anxiety – The Herbal Bake Shoppe https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com Bringing herbalism & baking together Wed, 23 Feb 2022 20:32:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Peace and Light Herbal Tea https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/peace-and-light-herbal-tea/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/peace-and-light-herbal-tea/#respond Tue, 26 Dec 2017 19:03:35 +0000 https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/?post_type=recipe&p=2387
peace and love herb blendpeace and love herb blend
preparing peace and love teapreparing peace and love tea
peace and love teapeace and love tea

Maybe it’s the times. I hear it said a lot, these are trying times we are living in and I wonder about all the history before us and suffering. It’s impossible to not be aware of horror, nightmare, sadness – so many people all over the world are facing. I wish I could bottle up all the peace, comfort and light that I feel when I drink this tea and send it out to them, everyone. I wish there was a way to help.

If you need some comforting, please make this tea. If you need the herbs to make it with, tell me – I will send you them.

Peace and Light Herbal Tea
Blending dried herbs for tea infusions give us the opportunity to create flavors, aromas, and experiences. This one offers sweetness and calm, a lift for aching hearts or sunshine on a gloomy day. There's a little more time involved than brewing a cup of tea from a teabag, but even that effort can help provide some extra peace and comfort.
Servings Prep Time
1quart (4 cups) 10minutes
Cook Time
30minutes
Servings Prep Time
1quart (4 cups) 10minutes
Cook Time
30minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons dried holy basilalso called tulsi, Latin name - Ocimum tenuiflorum
  • 1 1/2tablespoons dried linden flowerLatin name -Tilia cordata
  • 3tablespoons dried milky oat topsLatin name - Avena sativa
  • 2teaspoons dried lemon verbenaLatin name - Aloysia citrodora
  • 1/2teaspoon dried rose petalsLatin name - Rosa damascena
  • 4cups (1 quart/32 ounces) water
Instructions
  1. In large saucepan, bring water to gentle simmer over moderate low heat.
  2. Combine dried herbs in medium bowl. When water has come to simmer, remove from heat and add herbs. Stir gently with a wooden spoon or chopstick to assure all herbs are immersed in water. Cover and steep for 30 minutes.
  3. Prepare to strain tea by lining a fine mesh strainer with a piece of cheesecloth large enough to drape over the sides of the strainer. Place strainer over a large bowl, preferably one with a pouting spout or a pitcher.
  4. Strain tea by pouring liquid through cheesecloth lined strainer into bowl below. Gather up herbs into cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Herbs can now be added to compost materials.
  5. Store tea in a 1 quart Mason jar, or any glass jar or pitcher. Tea can be stored in refrigerator for 3-4 days, reheated or sipped at room temperature or iced.
Recipe Notes

*All herbs were sourced from Mountain Rose Herbs and Rosemary's Garden, but any dried herb supplier is fine, organic herbs preferred.

]]> https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/peace-and-light-herbal-tea/feed/ 0 Rose Hazelnut Chocolate-Chip Cookies https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/rose-gluten-free-chocolate-chip-cookies/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/rose-gluten-free-chocolate-chip-cookies/#respond Tue, 16 Feb 2016 16:56:21 +0000 https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/?post_type=recipe&p=1443
gluten free rose chocolate chipsgluten free rose chocolate chips
rose petalsrose petals
rose petal tincturerose petal tincture
inside a cookieinside a cookie
plates of cookiesplates of cookies
rose hazelnut chocolate chip cookiesrose hazelnut chocolate chip cookies

Because some ingredients may be hard to find, links are provided to make buying easier. I may earn a small commission for some of the product links in this recipe. Your purchase will lend support to this website at no further cost to you. Big love and thanks for that.

Granted, sometimes a recipe needs work. When I mixed together the first batter for these cookies I used almond flour and coconut sugar. I kept thinking that it looked too wet and dark but I hoped that after a short time in the refrigerator, it would bake up fine. As I carried the covered bowl of batter to the refrigerator, I became distracted with something I left on the counter and put the batter bowl down quickly on top of the washing machine, which was churning my Sunday laundry. Note: never do this. In a split second the glass bowl of batter was face down on the floor, shattered in millions of pieces, batter splashed everywhere. I admit, I began to cry as I cleaned it up. After about an hour collecting myself, I began again and in the end I believe it was divine intervention for the first was a batter that should not have been baked. The new one looked much better using organic granulated sugar and hazelnut flour (I did not have almond flour left). The final result these extremely delicate but totally scrumptious chocolate chip morsels, totally gluten-free. Perhaps an egg would have helped them to hold together and I plan to try them that way another day. For now, my children all approved, and that works for me just fine. Possibly the brightening spirits rose petals worked their magic.

Rose Hazelnut Chocolate-Chip Cookies
Roses, known in the realm of herbal medicine as nervines, soothe anxiety, depression and grief. While a bouquet may be common practice, seldom do we take their essence internally. For these cookies, I used a commercially made extract and infusion, which really is no different than adding vanilla extract or vanilla beans soaked in milk. The subtle rose flavor barely peaks through and the result is a very delicate and gluten-free cookie bite, just right for a little heart nourishment.
Servings Prep Time
48cookies 45minutes plus 1 hour refrigeration
Cook Time
10-12minutes
Servings Prep Time
48cookies 45minutes plus 1 hour refrigeration
Cook Time
10-12minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 1/4cup hazelnut flour
  • 1/2cup coconut flour
  • 1/4cup oat flour
  • 1tsp ground flax seed
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2tsp baking soda
  • 1pinch kosher salt
  • 1/2cup organic unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2cup organic granulated sugar
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 1tsp rose petal extract
  • 3/4cup rose infused coconut milk2 tsp dried rose petals + 1 cup organic coconut milk
  • 3/4cup milk chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Remove any stems or other green parts from rose petals.
  2. Prepare rose infused coconut milk. Combine both liquid and solid portion of coconut milk in small saucepan. Heat on lowest setting, stirring occasionally until all of solid portion has melted and combines with liquid portion. Bring just to simmer. Add rose petals, simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from pot heat, cover and steep for 20 minutes.
  3. Prepare rest of ingredients while rose petals are infusing in coconut milk.
  4. In small mixing bowl, combine hazelnut flour, oat flour, coconut flour, ground flax seed, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to thoroughly combine. Set aside.
  5. In large mixing bowl, softened and cream butter. Add sugar and thoroughly mix to combine. Add vanilla extract and rose extract.
  6. After 20 minutes of infusing coconut milk with rose petals, uncover and allow to cool for 10 minutes in pan. Strain through fine sieve or cheesecloth, pressing on rose petals to extract as much liquid as possible.
  7. Measure ¾ cup of infused coconut milk and allow to come to room temperature. Add half of milk to butter and sugar mixture, whisk to blend. Add rest of milk, whisking to combine.
  8. Add half of dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix with wooden spoon until combined. Add remainder of dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
  9. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover batter with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
  10. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Drop by rounded teaspoons of batter on to cookie sheets approximately one inch apart. Cookies will not spread a lot in baking.
  11. Bake for 10-12 minutes until just beginning to turn brown. Cool on wire racks.
Recipe Notes

*Unsweetened coconut milk is approximately 20% fat. It naturally separates into liquid and solid portions at room temperature. Look for organic brands in BPA-free containers.

** Using organic ingredients whenever possible will make your baked goods all the more nourishing. For these cookies, use organic butter, sugar, coconut milk and flours if available.

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dried rose petals
hazelnut flour
coconut flour
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organic rose petals
plates of cookies

]]> https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/rose-gluten-free-chocolate-chip-cookies/feed/ 0 Tulsi Chocolate Cranberry Bundt Cake https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/tulsi-chocolate-cranberry-bundt-cake/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/tulsi-chocolate-cranberry-bundt-cake/#respond Sun, 27 Dec 2015 19:11:12 +0000 https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/?post_type=recipe&p=1368
tulsi chocolate cranberry bundttulsi chocolate cranberry bundt
powdered holy basilpowdered holy basil
cranberriescranberries
bundt right out of ovenbundt right out of oven
slice with tulsislice with tulsi
cake with slicecake with slice

Authenticity.

I am nutritionist by profession, an aspiring herbalist, love the concept of cooking, and dream of being a baker. It makes me happy to have the Herbal Bake Shoppe as a platform to mix all of this together. The baker dream part means I don’t get it right most of the time, but will keep working on that. When I discussed with my herbalist mentor this venture, he suggested it was important to maintain processing the herbs in traditional ways, as teas or tinctures for examples, to get any effect at all. I understand his point and have been working on ways to incorporate herbal water, alcohol, or oil infusions into the recipes I create. This cake is not perfect, but it is timely and uses a widely available herbal tea. The texture is lovely, but the taste not as chocolaty as I imagined, also not as sweet or even enough cranberries. The tulsi flavor comes through making it more like a mild spice cake. I am going to make it again and attempt a better result, but I am posting to ask for your input. What do you think of a mild, not so sweet, touch of sour cranberry chocolate cake? Would you even make a cake using tulsi tea? Do you like the idea of using herbal preparations in baking or is that an extra step you would not take? And specific to this recipe, if you were to bake it, how much cocoa powder would you add; what measure of cranberries? Please leave a comment below and thank you so much for supporting my journey with your input!

Because some ingredients may be hard to find, links are provided to make buying easier. I may earn a small commission for some of the product links in this recipe. Your purchase will lend support to this website at no further cost to you. Big love and thanks for that.

Tulsi Chocolate Cranberry Bundt Cake
Tulsi, also known as holy basil, blends sweet and fragrant tones into this not so perfect cake. It could be more chocolaty or packed denser with cranberries, but it's lightness may be just the perfect complement to the sugar of the holidays. Post a comment below to tell me what you think!
Servings Prep Time
12-16slices 20minutes plus 2 hours for rise
Cook Time
40minutes
Servings Prep Time
12-16slices 20minutes plus 2 hours for rise
Cook Time
40minutes
Ingredients
For tulsi tea *
  • 3teaspoons tulsi, dried and powdered3 tea bags
  • 12oz hot water
For glaze
  • ¾cup organic powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1-2tbsp organic whole milk
  • 1tbsp organic unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1/2tsp chocolate extract
For bundt cake
  • 3 1/2 cups organic all-purpose flour
  • 6tbsp cocoa powder (Dagoba)
  • 3/4cup organic granulated sugar
  • 3/4cup organic coconut sugar
  • 1/2tsp salt
  • 2packages active dry yeast
  • 1 1/2cups organic unsalted butter, softened
  • 1cup hot tulsi tea
  • 4 eggs
  • 1cup organic fresh cranberries, cut in half
  • 1/3cup dried cranberries, chopped
  • 1tsp lemon zest, grated
Instructions
For tulsi tea
  1. Tulsi is also known as holy basil. Brew strong tea using 3 tea bags to 12 ounces of hot water or 3 teaspoons dried, powdered tulsi with 12 ounces of water. Steep for 20 minutes. Strain, reserving liquid and pour into small saucepan to keep warm over lowest heat setting
  2. Tea can be prepared up to 48 hours in advance, kept refrigerated and then gently warmed prior to adding to batter.
For Bundt cake
  1. In bowl of electric mixer, combine 1 cup flour, cocoa powder, sugars and salt. Stir well until thoroughly mixed through. Add yeast and stir. Cut butter into large chunks and add to flour mixture with hot tulsi tea. Beat on low for 2 minutes.
  2. Add eggs and additional 1 cup flour, beat this time on high for two minutes more.
  3. Cover mixing bowl with plastic wrap and then damp kitchen towel and allow to rise for 1 hour.
  4. Stir in fresh and dried cranberries, lemon zest, and additional 1½ cups flour. Mix with wooden spoon to create a smooth cake batter.
  5. Recover mixing bowl with plastic wrap and damp kitchen towel and let rise an additional hour.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray bundt pan with olive oil cooking spray to thoroughly coat. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes. Test with toothpick to assure it comes out clean.
  7. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes then remove from pan and cool completely
  8. Prepare glaze by combining all ingredients, stirring until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake.
Recipe Notes

Tulsi is also known as Holy Basil or Sacred Basil so may be sold under these names as well.

Using organic ingredients whenever possible will make your baked goods more wholesome and nutritious. For this cake, use organic flour, sugars, butter, eggs, and cranberries if available.

]]> https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/tulsi-chocolate-cranberry-bundt-cake/feed/ 0 Lemon Balm Walnut Crescent Cookies https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/lemon-balm-walnut-crescent-cookies/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/lemon-balm-walnut-crescent-cookies/#comments Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:54:12 +0000 https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/?post_type=recipe&p=1350
lemon balm walnut cresentslemon balm walnut cresents
ingredientsingredients
lemon balm tealemon balm tea
just out of the ovenjust out of the oven
coating with powdered sugarcoating with powdered sugar

I am a descendant of recipe collectors both sides, my father’s mother and my mom; it is strong in my genes. But I am not sorry for this because their hand written recipe cards accumulate as my treasures and settling down with a pile of recipe sources to sift through has always been a comforting pleasure.

When I moved to Florida for college, my grandmother lived there. On weekends we watched cooking show after cooking show resting on twin beds in her bedroom after a morning of my helping her with shopping errands. At that time cooking shows were only aired on PBS, no cable food channels existed. After she always prepared a yummy and easy dinner for us, never what we had just watched, she was fast and recipe-less. She was usually critical of the programs and called them fussy, except Julia Child, who she loved. She was addicted to collecting recipes, though, mostly those she clipped from the newspaper. She had boxes of little pieces of paper and also notecards on which she had scratched a recipe from a friend or a box or anywhere she could find something that looked good to her. She left Florida to move back to Pittsburgh when it got hard for her to live on her own. I inherited her prized recipe collection and spent hours transferring them to typed notecards, then throwing away the newspaper because I thought this would preserve them better and also organize them, it was before computers and recipe apps. Now I actually wish I had kept the newspaper as well because she had made notes on some of them and I miss her. I still have the notecards, all of them.

Around the same time, I had a few years of big holiday baking projects. One of the recipes from my grandma’s collection was a favorite, walnut crescents. This year it became my muse. I think my grandma would love it.

Because some ingredients may be hard to find, links are provided to make buying easier. I may earn a small commission for some of the product links in this recipe. Your purchase will lend support to this website at no further cost to you. Big love and thanks for that.

Processed with VSCOcam with c1 preset

Processed with VSCOcam with c1 preset

Lemon Balm Walnut Crescent Cookies
Lemon balm syrup, adds a twist to a melt-in-your-mouth festivity. The left-over lemon balm tea, a special treat for the baker, soothes the soul, calms a frazzled nerve and makes baking more fun.
Servings Prep Time
72cookies 20minutes, plus refrigeration and syrup preparation
Cook Time
25minutes
Servings Prep Time
72cookies 20minutes, plus refrigeration and syrup preparation
Cook Time
25minutes
Ingredients
For lemon balm syrup
  • 1/2oz dried lemon balm
  • 3 cup hot water
  • 1 cup organic granulated sugar
For cookies
  • ¼cup brazil nuts
  • 2 1/4cup walnuts
  • 3 1/4cup organic all-purpose flour
  • 3/4tsp cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cup organic unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4cup lemon balm syrup
  • 1tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2cup powdered sugar
Instructions
For lemon balm syrup
  1. Brew a strong lemon balm tea by placing dried lemon balm leaves into a brewing vessel such as a French coffee press. Pour in hot water. Cover and steep for 30 minutes. Strain, measuring 1 cup (8oz) of tea.
  2. Prepare syrup by combining equal parts of sugar (1 cup) and strong brewed lemon balm tea (1 cup) in a small saucepan. Stir. Bring to simmer over medium low heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer 20-30 minutes until slightly thickened. Cool completely.
  3. Can prepare up to 48 hours in advance and store refrigerated in glass container.
  4. Note: If you have leftover tea from brewing, drink this while you are preparing the cookies or anytime to add a special gift of calm and enhance your lemon balm relationship. Dilute slightly with additional water and sweeten with a bit of honey if desired. Drink either hot or cold.
For cookies
  1. Grind Brazil nuts in food processor until coarsely chopped. Add walnuts and continue to process until all nuts are ground fine. Set aside.
  2. In large mixing bowl, whisk together flour and cinnamon. Set aside.
  3. In another large mixing bowl or bowl of electric mixer, beat together butter, lemon balm syrup and vanilla extract until blended. This can be done by hand or with an electric mixer, either way it will not get completely smooth which is fine.
  4. Stir flour mixture into butter and syrup mixture. Add gradually mixing with a wooden spoon until combined after each addition. Add ground nuts and mix until completely incorporated.
  5. Cover dough and refrigerate for at least 3 hours until well chilled and easy to handle. May also refrigerate overnight.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  7. Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into 2-inch long logs. Place on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart and form into crescent shapes.
  8. Bake until light brown on bottoms, 15-18 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.
  9. Spread portion of powdered sugar on a plate. Roll cookies in powdered sugar to coat. Replenish powdered sugar for coating on plate as needed.
Recipe Notes

*Using organic ingredients in baking whenever possible will make for more nourishing treats. For these cookies, use organic flour, butter, eggs, sugar, and nuts if available.

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]]> https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/lemon-balm-walnut-crescent-cookies/feed/ 2 Hops Brownies with Hershey’s Bar Icing https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/hops-brownies-with-hersheys-bar-icing/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/hops-brownies-with-hersheys-bar-icing/#respond Tue, 20 Oct 2015 16:18:57 +0000 https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/?post_type=recipe&p=1266
two brownies with hops flowerstwo brownies with hops flowers
hops from blue apronhops from blue apron
iced hops browniesiced hops brownies

About a month ago an advertisement postcard from Blue Apron appeared in my mailbox. This visionary company strives to increase home cooking by making it easier to fit making dinner into our busy lives. Each week a box of ingredients for three dinners that serve either two or four is delivered to your doorstep. Hello Fresh and Plated also offer this service. I make dinner almost every night for my family. I know from experience it gets tough sometimes. I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about Blue Apron’s service. Besides, I have been conceptualizing the possibility of sending ingredient boxes for the herbal bake shoppe recipes. I could not resist seeing first hand how Blue Apron operates.

My reaction: totally impressed. The box came beautifully packed; everything was there for three entire dinners all with clear recipe instruction cards and bright attractive photos. Individually packaged ingredients were clearly marked. The food was fresh and in pristine condition. Most importantly perhaps, the recipes tasted good, delicious. I skipped the next week because the meal selections seemed those my kids would not like. This past week I received my second box. Same reaction: totally impressed, but also surprised and excited because included as an ingredient for one of the side dishes was a package of dried hops flowers! Blue Apron is after my heart using not just regular herbs like parsley, cilantro, garlic, pepper flakes, but also one that people may not think to use in cooking. My goals for the herbal bake shoppe are right up this alley.

Last spring I was experimenting with hops myself and made these brownies because hops seemed a perfect herb addition to a day end dessert. Hops, best known for its use in beer, has traditional use as a relaxing, sleep aid. I chose brownies as a medium because they are my son’s favorite. I think he fell asleep a bit earlier after trying them. I was not trying to do that, just hoping he would offer me an opinion. The fact that he ate them was a good sign.

Because some ingredients may be hard to find, links are provided to make buying easier. I may earn a small commission for some of the product links in this recipe. Your purchase will lend support to this website at no further cost to you. Big love and thanks for that.

Hops Brownies with Hershey's Bar Icing
Beer crafters consider the bitterness of hops an essential balance to the sweetness of the brew. That perfectly translates to a spicy addition to a classic confection. Just as taste is not the only motive for drinking a beer, eating a brownie made with hops brings a tiny sigh of relaxation. It’s a dual end of meal benefit.
Servings Prep Time
12brownies 20minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
35-40minutes 25minutes for making hops tea
Servings Prep Time
12brownies 20minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
35-40minutes 25minutes for making hops tea
Ingredients
For hops tea
  • 1 tbsp dried hops flowers
  • 12ounces water
For brownies
  • 3/4cup cocoa powder (Dagoba)
  • 1/2tsp baking soda
  • 2/3cup organic unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2cup hot hops tea
  • 2cups organic granulated sugar
  • 3 organic eggs
  • 1 1/3cup organic all-purpose flour
  • 1/4cup organic coconut flour
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4tsp salt
  • 5-6 Hershey's chocolate bars4-6 ounce bars
Instructions
For hops tea
  1. Combine dried hops flowers and water in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce to lowest heat setting, cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover tightly with lid. Steep for 15 minutes.
  2. Strain hops tea through a fine sieve, pressing on hops flowers to extract as much liquid as possible. Rinse saucepan. Measure ½ cup of hops tea and return to saucepan. When ready to use in brownie batter, heat tea until comes to boil.
For brownies
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 9 inch square pan by measuring a 12 inch piece of aluminum foil, turn pan upside down and place foil shiny side down over pan and shape by turning down sides and corners. Remove foil, turn pan right side up and place shaped foil into pan, pressing gently into place. Coat foil with butter either very soft or melted and spread all around with pastry brush or crumpled wax paper.
  2. Combine butter and chocolates into top of double boiler and place over hot water in bottom on moderate heat. Cover and heat until almost completely melted. Remove from heat, stir, and allow to sit covered until completely melted. Stir in hops tea and allow to cool slightly.
  3. In electric mixer, beat eggs for on high speed 30 seconds, no more, just until frothy and a bit increased in volume. Decrease to low speed, gradually add sugar, beating only 2-3 seconds after each addition. Add vanilla extract, salt, and chocolate mixture, scraping sides with rubber spatula and beating just until barely mixed.
  4. Add flour, continue to scrape bowl with spatula and beat until mixed. Stir in chocolate chips. It is important not to over mix batter to assure moist and fudgy consistency of brownies.
  5. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake for 35 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out barely clean. Do not over bake.
  6. As soon as brownies are removed from oven, place Hershey bars in a single layer onto warm brownies and as they melt, spread with an offset spatula to smooth and coat for a thick chocolate icing.
  7. Cool on wire rack for 45 minutes then refrigerate until completely cool before cutting. Slice with a sharp knife into 16 2inch squares and dust with powdered sugar. These can be wrapped individually and freeze nicely.
Recipe Notes

*Using organic ingredients whenever possible will make your baked goods all the more nourishing. For these brownies, use organic butter, sugar, eggs, and flour if available.

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organic granulated sugar

**I am not advertising for the companies I mention, just describing my personal experience with them.

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