• The Benefits of Basil

    Sweet basil! Who doesn’t want to eat tons of basil during the summer time? (Although we are getting so close to fall! I can taste the cinnamon and cloves!) Pesto is one of my favorite things to eat during the summer time! Besides being ridiculously delicious it has been used medicinally throughout human history. Herbalist Juliette de Bairacli wrote in her book that Basil has an affinity for men and it was fed to the princes of France. I thought this was interesting because I know from my aromatherapy classes with Herbalist Kathi Keville that in Italy if a couple got into a fight that the lady would leave out…

  • Feel like your energy is gunky?

    This recording is for when you feel like your energy is low or has a bunch of “gunky” energy in it. Sometimes we can feel “gross” or low energy after going to an event or hanging around certain people. Listen to this recording to help clear the energy out. This recording includes Tibetan bowls, crystal bowls, tuning forks, and chimes. Bonus Points: While you listen you can picture the gunky energy flowing into the earth to be revitalized. Pro Tip:  Best to listen to via headphones or earbuds. Need a deeper energy cleanse? If you are interested in learning more how Chinese Medicine sessions can help clear you or your child’s…

  • Pause for Parsley

    One of my first memories of Parsley is being in elementary school, reenacting the Passover meal (something we did every year). During the Passover meal we would dip the parsley in salt water – an incredibly symbolic, meaningful activity.  Parsley has a very long, extensive history of being used throughout many cultures. Though today we often just think of it as a garnish for our meal. But in reality it is a highly nutritive herb that contains: Vitamin A, C, iron, calcium, magnesium, chlorophyll, and flavonoids. Historically it has been used to help with:  Energetics/Emotional Usages The energy of parsley is truly amazing. It is incredibly helpful for people who…

  • Definitely Dill When Your Tummy is Ill

    The last herbal kitchen series post I did my partner suggested lavender – there is tons and tons of information about lavender. The next one he suggested was dill. Which I was excited about because I was taught it is wonderful for infant and nursing mother health.  Surprisingly, for an herb with such a long history of medicinal use there wasn’t a ton of information out there, even though through my education it was touted. But herbs can certainly fall in and out of fashion.   Usually when people think of dill they think of pickles, potato dishes, ranch dressing, and perhaps some ham dishes. Dill was not an herb that…

  • Lovely Lavender

    Everyone loves lavender. My partner included (he loves it in the herbs de Provence). So every time I ask him which kitchen herb I should write about next he says lavender. And I would sigh and go, “nope”. Lavender is a huge topic. I could easily have lavender be one of my herbal classes. There are books upon books just about lavender. And quite frankly, it’s easier to talk about what lavender doesn’t do than what it does do.  That being said, I would argue that all herbs do way more than we can imagine. However, people loooovvee lavender. And that love and popularity has made it so that as…

  • Add some pep to your step with Black Pepper

    Everyone has heard of black pepper, it graces pretty much every eating establishment in America. Including the tables of people who claim they don’t use herbs in their cooking. Black pepper is one of the oldest recorded herbs used, so perhaps its long history in human history has allowed it to wiggle its way into the hearts of even the most stubborn-I-do-not-like-herbs-in-my-food humans. While those humans just think of it as something to shake on to their food to add flavor there are tons of other things our ancestors used black pepper for throughout history.  But first, let’s talk about herbal stimulants. Black Pepper is considered a stimulant in the…

  • The Secret Life of Cardamom

    I loooovee cardamom – I am currently drinking it as I write this (along with some other herbs) but I also love it in my oatmeal, chai, hot chocolate, cookies, and most recently I have been putting it on top of my homemade pudding!  Cardamom is so wonderful. The footnote version of this herb is: if you have digestive issues, have a lot of mucus you need to expel, or want to spice up your love life, cardamom might be your new favorite spice and tea herb!   But here is a little bit more info you might not know about cardamom.  Fun Facts: Cardamom has been used extensively throughout history…

  • What’s in your kitchen cabinet? Cumin!

    Last week I shared via a newsletter and Instagram that I am taking Steph Dodd’s Creative Abundance course. I was reflecting on some of the questions Steph asked before the course and had an inspiration hit: I want to do a Kitchen Cabinet Herb series!  And here we are.  Most likely you use culinary herbs to make your recipes delicious. Our ancestors, of course, also used them to create deliciousness. But they also used them medicinally by changing the quantity of the herb they were using. I chose cumin for this week. Probably because I was in Beers Books a couple of weekends ago (a Sacramento staple for those not…