almond milk
Place the banana, coconut, almond butter, flax seeds cocoa powder, cinnamon and vanilla in a blender. Cover with almond milk and blend until smooth. Add more almond milk to achieve desired consistency.

Watermelon Breeze

3 cups cubed chilled watermelon
1 cup coconut water
juice of a fresh lime
ice
sprig of mint

Note: If you prefer a smoothie toss in 2 frozen bananas or freeze your watermelon, in chunks the night before… mmmm delicious. Throw it all in a blender. Blend till smooth. Enjoy!

Lavender Lemonade

4 lemons, juiced and peeled
1/2 drop of lavender oil
7 cups of warm water
3/4 cup of honey

Mix warm water and honey together until the honey is dissolved. Mix lemon juice in with honey and water. Add the lavender oil. Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate On a nice hot day add in some sparking mineral water for a real refreshing kick!

Ginger Liqueur

2 oz ginger root, peeled and cut into thin slices
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. honey
1.5 C. water
Lemon zest from 1 whole lemon
1.5 C. brandy

In a saucepan bring ginger, vanilla, sugar, and water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the ginger is soft (20 mins.) Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Place honey and lemon zest in a glass jar with the syrup and brandy. Close tightly and shake. Let mixture steep for 24 hours. After one full day, remove the vanilla bean (or the vanilla will be overpowering) and let mixture steep for another 24 hours. Strain out solids through a fine mesh strainer. Strain again through a coffee filter. Let your liqueur sit for one more day to allow the flavors a little time to settle. For a clear liqueur, allow any remaining solids to sink to the bottom, then filter the liqueur several more times

THE GRINCH

3 oz peach schnapps
3 oz Bacardi® 151 rum
12 oz orange juice
4 oz Sprite® soda
3 oz Blue Curacao liqueur

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

1 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon agave syrup
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 apple, cored
Dried cranberries

Combine all ingredients except cranberries in blender and blend until smooth. Top with cranberries.

Summer Stone Fruit Smoothie

1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 plum, pit removed, flesh roughly chopped
1 peach, pit removed, flesh roughly chopped
1 nectarine, pit removed, flesh roughly chopped
1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

Combine ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Strawberry Mango Spring Smoothie

1 cup coconut milk
1 banana, peeled, sliced, and frozen
1 mango, skinned and chunked
5 large strawberries, hulled
Combine ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Makes 3½ cups

Winter Greens Smoothie

1/4 cup carrot juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup spinach
1 cup roughly chopped kale, ribs removed
4 small broccoli florets, sliced and frozen
1 banana, peeled, sliced, and frozen
1 appled, cored and roughly chopped

Combine ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Top Smoothie Add-Ins
Keep these smoothie staples on hand for an easy and intense nutrition boost:

Hemp seeds.
Vegan protein source with a mild, nutty flavor.
Flaxseed.
Rich in fiber, protein, and omega-3s.
Wheat germ.
One gram of dietary fiber per tablespoon.
Sunflower seeds – Use shelled seeds for a boost of copper, magnesium, and selenium.
Chia seeds – Fiber-loaded and protein-rich to control blood sugar; take on flavor of other ingredients.

Ginger, a cousin spice of super anti-cancer substance turmeric, is known for its ability to shrink tumors.  It is even more effective than many cancer drugs. Commonly consumed across the world in small doses among food and beverage products, the medicinal properties of ginger far surpass even advanced pharmaceutical inventions.   

  According to Georgia State University, whole ginger extract was revealed to shrink prostate tumor size by a whopping 56% in mice. The anticancer properties were observed in addition to ginger’s role in reducing inflammation as well as being a rich source of life-enhancing antioxidants. Ginger presents virtually no side effects and has been used as a food product by many cultures for countless centuries. Whole ginger extract was shown to exert significant growth-inhibiting and death-induction effects in a spectrum of prostate cancer cells. Over 17 other studies have also reached similar conclusions on ginger’s anticancer benefits, with the spice being shown by peer-reviewed research to positively impact beyond 101 diseases.     Source: naturalsociety

 Simple Ginger Juice

1-2 apples
2 stalks celery
2 carrots
1 cucumber
1 lemon, peeled
1 lime
1 inch of ginger, peeled
Put all ingredients in a juicer and enjoy!

Ginger Tea

4 oR 5 thin slices of ginger, peeled
2 cups water
1 Tbsp. raw honey
Juice from ½ lime
Bring water to a full boil, add the ginger and turn the heat down to simmer to avoid burning.  Simmer longer if you want stronger tea. After 10 minutes, pour liquid into a mug and add honey and lime. This tea tastes amazing and is simple to make!

Wake Me Up Morning Juice

7 Carrots
2 Apples
1 Lemon
1 inch or 1 knuckle of Ginger Root

Juice all ingredients together using your juicer, stir well, and serve in your favorite glass. This drink increases immunity, boosts energy, increases circulation and lowers inflammation and pain!

Kale Almond Smoothie
1 small frozen banana, sliced
3/4 cup kale, sliced and lightly packed, stems removed
3/4 cup almond milk
3/4 tbsp almond butter
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground ginger

Blend all together. Add 1/2 cup iced coffee for an extra dose of antioxidants.

Key Lime Smoothie

1 frozen banana
2 tablespoons sunflower butter
1 ½ cup coconut or almond milk
2 cups spinach
3 pitted medjool dates
Juice of 4 key limes
¼ teaspoon lime zest
½ teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons chia seeds
5 ice cubes
Combine ingredients and blend on high. Soften the dates before blending by soaking them in warm water as you prepare other ingredients. Add a tablespoon of coconut oil or coconut butter and get a boost of healthy fats. 

Raw Cacao Shake

2 frozen bananas (slice bananas before freezing)
¼ – ½ cup rice milk (almond, coconut or hemp)
2 tablespoons raw cacao
Toss in a blender and blend!

Watermelon Breeze

3 cups cubed chilled watermelon
1 cup coconut water
squeeze of fresh lime
ice
sprig of mint

If you prefer a smoothie toss in 2 frozen bananas or freeze your watermelon, in chunks the night before.

Ginger Switchel
The switchel may be served alone, over ice, or mixed with sparkling water.

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4 teaspoons sweetener (molasses, maple syrup, honey, sugar)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 cup water

Combine all ingredients in a jar or glass. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to a day. Shake or stir before serving. Taste and adjust sweetener, if desired. If using fresh ginger, strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Pour over ice or mix with soda water.

V8 Juice

2 tomatoes
1 beet
1 bunch parsley
3-4 radishes
1 cucumber
4 stalks celery
1 cup spinach
1 red pepper
1-2 lemons (optional, for those who enjoy a bit of kick)

Juice the above ingredients and reap the amazing benefits of these 8 nutritive vegetables (aside from tomato which is technically a fruit!.)

Healthy Chocolate Shake

2 frozen bananas (cut up before freezing)
¼ – ½ cup rice milk (almond, coconut or hemp)
2 tablespoons of raw cacao
Put in the blender and blend!

Chocolate Banana Shake

1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
6 drops vanilla cream stevia
1 large ripe banana
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon high quality cocoa powder or carob powder ice

Put all the ingredients in a high powered blender and blend until you reach desired consistency. Add more ice for a thick, ice cream-like shake, or less ice for a thinner version.

Turmeric Tea

1 cup Coconut Milk (or almond)
½ tsp Cinnamon
½ tsp Turmeric
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
Dash of Cayenne Pepper
Raw honey to taste

Put coconut milk, spices and honey in a saucepan and heat slowly on low heat. If you put it on high heat, coconut milk will get too thick. Pour and enjoy.

High Energy Breakfast Shake

1 medium banana
1/2 cup whole strawberries
1-1/2 cup low-fat milk
2-1/2 TBS almond butter
2 TBS ground flaxseeds
1-1/2 TBS blackstrap molasses
Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Red Clover Lemonade

3 cups of red clover blossoms
4 cups water
1 1/4 cups lemon juice
4 tbsp honey
Boil blooms in water for 5 minutes. Strain the petals from the water and add lemon juice and honey. Stir and chill. Serve over ice.

 
Rose Lemonade
 Infuse 4TBSP rose petals in 4C hot water.  Strain after 15 minutes.  Add in the juice of 2-4 lemons.  Honey or maple syrup to taste.  Let chill and enjoy!
 
Vanilla Chai Tea

1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology
1 cup brewed Chai tea, cooled
1 tsp. raw honey
1 dash ground allspice
½ cup ice
Place brewed tea, honey, allspice, Shakeology, and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.
 
Apple and Beet Groovy Smoothie

1 cup coconut water
1 cup almond milk
2 cups water
2 cups spinach (packed)
2 red apples, halved
1 avocado, pitted
1 beet, roasted and peeled
4 dates, pitted and soaked
1 frozen banana
Toss in a little ice to finish it off
Blend all together
 

Almond Smoothie

1 small frozen banana, sliced
¾ cup kale, lightly packed, stems removed
¾ cup almond milk
¾ tbsp almond butter
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground ginger
Add ½ cup iced coffee for an extra dose of antioxidants.
Blend ingredients and enjoy!

Green Goddess Smoothie

1 cup baby spinach
1 cup cucumber chunks
½ avocado, halved, pitted, and peeled
1 large kiwifruit, peeled and chopped
½ cup frozen kefir or frozen yogurt
½ cup fresh orange or tangerine juice
¼ cup mint leaves
Blend all of the ingredients together.

Sunrise Smoothie

1 cup mango chunks
½ banana, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
¼ teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 ice cube
2 teaspoon honey
2 cups seedless watermelon chunks
Blend all of the ingredients together.

High C Smoothie

1 cup chopped kale
2 large kiwi fruits, peeled and chopped
½ cup fresh orange or tangerine juice
½ cup cilantro sprigs
1 rib celery, chopped
¼ cup ice cubes
Blend all of the ingredients together.

Fruit Smoothie

½ cup Greek yogurt
1 plum, pit removed, flesh roughly chopped
1 peach, pit removed, flesh roughly chopped
1 nectarine, pit removed, flesh roughly chopped
½ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
 Combine ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Smoothie Tips:
1. Invest in a blender with at least an 800-watt motor. (Vitamix is the gold standard.)
2. Prepare frozen fruit ahead to save time. Cut and freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag or container.
3. Frozen bananas go a long way. Peel, slice, and freeze them. This go-to smoothie ingredient adds thickness without taking over other flavors.
4. Add ingredients like milk, yogurt, water, or juice first to get the blender moving. Then, add lighter, drier ingredients, like leafy greens, followed by heavy ingredients like ice and fruit pieces.


Strawberry Mango Spring Smoothie

1 cup coconut milk
1 banana, peeled, sliced, and frozen
1 mango, skinned and chunked
5 large strawberries, hulled
Combine ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.


Pumpkin Pie Fall Smoothie

1 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon agave syrup
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 apple, cored
Dried cranberries
 Combine all ingredients except cranberries in blender and blend until smooth. Top with cranberries.

Winter Greens Smoothie

¼ cup carrot juice
½ cup orange juice
1 cup spinach
1 cup roughly chopped kale, ribs removed
4 small broccoli florets, sliced and frozen
1 banana, peeled, sliced, and frozen
1 apple, cored and roughly chopped
 Combine ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Top Smoothie Add-Ins
Keep these smoothie staples on hand for an easy and intense nutrition boost:
Hemp seeds.
Vegan protein source with a mild, nutty flavor.
Flaxseed.
Rich in fiber, protein, and omega-3s.
Wheat germ.
One gram of dietary fiber per tablespoon.
Sunflower seeds.
Use shelled seeds for a boost of copper, magnesium, and selenium.
Chia seeds.
Fiber-loaded and protein-rich to control blood sugar; take on flavor of other ingredients.
 
Sprout Smoothie

1 cup fresh sunflower sprouts
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 avocado, pitted and peeled
1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 cup water
4-5 ice cubes

Combine ingredients in blender until smooth and creamy. Thin with water or thicken with ice if desired. 
 
STRESS RELIEVER JUICE

Have you been overworked and stressed lately? Or do you know someone who is undergoing anxiety, panic and trauma?
These negative emotions have a negative effect on the body as they overwork the adrenaline glands and produce two hormones: DHEA and cortisol — both are ‘shock absorber’ hormones which buffer the negative impact that may affect mental and physical functions.
Prolonged negative emotions are detrimental to health. During this stressful time, this juice combo may help calm your nerves, improve your mood and sleep quality.

2 green apples
A bunch of spinach
1/2  cucumber
1 stick celery
1/4 lemon
1/2 inch ginger root grated(optional)

Combine in blender and drink!
 
Pina Colada  Protein Pick-me Up

1/2C Fat free cottage cheese
1 scoop Protein powder
2-4 pkts Stevia or
1/4-1 tsp sweetener
5-10  Ice cubes
1/2-1 cup Water
2C Pineapple chunks
1/2 tsp Coconut extract
Optional: 1/4 tsp rum extract
Blend and enjoy! 
 
Almond Smoothie

1 small frozen banana, sliced
3/4 cup kale, lightly packed, stems removed
3/4 cup almond milk
3/4 tbsp almond butter
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground ginger
Add 1/2 cup iced coffee for an extra dose of antioxidants.

Blend all together until smooth.
 

Lavender Lemonade     

2 cups lavender syrup
1 cup fresh lemon juice
5 cups water
Lemon slices to garnish
In a pitcher, combine lavender syrup, lemon juice, and water. Pour into glasses over ice, and garnish with lemon slices!

Lavender Syrup:
Makes 2 cups
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons dried lavender buds
In a small saucepan, bring the water, sugar, and lavender to a boil. Remove the pan from heat, then cover with a lid and let the lavender steep for at least half an hour.

Strain the syrup into a jar or bottle. It will keep for a week or two in the fridge. Add it to iced tea, hot tea, seltzer, gin, champagne, limoncello, or make this lovely lavender lemonade!

Miraculous Thyroid Drink
This tea helps the thyroid perform better and it is delicious!

1 cup unsweetened 100% cranberry juice
7 cups purified water
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¾ Cup fresh squeezed orange juice (approx 3 oranges)
¼ Cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (approx1-2 lemons)

Bring water to a boil; add cranberry juice, reduce heat to low and add cinnamon, ginger, & nutmeg, stir and let simmer for 20 minutes; let it cool down to room temperature. Stir in orange & lemon juices…add ice and enjoy!

FAT FLUSH WATER Drink three 8 oz glasses per day. The longer it sits, better it tastes. You can eat them but they are intended as flavoring. The Vitamin C turns fat into fuel, the tangerine increases your sensitivity to insulin, and the cucumber makes you feel full. Try it for 10 days.

One 8 oz serving:
Water
1 slice grapefruit
1 tangerine
½ cucumber, sliced
2 peppermint leaves
Ice – as much as you like                                                             Wash grapefruit, tangerine, cucumber and peppermint leaves. Slice cucumber, grapefruit and tangerine (or peel). Combine all ingredients (fruits, vegetables, 8 oz water, and ice) into a large pitcher.

Alkaline Cleansing Smoothie                                                                                                                             A heavy metal detox, clear skin, anti-bacterial, anti-aging smoothie. Combine the foolowing ingredients and blend.

1 rib of celery
1/4 cucumber
1 handfull cilantro
1 handfull parsley
1 thumb slice of ginger
1/2 lemon, peeled
1-2 cups of coconut water

Sweet Ginger Smoothie

3 ripe, spotty bananas
4 medjool dates, pitted
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tbsp ginger juice (take the ginger and squeeze it in a garlic press to press out the juice. Chop it finely if you do not have a garlic press)
1cup young Thai coconut water
Blend & Serve!

Ginger Liqueur

2 oz ginger root, peeled and cut into thin slices
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. honey
1.5 C. water
Lemon zest from 1 whole lemon
1.5 C. brandy

In a saucepan over high, bring ginger, vanilla, sugar, and water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the ginger is soft (20 mins.) Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Place honey and lemon zest in a glass jar along with the syrup and brandy. Close tightly and shake. Let mixture steep for 24 hours. After one full day, remove the vanilla bean (or the vanilla will be overpowering) and let mixture steep for another 24 hours. Strain out solids through a fine mesh strainer. Strain again through a coffee filter. Let your liqueur sit for one more day to allow the flavors a little time to settle. For a clear liqueur, allow any remaining solids to sink to the bottom, then filter the liqueur several more times.

A naturally fermented old-fashioned ginger ale (Ginger Beer) that contains beneficial probiotics and enzymes.

A 1-2 inch piece of fresh ginger root, minced.
½ cup of organic sugar or rapadura sugar
add 1 tablespoon molasses for flavor and minerals.
½ cup fresh lemon or lime juice
½ tsp sea salt or himalayan salt
8 cups of filtered (chlorine free) water
½ cup homemade ginger bug

Make a “wort” for your ginger ale by placing 3 cups of the water, minced ginger root, sugar (and molasses if needed), and salt in a saucepan and bringing to a boil.
Simmer five minutes until sugar is dissolved and mixture starts to smell like ginger.
Remove from heat and add additional water. This should cool it but if not, allow to cool to room temperature before moving to the next step.
Add fresh lemon or lime juice and ginger bug (or whey). Transfer to a 2 quart glass mason jar with a tight fitting lid. Stir well and put lid on. Leave on the counter for 2-3 days until carbonated and transfer to the fridge where it will last indefinitely.
Watch this step carefully. Using whey will cause it to ferment more quickly and it will take less time. It should be bubble and should “hiss” like a soda when the lid is removed. This is very temperature dependent and the mixture may need to be burped or stirred during this fermentation time on the counter. As with any traditional fermented drink, it is more of an art than a science as it depends on the strength of your culture, the temperature of your house and the sugar used. The final mixture should smell of ginger and slightly of yeast/fermentation and should be fizzy. Watch carefully that it doesn’t become too carbonated as this will cause too much pressure and may result in an exploding jar!
The mixture can be strained and transferred to Grolsch style bottles before putting in the fridge (we like these bottles). Strain before drinking.

Coconut Water Mint Juice

Chilled Coconut Water 4 cups
1 tablespoon Honey
¼ cup Chopped Mint Leaves
½ teaspoon Black Pepper
4 slices Lemon Slice
A pinch of Himalayan salt to taste
In a blender add chilled coconut water, black pepper, honey, salt and chopped mint leaves. Blend well. Garnish with lemon slice.

Cucumber-Lime-Mint Soda Water

1 bottle (1 qt. + 1.8 fl. oz.) seltzer water
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 c. cucumber, sliced crosswise into thin (1/8″) rounds
1/2 c. lime (1 large lime), sliced crosswise into thin (1/4″) rounds
1 Tbsp. mint, finely minced
1 c. ice cubes

Add mint & limes to a glass pitcher. Mull these ingredients by pressing them against the sides of the pitcher with a spoon. Add all other ingredients to pitcher & stir. Place into the refrigerator and allow flavors to meld for at least a half hour before serving. Add ice cubes immediately before serving.

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PAIN RELIEF SMOOTHIE

1/2 CUP FRESH COCONUT
1 CUP CHERRIES (FROZEN OR FRESH)
5-8 FRESH BASIL LEAVES
1-2 CUPS OF COCONUT WATER
1 TBSP. CHIA OR HEMP SEED

Fire Cider Natural Cold and Flu Remedy

A large mason jar
Raw organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar
3 T of grated horseradish root or pure horseradish
3 T of grated ginger root (find this at a health food store)
A small onion
One head of garlic
3 T of fresh parsley
1 cup of organic beets

Chop up all the ingredients into tiny pieces (the horseradish and ginger will need to be grated). Place everything in the bottom of the Mason jar. Pour the apple cider vinegar over the herbs. Fill the jar with it until it reaches the very top. Make sure you see no air bubbles and secure the lid tightly. Place this is the fridge.
Allow the herbs to steep for 2-4 weeks (the longer the better). Do NOT open the jar at all until you are ready to strain everything out. At the end of the 2-4 weeks strain everything out of the jar. You can use the leftover herbs to saute up fresh veggies if you want so nothing goes to waste. This is yummy. Keep this tonic in the fridge and use daily (1-2 T) or whenever you feel a cold or flu coming on.

These chocolate recipes will yield one regular or two small servings of hot chocolate. You can double or quadruple as desired.

Traditional Hot Chocolate

1 Cup milk (or nut milk)
½ vanilla bean, split
3 ounces semisweet or milk chocolate, cut into small pieces
Heat milk to scalding in a medium saucepan, add vanilla, and let steep with the heat off for 10 minutes. Strain and return milk to saucepan to reheat milk. (You can use ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract and skip the steeping process.) Whisk in chocolate until melted and frothy.

Dried Plum Cocoa

1 cup almond milk (or regular milk)
3 medium plums
2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
1 pinch of salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla
Put all ingredients in the blender and puree until very smooth, gently heat in a pot on the stove.

Coconut Hot Cocoa
For dairy-free, sugar-free, nut-free diets this recipe may be as close as you get to cocoa nirvana.
3 tablespoons canned coconut milk
¾ cup water
3 soft pitted Medjool dates
1 Tablespoon cacao powder
Dash of cinnamon
Put all ingredients in the blender and puree until very smooth, gently heat in a pot on the stove.

Maple Cocoa

1 cup milk
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt
Combine ingredients in a medium pot and warm on medium-low heat, whisking until frothy and hot.

Mexican Hot Cocoa
The original chocolate beverage lauded by the Mayans was a bitter spicy slurry drunk cold. Hot cocoa in Mexico and other southern realms retains the heat, which is very clever since chocolate and spice go together.

1 cup soy milk (or regular milk)
1 tablespoon Sucanat (natural sugar cane)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of cinnamon
1 pinch (or more!) of cayenne

Combine ingredients in a medium pot and warm on medium-low heat, whisking until frothy and hot.

Gold Wellness Drink

1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 lemon chopped in half
1+ tsp fresh grated ginger
1 pint hot water
When tea is cool enough to drink, add 1 teaspoon + honey

Anti-Migraine Juice

1 apple
1-3 inch chunk fresh ginger
1/2 cucumber
1 stalk fennel

Gut Repair Tonic

2 carrots
large handful of fresh parsley
1/2 head cabbage
Makes 1 cup.

Kidney Cleanse- Wash a bunch of parsley and Cilantro (Coriander Leaves).  Cut it into small pieces and put it in a pot. Cover with water and boil for ten minutes. Let cool and filter it into a clean bottle and keep in refrigerator to. Drink one glass daily and you will notice all salt and other accumulated poison coming out of your kidney by urination and you will notice the difference.

Holiday Eggnog

3 eggs
¼ cup local raw honey
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cardamom
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
½ cup dark rum

In a bowl, whisk the eggs until they’re very frothy. Add the honey and continue whisking until it is well blended. Add freshly grated nutmeg, spices and vanilla extract and continue whisking. Whisk in the milk a little at a time. Whisk in the rum. Chill the eggnog and serve cold. Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top before serving.
This makes four small servings and should be consumed within 48 hours.

Survival Drink Recipe

2 tablespoons of dark maple syrup
2 tablespoons of lemom or lime (1/2 lemon)
1/10 teaspoon cayenne pepper
mix into `10 ounces of water
They say you can live on it for 40 days.

High Energy Shake

1 medium banana
1/2 cup whole strawberries
1-1/2 cup low-fat milk
2-1/2 TBS almond butter
2 TBS ground flaxseeds
1-1/2 TBS blackstrap molasses

Raw Vegetable Juice

All produce should be organic, washed thoroughly, and run through juicer.

6 medium carrots
1 small beet
3 large tomatoes
Small amount of kale leaves
1 bag of baby spinach
1/4 head cabbage
2 bell peppers
3 celery stalks
1/4 sweet onion
1/2 clove garlic
Chili pepper or Tobasco to taste
Himalayan salt

Tropical Energy Smoothie

2 TBS tahini
1 medium ripe banana
1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1-1/2 cups pineapple juice
1 medium papaya
Scoop out flesh from papaya with spoon. Add to blender with rest of ingredients. Blend until smooth.

Ginger Mint Tea

2 cups water
2 tsp freshly grated ginger root
4 lightly bruised mint leaves
2 tsp lemon juice
Bring water, ginger root, mint leaves, and lemon juice to a boil. Remove from heat, cover with lid, and let steep for 5 minutes. Serve hot or cold. Makes 2 large or 3 small servings.

Pineapple Mint Juice

Add 1 cup fresh peppermint and 2 cups pineapple juice to blender. Blend until mint is chopped. Add several ice cubes to blender and blend again. Serve immediately. A great summer afternoon drink and a quick pick-me-up.

Fresh Carrot grated
One apple
Fresh Lemon/Lime
Fresh mint leaves
Additionally ice cubes 6-8
Cut or grate the carrots and cut apples (Avoid seeds) put them all in a blender. Add lemon/lime, fresh mint and ice cubes. Blend and squeeze or filter it. This juice helps to reduce the risk cancer, heart disease, diabetes. It also reduces cholesterol. It cleans your liver and kidney as well as good for lungs and asthma.

Lemon Ice

2 cups sugar
5 cups water
1-1/3 cups fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
mint leaves, for garnish
In a medium saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the water and bring to a boil, stirring. Cook, uncovered, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Pour this into a ceramic bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Add the juice and zest and stir. Pour into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions or, if you don’t have an ice cream maker, simply freeze in a metal pan for 5 to 7 hours. Just before serving, break into pieces and pulse quickly in a blender or food processor. Add garnish.

Rhubarb Soda

1 ½ – 2 ½ cups (3 -4 stalks) fresh rhubarb
1 cup sugar
1 ½ cups water
ice
sparkling water

Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer.
Cook for about 15 minutes, until the syrup is bright pink.
Turn off heat and allow to cool.
Strain syrup into a large jar. Pulp remains.
Measure ¼ cup rhubarb syrup into a glass.
Add enough sparkling water to fill the glass ⅔ full. Stir to mix, add ice.
The syrup can be used also be used on ice cream, fruits, pancakes and more. The remaining pulp is yummy and can be eaten with yogurt, as a spread on toast, or added to baked goods.

Switchel or Haymaker’s Punch

Mix together:
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
Juice of 1 lemon
1 quart water
1/2 cup molasses
Serve ice-cold.

Strawberry smoothie
4 large strawberries
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 TBS tahini
1 medium size banana
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 TBS honey
1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
Remove stems from strawberries and wash. Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.

Spinach and Dandelion Smoothie

They are both nutrient dense and a good source of beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamins C, E, and K, and calcium and iron, lutein and zeaxathin (two antioxidants associated with healthy vision).
1 cup spinach
¼ cup chopped dandelion greens
2 peaches, pitted and cubed
1 banana (fresh or frozen) cut into chunks
½ cucumber, cut into chunks
2 cups filtered water
10 ice cubes (optional)
Place ingredients into blender and blend until smooth.
Makes 3-4 servings.

COCONUT SMOOTHIE

In India, the coconut tree is known as Kalpavriksha which means “tree that gives all that is necessary for living.” Coconut oil is rich in medium chain tryglycerides (MCTs), which have been associated with increased metabolic rate and improved energy levels. The coconut meat contains lauric acid which has antimicrobial effects. Coconut contains healthy amounts of the minerals manganese, magnesium, and copper.

2 cups fresh pineapple, peeled and diced
4 heaping tbsp raw organic dried shredded coconut
1 banana (fresh or frozen) cut into chunks
1 cup spinach
4 stalks celery, cut into pieces
1 tbsp raw coconut oil
juice of ¼ lime
2 cups coconut water
10 ice cubes (optional)
Place ingredients into blender and blend until smooth.
Makes 2-3 servings.

AVOCADO SMOOTHIE
Avocados feature anti-inflammatory phytosterols and carotenoid antioxidants as well and vitamins B6, C, K, folate; the mineral potassium. Avocados are a rich source of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid that may lower cholesterol levels.

1 avocado, peeled and pitted
2 cups of mango chunks
½ cucumber, cut into chunks
juice from ¼ lime
2 leaves of mint
3 leaves of kale, stems removed
2 cups filtered water
10 ice cubes (optional)
Place ingredients into blender and blend until smooth.
Makes 3-4 servings.

CACAO SMOOTHIE

Cacao is the bean that chocolate is derived from. Cacao is high in flavonoid antioxidants which promote cardiovascular health and can protect cells from damage. Cacao is a good source of minerals including magnesium, iron, and copper. Research on dark chocolate has shown benefits for heart health and mood support, and more recent research suggests it may boost the benefits of exercise.

1 tbsp. raw cacao powder
1 banana (fresh or frozen) cut into chunks
25 almonds, soaked in water overnight (8-12 hours), soaking water drained
3 heaping tbsp raw shredded organic coconut
3 dates, pits removed
2 cups coconut water
15 ice cubes (optional)
Place ingredients into blender and blend until smooth.
Makes 2-3 servings.

GOJI BERRY SMOOTHIE

The goji berry has a long history of use in promoting health. Traditional Chinese medicine has touted the benefits of goji berries for their liver and kidney protective effects, vision enhancing benefits, and immune-supportive and anti-aging qualities. Goji berries contain vision-supporting antioxidants zeaxanthin and lutein, betacarotene and a wide array of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.

½ cup goji berries (Optional: soak in a little water for an hour before blending)
2 bananas (fresh or frozen) cut into chunks
4 leaves of mint
1/2 cup of spinach
2 stalks of celery, cut into pieces
½ cucumber, cut into chunks
2 cups of filtered water
10 ice cubes (optional)
Place ingredients into blender and blend until smooth.
Makes 2-3 servings.

Mint Tingle – A cool refreshing green drink

1 1/2 cups of water ( Use a strong mint tea instead of mint extract if you prefer)
1/2 cup of sugar
1/8 teaspoon mint extract or concentrated mint tea
green food coloring
6 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
1 quart of ginger ale( add last)

Mint Chiller

1 cup sugar
2 cups fresh mint leaves, with stems
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup ginger ale
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the mint, remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let the liquid steep for 1 hour. Strain the liquid into a bowl. In a large pitcher, combine the mint syrup, lemon juice, orange juice, and ginger ale. Stir until well blended. Serve over crushed ice.

Cool Spiced Green Tea

1 gallon water
3 large green tea bags (or 6 small bags)
2 cinnamon sticks
3 whole cloves
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 oz can frozen orange juice
6 oz can frozen lemonade
2 cups chopped mint
Place chopped mint on a double layer or cheesecloth or tea ball. Gather edges of the cheesecloth together and tie securely to make a bag. Add tea bags, mint tea ball, cinnamon, and cloves to gallon of water in a large pot. Bring to a boil and turn off heat. Cover and let steep for 10 minutes. Remove tea, mint, cinnamon, and cloves. Add sugar and stir. Add orange juice and lemonade and stir. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve over ice and garnish each glass with a sprig of mint.

Dandelion Wine                                                                                                                                             Taste the “Spirit” of Spring” using common dandelions. Makes about three 4/5 wine bottles.

2 quarts of dandelion petals (stem and green collar of each flower removed)
2 quarts of boiling water
3 lemons
3 1/2 cups sugar
10 oz package of frozen sweetened red raspberries
1 yeast cake
cheesecloth
1 one-gallon jar (stoneware jar works best)
3 one quart wine bottles with screw-on cap.
Pick the dandelions, snip off the stem and green collar and rinse in cool water. Place petals in the one-gallon jar and pour the boiling water over them. Let stand overnight. In the morning, strain the liquid through cheesecloth, being sure to squeeze the flowers to remove all the juice. Combine dandelion juice with strained juice of lemons. Add juice to frozen raspberries and sugar. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
Pour mixture back into jar, cooling to lukewarm temperature. Add yeast cake. Stir until yeast dissolves, cover the jar, and let mixture ferment for 10 days or until hissing subsides.
Using a double layer of cheesecloth, strain the liquid into a cider jug and let stand for 3 days. Strain liquid again and place into quart wine bottles with screw-on caps, but DO NOT tighten the caps. Let the wine stand for a while and then cap the bottles. Age until December.
Dandelions can be added to coffee (like chicory) or used alone as a coffee-like substitute.

Coffee-Like Beverage: Dandelion Roots

Scrub roots, drain and place on a baking sheet. Roast at 150 F until roots are dark and dry (about 4 hours). Cool and grind roots with food blender. Store in covered jar until used. Add 1 heaping teaspoon of roasted roots to 1 cup of water. Steep for 3 minutes. Strain and serve. Add cream and/or sugar to taste.

Added to Ground Coffee Dandelion Roots – Brew coffee as usual, adding 1 teaspoon of roasted roots for each 6 cups of coffee. More or less root may be used depending on taste.


 

Kitchen Recipes

by | Feb 3, 2018 | Kitchen Recipes

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Easy Freezer Foods
Corn on the Cob – Fresh-picked corn from a local farm or farmers’ market can last a year when frozen the right way, husk and all. Place it immediately into freezer bags with the husk and silk intact, and it will stay wonderfully succulent and fresh.
Garlic – Chop the cloves and put in the freezer, or freeze the whole bulb. If you chop or mince it before freezing, allow to sit for 10 minutes to release allicin, responsible for its health benefits. It can be stored for several months in a plastic or glass freezer container.
Grapes – Frozen grapes are a great healthy snacks. Wash, dry, and spread them out on a baking sheet in your freezer till frozen, and store in freezer bags.
Fruits – Wash fruit and cut away areas of broken skin. Slice thinly and place wax paper between each layer of slices, and put in the freezer. For zest of citrus, grate the rind, add several squeezes of juice, and freeze in an ice tray.
Cooked Rice – Pack fresh-cooked moist rice in an airtight container or re-sealable bag, and close tightly. When reheated, it will be fresh, moist and delicious.
Onions – Peel, chop, and put in freezer bags to store in freezer until ready to use.
Flour lasts longer in the freezer. Cold flour results in flakier pastry crusts too. Freezing flour slows down spoiling, and protects it from pest infestation.

Cooking Websites I love:

Passion Flower

by | Feb 3, 2018 | Herbs, Plants

                                           

Passionflower

(Passiflora incarnata) is a perennial, climbing vine native to Southern and Central America and is cultivated in Europe. It reaches a height of 10-12 metres and climbs using thin tendrils to spiral around the host plant. The leaves are palmate, 3-lobed and alternate. The 5-petaled flowers have 5 sepals that make it look like the flower has 10 petals; they are pale blueish-white in color with a purple ‘fringe-like’ layer of fine petals on top. The flower has 5 pale colored stamens and 3 stigmas.

There are thought to be over 600 different forms of passiflora, commonly known as Passionflower, Maypops and also Maracuja in the Amazon. It was discovered in Peru in 1569 by the Spanish Doctor, Nicolás Monardes (c1493 – 1588). In 1608 Jesuit priests officially presented this herb from the New World to Pope Paul V by offering him dried samples of the plants and botanical illustrations. In the 17th century Giacomo Bosio a member of the Knights Hospitaller, referred to the passionflower as ‘La Flor de las cinco Llagas’, which translated as ‘the flower with 5 wounds’, a name that referenced the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church. The herb was used as a means to convert the Inca tribes to Christianity.

The passion flower tells the story of the Passion of Christ, it’s said that the 3 stamens represent the wounds of Christ, the sepals represent the apostles, and the corona (the frills around the stamens) are said to represent the crown of thorns.

The herb was discovered in the 16th century and it has taken over 100 years for the herbal wisdom of the passionflower to makes its way to the western world. In 1625 Tobia Aldinus, physician to Cardinal Farnese of Rome wrote in his book Hortus Farnesianus “This is the famous plant sung by poets and celebrated by orators. The plant reasoned about by philosophers, with the utmost subtlety, praised by physicians for its marvellous value. Sought for eagerly by the sick, wondered at by theologians, and venerated by all pious Christians”.

Some 8 years later, passionflower was added to the 1633 re-issue of John Gerard’s Herbal. Gerard died in 1612 and the publishers of the original version, Joyce and Bonham Norton, commissioned the botanist and apothecary Thomas Johnson (1600–1644) to revise and add to Gerard’s herbal. He did by all accounts most admirably, adding herbs from the new world to the book including the passionflower of which he wrote. Spanish Friers for some imaginary resemblances in the flower, first called it The Passion flower,” and made it as it were an Epitome of our Saviors passion.

The Passionflower is native to America and its medicinal uses were first discovered and used by the Native American’s. Passionflower is included in a Materia Medica written in Latin by the German botanist and physician Johann David Schoepf (1752-1800) and published in 1787. In one of the first reference books detailing the medicinal plants of the America’s, Schoepf mentioned the fact that the Native American’s used Passionflower to help in cases of epilepsy in the elderly. It became popular with the Victorians not as a medicine, but as an exotic bloom. In folklore the plant has been associated with calm and peace.
Passionflowers anti-spasmodic and sedative properties were documented, the authors wrote that “Its force is exerted chiefly upon the nervous system, the remedy finding a wide application in spasmodic disorders and as a rest-producing agent. It proves especially useful in the insomnia of infants and old people. It gives sleep to those who are laboring under the effects of mental worry or from mental overwork.”

Medicinal history: Used in the treatment of whooping cough, morphine habit, delirium tremens, convulsions in children and neuralgia, neuroses of children, teething and spasms, in the treatment of tetanus, hysteria, puerperal convulsions (involuntary spasms that occur in women just before, during, or just after childbirth), painful diarrhea, and acute mania.

Passionflower is widely used in sleep formulations, particularly when combined with valerian and/or hops.

Modern day herbalists utilize the aerial parts of the passion flower (flowers, leaves, and stems) for treating a variety of conditions, including insomnia and for pain relief, the variety commonly used medicinally is the Passiflora incarnate as it is the most medicinally beneficial variety. The herb is used to treat nervous tension, irritability, irritable bowel syndrome and premenstrual tension. An infusion of the plant is useful for treating back pain, due to its anti-spasmodic action. Passiflora contains a variety of alkaloids and flavonoids that are effective and non-addictive sedatives that do not cause drowsiness.

The herb contains a selection of indole alkaloids including harmine which as well as antidepressant properties, has insecticidal properties, and passiflorine, a substance which has been likened to morphine. Passionflower has a rich flavonoid content including luteolin an antioxidant studied for its potential immune system effects, and quercetin an effective bronchodilator, which can help reduce the release of histamine and other allergic or inflammatory chemicals in the body.

Cyanogenic glycosides are present along with the coumarins scopoletin and umbelliferone used as a sunscreen agent, and an optical brightener in the textile industry. Plant acids such as palmitic, oleic and myristic are present. Myristic acid is added to topical preparations for the skin as it aids absorbtion into the skin.

Passionflower leaves were used by tribes in the Amazon in poultices to heal cuts and bruises. The Cherokee used the herb in similar ways, and brewed the leaves and tendrils into a tea. The dried leaf and flowers can be combined with other herbs such as hops, chamomile and lavender to make a fragrant and soothing herbal sleep pillow. The dried leaf can be made into a bath tea with other soothing herbs such as lavender and rose petals to make a wonderfully fragrant and relaxing bath blend.

Passion Flower Tincture – Add Passion flower tincture to lotions, soaps, creams and bath products for the skin where astringency is required. No other non-medicinal uses are known for the tincture of this herb.

Do not take passionflower if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Passion Flower should not be given to children under the age of 2.

It is used as a tea to counteract nervousness. It is a very useful herb for helping treat conditions such as neuralgia and insomnia. Passionflower has analgesic, anodyne, anti-depressant, anti-spasmodic, astringent, diaphoretic, hypnotic, narcotic, sedative and vasodilator properties. Passionflower is a wondrous relaxant and is particularly useful for those who are anxious. It has a quieting effect on the nervous system and in insomnia it produces normal sleep with no disturbance of the cerebral function. Passion Flower is a useful sedative and anti-spasmodic and is prescribed for convulsions, epilepsy, asthma, delirium tremens, and spasms of all kinds. It quiets the nervous system and leaves no harmful effects. It never stupefies the senses, and induces sleep except in cases when insomnia is due to pain”. Pictures below show the maypops and the fritillaria caterpiller who especially likes to eat the leaves. everywhere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fritillaria caterpillar and butterfly.