 Scientific Name: Ferula asafoetida (Latin ferula, “carrier”; asa, “resin”, and foetidus, “smelling fetid”) Common Names: Devil's dung, Stinking gum, Food of the gods, and Giant fennel, Hing Family: Apiaceae Taste/Energetics: Bitter, warm, grounding, stimulating Parts Used: gum resin from the rhizome and root of plant Actions: antispasmodic, carminative, digestive, expectorant, laxative, and sedative, antispasmodic, expectorant, stimulant, emmenagogue and vermifuge. About the plant: Native to Central Asia, eastern Iran, and Afghanistan. Ferula looks like a giant parsley plant. The tap root resembles a massive carrot. They are harvested when they are 4-5 years old in early spring before the plants flower. The roots are cut where stems protrude to allow it’s milky latex to pour out. The stinky, milky exudates are scraped off and collected, creating fresh wounds for more asafoetida gum resin harvesting. Fun fact: Asafoetida has been used historically as wolf bait  Uses: Asafoetida is perhaps the most pungent and prevalent spice throughout Central Asia and the Middle East. Some say it’s what makes Indian food taste Indian. Asafoetida is what provides that onion-y, warming, mysterious flavor so characteristic of Indian and Persian food. Asafoetida has an extensive history of use as both a food and medicine. (As a low FODMAPPER with a tendency to be dry-skinned, cold-natured, and slow to digest, Asafoetida has become my best friend, but more on this later). For one, Asafoetida has an incredible taste. I would say it is a combination of miso, onion, garlic, and saffron with a touch of egg. It’s such a complex and intense flavor that a little bit goes a really long way. Asafoetida accentuates other herbs which is why it is traditionally mixed into blends like Kitchari (a popular blend for stewing veggies and flavoring rice and lentils; I adore it on scrambled or fried eggs) and Hingvastak churna, a digestive blend used in Ayurveda for those with a cold digestion by nature. Asafoetida has a history of being used for nervous, digestive, and respiratory system conditions and afflictions. Asafoetida was once used to treat hysteria, although these days we refer to that as a good ole’ sedative. Going along with it’s calming nature, it also can thin the blood and lowers blood pressure. As a respiratory system aid, it’s used for ameliorating spasmodic, inflamed conditions like bronchitis, asthma and whooping cough. Additionally, the volatile oil in the gum is eliminated through the lungs, making this an excellent treatment for asthma. It’s indicated for those with “spasmodic tightness” in their lungs, given the feeling of incomplete breath/air hunger. In Ayurveda, the Traditional Medicine of India, it is said to nourish and relieve stagnation of the nervous tissue for cases of sciatica, paralysis, and epilepsy (cold conditions). As a digestive aid, it has a few mechanisms of action. For one, it is invigorating to any stagnant gut condition, stimulating blood flow, digestive juice secretion, and peristalsis to get things moving and grooving. It’s high volatile oil content acts as a carminative, popping gas bubbles left and right and relieving lower abdomen distention. Therefore, it’s great for gas! In Ayurveda, it is one of the primary herbs indicated for people with a cold and dry constitution (vata). People with a vata constitution have a hard time regulating heat in their body. Their digestion is often slow, yielding gas, belly distention, and constipation. On that same note, Asafoetida can clear coldness and stagnation in the uterus, regulating periods and easing spastic cramps. It is said to warm the uterus and stimulate menstruation. And it’s great for low libido (often the case of low blood flow, invigoration in the nether regions). Hing is also known to reduce Candida growth and other pesky, unwanted gut flora, viruses, and worms. (they are probably turned off by how stinky it is!). In fact, Asafoetida was used to combat the flu during WWI because of its antiviral properties Contraindications: Do not use in medicinal/high dosage quantities. In large amounts, an abortifacient quality has been noted due to it's stimulating qualities. Simple, Savory Kitchari Egg Recipe
In a cast iron skillet, melt 2 tbsp grass fed butter or ghee on medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp of kitchari spice and ¼ tsp paprika. Let infuse into the butter for a few minutes until the kitchen is smelling fragrant and lovely. When you can hear it sizzling, crack an egg into the buttery spices. Top with a bit of sea salt, black pepper, and freshly shaved pecorino or parmesan cheese. Let cook on medium-high for 1 minute. Flip over and douse with a few shakes of Coconut aminos. Cap the pan with a lid and turn the burner off but leave the pan on the burner. Meanwhile. Slice up half an avocado and whip up some dijonaisse using the ratio of 1:3 - dijon:mayo (just make sure it’s coconut oil or avocado oil mayo- we don’t want any rancid vegetable oils inflaming our breakfast!) At this point (about 4-5 minutes later), the kitchari egg should be totally cooked. Remove it from the pan and slide it onto the sliced avocado. Top with a dollop of dijonnaise. Fresh chopped parsley and crispy almond crumbs, toasted coconut, and/or bacon bits adds a nice finishing touch!
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 Nettle, Urtica dioica, UrticaceaeParts Used: leaf, root, seed (leaf discussed here) Energetics: salty, sweet, nutritive, drying, neutral Habitat: Herbaceous perennial native to Europe, Africa, Asia and North America preferring open or partly shady habitats with plenty of moisture. Nettles are often found on forest edge, by rivers or streams and on roadsides. Now, Nettle has naturalized throughout the world and is often found growing in a streamside ditch Actions: alterative, analgesic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, antiviral , anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antiandrogenic, diuretic, hepatoprotective, nutritive tonic Active Constituents: Minerals, chloropyll, silica, terpenoids, carotenoids, including β-carotene, neoxanthin, violaxanthin, lutein and lycopene, fatty acids (palmitic, cis-9,12-linoleic and α-linolenic acids), a variety of polyphenols, essential amino acids and proteins, vitamins, tannins, carbohydrates, sterols, polysaccharides, and isolectins (Kregiel, 2018) Nettles have been treasured through the centuries and for good reason: few other plans can boast such a robust list of medicinal uses, nutritional value, and textile fiber potential. The use of nettle in fabrics has been dated back to 2000 bc with burial shrouds found in Denmark. Hippocrates wrote about 61 remedies using Nettle. Primary Actions1. Nutritive Tonic- Nettles are quite possibly the most vitamin and mineral-dense plant in Western Herbalism. They are one of the highest known sources of iron and chlorophyll (chlorophyll is what makes plants green and thriving, so when you eat it - you thrive, too!). Chlorophyll is incredibly cooling and alkalizing to the body, and its high content in Nettle plays a role in its powerful anti-inflammatory action. Nettle leaves are mineral rich, particularly high in iron, selenium, zinc, and magnesium. For this reason, Nettles are always indicated for weak, listless, pasty, and/or anemic people. Nettles contain 2x more antioxidant-rich polyphenols than cranberry juice (66.61 mg GAE) [27]. Protein, Vitamin C, fiber, and silica - important for bones! - are also exceptionally high in Nettle. As a nutritive tonic, Nettle works best when taken regularly. Folk herbalists munch on Nettle in a variety ways - sautéed with eggs and other veggies, stewed in soups and broths, or blended into a pesto or smoothie are great ways to eat Nettle. It also makes a tasty simple tea. Nettle’s rich mineral content means it is excellent at strengthening bones and connective tissue, enhancing protein metabolism, building the blood and nourishing the entire body on a cellular level.  2. Diuretic - Nettles are supreme medicine for the entire urinary system. Plants with a “salty” taste let us know they are rich with minerals; this is common for kidney-specific plants like Horsetail, Dandelion, and Celery. Assessing Nettle holistically, you can see that it thrives in deep, damp soils. Using the doctrine of signatures, Herbalists throughout the ages have learned that Nettles also regulate dampness in the body. Pretty cool connection! Synthetic diuretics work solely in the urinary system, increasing liquid output and urination. Herbal diuretics, on the other hand, work much more holistically- they regulate liquids throughout the whole body, working systemically on the Water Element (Evolutionary Herbalism). Synthetic diuretics are used to relieve edema, swelling and gout, but in doing so, they also deplete potassium due to its high water solubility (no one wants to be peeing out precious minerals!). This is why potassium pills are often prescribed at the same time. Herbal diuretics like Nettles are brilliant in that they come equipped with minerals like potassium so that depletion is much less common. Nettles also have a toning, drying and astringent effect, bringing extra umph to cases of leaky, weapy, lax tissue states. Think of Nettle for cramping uteri, post childbirth, leaky gut, high/low blood pressure, and any inflamed puffy state. 3. Alterative - Alterative is an herbal action term that pertains to an herb’s effect on one’s ability to process and remove toxins systemically. Historically, alteratives like Echinacea- also known as Snake Root for this reason - were used to remedy snake bites because they helped the body cleanse itself of circulating toxins. For this reason, alteratives are commonly called “blood cleansers”, but their action is much more complex. Snake bites might not be as common today, but most humans living in the modern world have some degree of toxicity circulating inside. Nettle’s other actions as a diuretic and nutritive play into its role as an effective alterative. Nettle has traditionally been considered a “spring tonic” - folk herbalists would eat the young fresh leaves in the early spring to open up the channels of elimination after a stagnant winter season. Alteratives improve the removal of waste products, enhance metabolic functioning, improve the absorption and distribution of nutrients, and just make you feel fresh and great. 4. Anti-inflammatory - Because of its dank supply of chlorophyll, Nettle is able to cool and alkalize the body. Puffy, inflamed tissues are cooled, nourished, toned, tightened by Nettle’s touch. Arthritic joints, inflammatory GI conditions, excessive cardiovascular heat (often displayed by high blood pressure), and inflammation of the urinary and reproductive organs are especially relieved by Nettle. Nettle works as a topical anti-inflammatory in a very unique way. Its rubefacient, or “counterirritant” action, is pretty unique to Nettle. Essentially, urticating (from the Latin world for Nettle, Urtica) is the historic practice hitting one’s inflamed, swollen joints and aches with the fresh plant multiple times. This action brings a flood of fresh oxygenated blood flow to the area, removing stagnant waste products (which are often the cause of pain) and feeding the area with nourishment. The stinging hairs, or trichomes, of Nettle include the smooth-muscle stimulating substances of acetylcholine, histamine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) along with formic acid, and serotonin.  How to take: As a food herb, we enjoy Nettles best at meal time. A spoon of Nettle pesto (mixed with other garden herbs like parsley or basil- check out our recipe below!) or a handful thrown into the soup pot are great ways to infuse your food with mineral rich Nettle. A warm or cold infusion of 3 tsp. Nettle (dried or fresh) in 1 qt filtered water. Drink throughout the day for a refreshing, cooling treat. Plays Well With: You can find Nettle in our Wonderful Woman Tea for it’s toning, mineralizing, and astringent properties - perfect for moon time cramping and PMS. -Due to its drying nature, we like to pair Nettle with a bit of moistening Licorice, Orange Peel, or Tulsi for a tasty, balanced drink. -For a great bone builder, Nettle, Horsetail, Oat Straw, Dandelion, Rosemary, and Ginger make a stellar daily tonic. -Soups! Simply through a handful in any soup for a hearty, mineral-rich addition -Pestos! The deep, salty bite of Nettle plays will with other pesto herbs like basil and parsley. Add a handful of fresh to any pesto batch- just be sure you blend well so you don't sting your tongue! -Muffins and Breads! A few tablespoons of dried Nettle leaves or powder will give your baked goods fortified nutrition Contraindications: When consumed abundantly and/or out of balance of other moistening plants, Nettles can cause dryness. Nettles are generally safe, but high amounts might disturb anyone on diuretic pharmaceuticals. Always be sure to harvest the leaves before the flowering stage Nettle Pesto Recipe With gloves, basket, and scissors/pruners in hand, go find a nettle patch. Make sure the patch hasn’t flowered yet- harvesting already flowered nettle might cause urinary irritation. I like to use basic scissors to clip the nettle leaves right at the node, or where the next section of opposite leaves begin. This allows one fresh pairs of leaves present at the end of each nettle stem, facilitating more even and beautiful growth for the plant. Clip down to about the 2nd or 3rd node so that you are only getting the freshest tips of nettle. The older, larger leaves at the bottom of the plant are tougher and not as tasty. At the end of this process, you should have about 10 handfuls of leaves and stems (or the equivalent of 3 compacted cups of nettle leaf + stem). Once inside, gently rinse nettle with colander. Using your scissors, clip off all the leaves and shove the woodier stems in a pot or jar. You can use these stems for teas and soup stocks. I will make a pot of boiling water and infuse the stems for about 10 minutes and keep this in my fridge to drink at my leisure. You can also freeze stems with other veggie scraps and bones for a soup stock base. When all your leaves are de-stemmed, very quickly steam them in a pan with a bit of salt, pepper, and water to de-sting them. Blending up the leaves fresh will also remove the sting from stinging nettle, but I like this extra step as a precautionary measure (I have had fresh nettle pesto where some of the stingers were still in tack- yowch!) Once leaves have steamed, add about 2-2.5 cups worth (depending on how much you steamed them) to a blender. Add 1/2 c olive oil + 1 spoon tahini, 1 handful fresh parsley, juice and zest of 1 lemon, 2 handfuls of walnuts & flax seeds (about 1-1.5 cup, depending on the nuts you use), 2 tsp miso paste, a hefty pinch sea salt and crushed black pepper, and a dash of cayenne (optional: ½ cup pecorino or any hard goat’s milk cheese). Blend until smooth. Transfer to a jar and store in fridge for at least a week or in freezer. If you divvy them up into ice cube trays and freeze, you have perfect 1-portion servings for quick meals. Resources
Popham, S. & Popham, W. (2015) Materia Medica Monthly, Vol. 2: Stinging Nettle, Urtica dioica. Semalty, M., Adhikari, L., Semwal, D., Chauhan, A., Mishra, A., Kotiyal, R., & Semalty, A. (2017). A Comprehensive Review on Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Effects of Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica). Current Traditional Medicine, 3(3), 156-167. Creative Commons, flickr. Ben Matthews, Diana Susselman, mfitaly What's in RALLY?Herbalism is all about the balancing energetics of herbs to meet the needs of the person taking them. A person with a hot constitution taking a heating herb daily because they heard it might be good for them isn't going to do much good at all (stay tuned for a post on understanding your constitution later!). Well-balanced formulas, like the blends we create, are geared towards meeting the needs of the general population. RALLY is a blend we've been tinkering with for a while. As expert coffee drinkers and bonified herb nerds, we experiment with putting herbs in our coffee on the regular. In time, we found the perfect formula of nutty, sweet roots, simultaneously uplifting and calming adaptogens, and flavorful digestive aids to make for an unforgettable cup of coffee. Adding RALLY to our coffee has elevated a mundane daily routine into a morning ritual with the power to sustain all day long. I even carry a little jar of it in my purse to top of my coffee when I'm out and about. The Herbs in RALLYAdaptogensShatavari, Asparagus racemosus A sweet, slightly bitter, warming and moistening root used as a medicinal food in Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India. It soothes the lining of your entire gastrointestinal tract, reinvigorates dried tissue, enhances your ability to respond to stress, and improves immunity. It is also a well-known aphrodisiac. Red Reishi, Ganoderma lucidum A cherished heart and immune tonic in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is fondly called the "Mushroom of Immortality" for its restorative qualities. Reishi is slightly sweet, bitter, pungent, and warming. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune tonic, increasing or decreasing immune response depending on the individual (amphoteric). It can lower cholesterol and nourishes the liver. Ashwaghanda, Withania somnifera A slightly bitter, warm, and drying root used as a medicinal food in Ayurveda. It calms while also enhancing focus and mental and physical performance. Affectionately called "Sweat of the Stallion", it is known to invigorate and balance hormones. It's a nervine (nerve calming), immune-amphoteric, and anti-inflammatory agent. NutritivesDandelion, Taraxacum officinale Dandelion root has been used for ages to improves digestion from the stomach to colon. It is another Aster family plant rich with prebiotics that feed healthy gut flora. Dandelion root is a liver and gallbladder tonic, improving the quality of bile for better fat digestion and enhancing detoxification pathways. Chicory, Intybus cichorium A sweet, bitter, warming, and nutritious native root once used as a coffee supplement. As an Aster, Chicory is a prebiotic rich with inulin which feeds good gut flora. Chicory is known to enhance digestion and colon health. It is also anti-inflammatory and improves blood sugar and lipid levels. Digestive, Flavorful SpicesCeylon Cinnamon, Cinnamomum verum A sweet, bitter, warm, and nutritive spice. It is a well-known blood sugar stabilizer, circulatory tonic, and respiratory health agent. It soothes the entire gastrointestinal tract. Cardamom, Elettaria cardamomum An aromatic, warm, and drying spice traditionally added to coffee in Ayurveda. It is carminative (dispels gas), alleviates stagnation throughout the body, and freshens breath. How to Drink RALLYThe beauty of adding balanced adaptogens, blood-sugar stabilizers, and digestive aids to your coffee is threefold: 1. Your energy is sustained all day - by nourishing your adrenals, those tiny glands taxed with the huge responsibility of generating stress hormones, adaptogens can keep you from meeting that dreaded 3 o'clock crash. Blood-sugar stabilizers slow down the sometimes topsy turvy effects of caffeine. Drinking RALLY coffee with a fat also sustains the energy high much longer than drinking coffee straight. 2. RALLY reduces the common ill effects of coffee-drinking like indigestion, reflux, and jitters - Our digestive aid herbs like Dandelion, Chicory, and Cardomom, support digestion and foster an environment of good gut flora - soooo essential for overall health. 3. It's easy! You don't have to go out of your way to incorporate powerful, immune-boosting, stress-relieving herbs into your busy life - simply add a scoop of RALLY to your morning cup! Recipe for the Ultimate RALLY Cup of Coffee 1. Choose a darker roast - they have less caffeine. 2. Always use 100% Arabica, shade-grown beans. Not only do they taste better, but shade-grown mimics the natural way coffee grows beneath the forest canopy. 3. Try to pair your coffee with a fat or protein like coconut oil, grass-fed butter, good quality milk, or collagen peptides. This slows the absorption of caffeine and mitigates the "acid-stomach" feeling some coffee-drinkers experience. 4. Mix 1/2 tsp RALLY, 1 scoop collagen, and a 1/2 tsp coconut oil and/or splash of your favorite creamer into 1 cup of coffee. Blend for a few seconds in a blender or use the incredible hand frother to incorporate the fat and herbs into your coffee. Sip slowly and enjoy thoroughly! Resources
Panossian, A. G. (2003). Adaptogens: tonic herbs for fatigue and stress. Alternative & Complementary Therapies, 9(6), 327-331. Wagner, H., Nörr, H., & Winterhoff, H. (1994). Plant adaptogens. Phytomedicine, 1(1), 63-76. Winston, D., & Maimes, S. (2007). Adaptogens: herbs for strength, stamina, and stress relief. Inner Traditions/Bear & Co.  When we make dessert we like to make sure of a few things. It's paired with: 1. Lots of good fat Fat slows down the absorption of sugar. This means two things: we stay satisfied longer and we don't overburden our organs- especially the pancreas. The pancreas is an incredible organ taxed with the huge responsibility of getting sugar out of the blood. When we have too much sugar in the blood, those sugars bind with our blood cells rendering them clunky, ineffective and hazardous to our entire body. So basically, always eat fat when you eat sugar! We like grass-fed butter, ghee, and unrefined coconut oil for our saturated fats and extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, and sesame oil for our unsaturated fats. 2. Sugar stabilizing herbs In many clinical trials, Ceylon Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) has been shown to: promotes glycemic control, improve lipid parameters, reduce insulin resistance, and improve insulin action (Ranasinghe et al, 2012). It's likely no coincidence that cinnamon and sugar is a traditional combination. Our ancestors knew what was up! 3. Adaptogens! This class of herbs could possibly be one of the modern human's greatest herbal allies. Adaptogens work by improving our body's perception of and response to stress, making us more resilient in the face of it. Think of it this way- we can't always control the amount of stress going on in and around us, but we can certainly control how we respond to these stressors. Our bodies are always responding to stressors large and small, emotional and physical, whether we are aware of it or not (if you haven't noticed, our bodies are really good at acclimating to sub-optimal environments and our minds are really good at distracting us from listening). And the truth is- the modern world barrages us with constant, low-level stressors that our ancestral bodies have simply not adapted to handle. These chronic low-level stressors mean that our bodies are always pumping out stress hormones, leaving us depleted in some capacity at some point in time. Depression, autoimmune conditions, fatigue, inflammation, mood disorders, hormonal issues, lack of vigor- many argue that all these things could be traced back to chronic, low level stress (Sapolsky, 2004). Adaptogens have been utilized by our ancestors in some form across the globe. They are tonic level herbs (meant to be taken regularly) that produce a non-specific response in the body (they increase our resilience to numerous stressors) while also having a normalizing effect (balancing us out no matter the direction we favor) (Winston & Maimes, 2007). Science is in the midst of catching up to the magic of adaptogens, but the verdict is out: adaptogens rock! They come in all shapes and sizes and address countless modern complaints. An important note on taking adaptogens: best practice is to stop any adaptogen routine during times of acute illness such as the flu.  IngredientspinCAKE 1.5 sticks grass-fed butter 6 oz chopped bittersweet bakers chocolate 1 tsp instant coffee 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp ceylon cinnamon 1/4 tsp licorice powder 2 tbsp red Reishi powder 1 tbsp Shatavari powder 4 large eggs room temperature 1/2 c raw sugar healthy pinch of sea salt 1/2 cup raw cacao GLISTENING GANACHE 1 c heavy cream (coconut cream can work too!) 12 oz bittersweet chocolate pinch sea salt DirectionsCAKE Preheat oven to 325 F. Cut out a piece of parchment paper to fit a circular 8” pan. Place paper into pan. Set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan at a medium low heat. Add the Reishi and Shatavari, stirring constantly as the herbs infuse into the butter, about 5 minutes. Remove butter mixture from heat and add chocolate chips. Stir until smooth. Add the instant coffee and vanilla extract and set aside. Whisk or mix eggs, sugar, and salt until your mixture has grown in volume (this takes around 5 minutes with a hand mixer). Next, slowly add your chocolate-butter mixture as you continue mixing. Fold in cacao, cinnamon, and licorice. Mix until completely combined. Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 325. The edges should appear "baked" but you want the center a bit gooey still. Remove from oven and cool at room temperature completely before transferring to a fridge. Let chill for 5 hours. GANACHE Bring 1-2" water to a low boil/simmer in a sauce pan. Top with a double boiler. Add chocolate and cream to the double boiler and let melt, stirring occasionally until you have a smooth consistency. Add a pinch of sea salt. Drizzle over your chilled cake until it's completely covered. Chill again for another hour. Serve with whipped cream and enjoy! Resources Engels, Gayle & Brinckmann, Josef. 2012. HerbalGram: Cinnamon, Issue 95. American Botanical Council Ranasinghe, P., Perera, S., Gunatilake, M., Abeywardene, E., Gunapala, N., Premakumara, S., ... & Katulanda, P. (2012). Effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Ceylon cinnamon) on blood glucose and lipids in a diabetic and healthy rat model. Pharmacognosy research, 4(2), 73. Sapolsky, R. M. (2004). Why zebras don't get ulcers: The acclaimed guide to stress, stress-related diseases, and coping-now revised and updated. Holt paperbacks. Winston, D., & Maimes, S. (2007). Adaptogens: herbs for strength, stamina, and stress relief. Inner Traditions/Bear & Co. Soasted = soaked + toastedIt's about time we wrote about soasted nuts because it is a GAME CHANGER. Here's the thing about nuts. 1. Nuts is a blanket term for a TON of different nuts, seeds, beans, and pseudo nuts that we clump together as one food category when in fact, they are all quite botanically unique. For example, certain brands will put cashews, almonds, and peanuts together and call it a "nut mix" when these 3 foods represent incredibly diverse plants- one is a tree, one is a bean, and one is an exterior seed (check out Cashew apples- pretty crazy!). This means that some "nuts" might work fine with you, but others might be very irritating. Many people have allergies or sensitivities to some "nuts" but not others (which is a dangerous situation when you buy these "nut mixes"). Many nuts are also high FODMAP which means it can cause digestive distress in some individuals. 2. "Nuts" contain a TON of potential energy. Remember, a little walnut was meant to become a massive walnut tree one day. Plus "nuts" have been pegged as the ultimate health food, making people much more likely to over-indulge in handfuls of these potent tree droppings because they are "healthy". This has a doubly deleterious effect: excessiveness in any form or fashion is the antithesis to health AND you are consuming a ton of potential energy that will eventually wreck havoc on your metabolism and digestive system.  3. Store bought typically come in two categories = raw and roasted. Sometimes the roasted nuts are "dry roasted", meaning no extra oils have been added. More often than not, these nuts are roasted in one of the following oils : soybean, cottonseed, canola, rapeseed, or sunflower. While these oils are called "vegetable oils" to entice us into thinking they are healthy, the truth is that these oils are incredibly sensitive and the modern factory processes we use to extract them are caustic and dangerous. Vegetable oils are pulled out of their protective covering (be it sunflowers, cotton or rape seeds) using intense solvents, exposing them to light and heat which they are very sensitive to (because they don't naturally occur free from their protective covering- for a gruesome analogy, think of how sensitive we would be to the light if we scrubbed away our protective skin). This means they are not only exposed to intense solvents, but they also go rancid quickly because of all the heat, light, and plastic exposure. These unsaturated fats are high in Omega 6s, an essential fatty acid that our world is already rampant with. We function best with an Omega 3:6 ratio of 1:1. The Average American is working with an inflammatory ratio of 1:20. You can improve your Omega ratio by avoiding nuts roasted in these rancid oils. 4. Raw nuts don't have the dangers of being roasted in rancid oils, but they do contain naturally occurring anti-nutrients. Anti-nutrients represent a variety of phytochemicals that plants produce to protect themselves from predation and degradation. Historically, our ancestors used gentle means to dissolve these anti-nutrients, like soaking and slow roasting (aka, SOASTING) their nuts for optimal nutrition and ease of digestion.  Step by Step Guide to Soast your NutsGet a quart-sized mason jar. Fill is 3/4 of the way full with your favorite raw nuts. Pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and brazil nuts are our favorite nuts to soast. Totally cover the nuts with filtered water and a hefty pinch of sea salt. Cover with a lid (but don't screw on the tight) and let sit on your countertop over night. In the morning. Strain off all the water. It will likely be a pale brown color. Give it another rinse with some more filtered water. Shake the nuts dry and spread evenly on a roasting pan. You can go the extra mile and drizzle with a few blobs of coconut oil, olive oil, or ghee and top with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. A bit of honey drizzle and turmeric is another lovely addition. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 F. Crank the heat down to 200 F and slow roast until the nuts are golden brown and smelling fragrant. This varies per nut variety but usually take anywhere from 25-55 minutes. Let cool completely before transferring back to an airtight mason jar, container, or bag. Store in the fridge or freezer for months! We have found these soasted nuts SO much more satisfying and tasty. They don't leave that heavy, dull tummy feeling we often get when eating raw or store-bought roasted nuts.
*Ingredients 3/4 c unrefined coconut oil, room temp 1/2 c cacao powder 1 tbsp maple syrup 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tbsp beet root powder (secret ingredient!) 2 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp salt 1 tbsp flax meal 2 tbsp caca nibs Soasted Walnuts*  In a glass bowl, mix all the ingredients until well incorporated. Lay out a piece of parchment paper on a large plant. Transfer the cacao mixture onto the parchment paper, using wet finger tips or the back of a spoon to smooth out until about 1/4 to 1/2" thick. Individually press the soasted walnuts just into the surface of the cacao mixture in a decorative manner if you are feeling fancy. Sprinkle with more sea salt and flax seed. Let set in freezer for 10 minutes. Break off into pieces and store in an airtight container in fridge or freezer for many weeks.
*Check out our Soasted Walnut (Soaked + Toasted) recipe in our next blog post!  ¾ c almond flour ½ c arrowroot starch 1 tbsp coconut flour ½ tsp baking powder 1 tsp cinnamon Hefty pinch sea salt ¼ c melted unrefined coconut oil 2 tbsp maple syrup 2 tbsp molasses Preheat oven to 350. Meanwhile, stir molasses, syrup, and melted coconut oil until evenly incorporated. In another bowl, mix all the dry ingredients. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the oil blend, mixing well. The dough should come together quite nicely. Transfer the dough onto parchment paper about 8 in. long or onto a silpad. Both work. Wet your fingers (so dough doesn’t stick) and gently press out the dough until it’s about ¼-⅛ in thick (like a graham cracker!) and in a giant rectangle shape. Use a fork to pierce the dough like you see on store-bought graham crackers evenly throughout (this keeps the crackers especially flat and uniform). You can use a rolling pin or another piece of parchment paper to achieve this, but I find wet fingers works just fine. Bake for 10-12 min until fragrant and golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool just a bit before using a knife to slice into graham cracker shapes. I like squares but sometimes do long pieces. Let cool completely before storing in freezer for weeks! Options: Add ½-1 c chocolate chips for chocolate chip graham crackers Add 1 tbsp turmeric + pinch black pepper for golden grahams Add 2 tbsp cacao + 1 tsp vanilla for chocolate graham crackers Add 1 tbsp pysllium + 1 tbsp flax seed for fiber graham crackers Top with toasted oats + chopped pecans for a nutty fix!  We love the convenience of store-bought, quality energy bars, but we loathe the packaging and often times high price.  That's why we created our own take on Rx Bars... HGRX Bars! Our bars cost a fraction to make and store beautifully. Plus, the have the added fiber of Psyllium Husk powder and flax meal. Psyllium Husk is an incredibly effective soluble fiber brought to you by none other than Plantain, Plantago ovata. Soluble means it absorbs water as it passes through your colon, pulling out toxins, regulating your bowels, and normalizing constipation, diarrhea, blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels, and even helping with weight loss through metabolism support. Just be sure to drink lots of liquids when you increase your fiber intake because fiber with no liquids can have the opposite effect of backing of your bowels and causing discomfort. HGRx Bar Recipe1 c nut butter ⅓ c raw cashews ¼ c coconut oil ½ c toasted oatmeal (simply bring a pan to medium heat and toast until fragrant and golden) ½ c flax meal 1 c juicy dried, pitted dates (it is important that your dates aren’t super dried out and still have some fleshiness to them 3 tbsp psyllium husk (optional but excellent for added fiber) 2 tbsp molasses 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla Hefty pinch of sea salt ½ c dark chocolate chips for topping Line a 10 x 10 baking pan with parchment paper. In a high-powered blender, mix all the ingredients except the chocolate chips. It works best to blend the first 5 ingredients first. Then add the dates, pulsing until they are mostly pulverized. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until mostly smooth. A few cashew or date chunks is a-okay. Transfer all the dough onto the parchment paper with a spatula. Using wet fingers, press the dough evenly into the pan. Top with the chocolate chips, scattering them evening and gently pressing them into the dough. Freeze for 20 minutes and then slice. Store in an airtight container in the freezer or fridge for weeks.  No need for measuring cups and spoons- our wild weed pesto is as versatile as it is tasty. We encourage you to use your senses to make this tasty green dip rather than relying on exact measurements. There are two reasons for this:  Herb Girls' Wild Green-sto (Green Pesto)Plants in the “wild” (or your backyard!) have more vitamins and minerals than those grown commercially and organically (though organically-grown crops are more nutrient-dense than commercial). This is because wild plants have to create all their own defenses since no one is looking after them and providing them nutrients and protection. Over time, we have selectively chosen those plants that are the juiciest and tastiest for cultivation, but in the process, we have bred out some of their wild medicine. For example, crabapples foraged in the wild aren’t as tasty as a Honeycrisp from the store, but they likely have way more phytonutrients (Check out Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson for more information on this).
A simple way to ensure you are getting some wild plant power every day is to include some foraged plants in your daily life. This is very easy and tasty to do with a green-sto. 3 handfuls arugula or spinach 1-2 handfuls wild plants like violet leaves, nettle, dandelion leaves, yarrow, chickweed, young sassafras leaves, young hibiscus leaves, and/or young sourwood leaves 1/4 c tahini 1/3 c olive oil 1 handful pumpkin seeds 1 handful walnuts 1 tsp miso 1 squeeze dijon mustard juice and zest of 1-2 lemons ½ c frozen peas (the sweetness really balances the bitterness of wild herbs) Sea salt and crushed black pepper to taste Add all ingredients to a blender/food processor and blend until smooth, adding more or less oil or lemon to get the right flavor profile. Store in bulk mason jars in the freezer or spoon into silicone ice cube trays for individual servings. Adaptogens are all the rage these days, and it makes sense! We live in a chronically stressed world and adaptogens promise the ability to improve our stress-handling capacities. The only problem is this: we are using that same magic-bullet mentality with herbal adaptogens as we do with synthetic drugs. Got a headache? Take 2 tylenol. Mucusy? Take some mucinex. Stressed out? Take some Ashwaghanda! There is some truth to this mentality: when we are hurting, we want to take action to resolve our issues. We crave a quick fix so we can get on with our busy lives. However, herbal medicine provides slow and steady solutions for long-term resolution. Herbal medicine practiced correctly promises ultimate alleviation from our maladies by seeking out the root of the problem. There are over 20 known adaptogens, and while all of them do increase our adaptive energy, work on our nonspecific immunity, influence our HPA axis, and function amphoterically (balancing in nature), they all have different energetics.  Our yin-yang fat balls balance the power of adaptogen in a delicious, fatty mixture (recipe below!) Ashwaghanda (Withania somnifera, Solanaceae), for example, is an amazing adaptogen and incredibly popular these days (I find it on the shelves at TJ Maxx of all places!), but it is powerful and not for everyone. While herbs can be safe, herbs used improperly can hurt you. Ashwaghanda is a very yang plant, energetically. By yang, we mean that it generates outward energy, as opposed to yin plants, that are more building, nourishing, and moistening in nature. Ashwaghanda is warm, hot, and generates energy for work and endurance. This is why athletes love it so much. However, Ashwaghanda might be too much for the average American who is already living a yang-dominant life, meaning they are always on the go and always exerting energy. Ashwaghanda can also irritate hyperthyroid conditions, so you definitely want to stay away from this plant if you have any sort of high thyroid condition. Lastly, many people are sensitive to Nightshade plants, such as tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers. Ashwaghanda is a Nightshade, so avoid this adaptogen if you have Nightshade-induced inflammation.  energy of the moon as yin. For our fat balls, we balance the yang (think of the hot, drying outward energy of the sun as yang) power of Ashwaghanda with the gently nourishing yin (think of the cool, moistening inward energy of the moon as yin) power of Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus, Liliaceae), a lesser-known but equally amazing adaptogen. Shatavari is generally "safer" than Ashwaghanda for it doesn't directly influence the thyroid and it moistens and restores exhausted, dried out tissue. Our culture has enough outward, busy energy. Focusing on nourishing tissues by using more moistening Shatavari is a good practice for adaptogen use. We infuse our fat balls with the carminative, calming nature of Cardamom (Eletarria cardamomum, Zingiberaceae) and increase the bioavailabilty of our adaptogen medicine by decocting the powdered roots in coconut butter and grass-fed butter before making the batter. We hope you enjoy our recipe, and please leave your questions in the comment section below! Balanced Yin-Yang Fat Balls Ingredients
1/2 c Coconut oil, melted 1/4 c grassfed butter 1/4 c coconut butter 10 green cardamom pods (or 1 1/2 tsp cardamom powder) 1/3 c Shatavari powder 1 1/2 tbsp Ashwaghanda 3 tbsp Red Reishi powder 1 cup coconut shreds (toasted if you prefer this taste over raw)1/2 c almond butter 1 cup raw cashews, soaked and toasted 2 tsp cinnamon 3 medjool dates (pitted) 1/3 c. almond or coconut milk pinch sea salt 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips 2 tbsp cacao nibs In a saucepan, heat up coconut oil, coconut butter, grass-fed butter, vanilla, cardamom + Ashwaghanda, Shatavari, and Red Reishi powders. Bring to a slight simmer, stirring often. Let slightly simmer for about 5 minutes or until the butter is fragrant (this a crucial step to fully decoct all the medicine from the adaptogens). In a blender, pulse all the other ingredients except the milk, cacao nips and chocolate chips. Add the milk a little a time, scraping down the sides and processing until a sticky dough forms. Add the cooled, decocted adaptogen mixture. Transfer the mixture to a sealable container and refrigerate at least 2 hours (this makes it easier to form into balls later on). Once refridgerated, roll into 1" diameter balls, coating in cocoa powder, extra shatavari powder, or coconut shreds for a decorative touch. I like to sprinkle with a bit more sea salt. In an airtight container, keep in the refrigerator for up to 10 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months |
Eileen Schaeffer & Amy WrightWe are Herb Girls Athens, LLC. Read our blog! Categories
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