If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know how very much I LOVE using violets. Not only are the flowers so pretty to look at each spring, the entire plant is edible and is helpful in a variety of ways. In my last post that referenced violets: Violet Leaf Balm, I mentioned…
We’ve really been enjoying Papa B’s honey from next door lately! Today, I made three kinds of honey nut brittle to tuck away in the freezer for when the urge for a sweet treat hits. The idea for this recipe came from “Macadamia Nut Brittle” in the cookbook: Eat Well Feel Well by Kendall Conrad….
For a few years, my son could only have honey as a sweetener, which meant store-bought candy was out of the question. (This was on the advice of his pediatrician who placed him on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet because he had non-responsive celiac disease and was a very sick little boy. The diet worked wonders…
This rich face cream contains an assortment of flowers and herbs, along with precious blue chamomile essential oil – which contains a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, chamazulene. It’s most suited for dry and/or mature skin types. Before starting, make sure to sterilize all utensils, bowls, beaters, and jars – I use the sanitize cycle on my…
Although violet blossoms are long gone from our area, the leaves have persisted in spite of the dry, hot weather and can still be found flourishing in shady spots around my house. I’ve touched on it before, but wanted to highlight today just how beneficial those violet leaves can be. Violet leaf is a wonderful…
When I first found out my son had to go gluten-free and had a pile of food sensitivies to boot, a friend-of-a-friend who had been down that road before, loaned me a great allergy cookbook that focused on using a rotation diet to keep from developing further food allergies. The name of both book and…
We are in the midst of a power outage, here where we live; and it will likely be a week before electricity is restored. (Update: we were without power for 11 days!) For us, no power means no water. Couple that with 100 degree weather and you can see where that could quickly become a…
For the past few weeks, I’ve been experimenting with lavender vinegar and must say, I love it as much as rose petal vinegar! Directions to Make Gather lavender, rub the buds off into a jar, then cover with vinegar. Immediately cap to keep the vapors in. Store in a dark cabinet for a few weeks,…
DIY Herbal Basting Brushes are so easy to make and add such a subtle flavor that you’ll never want to buy a basting brush again! I do not currently own a basting brush. I have owned them, plenty of them, but they get all oily and are hard to clean and I end up tossing…
I’ve discussed various ways of preserving and using roses, but for my final post on the topic this season, I want to highlight how to capture the physical and emotional benefits of the rose using the easy-to-take, alcohol-free medium of vegetable glycerine. Rose Glycerite acts as a mild nervine, calming anxiety and jitteryness. Many people…
Combine whiskey, lemon, honey, and roses to make a tasty and effective remedy for coughs! A few days ago, one of my nieces brought a beautiful rose back from her grandfather’s house and presented it to my brother. He made a joke to her about giving it to me so I could make something from…
These DIY rose & peppermint candy drops are made with fresh roses & lemon slices. They’re perfect for soothing a sore throat or to just enjoy as a sweet treat! These yummy peppermint drops were inspired by a recipe for Herbal Candy Drops contained in A Kid’s Herb Book, written by Lesley Tierra. It’s an…
This stunningly beautiful rose petal vinegar is super easy to make and has tons of great uses! It will keep for at least a year, though the color is most brilliant during the first few months. If you have an abundance of roses and want to preserve some of that beauty – try making rose…
Sweetened only with honey and free from any type of grain, this grain free lemon meringue pie was a mainstay treat for my son when he was on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet for two years. My kids actually prefer this without a crust, so I rarely make it with one unless it’s for show. (Or…
Learn how to turn violet flowers into homemade jelly with a delicious grape-like taste! While researching violets several years ago, I found references to homemade violet jelly. It looked beautiful, but I wondered… would it taste like you were eating a mouthful of flowers? That didn’t sound all that appealing to me. Regardless, I decided…
