Elderberry Elixir

The absolute best for colds and flus! and delicious, too!

1 cup fresh elderberries (or 1/2 cup dried)

1 cup Honey

1/2 – 1 tsp. fresh chopped ginger

1 Tlb. lime juice – fresh squeezed  ( lemon is good, too)

1/2 tsp. cinnamon powder

1 cup vodka or finished tincture of echinacea, ginger, calendula, astrasgalus, spearmint… have fun

1 cup water

Cover and simmer berries with water and ginger for 20 minutes.

Let sit until cooled a bit, then strain and press berries against the sieve to extract all the juice.

Return to pot and add honey and cinnamon and simmer slowly uncovered for 35 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool to warm and add lemon/lime juice and alcohol of choice.

Bottle, label and store in refrigerator.  Will keep fresh for 6 months in refrigerator.

 

I actually prefer to add the honey at the same time as the alcohol so it doesn’t cook at all – after the syrup has simmered for the second time with the juice.  The syrup will not be as thick this way but the healing medicine of the honey will be intact.

Brewing Loose Tea for Infusions

By the cup: 1 heaping tsp. of loose herb in 8 oz. boiled water, cover, steep 15-30 minutes for a lovely cup of tea.

For therapeutic brews: use 6 tbs. of dried herb in a heat safe container and ad 4 cups boiled water, cover and steep 1-4 hours or overnight. Store your infusion in the refrigerator if not used in 24 hours. It will keep for 3-4 days.

Infusions used as medicine should be steeped properly and you should drink at least 3-4 cups during the course of your day. Seeds are steeped 15-20 minutes as they open easily in the presence of water. Flowers need distributed raman amplifier 2 hours, leaves need 4 hours, and roots and bark need 8 hours of steeping. Roots and bark may also be decocted by simmering 10 minutes and then steeping 20 minutes covered before drinking.

Remember- not every cup of tea is medicine. You may brew for enjoyment with less tea leaves as well.

Deep Immune Broth

Jennifer Costa, founder of Monarda Herbal Apothecary, created this recipe over 15 years ago. It came to her intuitively in a time of need as she was figuring out how to be a new mother to sons born 13 months apart. It has nourished healthy nursing babies, those close to death and all in between. We at Monarda give it freely here in hopes that it will help in a time of need. It is highly recommended for compromised immune systems, recurrent colds/flus and infections, lymes disease, chronic and life threatening conditions. Regular use aids in restoring vitality, particularly during and after any debilitatinig illness or invasive medical procedures.

Add Olive Oil/fat to a stock pot and saute mushrooms, ginger, garlic, burdock root, and astragalus root, seaweed, onion, celery and carrot for 5 minutes stirring often to brown a bit. The animal bones and vinegar bring increased nutrition for the blood and immune system as well as add more flavor to your broth. (Omit if vegatarian) Add the water to cover and slowly bring to a gentle boil. Cover and simmer slowly for 1-3 hours. Remove from heat and allow to “steep” for 20-30 minutes. Strain broth into another pot and mix miso with 1/4 cup of broth in a seperate bowl to form a thin paste and add to the whole pot of broth. Store in the refrigerator once cooled completely. Never boil when you rewarm this or the benefits of the miso will be destroyed. Drink warm 1/2 cup 3x/day. Before adding the miso, the broth may be used to cook grains and vegetables or used as soup stock. The miso may be added just before serving. Mushrooms may be fished out and minced and eaten if desired.

(a ready -mixed Deep Immune Brew is available through the Apothecary Store in the Tea: Herbal Blends section)

Welcome to Monarda Herbal Apothecary

Learn of the gifts from the heart of the earth…

We celebrate and hold deep respect for the beauty, balance, diversity and wisdom of our natural world. All herbs are grown organically, harvested in the wild (wildcrafted), or obtained from small growers and skilled wildcrafters also committed to nurturing the soil, preserving wild plant populations, and harvesting only healthy, abundant plants at a time when the energy, or life force, is concentrated in the part of the plant being used medicinally. Healing intention is infused in every step from planting until the preparations are ready for use. This hands-on, labor intensive process ensures that every product is of the highest quality.

Rosemary Bath Salts