Astragalus is one of the premier immune system nourishing and strengthening herbal medicines. The best way to use an immune system tonifying herb like astragalus is to begin taking it when you are not sick, beginning about six weeks prior to the height of cold and flu season. It’s ideal for incorporating into cooking on a daily basis. In this episode, I share a recipe for creamy chocolate nut truffles with a big dose of astragalus powder as an ingredient.

Ingredients for Creamy Chocolate Nut Astragalus Truffles
½ cup figs, chopped
1 cup almonds
½ cup cashews
3 TBS cocoa powder (Dagoba)/Hershey’s is also fine/
additional cocoa powder for coating
3TBS honey
2TBS astragalus powder
1tsp vanilla extract
1tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger
pinch of salt

Preparation Instructions
Soak figs in hot water for 30 minutes, then drain. Add both nuts to the food processor, process until forms a nut butter paste, about 2-3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and process again until blended to a smooth consistency.Chill for 1-2 hours, then roll 1 tsp batter into truffle balls, then coat with additional cocoa powder, coconut or chopped nuts.

Mentions:
Astragalus Root and Powder, Mountain Rose Herbs
Aphrodite Aroma Spray, Mountain Rose Herbs
Astragalus Tincture, Herbalist & Alchemist

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Original music composed by Dylan Rice — singer, songwriter, guitarist.

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An installment in my continued commitment to not waste the abundant and aggressive nettle crop I have growing in my yard. These green sauces are an embrace of life for me, a pathway to the things that I love: recipe collecting, discovery of brilliant herbal use and reason to shop for interesting ingredients, green or otherwise. Please come along and sauce with me.

To Blanch Nettle/Remove the Sting: ?
Use tongs or gloves to handle prior to blanching
Heat a small amount of water in a large pot
Plunge nettle leaf into hot water or place in a steamer basket
Boil for 3-7 minutes until just wilted
Refresh with cold water or in a bowl of iced water

For Nettle Salsa Verde: ?
6-7 tomatillos, remove husks, scrub under water
4 cups nettle leaf (1/3 pound, blanched
1 sweet onion, peeled and quartered, toss with olive oil & roast at 425 for 25 minutes
2-3 Serrano chilis
4 cloves garlic, peeled
12 to 15 sprigs of cilantro
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt or to taste

Combine tomatillos, onion, Serrano chili & garlic in 3 quart pot. Cover with water & bring to boil. Simmer for 10 minutes until vegetables are softened. Blanch nettles while vegetables simmer. When wilted, remove & reserve cooking water. Using a slotted spoon, place softened vegetables into food processor bowl, add blanched nettle with reserved cooking water and additional water from vegetable simmering. Process for 1 minute until blended. Add cilantro & process until smooth. In same pot, heat olive oil, then pour in blended vegetables from food processor. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until desired salsa consistency. Add salt to taste.

For Nettle Pesto: ?
3 cups nettle leaves, blanched
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1 clove garlic, chopped into pieces
1/2 cup pine nuts which you can toast a bit or you don’t have to
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2-3 tablespoons softened butter
salt and pepper to taste

Blanch nettle leaf, then squeeze out water. Add to food processor bowl with mint, garlic, pine nuts and lemon juice. Blend until smooth paste forms. With motor running pour in olive oil and continue to blend until smooth. Remove from food processor to bowl, stir in cheese, butter, salt and pepper to taste. Thin with some cooking liquid if serving with pasta or other grains.

Mentions:
Mediterranean Grains and Greens by Paula Wolfert

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Original music composed by Dylan Rice — singer, songwriter, guitarist.

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Subscribe to my newsletter. Send me a question. Leave a comment on this episode. I would absolutely love to know you better and learn about your own experiences with herbal medicine!

There’s no time like the present moment to stock up on kitchen medicine cabinet remedies that nourish the immune system, both for prevention and treating symptoms. This apple cider vinegar and honey combination is more like cooking than medicine making.

If you’re cooking along while you listen, you will need the following:

½ cup grated fresh horseradish root, approximately 6-8 inch piece
½ cup chopped onions, (1 medium onion)
¼ cup chopped garlic, which is about 10-12 cloves depending on their size
¼ cup grated fresh ginger, which is about a 4 inch piece
Chopped fresh or dried chili pepper or ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper ‘‘to taste’
32 ounces organic apple cider vinegar
½ cup honey
Equipment: 1 quart Mason jar with lid; cutting board, sharp knife, hand grater, wax paper

Mentions:
Herbmentor/Learning Herbs – there is a $10 monthly membership fee
Course: Rosemary’s Remedies
#trademarkfreefirecider

Sources for Purchasing Fire Cider Immune Tonics
Herbal Revolution Fire Tonic
Locally Good Herbal Cider Tonic

Please SHARE this episode with someone who may also be fascinated by herbal medicine. Help me to spread my passion for kitchen medicine and make everyone’s home a place of herbal wisdom. ?

Ways to subscribe to An Herbal Diary
* Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcast (iTunes)
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* You can also subscribe via Google Podcasts
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Original music composed by Dylan Rice — singer, songwriter, guitarist.

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Sending a hug from my kitchen!

I’m talking all about bitters and how we can put our taste buds in rehab with dandelion green pesto.

Dandelion Green Pesto Recipe:
Dandelion Pesto adapted from Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking and Deb Soule’s How to Move Like a Gardener
2 1/2 cups fresh partially chopped dandelion greens
1/4 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
2-4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons walnuts
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup olive oil
⅓ cup Romano cheese, grated
4 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
Blend all together in food processor until smooth. Stir in cheese and butter by hand.

Sources for Bitters:
Herbalist & Alchemist
Urban Moonshine
Herbal Revolution

Mentions:
Herbalist Training – David Winston’s Center for Herbal Studies
Grubb Street articles

Please SHARE this episode with someone who may also be fascinated by herbal medicine. Help me to spread my passion for kitchen medicine and make everyone’s home a place of herbal wisdom. ?

Ways to subscribe to An Herbal Diary
* Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcast (iTunes)
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* You can also subscribe via Google Play Music
* You can also subscribe via Spotify

Original music composed by Dylan Rice — singer, songwriter, guitarist.

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Subscribe to my newsletter. Send me a question. Leave a comment on this episode. I would absolutely love to know you better and learn about your own experiences with herbal medicine!

Wondering how to use stinging nettles without being stung? Today’s kitchen medicine making venture uses dried nettles – sting deactivated -infused into vinegar. The result: a vitamin and mineral packed ingredient for your herbal pantry. ?

Nettle Leaf (Urtica dioica)

Recipe for nettle-infused vinegar
* 1/2 cup dried nettle leaf, powdered if possible
* 1 cup apple cider vinegar or 1 cup Balsamic vinegar (organic preferred)
* 12 ounce jar with plastic lid or metal lid with double piece of wax paper
1. Powder dried nettle leaf in a spice or coffee grinder, pulse for a few seconds. (If no spice grinder is available, crumble leaves as much as you can)
2. Add nettles to a clean glass jar, pour in vinegar.
3. Secure lid and label with ingredients and dates that you made it and date it will be ready to strain.
4. Store in cool place out of direct sunlight.
5. Infuse for four weeks, shaking every few days.
6. Stain with small hand strainer lined with cheesecloth. Squeeze out as much vinegar as possible. Make a tea or compost used nettles.

Nutrient benefits of Nettle Leaf ?:
Calcium | Magnesium | Iron | Silicon
Potassium | Fiber | Protein
Vitamin A | Vitamin C | Vitamin K
Chlorophyl | Flavonoids | Carotenoids

Mentions:
David Hoffman – medical herbalist, author
Zack Woods Herb Farm
Organoleptic Evaluation of Herbs: How to Evaluate the Quality of Dried Herbs in 3 Simple Steps

Sources for dried nettle leaf
Rosemary’s Garden
Mountain Rose Herbs
Avena Botanicals

Please SHARE this episode with someone who may also be fascinated by herbal medicine. Help me to spread my passion for kitchen medicine and make everyone’s home a place of herbal wisdom. ?

Ways to subscribe to An Herbal Diary
* Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcast (iTunes)
* Click here to subscribe via Stitcher
* You can also subscribe via Google Play Music
* You can also subscribe via Spotify

Original music composed by Dylan Rice — singer, songwriter, guitarist.

Please be in touch!

Subscribe to my newsletter. Send me a question. Leave a comment on this episode. I would absolutely love to know you better and learn about your own experiences with herbal medicine!