Snowfall : A Simple Yule Tea

If you follow me on instagram, you probably saw my post on #ASimpleYule.

It's all about celebrating the season of Yule without losing sight of the sacredness of simplicity. With the chaos that 2016 has been simplicity can become a powerful tool of change.

The season of Yule is the land beyond the gate of Samhain.

Where Samhain is the darkening, Yule is the darkness. Blessed be the welcome retreat into the dark. Yet, this year has been heartbreaking and sometimes journeying into the dark feels unwanted. We are living in stressful times and 2017 lies uncertain before us. Organizers, activists, healers, water protectors, and more are attempting to explain the complex and intricate web of identity, oppression, privilege, and the inheritance of trauma. Complexity is needed when we live in a time of post-truth bullies smashing generations of hateful rhetoric into populist soundbites. We need complexity *and* we need simplicity. We need simple truths to remind us to look behind the smoke-and-mirrors of divisiveness. We are all one people (one cranky and compassionate and amazing and heartbreaking and diverse and incredible people). We all live on the same ocean plant. Love is still more powerful, more transformative, more radical than hate. We don't always have to be fighting the fight. Sometimes we need to be dancing the dance and loving our loves. It is alright to have fun. That is doing the work, too. 💕

So join me in finding the simple moments of pleasure needed to sustain us during these challenging times.

Use the tag #ASimpleYule to share your festive photos, the ways you maintain your centeredness during the darkening year, and your favorite charms, recipes, and decorations and more. I can't wait to see what you share!

Snowfall Tea

The following tea uses only three ingredients, but is full of flavor. It also incorporates the sacred colors of the season: red, white, and green! The Goji Berries (Lycium barbarum) add natural sweetness, the Peppermint (Mentha piperita) enlivens without over-stimulating (as well as assists with digestion after a rich winter meal!), and the Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum sp.) is the "snowfall" that the tea is named for.

Blend together the following dried herbs:

• 4 parts Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
• 4 parts Goji Berries (Lycium barbarum)
• 1/4 part Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum sp.) petals - not the whole flower which can be quite bitter

Brew 1 teaspoon per 8 ounces of water for 10 - 15 minutes. The longer it brews the sweeter it becomes as the Goji Berries infuse further into the water. Enjoy!

Celebrate #ASimpleYule with more seasonal activities! Read about some of my favorite herbs of winter, create your own winter wellness apothecary or other simple herbal gifts. And you can enjoy more of my favorite recipes with my Winter Apothecary ebook.

Adaptogens for Radiant Health (+ A Giveaway!)

I got sent a copy of Indie Herbalist Agatha Noveille's newest book, Adaptogens: 75+ Herbal Recipes + Elixirs to Improve Your Skin, Mood, Energy, Focus, and More!, in exchange for an honest review. And, holy heck, I'm so glad I agreed because - spoiler alert! - this is one of my new favorite recipe books! Even better - I have an extra copy to giveaway to a special reader.

Do you have a book, tarot or oracle deck, herbal remedy that you're interested in having me review? Get in touch!

I became familiar with Agatha's work earlier this year and I admire her clear, no-fuss approach to herbalism. She's written a number of ebooks, but Adaptogens is her first print book. Now, before we get any further into the review, let me be real honest here. I was a bit worried that I was going to receive another recipe book that was ok but uninspired, filled with recipes that I've seen before and none venturing beyond the standard tea, tincture, and salve variety.

Thank goodness, Agatha's book is nothing of the sort. Within minutes of receiving it I had already marked it up with post-it notes on recipes I couldn't wait to try. Friends, the sheer variety of recipes within here is impressive. New herbalists will be exposed to the wonderful diversity of herbal remedy making while folks who've been in the game for a while will still find something interesting and compelling. 

But let's backtrack. What the heck are adaptogens?

From the back of Agatha's book:

Adaptogens belong to a unique class of herbs that greatly improves your body's reaction to emotional and physical stress while increasing your energy, stamina, endurance, and mental clarity.

Adaptogens have grown in popularity in the past few years within the herbal community and slowly and steadily beyond the apothecaries of practitioners. Sometimes talk about adaptogens gets in the realm of magic pills - that they'll somehow fix everything if you just take a dozen a day. Agatha's book doesn't fall into this trap, but instead introduces adaptogenic herbs as something to be incorporated thoughtfully into your daily nourishment practice. In other words, less magic pills and more nourishing companions.

Adaptogens lend themselves well to a variety of creative recipes and working with them in this way is a pleasure. Rather than another expensive vitamin pill to pop or a bitter-tasting herbal extract to pinch your nose and toss back, you can experiment with tasty teas, yummy syrups, or fun and interesting snacks to incorporate adaptogens into your life. (Adaptogens, 8)

More about adaptogens from Agatha:

By 1968, Israel I. Brekhman, PhD, and Dr. I.V. Dardymov had developed the functional definition that has evolved into the concepts about adaptogens that we know today. According to the definition used by Brekhman and Dardymov:

1. An adaptogen is nontoxic to the recipient.
2. An adaptogen produces a nonspecific response in the body - an increase in the power of resistance against multiple stressors including physical, chemical, or biological agents.
3. An adaptogen has a normalizing influence on physiology, irrespective of the direction of change from physiological norms caused by the stressor. (Adaptogens, 13)

In short, adaptogens help us to adapt to stress.

Agatha explores 24 different adaptogens in her book from classic Ayurvedic adaptogens like Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) to Traditional Chinese Medicine herbs like Dang Shen (Radix Codonopsis) and Traditional Western herbs like Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna). She also covers skills, supplies, and safety measurements needed to proceed with making your own recipes.

Now for a bit of a nerdy herbal aside: there has been a new resurgence of interest amongst Traditional Western Herbalists on making extracts via percolation versus the more commonly taught maceration (in which you stick herbs and menstruum in a jar and let it, well, macerate for a few weeks). As someone who doesn't make a lot of alcohol extracts to begin with I typically use the maceration technique, but after reading Agatha's introduction to percolation, I can't wait to give the technique a try! I'll post my experiments with the method in the months to come.

Agatha has recipes for sodas, truffles, teas, herbal oils, powders, salves, puddings, and a whole lot more. 75+ recipes is no lie.

I chose one recipe to test out - the Beauty Breakfast Bowl Sprinkle. I happened to have the herbs needed in stock in my home apothecary and the recipe features three herbs I love to use regularly anyways.  Lots of folks are familiar with Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.) and Goji Berry (Lycium barbarum), but He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum) is typically less recognized outside of the herbal world. Let's take a look at what Agatha has to say about the herb:

He shou wu means "black haired Mr. He." Mr. He is credited with the discovery of this herbs' properties. There is a lot of fantastic and bizarre lore around this herb if you look back in the ancient literature. (As an example, the root of a 300-year-old he shou wu plant is said to bestow immortality).

Regardless of some of the wilder claims surrounding this herb in traditional medicine, it is also used for tamer purposes such as nourishing the kidneys and liver and improving weakness and fatigue, lower back pain, dizziness, insomnia, and erectile dysfunction. It was also used in "hit medicine" formulas by martial artists that were applied topically. In traditional Japanese herbalism it is used for constipation and inflammatory conditions of the intestines.

Modern applications of the herb are similar, including dizziness, ringing in the ears, anemia, low back pain, and premature greying; it is used as a men's fertility herb, and in some cases fro women's reproductive health as well. (Adaptogens, 47)

I have found that folks who experience dizziness as a symptom of their fatigue and overwork to be a sign that He Shou Wu might be useful. The herb is wonderfully gentle and doesn't overstimulate while still improving energy levels. I am particularly fond of He Shou Wu mixed with Cacao (Theobroma cacao), so I was interested to try it with a naturally sweet but spicy blend.

Beauty Breakfast Bowl Sprinkle

The Beauty Breakfast Bowl Sprinkle is a balancing kidney tonic which helps us to cultivate vigor, clear-headedness, healthy hair, and happy bones. You can add it to breakfast porridge, oatmeal, or yogurt. I like adding some to smoothies, too!

Yields 3 Tablespoons of Spice Blend

• 1 tablespoon of goji berries
• 1 tablespoon of he shou wu
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon

How to Make

1. Combine the powdered goji berries, powdered he shou wu, and powdered cinnamon in a small glass canning jar.
2. Put the lid on the jar and gently shake the jar to combine all of the ingredients. Let the powder settle to the bottom of the jar before you open it again.
3. Put a few teaspoons of your spice into a salt or pepper shaker, or leave all of it in the jar, whichever you prefer.
4. Apply a label to the jar and store it with the other blends in your spice cabinet.

The Beauty Breakfast Bowl Sprinkle is easy to make and a lot of fun to use! It's naturally sweet, but with the spiciness of Cinnamon (which I love), and the neutral tasting He Shou Wu means that it is easy to add to most breakfast foods without becoming overbearing. Yum!

Agatha's Adaptogens: 75+ Herbal Recipes + Elixirs to Improve Your Skin, Mood, Energy, Focus, and More! is a great book that I'll happily recommend to students and peers for years to come.

My copy is already becoming well loved and worn as I continue to create Agatha's delicious recipes. The great news is that you can buy a copy for yourself and herbally curious companions! Even greater news is that you can also enter below to win a copy from me! You have to live in the USA to enter and the winner will be announced December 15.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Vitamin C for You + Me

Vitamin C plays an important role in the health of our bodies and is an essential ingredient in our body’s ability to heal, promote normal tissue growth, and healthy cell development.  Having a regular and easily absorbable form of vitamin C in our diet is very important and since vitamin C can be easily destroyed through the cooking process, it is important to include raw fruits and vegetables in your diet.  One easy way to do this is to include a raw herbal and food powder into your routine, like our new ‘C’ Powder!

Use our ‘C’ Powder daily to maintain happy levels of vitamin C in your gorgeous body and take larger (1 tablespoon 2 times daily) when avoiding unwanted colds and the ‘flu.  In addition to being delicious mixed with water, juices, and smoothies, 'C' Powder is a treat on its own taken directly from the bottle.  It is sweet, tangy, and very pleasing to the  taste buds!

Learn more about the convenience of herbal powders and why we like them here.  Read about 'C' Powder's ingredients below:

POMEGRANATE Punica granatum: High in vitamin C, Pomegranate also contains antioxidants and helps to inhibit the powers of free radicals which play a role in causing disease.  Pomegranate is also anti-inflammatory, reduces blood pressure, and supports cardiovascular health.

HIBISCUS Hibiscus sabdariffa: Another great source of vitamin C, Hibiscus also contains vitamin A, beta-carotene boosting its antioxidant abilities.  Hibiscus reduces high blood pressure and high cholesterol while supporting general heart health.  Good also for the treatment of colds and flu.

GOJI BERRY Lycium barbarum: Vitamin C, B1, B2, iron, selenium, zinc, and a variety of amino acids are just some of the constituents you will find in this mighty red berry.  Nourishing to the liver and kidney, Goji Berries are said not only to be a longevity tonic, but also able to promote a cheerful disposition to those taking it.  Builds up the bodies resources of hormones, white blood cells, and life-creating enzymes.

MACA Lepidium meyenii: An adaptogenic herb, Maca is also an immune tonic.  Nutrient rich, Maca contains vitamin C and E, calcium, iron, iodine, zinc, phosphorus and amino acids.  Regulates energy levels without overstimulating.

LUCUMA Pouteria lucuma: A natural sweetener that is high in antioxidants, contains beta-carotene, niacin, iron, B vitamins, dietary fiber, and small levels of vitamin C.  Lucuma is very, very yummy.

'C' Powder is available in our 1 ounce and 3 ounce sizes in our S H O P.

Isn't tea lovely?

We all have people in our lives that we can, with all sincerity, call lovely.  They embody the qualities of compassion partnered with the generous concern that you are having a good day and that they are somehow contributing towards such a goal.  Lovely is a tea blend to celebrate the loveliness in our lives and preferably with the ones we’ve dubbed “lovely” to share a cup with us.

Read more about Lovely's antioxidant powers...

Lovely is our first red tea blend with a base of beautiful and naturally caffeine-free Rooibos.  Super high in antioxidants, Rooibos is a fantastic herb to enjoy daily.  Along with Goji Berries, Lovely is a gentle but effective adaptogenic blend that helps the body deal with stress while nourishing the kidneys and liver.

Lovely includes the following herbs:

ROOIBOS Aspalathus linearis: High in antioxidants (higher even than green tea!) with anti-inflammatory, antiviral, rejuvenative, and  adaptogenic properties, Rooibos is wonderful.  Rooibos is also useful in treating allergies, indigestion, insomnia, general nervousness, and skin complaints.  Rooibos definitely keeps it lovely.

GOJI BERRIES Lycium barbarum: Also known as Wolfberry, Goji Berries have a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine.  Nourishing to the kidneys and liver, Goji berries stregthen the blood.  They are full of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, iron, zinc, and selenium.

ANISE SEED Pimpinella anisum: A great herb for indigestion and bloating, Anise seed is also useful for treating coughs and colds.

COCONUT FLAKES Cocos nucifera: A sweet addition to our blend to round out the flavors, Coconuts are full of vital, delicious energy.

Purchase Lovely and our many other teas at our S H O P.