Lavender at the Salon des Plantes

Yesterday at Annabella's Salon des Plantes we worked with one of my favorite plants - Lavender.

After calling in the directions in Italian, Annabella showed us how to make lavender wands. She offered us lavender tea from both fresh and dry plants and lavender madelines....yum!

Lavender is one of those herbs that has many uses. If you lived on a desert island and could only have one herb, lavender should be your choice. It has both medicinal and culinary uses. Of all scents, lavender is the most popular. Most people like it.

Anti-bacterial, anti-spasmodic, slightly sedative, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. I use it almost everyday. It helps with burns, poison oak, and insect bites. This is interesting because bees love the flowers and yet lavender oil can soothe bee stings. I make a spray called 'burns and bites' using lavender oil.

According to Wikipedia, "Lavender was commonly used in Roman baths to scent the water, and it was thought to restore the skin. Its late Latin name was lavandārius, from lavanda (things to be washed), from the verb lavāre (to wash). When the Roman Empire conquered southern Britain, the Romans introduced lavender. The Greeks discovered early on that lavender if crushed and treated correctly would release a relaxing fume when burned."

There are many varieties of lavender which have different properties and they all have a slightly different scent.

The guided visualization we participated in took me to a cave near the ocean. While in the cave, the spirit of lavender spoke to me and reminded me that the most potent lavender plants are those grown in harsh environments with little water. The less water, the better the oil. Lavender is here to remind us that the challenges of life can bring out either the best or the worst within us. Like lavender oil, let us bring out our healing essence!

I have grown lavender both from seed and from cuttings, although growing from seed is very slow.

Here are some  recipes using culinary lavender:

Lavender Lemonade

2 ½ cups of water
¼ C culinary lavender

1 can frozen lemonade concentrate

Sugar to taste

Bring water and lavender to boil over medium heat. Turn off heat and let stand for 20 minutes. Strain the mixture. Pour into lemonade. Add sugar to taste.

Lavender Roasted Beets

with Garlic and Lemon

Makes 6 Servings

1 pound medium beets, with 1 inch of stems remaining

6 unpeeled garlic cloves

¼ cup plus 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbs. plus ½ tsp. dried culinary ‘Provence’ lavender buds, finely ground in a spice grinder

¼ tsp. finely grated lemon zest

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup Italian parsley leaves chopped

Preheat oven to 375º F.

Place the beets and garlic on a large sheet of foil and sprinkle with ¼ cup of the oil and 1 Tbs. of the lavender; toss to combine. Fold up the foil to make a sealed packet. Place on a baking sheet. Roast for 30 to 45 minutes, or until tender when tested with a sharp knife. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Slip off the skins.

Cut the beets into quarters and place in a large skillet. Squeeze the garlic over the beets. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, the remaining 1 Tbs. oil, and the remaining ½ tsp. lavender. Season with salt and pepper. Warm through over medium heat. Sprinkle with the parsley.

Serve hot or warm.

And here's my recipe for a healing spray:

Burns and Bites Spray

1 oz. aloe vera gel

1 oz. lavender hydrosol

1 oz. roman chamomile hydrosol

30 drops of lavender essential oil

15 drops of ravensara essential oil

Combine all ingredients in a 4 oz. spray bottle.

Shake and spray as needed.

Keep out of eyes.

Alleviates pain.

Promotes skin healing.

Diminishes itching.

The best lavender essential oil comes from Young Living. Visit my new young living website to order some. They have many other products using Lavender. Check them out.

Herb of the Month - Oats

According to Judith Berger in Herbal Rituals, the Herb of the Month for February is Oat Avena sativa. Originating in the near east and Mediterranean, they quickly adapted to the cold and wet sea climates of Northern Europe. They were brought to America by the Puritans.

According to Berger, Oats provide most of the required vitamins and minerals. Although they have seven times the fat as rice, they contain chemical substances that protect the heart, balance cholesterol, and assist circulation. Oats have a direct effect on the nervous and endocrine systems and have a transformative effect on the immune system. Oats build strong bones and teeth, stabilize sugar levels in the blood and improve blood flow by elasticizing veins and arteries. They also act as a powerful nerve tonic. They give us inner fortitude and thus can provide support for those trying to withdraw from caffeine, alcohol or tobacco. Oats are good for the skin and hair and can help with chronic itching.

When I was a teenager, I used to make a paste of oatmeal and use it as a facial mask. I never had acne. I don't know if it was due to my masks or other factors in my genetics or diet. But, it is certainly worth trying. There are many commercial soaps and lotions available based on oats for people with sensitive skin, so... trying an oatmeal mask will not hurt.

I just mixed old-fashioned oats and water. You can get fancy. The following recipe is an elaborate facial mask recipe.

Demeter's Beautifying Oat Grain Scrub

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 ounce to 1 ounce lavender buds or rose petals
2 tsp. of ground almonds
2 tsp. of white or red clay (optional)
a dash of seaweed (optional)
blender or mortal and pestle

The almonds supply natural oils, the oats gently rub away dead skin. If your skin is oily use more clay and fewer almonds. The lavender is astringent and pungent and balances the oil-giving almonds.

Place all ingredients in blender or mortar and blend until ground up. When ready to use, place some in the palm of your hand and add water. Make a paste and put on face. Allow it to dry before gently washing it off.

November - Visioning, Dreaming, Remembering

Awhile ago I found a book on the remainder table that I have come to appreciate more over time and I guess others have too, since it now costs more used than it did new.

It's called "Herbal Rituals: " by Judith Berger, who says "The book records, month by month, a year-long journey through the earth's natural cycles."

Each month focuses on one herb and has recipes for teas, salves, lotions and foods, along with ritual to bring you in harmony with the moods of nature.

Since it starts with November, I thought it a good time to start going through the book, a month at a time. Each chapter is long with lots of valuable information. I will just write a synopsis.

November - Visioning, Dreaming, Remembering

Berger says that according to the Celtic calendar, November is the first lunar month and belongs to the Birch tree, the tree of beginnings.

Mugwort Artemisia vulgaris

So-called because it was once used to flavor beer. Its name shows its connection with the lunar goddess Artemis and is thus considered a 'women's herb'. It acts as a powerful ally for women seeking ancient, woman-defined attributes of female power.

Mugwort's renown as a powerful systemic healer for the reproductive, digestive, urinary and respiratory tracts has earned it the nickname - cronewort.

"As the village midwife once nurtured the heart of the community with compassion, knowledge, common sense, and magic, cronewort has soothed the pain of childbirth, eased the tenderness of aching joints, comforted bellies, and instilled vision among human beings for centuries with her knowing medicine."

Mugwort (cronewort) Infused oil

To ease the pain of arthritis.
Make an infused oil using olive oil and dry or at least wilted plant material. This infused oil can then be used as is or in a salve.

Mugwort Dream Pillow

Mugwort leaves
Hops flowers
lavender blossoms
mint leaves (just a pinch)
1-2 cups flax seeds
1 yard of silk or soft fabric such as flannel
a small zipper

You can make the pillow any shape you like, but she suggests you make it so that you can put it over your eyes.

Mugwort Essential Oil

To stimulate dreaming and visioning. Can be an ingredient in a dreaming salve or used alone with a carrier oil. One drop goes a long way. Keep a dream journal.

Taos Lavender Potato Soup

The Lavender Cookbook by Sharon Shipley (available on this page) has lavender recipes for each season. For Fall there are two soups that sound wonderful. Here's the recipe for one of them. The other is Lavender Cream of Mushroom Soup.

Taos Lavender Potato Soup*

Makes 8 to 10 servings

1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 ½ Tbs. dried culinary lavender
¼ pound unsalted butter
6 leeks, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced (white and pale green parts only)
2 medium carrots diced
1 celery rib with leaves, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves chopped
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
16 cups chicken broth
10 medium russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3 fresh medium poblano chile peppers, roasted, peeled, seed, and chopped
2 tsp. minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1 Tbs. black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
2 cups heavy cream
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
6 green onions, chopped

Toast the cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder and add the lavender. Pulse until finely ground.
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the leeks are soft. Stir in the flour. Add the broth, potatoes, poblano peppers, chipotle pepper and lavender mixture.
Tie up the peppercorns and bay leaves in a small square of cheesecloth. Add to the pot. Simmer for 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Remove and discard the cheesecloth bundle. Using a handheld blend or a food process (work in batches), blend the soup until smooth. Stir in the cream. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into individual bowls and spring with the green onions.

* Taken from The Lavender Cookbook by Sharon Shipley

Cooking with Lavender

If you have never used lavender in cooking, here are some ideas and recipes to try. It is important to use organically grown, culinary lavender for obvious reasons. There are some types of lavender that taste "soapy". Make sure you have one that has a more "floral" or "fruity" taste, especially if introducing lavender-laced foods for the first time, to family and friends who may already be skeptical. Basically, there are three ways to use Lavender in cooking:

1. Lavender Sugar

Leave lavender in sugar for 1 week, strain and use sugar in other recipes

2. Lavender Infusion

Steep in water, oil or vinegar, then used infused liquid in other recipes

3. Lavender as Dried Herb

Substitute in recipes where you would normally use herbs such as
Rosemary or Thyme

Easy Recipes:

Lavender Lemonade
Lavender Lemon-Ginger Dressing
Lavender Roasted Beets
Lavender Roasted Potatoes
Lavender Scones

Lavender Festivals occur all over the country. A couple of them that I know about are:

Here in Sonoma County, California, Sonoma Lavender will have its Lavender Festival Saturday and Sunday, June 14 and 15. It's a small festival put on by one grower, but I've been going for years and I always learn something new. That's where I had Lavender Lemonade for the first time and it was sublime. It not only refreshes, but relaxes you. You feel like you've had a glass of wine, but no alcohol so no need for a designated driver, Ha! ha! I do make a Lavender Rosemary Cordial, which contains vodka and brandy, but that's another story.

In Sequim, Washington, the Lavender Festival will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 18, 19 & 20.

This post was moved from one of my other blogs.

Issue of the Week - July 28 - August 3

Relaxation

First I must apologize to my readers for the delay. I am a day late and hopefully, not a dollar short. Both my social and work schedules have been fuller than usual. I know many Leos and they are all having birthday celebrations. Ah! Too much fun. Then, the Sonoma County Fair is on and I have been volunteering at the Master Gardener information booth. And last but not least, I have been processing herbs and berries and making my herbal products and cordials. So - I think the topic is appropo.

On to the Issue of the Week - Relaxation

Often we get wound up by events and activities in our lives so that we cannot sleep, eat or think. Even when we are having a good time, we can feel stressed if our nervous energy keeps us from relaxing and unwinding. A hot bath can be a great way to relax, but during the hot days of summer, that may not be something we want to do. Over-excitement may affect our appetite and digestion as well. Children often suffer from stomach-aches when they get too excited. Another symptom related to this overly stimulated condition is headache.

Two old favorites can help us on many levels: Lavender and Chamomile. They have multiple uses and come in many forms - flower essences, essential oils, teas and fresh or dried plant. Both plants are gentle in their effects and all modalities can be employed simultaneously.

Flower Essences (taken from the Flower Essence Repertory)


Lavender - Lavandula officinalis

Positive qualities: Spiritual sensitivity, highly refined awareness

Patterns of imbalance: Nervousness, over-stimulation of spiritual forces which depletes the physical body

The Lavender flower helps those souls who are highly absorbent of spiritual influences. They tend to be very awake and quite mentally active, with a strong attraction to sprititual practices and various forms of meditation. However, they often absorb far more energy than can actually be processed through the body. "High-strung" and "wound-up" are words typically used to describe such personalities. They especially suffer from afflictions to the head, such as headaches or vision problems, and neck and shoulder tension. They are quite often plagued by insomnia or other nervous maladies. Lavender first works to sedate and soothe such persons; at a deeper level, it teaches one how to moderate and regulate one's spiritual-psychic energy. In this way the soul learns to use its highly sensitive capacities in balance with the physical needs of the body.

Chamomile - Matricaria recutita

Positive qualities: Serene, sun-like disposition, emotional balance

Patterns of imbalance: Easily upset, moody and irritable, inability to release emotional tension

When we say that someone has a sunny disposition, we inherently recognize that such a soul has a harmonious emotional life. Like the sun which shines with constancy for all to see, so the soul must learn to regulate and harmonize its emotional life. Those needing Chamomile flower essense are subject to very changeable moods and ever-fluctuating emotions. Their "inner weather" is stormy and easily "clouded" until they shift their consciousness to remember that the sun is always shining serenely behind all the outer phenomena. People needing Chamomile tend to accumulate psychic tension throughout the day, particularly in the stomach region. They will often have difficulty letting go of their emotional stress at night, and suffer from insomnia. This is particularly true of children, whose myriad stomach complaints are often emotionally based. Chamomile helps such souls to relase tension from the stomach and solar plexus areas, and to harmonize their inner solar forces for greateer emotional peace and stability. It subdues the many emotions which vex the soul life, helping to consolidate these into a more fundamental soul essence of serenity and equanimity.

Another gentle but effective way to use Lavender and Chamomile is as tea. Traditional Medicinals makes a blend that is marvelous - or you can do it yourself. Use just a touch of Lavender. Too much can make your tea taste like soap.

Essential oils of Lavender and Chamomile used separately or in a blend can assist in relaxing. I like to rub Lavender oil mixed with a bit of carrier oil on the the bottom of my feet when I have trouble sleeping, especially on hot nights. Put just a touch of Lavender oil on your upper lip or on your pillow so you can breathe it in at night. You can also put a drop or two in the bath at night. For a relaxing massage oil, use a few drops of essential oil in a carrier oil such as jojoba or sweet almond oil.

Ras el Hanout

For those of you who don't know that I started elsewhere - let me tell you that there are several posts on Lavender, Calendula, Flower Essences and Plant Spirit Healing on my original blog. There you find more recipes using Lavender and Calendula as well.

mysteryranch.blogspot.com

And that I have a website where some of my products are available:

www.wisewomenofthewest.com

Today I am giving you a recipe for a blend of herbs and spices called Ras el Hanout.

I start with an explanation of what it is taken from the spice bible, by Jane Lawson. I have started collecting recipes for it and when I travel, bringing home small packs of it, because there is so much variation.

"Roughly translated from Arabic, the Moroccan spice mixture ras el hanout means “top of the shop,” referring to the best spices a merchant has to offer. Perhaps no other spice blend brings out the competitiveness of the souks more than ras el hanout, where it is a badge of honor to make the most sought after combinations.

While there is no strict formula and some recipes can contain up to 50 ingredients including cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, closes, peppercorns, paprika, saffron, cayenne, cloves, dill seed, fennel, and allspice—exotic variations can include hashish, ash berries, monks pepper, lavender, rose petals and the now illegal aphrodisiac, Spanish fly beetle. While the myriad spices in ras el hanout reflect centuries of trade, war, and culinary osmosis throughout the Arab world, the complex flavors combine in perfect alchemy to give an aromatic, sweet, spicy, warm, and fragrant blend unlike any other.

Traditionally the blend is used in Moroccan, Tunisian and Algerian cooking to flavor and color soups and tagines, stirred into couscous or rice, combined with oil and rubbed over meat or poultry as a marinade. On a sweet note, sprinkling of ras el hanout over a salad or oranges, mint and dates makes a sublime and refreshing end to a meal."

Taken from the spice bible by Jane Lawson, p. 422.

I found the following recipe interesting because it includes lavender and rose petals.

Ras el Hanout

1 tsp. black peppercorns
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. nigella seeds
1 tsp. allspice berries
1 small piece of mace
1 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. coriander seeds
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. dried lavender
Petals of 2 scented rosebuds

Grind all the spices together in a mortar with a pestle, or an electric grinder to form a coarse powder. Toss in the lavender and rose petals. Store in a sealed container in a cool, dark place.

Taken from Moroccan: a culinary journey of discovery, by Ghillie Basan part of Food Lovers Collection