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Rosy orange-spiced cranberries
These spiced cranberries are so delicious, they may transcend your holiday meals and make it onto the table multiple times during the fall and winter like they did for me! I’ve honestly never loved cranberries so much as when following this recipe. Rosy orange-spiced cranberries Ingredients: Instructions:
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Kabocha squash pie
I LOVE pumpkin pie, but I actually think kabocha squash pie tastes better! What could be better than a dessert that is basically a vegetable dish? 🙂 I’ve been making this recipe and refining it for years. I love how it’s naturally sweet, but not over-the-top, finding the perfect balance with the spice. Granted, I am an herbalist so it is on the spiced side! You can always cut back on some of the spices if you find it to be a bit too much. Because squash sizes vary widely, you can increase or decrease any of the other ingredients of the filling as seems fit. Play with what works…
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Saffron oatmeal with rose hips, goji berries, and reishi
Recipe: herbal oatmeal with rose hips, saffron, goji berries, and reishi My partner always says that the way I make oatmeal is magical, so I thought I should share it! I really love this savory oatmeal that has just a bit of natural sweetness from the addition of medjool dates. The rose hips, saffron, goji berries, and reishi add amazing flavor and nutrients. (You can definitely mix and match these ingredients depending on what you have available.) The optional additions give it a great texture — I personally love adding all of them. Please give it a try and let me know what you think! Ingredients (for 1 serving, multiply…
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Fire Cider
Fire cider is an ages old traditional immunity boosting remedy! Not only is it beautiful, but it’s also effective and fun to make! It can be made in all kinds of different ways, but I’m happy to share my recipe. Blossomwood Botanicals’ Fire Cider Recipe Ingredients Equipment: Instructions: Look how pretty!!
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Herbal Bliss Balls: Three Beautiful Recipes for you!
Herbalism is a delicious way to bring plant magic into your everyday life. These bliss ball recipes combine nourishing superfoods with herbs and botanicals, creating snacks that are not only functional but also beautiful and flavorful. With just a touch of sweetness, these treats let the natural flavors of the ingredients shine through. (If you prefer a sweeter experience, please add more honey to suit your taste.) The Hibiscus Rose Infused Bliss Balls feature the tartness of rose and roselle, balanced with the richness of nut butter. The Elderberry and Blue Cornflower flavor blends fruity and earthy elderberry with vibrant cocoa and the beauty of blue cornflowers, while the Hazelnut…
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How to sit with a flower essence
What is a plant sit? If you’re looking for a way to connect deeply with nature, tuning into the essence of a plant might be the perfect place to start. A “plant sit” is a simple, yet powerful form of meditation with plant energy. This practice can be enlightening and healing. Flower essences work with the spiritual and emotional body. In many cases, flower essences cause energetic shifts in areas where people are stuck. They are incredible subtle, but often lead to great change. What is a flower essence? A flower essence is a vibrational remedy that is made with prayer, intention, and permission of the plant. A glass vessel…
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Plants on the Nimitz trail, April 2024, Tilden Regional Park
I recently lead an herbal plant walk on the Nimitz trail, starting at Inspiration Point in Tilden Regional Park. I took photos of all the herbal plants (and also a few toxic plants) I saw along the way. These are in order of where I saw them. Apologies that some of the photos aren’t the best. Plants in nature don’t always arrange themselves for the best portraits! These images are starting points, please look up more detailed guides for more clues and precise ID information. Please note: I’m listing some herbal actions, but not contraindications, plant parts used, or specific techniques — so there is a lot more to know…
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What is an herbalist?
Short answer: herbalists help people heal through the use of plants. As a longer answer, an herbalist might include many different things as part of their practice. Herbalism can include: What can plants help with? Way more than most people think! Remember that for 99% of human history we relied solely on plants, fungi, and minerals for our health — and we were healthier as a species, in some ways, than we are today. Specifically, plant remedies can support a range of health challenges, including: respiratory issues, digestive disorders, stress and anxiety, depression, sleep issues, skin conditions, uterine health, PMS, immune support, joint and muscle pain, prostate issues, UTIs, recovery…
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Yellow dock and blackberry roots
You can make herbal remedies from weed roots! I helped my mom clear an area of yellow dock (Rumex crispus). It’s a common weed that gardeners will recognize. It also happens to have a root that can help soften stool when someone is constipated. Before and after harvest is pictured below. Yellow dock roots on the left below, then I also pulled out blackberry roots (Rubus fruticosa), shown on the right. (Blackberry roots actually have the opposite effect — they help with loose stool and diarrhea.) 😊 Notice the yellow color on the dock roots after the first rough clean with the hose. Honey Bee is a great helper! Yellow…
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How to make a Flower Essence
A flower essence is a powerful remedy that allows us to work with the spirit of a plant. It does not contain any physical constituents of a plant, but rather is their energetic imprint. They work in a realm beyond the understanding of science, or in other words, they are pure magic. There are many ways to make flower essences, I’ll offer some ideas here, please take what resonates. I always start by trying to attune to the plant I want to work with. I get close to it. I feel the space it is in. I look very closely at its form, color, and presence. I reach out with…
