Sweet Basil

Ocimum basilicum

Basil is available in many varieties.  Choosing which basil to grow and use is the hardest part, but using them is very easy.   There's cinnamon, dark opal, holy, lemon, lime, spicy bush, purple ruffles, sweet thai and many others to choose from.  But sweet basil is my favorite.  It has the classic basil flavor we've all come to love.
 

How To Grow Basil

 Basil is easy to grow from seed or purchased plant. It requires what most gardens already have, full sun, warm temperatures above 50 degrees, and adequate moisture.
 

 Harvesting, Drying, and Storing Herbs

This herbs is also very easy to dry and store for later use.  In morning when dew is dried off the plants, cut stems off and wash to remove any dirt.  Lay out to dry on a paper towel for about an hour.

 

You can dry your herbs on a table out of direct sun which takes several days.  Or, use a food dehydrator like I do.  With this method, it only takes 30 minutes to and hours on low.

The herb should feel crisp when ready.  Store your dried herbs in a glass jar in a dark place.  For better flavor, store your herbs whole.  You can crush them when you are ready to cook.

 

Of course, fresh herbs are best to cook with, but they are not always available.  Basil is no exception.

Just Look At All The Dishes You Can Use Basil In

• Vegetables: zucchini, corn, bell pepper, tomato, green beans, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, eggplant, squash, spinach, artichoke, fennel, onion, potato
• Seafood: lobster, shrimp, crab, red snapper, salmon (fresh and smoked), grouper, tuna
• Meat and Poultry: chicken, turkey, beef, veal, lamb, sausage
• Soups and Sauces: corn chowder, tomato, minestrone, vegetable soup
• Dairy: egg dishes, ricotta, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, bleu cheese, goat cheese
• Legumes and Grains: polenta, cannellini beans, rice (all varieties), couscous, all pasta
• Fruit and Dessert: watermelon, pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew, apple, peach, nectarine, pear, figs

Basil Has Many Benefits To Help Our Bodies

• Anti-inflammatory
• Antioxidant
• Cancer
• Pain
• Fever
• Diabetes
• Liver
• Blood vessel
• Anti-stress
• Immune

 

Just Look At All These Vitamins and Minerals It Provides

• Vitamin K
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Iron
• Calcium
• Manganese
• Magnesium
• Potassium

Buy your dried basil here

Our website here

 Posted by Lisa Ray

Calendula Flowers

Calendula is an annual plant with cheerful orange flowers that blooms in the spring.  Every gardener should grow calendula, not only for the color, but also for the herbal properties of the flower.

Calendula officinalis

Uses:  wound healing, burns, stings, varicose veins, thrush, gastritis, painful periods, inflamed and ulcerated conditions, warts and corns (sap), and callouses.

Preparation Methods:  creams, salves, infused oils, essential oil, herbal tea, tincture, and poultice.

Dried Calendula

Buy dried calendula here

Caution:  Avoid during pregnancy, may cause allergic reactions, people sensitive to ragweed or other plants in the daisy family.  

Posted by Lisa Ray

Sage Hill Botanicals Herb Company

Milk Thistle Seeds

Milk thistle seeds has many benefits to the liver! Your liver is what does a great deal of the detoxing in your body and when your liver isn’t in top notch condition, this can affect the whole body.

Any detox plan you undertake should always have your liver in mind. Milk thistle is also great for your digestive system, so you can help your liver remove toxins from within your body, and then allow your digestive system to kick them out of your body. The active compound in milk thistle is called silymarin, a natural liver protector and supporter. Who doesn’t need some of that in their life?! The seeds of this plant have been used for at least 2,000 years to help protect health cells in the body, encourage the production of new cells, and stop inflammation in the body, especially of the liver.

Milk thistle extract is so powerful; it can actually help those with liver diseases.

 

Milk Thistle Seed Capsules

How to use milk thistle seeds

There are several ways to use milk thistle seeds, they can be prepared and taken:

• Sprinkled over food such as a salad, ground or whole seeds
• Ground and packed into vegan capsules
• Crushed and made into a tincture or tea
• Cook with it

Posted by Lisa Ray

Purchase dried milk thistle seeds here

Purchase milk thistle seeds capsules here







Ginger Root

Ginger tea is a superior cleansing root and when brewed up as a tea, it’s a tart little pleasure. Even though ginger might be a bit strong to your taste buds, it’s actually very gentle on the body, so you can feel comfortable about drinking it several times per day.

This is a great detox tea you can make each morning, as a pick me up in the afternoon, or as a warm up after dinner.  This healing spice has been used for thousands of years both as medicine and as a food enhancer. Ginger is perhaps one of the world’s best detoxifying herbs. Ginger has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-ulcer compounds.

Ginger helps to cleanse the body by stimulation digestion, improved circulation, and sweating out toxins. It’s also great at removing a buildup of toxins and waste in the colon and liver. This is a great tea that you can add to any detox.

 

How to brew up a ginger decoction?

To make a decoction, you just need the following steps:

•Use 1 tablespoon dried ginger roots per 1 1/2 cup of cold, filtered water buy here
•Bring your water to a boil and add the roots
•Reduce the heat as low as possible and cover
•Simmer for 20 minutes if you’re using small pieces of the herb, but if you’re  using bigger pieces, then you can simmer for up to an hour
•Remove from heat and strain off the herbs and serve. If you like, you can also leave them to steep even longer, up to overnight

 

Add lemon, honey, or stevia if you like, tastes yummy!

 Decoctions are going to be much stronger than infusions or teas, so a typical serving size would be 1/4 cup to 1 cup.

Posted by Lisa Ray

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Dandelion Root and Leaves

Dandelion is more than just a weed. 

Before you mow down this healthy and valuable plant, think twice.

 

Uses Of Dandelion Root and Leaves

 

It's one of the greatest tonic herbs, the entire plant is restorative and rejuvenating.  





Dried Dandelion Roots



The root is a prized digestive bitter, stimulating the liver, inducing the flow of bile and cleaning the hepatic system, safe diuretic, tones kidneys and aids in proper water elimination with maintaining potassium levels.  

 



Dried Dandelion Leaves



Use roots in infusions, tinctures, capsules, and as a coffee substitute.  See the post for infusions and tinctures.

 

 

 



 

The leaves are high in vitamins and minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and vitamins A and C, both are food and medicine.  The leaves are a safe diuretic.

 

Use leaves in teas, herbal blends, tinctures, and capsules.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Order your dandelion here

 

 

 



Red Clover

Red clovers ability to detox comes from its high antioxidant compounds. Antioxidants give your body some serious backup when it comes to killing off those free radicals that cause us so much damage to our bodies. Getting a daily boost of antioxidants is important because if there is no defense against them, free radicals can do a real number on our health. 

 Great hot or iced!

Plus

Red clover not only can detox, but it can help in these areas also!

• Reduces Menopausal Symptoms
• Helps Maintain Bone Strength
• Improves Cardiovascular Health
• Lowers the Risk for Certain Cancers
• Treats Skin Inflammation
• Fights Respiratory Infections

Posted by Lisa Ray

Buy Red Clover Tea here
Sage Hill Botanicals Herb Company