Simple Food

How to Make Herbal Infused Honey – Flavorful, Medicinal

7:59 am by Seeking Joyful Simplicity 17 Comments

Sweet, delicious honey. Herbal infused honey is a delightful way to enjoy the many health benefits of herbs and raw honey. Let me show you how easy it is to make herbal infused honey and some of my favorite herbal infused honey combinations for both health and flavor.

The content on this site may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. SeekingJoyfulSimplicity.com is a participant in the Amazon Services Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Thank you for you for supporting Seeking Joyful Simplicity. ~ Michelle

Why Make Herbal Infused Honey?

Using raw honey, we are combining the power of herbal medicines with the health benefits and flavor of honey. Honey is a beautiful way to preserve the flavor, aroma, and medicinal properties of herbs. Here are some of the many ways we can use herbal infused honey:

We can create soothing herbal honeys for coughs and sore throats
Combining herbs with honey is a great way to deliver herbal medicine to children and adults who may not otherwise take herbs (avoid raw honey in children under 1 year of age)
Raw local honey is antimicrobial
Making herbal honey is super easy
Herbal honeys taste great!

Combining honey and herbs is the easiest way to make effective and great-tasting herbal medicine. But herbal honeys don’t have to be only about medicinal properties. Herbal honeys are delicious and beautiful and can be used in a variety of ways.

How to Make Herbal Infused Honey

Fresh or dried herbs can be used. If using fresh, wash, dry, and allow the plant to wilt to eliminate excessive moisture which can lead to mold
Fill a clean jar 1/3 full of your herb (more or less depending on the strength of the flavor you want)
Fill the jar to the top with honey. Stir the contents to remove air bubbles, cover, and allow to sit for at least a week. Every day or so, flip the jar over to keep the herbs covered in honey
After a week, you can begin enjoying your infused honey

How can we use our herbal honeys? They can be set aside and used for medicine when needed. Each fall I make a medicinal honey combining antimicrobial garlic, sage, and ginger and this has been a wonderful way to shorten the duration of a cold.

Herbal honeys can also be used daily for health and flavor, or saved for special treats. Here are some suggestions for enjoying your herbal honeys.

Ways to Use Herbal Infused Honey

Drizzled on fresh bread
Added to teas
Taken by the spoonful for medicine (See Simple Foods for Colds)
Used in baked goods for added flavor
Drizzled on yogurt
Added to granola
Topping for ice-cream
Given as gifts

What kind of honey combinations can we make? Medicinal combinations might include hyssop and sage for respiratory relief, or garlic and ginger to fight the cold and flu viruses. Or you can create colorful and flavorful combinations to enjoy or give as gifts. Here are a few ideas to consider.

Suggested Herbal Honey Combinations

Lemon Balm Honey – lemon balm is a lovely mood-booster with a delightful lemon flavor.
Rose Petals Honey – pleasant and beautiful, this would make a lovely gift.
Lavender Flower Honey – calming, lavender honey helps us to relax.
Peppermint Leaf Honey – peppermint is refreshing and stimulating.
Tulsi Holy Basil Honey – Tulsi brings clarity and focus, while relaxing us.
Rosemary Honey – calming and mood boosting.
Hibiscus Flowers Honey – cooling, tart, and adds gorgeous color.
Elder Flower or Elder Berry Honey – immune boosting benefits.

I do hope you give herbal honeys a try. So easy, healing, and delicious!

In good health,
~ Michelle

Easy Fermented Garlic and 5 Recipes

11:32 am by Seeking Joyful Simplicity 11 Comments

The humble garlic offers powerful health benefits including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties to combat colds and flu, and much more. Fermenting garlic adds healthy probiotics and offers even greater protective benefits. Making fermented garlic is really simple and here are five easy and delicious recipes for using your homemade, probiotic-rich garlic

Garlic – Delicious Medicine

Health benefits of garlic:

Stimulates the immune system
Anti-inflammatory
Thins mucous
Lowers cholesterol
Strong Antibacterial and Antiviral properties
Garlic has powerful anticancer properties

Garlic truly is a powerful super-food.

Fermented Foods – Health Benefits Go Beyond the Gut

What is fermentation? Fermented foods are foods that have been through a process where natural bacteria feed on the sugar and starch in the food creating lactic acid (lactofermentation). This process preserves the food, and creates beneficial enzymes, as well as adding probiotics.

Historically, diets worldwide were rich in fermented foods – a process that occurred naturally and was used as a method of preservation. Today, our foods are produced and shipped long distances, and sterilization methods are used to keep foods safe. Unfortunately, we now consume sterile foods and we are suffering the consequences of eliminating natural sources of probiotics from our diets.

Health Benefits of Fermented Foods:

improved digestion and nutrient absorption
increased nutrient synthesis (like vitamin K)
improving symptoms of depression
reducing inflammation
strengthening the immune system
preventing pathogens from colonizing the digestive tract
a protective role in metabolic diseases, including diabetes and obesity

Directions – Easy to Make Fermented Garlic

Ingredients/Equipment:
Garlic
Sea salt
Water (filtered)
Glass jar
Plastic Bag

Directions:

Peel your garlic cloves and place in a glass jar
Mix 1 Tablespoon sea salt to 1 cup of water. This forms the brine.
Make enough brine to cover the garlic. Use the plastic bag filled with the sea salt brine to weigh down the garlic so it remains beneath the brine.
Ferment 1-4 weeks then cap and refrigerate. It will continue to ferment in the refrigerator, but slowly. Can be used as food and medicine.

What are some ways to use this wonderful fermented garlic?

Using fermented garlic in recipes that don’t require heat which destroys the probiotics is the best way to take advantage of your fermented garlic.

Here are my favorite fermented garlic recipes:

Garlic Butter

1/2 c. butter, softened
2 – 3 cloves of fermented garlic, pressed
sea salt and pepper, to taste

Combine ingredients and enjoy!

Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella Salad with Fermented Garlic

Combine quartered tomatoes, basil leaves, chunks of mozzarella, olive oil, and garlic cloves. Great served on bread or whole grain crackers.

Garlic Salad Dressing

2 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice, or a good quality vinegar
1/3 c. olive oil
1/2 t. sea salt
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. basil
2 cloves fermented garlic, pressed

Combine and enjoy!

Hummus Recipe

Homemade hummus is so easy and so versatile. Here is a basic recipe, but you can get endlessly creative.

2 garlic cloves, mashed and roughly chopped
2 15-oz cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
2/3 cup of tahini
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Combine in a food processor and enjoy!

Easy Pumpkin Seed Cilantro Pesto
*See full post on Pumpkin Seed Pesto HERE

Ingredients

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
2 cups cilantro leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 clove minced fermented garlic

Instructions

Infuse the cumin and coriander in the olive oil on low/medium heat for about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and allow to cool, then add your minced garlic.
Add pumpkin seeds and cilantro leaves to blender or food processor and pulse a few times.
While blending the cilantro and pumpkin seeds, slowly add your olive oil, pausing to scrape down the sides.

Uses:
Serve on bread, pita chips, as a dip for vegetables, on grilled fish, on pasta, and mixed with cooked vegetables.

Fermented Garlic As Medicine

I sometimes take a clove of fermented garlic when I feel the first symptoms of a cold coming on. Combined with raw honey, fermented garlic is excellent at stopping or shortening the common cold. You can read more about the health benefits of garlic in Simple Foods for Cold and Flu.

These 4 Simple Foods Fight Cold and Flu – Sage, Ginger, Garlic and Honey

In Health,
~ Michelle

How to Stop Stress Eating Breaking the Pattern

11:21 am by Seeking Joyful Simplicity Leave a Comment

How to Stop Comfort Eating and Stress Eating

The Shame. Guilt. Disappointment.

Stress eating. Comfort eating.

I know what emotional eating is like – coming home, feeling stressed and anxious and having an overwhelming urge to eat. Heading straight to the kitchen and reaching for the familiar favorite comfort foods.

It felt like I was eating on autopilot, barely pausing between mouth-fulls. There was no sense of fullness or satisfaction, although the eating did make me feel better in the moment.

Knowing I should stop, but not wanting to. The thoughts of, “Well, I blew it, so I might as well just keep on eating.” Planning to do better tomorrow, there was always tomorrow. But knowing in the back of my mind I’d probably fail again. I knew I didn’t want to feel this way about myself, but I also didn’t know how to stop stress eating.

Then, after, feeling a little sick at how much junk I had eaten. The shame and sense of disappointment. Emotional eating caused more of the negative feelings I was trying to deal with.

It was a vicious cycle.

But I broke free, and if you struggle, I know you can too.

So how do we change this destructive pattern? How do we stop stress eating?

It starts with self-compassion. Understanding that there are things we are struggling with, and we are doing the best we can.

We also need awareness – awareness to understand our triggers, and an open willingness and curiosity to experiment to find healthy alternatives.

If we want to break the pattern of stress eating, comfort eating, instead of just trying to stop, we need strategies – some will work better than others, depending on the day, the circumstances, and our mood.

The first thing I want you to do is to think about your triggers – the where and the when.

Second, make a list of possible alternative actions that will deliver a reward, without sabotaging your health and well-being. Being mindful, having a plan, and then taking new action.

Third – be compassionate when you find yourself struggling. And remind yourself that it will pass – I think, for many of us, there is the fear that we won’t be able to feel centered and in control again, that the cravings will just go on and on, and we will end up returning to poor eating patterns.

Pay attention to your triggers – and have a plan for alternative ways you can cope.

If you are depressed or lonely, call, text, or make plans with someone.
If you’re anxious, expend your nervous energy by dancing to your favorite song, squeezing a stress ball, or taking a brisk walk.
If you’re exhausted, treat yourself with a hot cup of tea, take a bath, light some scented candles, or wrap yourself in a warm blanket.
Take a brief walk
Read something inspiring (you could write your own positive mantra or affirmation and store it on your phone or keep it in your wallet, or wherever you can have access when you need it.
Watch a funny video or read some silly jokes online – laughter is a great stress-reliever.
Practice deep breathing. Inhale slowly to the count of four – pause – then exhale slowly to the count of four. Repeat four times.

Pause and check in with yourself when you feel the urge to comfort eat. Can you put off eating for 5 minutes?

While you are waiting, check in with yourself – how are you feeling? What do you really need right now? What would truly feel nourishing – mentally, physically, emotionally?

If you find yourself comfort eating, slow down and really pay attention to your food – the taste, texture, colors. Put the fork down between bites, and aim to chew food at least 15-30 times. Bringing more mindfulness to eating helps us receive more pleasure, feel more satisfied, and feel fuller sooner.

And finally, I want you to know you are definitely not alone in this. So, so many people struggle with this. Instead of hiding in shame, let’s talk about it and support each other.

What’s your biggest trigger for stress eating?

What are some ideas you have to change this pattern?
Let me know in the comments, or join the Seeking Joyful Simplicity Facebook Group for more ideas and support for living with Vibrant Health.
~ Michelle

7 Things to Do With Basil Beyond Pesto

8:02 am by Seeking Joyful Simplicity 26 Comments

Every year I tell myself – plant less basil. But then spring rolls around and I think I can’t possibly have too much fresh basil, can I? And so the seeds get planted and my excitement rises as I pinch my first fresh leaves. Oh, the aroma of fresh basil! The plants start slow, but by July I just can’t keep up. What to do with all the basil?!

Whether you buy basil at the grocery store, farmer’s market, grow it in pots or in a garden, fresh basil is a culinary delight and so very versatile. Not just for pesto and pasta, there are an amazing variety of basil recipes to explore. Let’s talk about how to use fresh basil.

Varieties

There are over 60 varieties of basil plants. The world of basils offers a great diversity of flavors, aromas, and uses. Here are just a few examples.

Sweet Basils:

Genovese – large leaf type, typical that most people use
Medinette – great for pots and slow to bolt
Pistou – small bush type with uniform leaves and a sweet flavor

Purple Basils:

Dark Opal Basil – excellent seasoning and makes a lovely pink vinegar
Rubin Basil – purple with good flavor
Purple Ruffles Basil – like its name, this purple basil has ruffled leaves

Flavored Basils:

Lime Basil – lime scented
Lemon Basil – lemon fragrance makes a lovely tea
Cinnamon Basil – hint of cinnamon and good insect deterrent
Thai Basil – slight anise flavor
Blue Spice Basil – has a vanilla overtone

Holy Basil – Ocimum sanctum is a sacred basil of India and is associated with the goddess Tulasi. The aroma and flavor of Holy Basil is complex and has elements of cinnamon and clove as well as an underlying sweet aroma/flavor. Medicinally, Holy Basil is an adaptogen and is healing for those suffering from chronic, debilitating stress. It makes a wonderfully soothing tea and is part of my nourishing herbal infusion.

Growing Basil

Basil is native to tropical and subtropical areas and loves sun and heat. While it requires a lot of water, it does best with well-drained soil. Basil is great started from seeds and cuttings. Frequent pruning will keep basil from flowering and losing its flavor. The more you harvest, the bushier you plant will become.

Tips on Growing and Harvesting:

Keep your basil productive and avoid flowering by taking frequent cuttings
When your plant is about 6 inches tall, cut off the top cluster of leaves
Pinch or take cuttings at a leaf node (joint in the stem)
New branches will grow from the node
Once the plant reaches 18 inches tall, cut the entire plant back by two-thirds

Preserving Basil

There are many ways to preserve your basil for year-round enjoyment.

Drying

Hang drying – bundle 3-5 cut stems with a rubber band and hang in a well-ventilated room, away from direct sunlight
Screen drying – leaves can be stripped from the stems and laid on a screen to dry
Drying takes about 5-10 days. Store the crisp leaves in an air-tight container. It’s best to store whole leaves to keep the flavor.
Shelf-life of dried leaves is about one year (loses flavor over time)

Freezing

Basil leaves will turn black when frozen, but do retain their flavor and aroma. This method is best for storing basil to be cooked in soups and sauces.

Basil can be frozen in olive oil to preserve its color, and one great idea is to freeze basil and olive oil in ice-cube trays for recipe-sized portions.

How to Use Fresh Basil – Seven Basil Recipes

Basil is commonly used in pesto, combined with tomatoes, and included in sauce and soup recipes. But what else can you do with the amazing basil? Here are seven unique ways to enjoy the flavor of fresh basil this summer:

Basil Vinegar
Basil Butter
Basil Mayonnaise
Creamy Basil Dressing
Basil Syrup
Basil Lime Fizz
Basil and Herb Seasoned Salt

Basil Vinegar

Adding fresh basil to vinegar is a great way to enjoy your summer basil year-round. The basil vinegar is delicious added to salads, salad dressings, and marinades.

Fill a sterilized jar ¾ full with basil and cover with your choice of vinegar. Cap and let the flavor infuse for 3-4 weeks. Strain the vinegar and use as needed. The flavor will last for over a year. If you want an attractive pink vinegar, combine a white vinegar with the Opal Basil. Makes a nice gift!

Basil Butter

This is a great savory butter to use on breads, potatoes, fish, or pasta. The butter will last for weeks in the refrigerator, or months in the freezer.

4 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 cloves of minced garlic
½ cup of softened butter
ground pepper to taste
drizzle of olive oil (optional)

Combine all ingredients by hand or in food processor and store chilled until ready to use.

Basil Mayonnaise

Basil mayonnaise is great on sandwiches or anywhere you would flavor with mayonnaise. Simply combine ½ cup of mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of fresh basil chopped fine, and 1 clove of minced garlic. Adding a pinch of cayenne pepper would make a nice spicy mayonnaise.

Creamy Basil Dressing

This dressing is delicious! Goes well on tomatoes, salads, and as a snack dip for vegetables and crackers. All the ingredients are combined in the food processor until smooth – quick and easy!

Makes 2 cups
½ cup firmly packed basil leaves
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
3 green onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 tbsp. chopped tarragon
2 tbsp. chopped chives
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. dry mustard
freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth and keep chilled until ready to serve.

Basil Syrup

This syrup, especially if made with lemon basil, can be used to add a unique flavor to desserts and beverages. Although it seems like a lot of sugar, the syrup is only used in very small amounts to add flavoring to recipes and beverages, so the overall sugar consumed is actually very small. This is the first ingredient for the refreshing Basil Lime Fizz recipe. Store the syrup refrigerated for two weeks and in the freezer for months.

1 – 1 ½ cup basil leaves
½ cup white sugar
½ cup water
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Blanch the basil leaves by dipping them into a small pot of boiling water for 10 seconds, followed by dropping them into ice water. Drain and gently squeeze out the excess water from the leaves.

Puree the blanched basil in a blender with the sugar, water, and baking soda until you have a dark green liquid (about 30 seconds). Pour the syrup through a fine strainer.

Basil Lime Fizz

2 tablespoons of basil syrup (recipe above)
2 tablespoons of lime juice
Chilled sparkling water or club soda

Pour the 2 tablespoons of basil syrup and lime juice into a glass, and fill about 2/3 full with ice. Add sparkling water and stir.

Basil Salt

Making basil salt is both useful for adding flavor to recipes, and is an effective way to dry the leaves for later use.

In a wide-mouth glass jar, alternate layers of sea salt and whole basil leaves. Cover and store in a cool, dark place for at least two weeks. When ready to use, break up any lumps in the salt (from the absorbed moisture) and carefully remove the basil leaves.

Do you grow basil?
What are your favorite ways of using fresh basil?

~ In Health,
Michelle

Carole at Garden Up Green has great information on growing Basil and Saving Seeds.

Chickweed Recipe – Chickweed Pesto

8:04 am by Seeking Joyful Simplicity 10 Comments

Chickweed is a great-tasting weed that offers plenty of flavor and nutrition. Making chickweed pesto is a great way to enjoy this early spring weed.

Chickweed – A Simple Nourishing Weed

Traditional cultures looked forward to taking in the fresh green plants erupting in the early spring. After a winter of heavy foods and root vegetables, many of the earliest greens provided much-needed nutrients and today we have scientific insights into their immune-boosting and cleansing properties. Most of the nourishing early spring greens are currently regarded as weeds, and we can often find them in our own backyards.

Today I want to share a favorite weed – Stellaria media, commonly known as Chickweed. Chickweed is the first herb plant my youngest daughter learned to use. At age three, we had just identified a large batch of chickweed growing in a shady patch at the meeting place for our weekly home school cooperative. Minutes later, my daughter fell and skinned her knees. I gently picked her up and placed her on the picnic table, talking to her in my soothing mother voice as she tried to hide her tears from her friends. She promptly hopped down, quietly picked and chewed some chickweed, and made herself a nice little spit poultice to place over her bleeding knees. No more owies.

Chickweed Nutrition

Chickweed is great medicine for owies, but is also very nutritive. Chickweed is high in vitamin C and iron, and the B-complex vitamins.

The taste is somewhat like cucumber, with the same cooling properties. Chickweed is great added to salads, similar in texture to fresh sprouts. It can be chopped small and added to eggs and other dishes as a fresh garnish.

Although chickweed grows year-round in my home state of Virginia, I find the best flavor and growth is in the spring time, just as it is forming flower buds. One way to enjoy and preserve this abundant herb is to make pesto, which can be frozen.

Identifying Chickweed

Small ground-hugging, green herb with heavily branching stems, chickweed typically grows in patches and prefers shady spots. You can find a single line of “hairs” on one side of the stem which switches with the other side of the stem after each leaf node. Leaves are opposite on the stem joint and the flowers are white and delicate.

Simple Chickweed Pesto

This pesto stays bright green, even after freezing!

2 cups fresh chickweed
2 cloves garlic
1/2 – 1 cup olive oil
1 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup walnuts

Place all in a blender

I like to freeze these in small batches in 4-oz jelly jars. Another idea is to freeze in ice-cube trays, then remove and store in a freezer bag.

If you enjoy using herbs as food, you might enjoy this Lemon Balm Recipe – Lemon Balm Cookies. They’re sweet with a touch of lemon!

Corina at Marblemount Homestead has a Delicious and Nourishing Nettle Pesto Recipe, and she shares why Nettle is great food and medicine! – Nettle Pesto

Simple Hearty Winter Breakfast – Crockpot Barley with Apple

2:41 am by Seeking Joyful Simplicity 15 Comments

If we are forced to drag ourselves from bed, especially on a cold and dark winter morning, wouldn’t it be nice to rise to the smell of apples and cinnamon? Entering the kitchen with a wholesome, healthy, tasty meal all ready to warm and energize you for the day ahead? This simple hearty winter breakfast with barley and apple might be the recipe for you. Simply toss everything into the Crockpot the night before and wake up to the delicious aroma of apple and cinnamon.

I admit to being a morning person. There is something about early mornings, the slanting light of the sunrise, and the feeling of optimism. Well, OK, not every day is like that, there are mornings where all I want is to pull the covers over my head. But this recipe is a great way to enjoy waking up.

The content on this site may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. SeekingJoyfulSimplicity.com is a participant in the Amazon Services Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Thank you for you for supporting Seeking Joyful Simplicity. ~ Michelle

With a chewy texture and nutty flavor, barley doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Barley is actually one of the oldest consumed grains in the world. It was a staple grain for peasants during medieval times for centuries and today is still included in the diet of many European, African, and Middle Eastern nations.

Barley provides a range of important vitamins and minerals including fiber, selenium, B vitamins, copper, chromium, phosphorus, magnesium, niacin, and more.

Crockpot Barley and Apple Breakfast

Click here for PDF recipe to print: Simple Hearty Winter Breakfast
Ingredients:
2 cups hulled barley
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cardamom (optional)
10 cups water
1 ½ cup raisins
2 apples or pears, cored, peeled and chopped

Directions:
Place all the ingredients in the Crockpot and cook on low for about 8 hours. I enjoy topped with nuts and milk.

I hope you are enjoying your season,
~ Michelle

Simple Food

Why Make Herbal Infused Honey?

How to Make Herbal Infused Honey

Ways to Use Herbal Infused Honey

Suggested Herbal Honey Combinations

In good health, ~ Michelle

Garlic – Delicious Medicine

Fermented Foods – Health Benefits Go Beyond the Gut

Directions – Easy to Make Fermented Garlic

Here are my favorite fermented garlic recipes:

Fermented Garlic As Medicine

How to Stop Comfort Eating and Stress Eating

Varieties

Growing Basil

Preserving Basil

How to Use Fresh Basil – Seven Basil Recipes

Basil Vinegar

Basil Butter

Basil Mayonnaise

Creamy Basil Dressing

Basil Syrup

Basil Lime Fizz

Basil Salt

Carole at Garden Up Green has great information on growing Basil and Saving Seeds.

Chickweed – A Simple Nourishing Weed

Chickweed Nutrition

Identifying Chickweed

Simple Chickweed Pesto

Crockpot Barley and Apple Breakfast

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In good health,
~ Michelle