Rosemary Tonic Wine...

This will be a short post, nevertheless, it's less than half hour to next year. Happy New year everyone!!! HAHAHA!!! Happy New Year! Suddenly, I hink that I need a pick-me-up, so I turn pages to this recipe. Well, I hope it will work for me and all of you! Cheers! Man, I am having New Year Blues...

Ingredients

• Handful of fresh rosemary leaves
• 2 small cinnamon sticks
• 5 cloves
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• grating of nutmeg
• bottle of claret of other good quality red wine

1. Put the rosemary, cinnamon and cloves int oa jar and crush using a pestle to release their oils. Add the ginger and nutmeg to the mixture.
2. Add the wine, seal the jar, and add in a cool place for ten days. strain into a sterilised botlle and seal with an airtight stopper.
3. As with any other tincture, a wineglassful a day is enough.

Anyhow, this ecipe is from the book "Healing with Herbs" by Jessica Houdreat. You might seen me quoting this book very often. This is a fine book, with a lot of fine illustrations. Worth a buy, maybe search for it in Amazon.

The Alternative 'Ginseng'; Eleutherococcus senticosus

Personally, I like Ginseng but I do not like the price. The price seems to be prohibitive to many and the root is too hot for sensitive individuals. For some, they only need a little bit of nudge, not a full-fledged tractor pushing at them and this is when Siberian Ginseng comes in handy.

Perhaps the only herb that is termed as *adaptogen, Siberian Ginseng or Eleutherococcus senticosus, is almost as miraculous as Ginseng itself. Though milder in action, it occurs frequently in the wild in China, Russia, and Korea. This means it is cheaper too. The Chinese called this; Ci Wu Jia (刺五加) and they used to compare the action of this herb with Ginseng too.

Actually, Ginseng and Siberian Ginseng is two different species. The latter is not from the Panax genus but possesses the same properties a Ginseng does. It is mildly tonic in effect and it helps in fighting stress-induced fatigue. The Russians supplement Ci Wu Jia alongside with Ginseng to athletes, cosmonauts, and factory workers with good result. There is less stress onset symptoms, the most being depletion of adrenaline and corticosteroids. The herb delays the onset of symptoms by regulating the amount of hormone released into the blood stream.

In addition, Siberian Ginseng helps to increase general vitality, strength, endurance, and the ability to overcome the effects of long-term illness. It is used in preference to Ginseng Root, which might be too strong for some sensitive individuals. It “nourishes the adrenal glands, support liver metabolism, and increases energy and endurance against stress and pollution,” said the author of 'The one Earth herbal Sourcebook' by Alan Keith Tillotson in collaboration with his beloved, Nai-shing Hu Tillotson.

According to Farnsworth et al., 1989, Siberian Ginseng has the ability to “increase endurance and capacity to work by improving the ability of the liver and adrenals to regulate hormonal levels, dispose of lactic acid, and regulate blood sugar.

Usually, this is administered as 1:2 tincture; 30 drops three times a day or powdered extract; 500mg to 1000mg two to three times per day.

Quoting from 'The Ginseng Book' by Stephen Fulder, patients with 50% higher doses of anticancer drugs cope better with the consumption of concentrated Eleutherococcus extract daily, which resulted in a longer life. This is done at the famous Petrov Oncological Institure in Leningrad.

*adaptogen are strengthening herbs that bring balance back to the body. Works much like Le' Chartilier's principle. They combine both tonic and balancing properties.

Spiced Feta Cheese with Olives

Notes: this recipe is not suitable for those that are allergic to cheese or milk products.

I came across this recipe from the book 'Spicecrafts' by Tessa Evelegh and Photographs by Michelle Garrett (An exauisite books, idea well presented, original, and beautifully illustrated). A very nice gift idea it seems, but no harm making for yourself right? Feta Cheese is made from the milk of ewes, and it taste mild too. It is even poorly coloured, often white, or at the most, a slight yellow.

This is a Mediterranean recipe, often use as a light starter course or as a light summer lunch. Great as a dressing for salads, it is also great as a quick sandwich filler. It is nutritious and tasty, suitable for today's hectic lifestyle. I prefer to make this in a larger batch for quick use (suitable for someone as lazy as me...)

MAKES 5 SMALL JARS (APPROXIMATELY JAM JAR SIZE)

Ingredients

• 500g/1lb 2oz feta cheese

• 50g/2oz stuffed olives

• 10ml/2 tsp coriander seeds

• 10ml/2 tsp whole peppercorns

• 5ml/1 tsp chilli seeds

• Few sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme

• 750ml/1¼ pint/3 cups virgin olive oil (extra Virgin works well too)

1. Drain and dice the feta cheese in a bowl. Slice the olives. Crush the coriander seeds and peppercorns in a mortar and pestle. Add these to the cheese, together with the chilli seeds, and rosemary or thyme. Toss lightly.

2. Spoon the mixture into warm, dry, sterilized jars and top up with olive oil, making sure that the cheese is well covered by the oil. Seal with screw-topped or clip-down lids. The jar needs to be completely airtight to prevent the oil from becoming rancid.

3. Keep in the fridge but not in the freezer. It can store up to three weeks.

Cheese is a nice source of energy, but if you are serious about weight management, take care of its usage. Cheese is invaluable for athletes, which require a vast amount of energy. Olive oil is reputed to be a therapeutic food and one of the healthiest food there are. “Olive oil is associated with reduced incidence of colorectal cancer...” said Marcia Zimmerman in the book “Eat Your Colors”. Olive oil helps to protect the colonic membrane and in addition, high in antioxidants as well. If applied on skin, it will absorb UV light up to 16%.

Be creative, include it in any of your dishes and do tell me the result. Who knows, you might be discovering a way of health all by yourself!

Infused Oil

Okay, this post came originally from one of my new age book, ‘Everyday magic’ by Dorothy Morrison. Before, I tried infusing oil under the scorching sun and in the cool cupboard but all to no avail. Then I remember this trusty book of mine which outlined a way to infuse oil, with a slow cooker.

However, one has to ensure this; have two different slow cookers at hand. One for food grade oils and the other for non-food grade oil. This is to ensure that the oils produced are fit for its purpose.

You can determine the intensity of the smell by adding a new batch of oil after straining. However, do not heat the oil too much and three helpings of herbs in twelve hour. Always remember to let cool, then bottle and always remember to store them in a dark bottle. Also, don’t forget to label and keep them in a dark cool place. These can stores up to three months or more, depending on the quality of the base oil used.

Suitable base oil such as grapeseed oil and jojoba oil, according to the author, does not turns rancid easily. For a list of base oils, refer to my post about Base Oils. It is a very handy guide for beginners, and even an aroma therapist deemed it as useful. However, I found that sunflower oil (cold-pressed) comes in handy for quick oil fix.

However, I will outline the steps on how to produce a fine batch of oil.

1. Cut your herb of choice into smaller pieces, this is especially so if you are infusing oil with roots. I prefer to use dried herbs, to dry them, hung them upside down in a room where no sunlight can reach in and there is plenty of air circulating. Never hung them to dry out in the sun.
2. Fill the cooker with the herb.
3. Pour in enough Base Oil to cover the herbs.
4. Use the lowest setting available on your slow cooker. This is to prevent the herbs from scorching.
5. If you want to introduce a second or third helping to the oil, wait for two to three hours, strain the still hot oil, and introduce the herbs to the oil while discarding the old batch. Give the old batch a good squeeze to extract the remainder oil in them.
6. Also, stir frequently. When you remove the lid, make sure you wipe the moisture away from the lid; this is to prevent water from dripping into the oils below.
7. After twelve hours, strain the oil, let cool, and bottle. Store in a cool, dark place. This will keep for three months or more.

So there you have it, infused oil. Although it is not as strong as essential oils, I prefer to dilute it to an appropriate proportion.

Oil of Marjoram

Well, you might see this herb mentioned in some of your recipe before. I bet you sure know this herb if you cook but if you don’t, congrats. Usually, this herb is quite popularly included in soups.

Marjoram comes from the Mediterranean. It is an aromatic bush, approximately 2 feet tall. It belongs to the Labiatae family and is a perennial. Do not mistake this plant for pot marjoram though. The main usage of marjoram is as a digestive, so its frequent inclusion to soups.

The Oil of Sweet Marjoram (Origanum marjorama or Marjorana hortensis) is obtained from the dired flowers heads and leaves of the plant by steam distillations. The oil has sedative qualities and is helpful in the treatment of insomnia and stress (compare this to the effect of chamomile). However, compared to the latter, marjoram has a stronger effect it seems. To achieve this effect, a vaporizer and burner is of use here.

Marjoram is also reputed as an anaphrodisiac, an agent that reduces sexual urge. For those who are over passionate, this oil might be of help to you (Neem Leaves can be of the same usage too, but prolong usage of Neem will result in impotency as one studies suggest).

Used in massage oil, compresses, or baths, it is valuable in the treatment of arthritis, muscular and swelling. I suggest the usage of this herb neat to the affected area as a warm poultice or as a compress of the infusion.

Marjoram oil is analgesic and warming, and this means it can be of help to dysmorrhoea (painful menstruation) by applying as a hot compress to the abdominal area. In addition, marjoram oil is also an Emmenagogue, so it is used to stimulate menstruation.

The oil is also carminative and antispasmodic; it helps to expels wind from the body as well as treating stomach cramps and stomach ache when applied as hot compresses. Also, it helps in soothing bruising and relieves the pain of chilblains.

As with any other oils except for lavender oil, marjoram oil is to be diluted before using. Also, any herbal products shouldn’t be used during pregnancy unless prescribed by herbalists.