Uplifting! Rose Vanilla Sesame Cookies

Your tastebuds will dance a jig!

These cookies are chewy and crispy at the same time.  A delight for the mouth!

And using this quantity of real Roses makes them medicinal! 

Rose is cooling, assists with digestion including lessening gut inflammation and creating a healthy gut mircrobiome (anti-infective), supports good mood by addressing Liver stagnation, and as such is used for insomnia, frustration, depression, resentment, and fatigue.  In TCM, we'd say Rose, Mei Gui Hua, moves Qi and harmonizes Blood.  It can be useful for menstrual complaints.

Grind dried Roses until powdered.  You can use a coffee bean grinder.

Ingredients and Directions:
1 2/3c. flour
(you can use and mix various flours, I like these to use sprouted whole grain flours because they are better for you and also quinoa as it is a complete protein)
1/3 c. powdered Rose petals or buds
mix above in separate bowl with 1 tspn. baking powder

In another bowl mix:
2c. sugar
1/2c. coconut oil, melted/soft
1-2 tspn. vanilla extract (amt. depends on how strong you want the vanilla)
1c. sesame tahini, well mixed first
2 eggs

Blend together, place on greased baking sheet by the teaspoon scoop
Bake 350 degrees . 8-12 min. (less time for chewier, more for crispier)

Makes about 80 cookies; this is 8 minutes cooking for chewier.

This is 12 minutes cooking for crispier.

These cookies will delight your senses, first when you bake them and smell them, then when you eat them, and lastly when Rose works her magic!

You can harvest your own Roses for this; just make sure they are chemical-free!
These can be wild-grown or from your organic garden.

Digging Medicinal Roots - Yellow Dock

These roots can be decocted fresh, or cut and dried for later decocting.

Here in the mountains of Virginia we've had unusually warm weather and are beyond two months past our usual killing frost date without having had one.  This has given us a long season in which to harvest roots, whether for medicine or food, because not only is the ground far from freezing, but it's actually been warm enough that the top growth of many plants is still happening (this helps for identification and locating).

Note the paper sheath that surrounds the petiole, or leaf stem, and how each individual leaf arises from the ground.

One plant whose roots I've harvested this fall, is Yellow Dock, Rumex spp.; if you have a garden, or a plot of un-manicured land with some sunlight and moisture, it's likely you have Yellow Dock.  It's a tenacious weed whose roots are medicinal (what we'll mainly be discussing today) and it's leaves and seeds are edible.  Harvesting this root was actually a case of "killing two birds with one stone" as it needed to be weeded out of some of the garden area anyway.  I totally dig this efficiency.  :)

The leaves are best eaten when fresh and young in early Spring, but with a warm, late fall like the one we've had,        there is often a second flush of fresh, young leaves.  These pictured here are getting to be mature, but still edible.

    Note that the leaves contain Oxalic acid, like many of our store-bought vegetables, so cooking in water and then pouring it off is ideal.

Here it is with the prior seasons seed stalk - a great identifying feature.

Seed stalk up close.

Just run your hands up the stalks to collect the edible seeds

Yellow Dock root is an alterative; it's cooling, astringent, and bitter (leaves sour) so it's good for Damp Heat conditions and as such has traditionally been used for stimulating digestion, blood cleansing, constipation, food stagnation, wet/red eczema, nervous dyspepsia, liver detoxification, lymph congestion, jaundice, sore throat, fatigue, ovarian cysts, gout, tumors, and chronic skin conditions.  It is also good for anemia as it helps the body to better utilize Iron (combine with Iron rich foods or herbs).

Roots scrubbed and ready to slice.  I "slice" them with pruners though one could use a knife.

After a couple days of drying by the wood stove, still a few more to go before jarring.

Chinese Medicinal Wines

I make an assorted selection of these "Longevity Elixers" and often get asked what were traditionally used for, so am putting together this post for easy reference...many of them are Blood tonics.

Eucommia bark, Du Zhong - Kidney Yang Deficiency, weak and/or sore lower back and/or knees

Angelica root, Dang Gui root including tail - build and move Blood, regulate menstruation

Astragalus root, Huang Qi - build Qi and Blood, move Blood, immunity (not for acute infectious stages)

Jujube Date, Da Zao - build Qi and Blood, move Blood, tonify Spleen Qi (digestion)

Ginseng, Ren Shen - tonify Lung and Spleen, Heart Qi, calm Shen, generate fluids, body fatigue, vacuity after illness

Goji berry, Gou Qi Zi and Fo Ti root, He Shou Wu blend:
Go Ji - tonify Kidney, nourish Liver, brighten the eyes, Wind, night blindness, blurred vision, upper back pain
He Shou Wu - tonify Kidney, nourish Liver, boost Jing, darken gray hair, insomnia, blurred vision, calm Shen, thinning hair, early gray

These are made with Sake and can be drank straight or with a little water or juice.

Pressing the infused sake to remove the marc, or spent herbs, and decanting.

Here is great book if you want to know more, or do this yourself. 


As with everything else on this blog, this information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease; but rather is simple educational material. Please consult a qualified health practitioner for your health needs.

Herbals Truffles - a.k.a. Little Balls of Utter Bliss!

These de-stressing herbal treats move Liver Qi, help digestion,
are high in antioxidants, and are adaptogenic.

Have one as needed, share them with guests, make them as gifts...they taste out of this world.

These are made with Rosebud, Tulsi, Ashwaganda, Tangerine Peel, Cardamom, and Ginger.

So, I am bad about actually using or writing down recipes when I create food and herbal remedies.  With these herbal truffles, I usually just mix ingredients until I feel satisfied with the combination and texture.  This time I did this with my apprentices and made it a point to create a recipe with measured amounts.   That said, please feel free to deviate.

You can start simply with alternating a different nut, or using nut butter, or altering the herbs used.  Just making these seemingly simple changes though can change the consistency and you want them to stick together.  So if needed, add more coconut oil, maybe a little honey if you need its stickiness, or maybe use another fat that will be firm at cold temperatures such as cocoa butter.  If you need it more wet, you could even add some avocado or coconut milk.  Experiment.  If need be start with this exact recipe until you feel comfortable with it, then deviate...

These have no added sugar; dates and raisins were used for sweetness.  These balls have some bitterness, but those of us who enjoy straight tea, black coffee, hoppy beer, or dark chocolate won't mind.  You could try other fruits...I do find dates to be the sweetest and raisins to be nice and gummy adding a good texture.

If you try an experimental batch that you can't seem to get right to roll into balls, add a bit of whole grain flour and a few eggs and bake it.  It's hard to go wrong with these ingredients.

Keep refrigerated.



Here's what to use and how to make the balls pictured above:
Grind all your Herbs and Cacao into powder (or buy them already powdered) before mixing them;
I use a coffee grinder that is not used for coffee. (until I can get one of these that is ....someday) 
Bear in mind that powdered herbs do not last anywhere near as long as whole or cut & sifted ones.
I try not to buy my herbs powdered for this reason, unless I will use them right away, and also because I don't care for the sludge in the bottom of my decoctions.

Mix all dry ingredients together (all ground)
1/2 c. Mei Gui Hua, Rosebuds
1/2 c. Chen Pi, Tangerine peel (you can make your own and can use other organic citrus if you wish)
1/4 c. Ashwaganda
1/2 c. Tulsi
1 Tb. Cardamom
1 ts. Ginger
1 c. raw Cacao
pinch sea salt

Blend "wet" ingredients
6 Dates, pitted and chopped
1/2 c. Raisins
2 Tb. Coconut oil, melted
1/2 tspn. Vanilla
2 c. Walnuts
optional:  about 5 drops of a flower essence, these included Bee Balm.

Then stir or blend both together; it will be dry but should form a sticky ball with pressure once mixed.  You can add a little water for moisture if you need to, but these did not have any added.

On the side mix 1/4 c. ea. Hemp seeds and ground Cacao
After pressing into to ball, roll the ball into this coating.




These balls are more herb than food; for a ball more food than herb, see this recipe.

~~~

Easy Krispy Kale

A healthy delicious snack for you!

Pour a couple tblspns of olive oil on a baking sheet 

and spread it around using the leafy side of each piece of Kale.

Once oil is all over the sheet and the leafy sides of your Kale, 

place all the Kale stem-side-down on the sheet.

Top with Herbamare and garlic powder, if you don't have Herbamare, you can use salt, 

cook about 15 min. until browned.

 

I use the low broil setting and place the sheet on the bottom oven rack.

Try not to overlap the Kale, but squeeze it in side by side so all of the leafy parts are exposed to the heat.

Can be eaten hot or cold; it's most crispy when hot, but works well in lunches or on sandwiches.

Try different spices as a topping to change the flavor, 

such as nutritional yeast (after baking), curry, italian seasoning, etc.

Divine Dandelion

Often what we need is right under our nose. 

Plants that grow in the area where we live are particularly suited to us.  

They are growing in the same environment we are growing in. 

I often think about how Dandelions grow all over in the U.S. and it is just what we, as a people, need.
It offers itself to us, growing in abundance with tenacity.

Yet, do we revere it?  

Most of us do not, either wishing it wasn't there or attempting to eradicate it
by spraying "weed" killer in an attempt to have a "golf-course lawn."

Why do we do this?  Where did we get the idea that Dandelions are unwanted?
The chemical herbicide companies taught us this.
It's time we thought for ourselves.

A weed, by definition, is an unwanted plant.  

Dandelions offer us so much; they should be on the top of our want list.

Look at this fantastic Beauty:

I love how the stamens split and end with a double curlicue.

Besides being happy, smiling sunshines dotting our yards and roadsides that later turn to playful orbs,
~ Dandelions benefit our health ~

and are one of the first plants to bloom in the Spring that provide nectar for the valuable honeybee.

Its common in this country to have our Livers taxed from an improper diet:  

too much alcohol, caffeine, fried foods, hydrogenated oils, refined foods, soft drinks, and sugar. 

Sounds like the usual American diet, eh?. 

Also, the Liver is burdened with other chemicals:  food additives, drugs (including prescription), 

and pollutants in the environment.  This leads to various health issues like 

anger, depression, headaches, stomach aches, menstrual disorders, pains, tension, and more. 

Now, what does the Dandelion do? 

It supports the Liver! - amongst other virtues.  Hmmm.... sounds like just what we need!

So, next time you see a Dandelion, reconsider it.

Roasted Dandelion Root makes a great coffee substitute or a special tea in its own right.   

Here's a recipe to make your own, or you can purchase it from Mountain Rose.

You can harvest the leaves for salads, to steam as a green, add to a stirfy or an omelette...get creative.  

It's a little bitter, but you can add just a little until you grow to like it.  

I have found you can add a little to most meals.

You can make fritters from the flowers.

It's a delight to go into your yard and harvest free food that is good for you!

Just be sure there are no pesticides or other toxins on anything you wild harvest.

Bee-licious!

Enjoy!


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And lastly, a picture of me as a child enjoying Dandelions.  I have such fond memories of playing with them.
I loved to run through the yard and scatter the seeds about
or make a wish as I was blowing them into the air.

You can see the landscaper in the making.