Spring Seasonal Herbal Baskets from Blue Turtle Botanicals - available for Pre-Order Now

Just in time for Spring rejuvenation and the increase in activity that spring brings to our lives- a package to support you in moving through the transition from winter to spring, and to carry you through the entire season.   Darcey Blue is accepting pre-orders for a Spring Season Herbal Basket- which includes tea, tinctures, salve, flower essences and more!  These products are handcrafted with organic and wildcrafted herbs, and super fresh as each basket is made to order!  The herbs will come in a decorative gift basket, perfect for showcasing the herbal potions as a gift, or great for storage of your medicines while you use them throughout the season. The baskets will be shipped on April 15, 2012, and will include an informational card about the plants in the products, and recommendations for how to use each item- along with a practice and a recipe for tuning in with and supporting yourself in spring changes! 

There are a limited quantity of these unique seasonal baskets available during each season-reserve yours early! 

PRE-ORDER your basket today!

Viriditas Tea - 2 oz loose leaf tea

Mineral and vitamin rich greens, roots and fruits.  Perfect for infusions daily to nourish, support and green up your body!

Liver Love Tincture – 1 oz

Protect and support healthy liver function to encourage proper digestion, elimination, hormone clearance and healthy flow of blood and vital energy in the body. 

Vital Force Elixir – 1 oz

Replenish, rejuvenate and revive your body- supports the adrenals and endocrine system for healthy stress response, quality sleep, and hormone balance.  Supports healthy happy peaceful mind and balanced energy all day long. 

Salt of the Earth Tonic - 4 oz

A deeply nourishing vinegar based tonic infused with most mineral rich herbs available- including nettles and seaweed!  Rounded out with the mineral boost of blackstrap molasses!

Chaparral Salve – 1 oz

A tried and true favorite - chaparral salve is made from the fragrant and potent leaves, blossoms and twigs of the desert shrub, Larrea tridentata, olive oil and desert sunshine.  This potent healer is excellent on cuts and scrapes, rashes, wounds, burns, bites, stings, acne, cold sores/herpes, fungal skin issues, sun damage, growths.

Spring Transitions Flower Essence - ½ oz essence

A blend of flower and tree essences to ease, guide and carry you through the spring changes and challenges.  Perfect addition to your daily infusion, water or bath in times of spring upheaval or change. 

All this for just $99, including priority shipping right to your door by April 15,  2012!

Also, keep your eyes peeled for the pre-order announcement for Summer,  Fall and Winter baskets later this year!  Each season’s basket will be unique and seasonally timed with appropriate herbs and products to support your health and vitality! 

Questions about ingredients should be sent to Darcey Blue- shamana.flora@gmail.com 

PRE-ORDER your basket!  

Soup Hugs, Tea Kisses

Leap Day Newsletter for you! 

Sausage - Collard - Astragalus Soup Recipe

and 

Herbal Tea Remedy for Pink Eye

Enjoy! 

Tulsi Tree Respiratory Rescue Balm

Its that time when nasty respiratory junk is going around.  Here is a quick recipe for a wonderful respiratory chest balm that I've made for folks with cold, stagnant, congested lungs that need stimulating to move the gunk out! I find it is best if used while taking demulcent teas like marshmallow, linden, mulberry leaf, sassafras leaf, or licorice root to keep things fluid and easy to expectorate.

Infused oils of:

1 pt Pine resin

2 pt Tulsi basil

1 pt Ginger root

1 pt Frankinsence

1 pt Myhrr

1/2 pt Lobelia

Beeswax: I use a ratio of about 1 pt wax to 8 pts oils 1:8.  You may wish to use more if you want a harder salve. 

Essential oils of :

Peppermint

Ginger

Tulsi basil

The Answer to my Prayers: Primal, Savory, Hearty Nut Loaf

Damn good. Nut Loaf.
Been dreaming about it for a few weeks....and as it goes, need is the mother of invention- or a hungry belly.  My fridge is down to hummus, eggs and nuts...and preserved lemons.  But I'd purchased the makings for this loaf a few weeks ago.  

So- to work I got- and out came a hearty, savory, sweet, firm, chewy loaf- takes to hummus quite well...or your own toppings of choice- butter, nut butter, cheese and apples, sausage and brie- or what have you.
Its grain free- gluten free- dairy free- primal friendly- and very adaptable to your tastes.

Recipe for Darcey Blue's Savory Nut Loaf


2 c almond meal
2 c toasted walnuts
1.5 c toasted pecans
1/2 c dried fruit (cranberry, sultanas, raisins, apricots, even sun dried tomatoes should you choose)
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 c olive oil (or butter, or coconut oil)
lemon zest (or try orange zest)
4 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp water


toast your nuts, and cool.  pulse coarsely in your food processor or blender- not to powder, just to small chunks.
Mix almond meal, nuts, fruit, salt, baking powder, and zest together in a large bowl.  Beat eggs, oil and water together, and fold into the nut mixture.  


Pour into your greased loaf pan, and bake at 375 degrees F for ~ 35 min.  Let rest and cool for an hour or so before slicing into the loaf.

Store in the fridge, unsliced. Slice off a thick slab as needed to go with soup, hummus, fruit and cheese or what have you. Its great plain too.

other options- add pepitas and pine nuts, or acorns, or dried apricots, or sundried tomatoes, or olives, or cinnamon and clove, or rosemary and lemon peel and black pepper ..or ...or... the possibilities are endless....

perfect to serve with  little tea.


Interested in finding out more about delicious, nourishing foods, herbal medicines, nature connection, opportunities for herbal/nourishment mentorship or creating a personalized natural wellness program with Darcey Blue- be sure to sign up for my newsletter- where you get all the details first, and specials just for newsletter subscribers!

Ashwaganda -Tasty Every Day Restorative Formulas

Ashwaganda (Withania somnifera) is by far one of the top herbs I have come to rely on in my work as a community clinical herbalist.  I generally look very closely at an individuals health history, constitution and long term health goals before suggesting any herb or practice, but time and time again, I have found so many  people, men and women of all ages, who immensely benefit from the rejuvenative and restorative properties of this root medicine.  Ashwaganda comes to us from the Ayurvedic tradition in India where it is known as a "rasayana" or that which restores, transforms, conserves and revitalizes energy of the body.  

In today's busy world how many of go walking around exhausted, half asleep, mentally foggy, in a constant state of adrenal stress, with sleep debt and often times not even on enough food/fuel.  I've seen numerous clients and friends in this state, and even myself more often than not- so busy they can't find time to eat, stay up late to finish work, drive long distances under stress, have too many responsibilities and tasks to accomplish and too little help, feel exhausted, drained, experience a loss of libido, sleep poorly, and have stressful and extreme mood swings.  Something is wrong with this picture.  This isn't living.  

First off, lifestyle changes and practices for managing stress, getting more sleep, eating properly all must be implemented to see positive and healthy changes in life.  For me lately, that is looking like taking a real hard, long look at exactly what I am capable of myself as one person, setting myself very specific time limits on work hours, making regular dates with friends to get outside, hike, or camp, taking regular walks and yoga breaks,  and asking for more help.  Each of us as individuals have to go through the processes of shifting our life-long habits that do not serve us or promote health and vitality, sometimes its often just a matter of learning a different way of doing things.

But on top of these sorts of changes, which are absolutely essential, during the process of making changes, and moving through transitions and challenging times- I have found this Ashwaganda to be an indespensible ally to many many people, myself included.  It supports people in evening out mood swings, restoring libido and sexual vitality, improves sleep quality, provides balanced energy throughout the day, without being overstimulating, provides nourishment to the blood (ashwaganda is extremely rich in iron) and the HPA axis  (hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis- i.e. the endocrine system).  People begin to notice effects when they start taking ashwaganda almost immediately, within a week or two.  But the best results continue to show up as they continue taking ashwaganda for 3 - 6 months, or even longer.  Consistenly people come back to me to tell me how much ashwaganda helps them.

Most commonly people are using the tincture of the root, or occasionally buying standarized capsules in a health food store, but I'd like to share the ways I like to use Ashwaganda myself and with my clients that don't involve taking a tincture!     These are very nourishing and delicious ways to take ashwaganda, which isn't really the yummiest of herbs on its own.

Ashwaganda & Cinnamon Infused Milk
This is the most common way I reccommend Ashwaganda to people, and is truly a delight to enjoy!  Ashwaganda was traditionally given in milk and so I like to use this method- using what has worked for hundreds if not thousands of years.

1 tsp ashwaganda powder
dash of cinnamon to taste
1 cardamom pod, cracked
8-10 oz milk (dairy, goat, almond, coconut)
1 tbsp honey
1 pinch of sea salt
1 tsp ghee or coconut oil
1 tbsp rose gulkand, or dried roses ( alternatively 1 tsp rose water)  (OPTIONAL)

Warm the milk to just bubbling at the edges and add powders, herbs, oil and salt and mix thouroughly.  Reduce heat and warm 3-5 min longer.  Remove from heat, add honey, and whisk the whole pot vigourously until oil and honey are incorporated.

Serve hot and drink the roses, ashwaganda and cinnamon powder down with the milk.  This is an excellent preparation for your morning wake up drink, after making love/sex, for an afternoon pick me up, or any time you need extra nourishment and sweetness. I suggest once or twice a day.  If only, once you might wish to up the ashwaganda to 2 tsp.

Ashwaganda Electuary
1 pt Ashwaganda powder
1/8 pt cardamom seed powder
1/3 pt citrus peel powder (orange is my favorite)
2 pt Honey
(1/2 - 1 pt cacao powder) - optional

Mix powders together in a bowl and mix with enough honey to make a thick jam like paste.  It will thicken with time, so err on the side of runny.  Place this into a jar with a lid and store.  You can take this electuary by the spoonful, mix into tea, mix into smoothies, spread on toast, breakfast cereal, rice or in stewed fruit. Take 1 - 3 tsp daily.

Ashwaganda Syrup
1 cup ashwaganda root, dried pieces
1.5 qts water
1 pinch sea salt
2 cups honey or sugar
2- 4 oz brandy or ashwaganda tincture (optional)

Simmer and cook ashwaganda root in water for about an hour.  You want to simmer, not boil to death, but also evaporate some of the liquid as you are simmering, until you have about 16 oz of ashwaganda decoction.  Simmering to reduce helps to concentrate the decoction.  Strain the ashwaganda roots out of the decoction and reduce further if needed to 16 oz.  to the strained decoction add the same volume of honey or sugar and mix thouroughly by stirring, or shaking a covered jar.  Add 2-4 oz of brandy or ashwaganda tincture to preserve your syrup longer.  If you do not add alcohol, store your syrup in the fridge and use within 2 months.

Take up to 2 tbsp 2-3 times a day.
This recipe is not appropriate for those with blood sugar issues, diabetes or insulin resistance!  You may also find you want to add a pinch of cardamom, clove, or a vanilla bean to your syrup as it is cooling as well.


Restorative Nutritive Tea Blend
1 pt Ashwaganda root
2 pt nettles
1 pt cinnamon
1 pt tulsi basil
1/2 pt ginger
1/2 pt licorice root

Blend herbs well in a jar and store away from the light.  Use 1 tbsp per pint, or 2-3 tbsp per quart of hot water.  Steep tea for 1 hr or more, or alternatively, simmer gently, gently for 15 min, covered.  This blend taken daily will replenish the body with nutrients and minerals, reduce stress, improve digestion and taste good too.  This is lovely with a bit of honey taken in your thermos to work, school or on your daily errands. Up to 1 qt daily.  It's been described to me as gingerbread love in a cup.  Hey, that sounds pretty great huh?

If you don't have time to make your own ashwaganda preparation, I have a few special syrups left at PoppySwap which have Ashwaganda as a part of the formula.  Parvati's Devotion- Herbal Syrup for the heart, romance and self-love.    They have been a huge hit and I only have a couple left!

Quick! Giveaway Monday – Birch Elixir from Amrita Apothecary

I should apologize for my late posting on this - but hopefully it will be your call to action.

Hurry up and enter today before Kristine draws the winner of my award winning BLACK BIRCH ELIXIR

Yum!!

Giveaway Monday – Birch Elixir from Amrita Apothecary

Photo by Kristine Brown of Herbal Roots Zine

10 Nourishing and Herbal Self Indulgences for Valentine's Day

1) **Nourishing and Nervine Herbal Infusions**- Deeply restore, rejuvenate, replenish and nourish your body and especially your nervous system with herbal infusions daily/weekly.
 Nettles is always a good choice for nourishment, but consider any of the following herbal infusions.
 Oats- to rebuild and replenish the nervous system
 Linden- to soothe the heart, calm and relax, and sweeten the spirit
 Red Clover- to nourish and replenish the female endocrine system
 Tulsi Basil- to brighten your mood, bring back a sparkle to your eyes, and a smile to your lips
 Roasted Dandelion Root with Cinnamon- tone up, stimulate and improve digestion, liver function, circulation and more


**2)Drink cacao**- It might seem obvious, to include chocolate on V-Day- but rather than sugar laden bon bons, brew yourself a deeply intoxicating cacao drink- to open and nourish your heart, induce a state of bliss and pleasure, and give yourself a love infusion of minerals and vitamins (magnesium & B vitamins) I like to use 1 oz raw cacao paste from Heartblood Cacao,mixed with 8 oz hot water, sweetened with a touch of honey and laced with cinnamon, nutmeg, rose water, orange peel, or hawthorn berry extract.

 **3) Take an Herbal Infused Bath**- Taking a warm bath is a natural way to indulge yourself, but you can double the pleasure and magnify the benefits with the addition of herbal infusions in your bath water! And don't forget the pleasure of scenting your bath with sensual essential oils like rose, patchouli, ylang ylang, jasmine, vanilla, or vetiver. For a deeply healing herbal bath, brew up 1 gallon of strong tea (3-4 handufls of herb) of any of the following herbs, strain and add to your hot bath water.
 Roses- to open and soothe the heart
Chamomile- to calm and soothe stress, anxiety, and tension
 Lavender- to calm tension, relax emotional fragility, or soothe a bruised ego
Marigolds (Tagetes)- to induce euphoria, relaxation and happiness
Rosemary- to clear the mind, stimulate the body, soothe soreness/achiness, and increase creativity


**4) Give yourself a scented herbal massage**- Either schedule with your regular massage therapist, or give yourself a healing, nurturing massage with a lusciously scented and herbal infused oil. Oils that have been infused with the healing properties of herbs are deeply restorative, powerfully healing, and super pleasurable. My favorite oils to use are sesame, coconut or olive- and I like to infuse them with flowers and herbs that are both sweet smelling, skin healing and deep tissue replenishing. Sesame oil is highly absorbable and good for all types of skin, Coconut is best for folks with hot constitutions, warm skin with redness, or oily skin, and olive is good for those with dry skin or cooler constitutions. Good choices to infuse in your oils are: Roses, Lavender, Calendula, St Johns Wort, Comfrey, Ashwaganda, Gotu Kola, Chamomile, Rosemary, Marshmallow, Violet Leaf, Ginger, Birch, Patchouli, Plantain


**5) Take restorative and rejuvenating adaptogens daily** - There are a lot of reasons to take adaptogens- to help manage stress, to replenish and restore adrenal health, to balance hormones/endocrine system, to improve libido, to improve sleep, to support good immune function, for more mental clarity and daily emotional balance. Your choice of adaptogens may vary based on your needs but my favorites are below!
 Ashwaganda- Try 1 tsp of powdered Ashwaganda in warm milk (almond or coconut works well), sweetened with honey, laced with cinnamon, and topped with ghee or coconut oil.
 Schisandra- mix the ground up berries with honey for a delicious sweet-sour treat- spreadable on toast like jam, or mix into tea
 Medicinal Mushrooms (Reishi, shitake, cordyceps, maitake etc)- Cook healing mushrooms into soups and broths, or make a syrup sweetened with honey or molasses.

  **6) Make and Drink Herbal Infused Bone Broth** - Make yourself a big pot, and freeze the extra to have around and nourish yourself every day! Bone broth (or seaweed broth for vegetarians) is a really easy, and deeply nourishing tonic for everyone- it is full of minerals to build and restore bone health and nervous system health, gelatin and collagen for strong skin, hair and nails- and digestive system tissues. You can add your favorite immune herbs, adaptogens, fruits with bioflavanoids or medicinal roots to the stock as it is cooking to increase the nourishment factor. Organic, free range bones (chicken, beef, lamb, eggshells etc) Enough water to cover completely 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar Simmer bones in water with lemon on low for 24 -36 hours in a crock pot, or on the stove on low. Add any of the following herbs to boost its health supporting properties: Burdock root, shitake mushrooms, lovage root, garlic, onion, calendula, hawthorn berries, kelp, sage, nettles, dandelion greens, schisandra, ginger, turmeric etc

  **7) Sit with a plant or a tree**- No matter what season or weather is happening around you, find a plant- inside or out, or a tree nearby, and spend 10-30 min sitting with the plant. Close your eyes, ground yourself by sending your roots down into the earth, focus on your heart- so full of life, so full of love, and open your heart to the plant you are with. Ask to share with the plant you are with, offer the plant a gift ( a song, a stone, a shiny object, a piece of fruit or chocolate, water, tobacco), and ask if the plant might have a gift- a lesson- a teaching for you. Sitting with plants always has been a remarkably powerful way for me to connect with nature, and the deep connection we all share as living beings on this earth. We can learn, feel ourselves, and feel the deep LOVE within the Earth for all her creations.

  **8) Buy yourself an herbal pampering gift** - This could be decadent perfumes made with love and only pure essential oils, an indulgent face cream with luscious skin healing herbs, an intoxicating tea blend with flowers and spices, a rich, lathering cold processed soap infused with herbs, or a sweet smelling essential oil blend for diffusing in your living space. And USE it- daily, give yourself 60 seconds to 5 mins just for you and pamper yourself with your gift to yourself.

  **9)Make herbal incense to sweeten your space**- Not as complicated as you might imagine- all you need is some charcoals for burning your incense on, a heat proof dish and some sweet smelling herbs. You can chop your herbs coarsely and use as a loose incense sprinkled on your hot coal, or you can finely powder your herbs in a grinder and mix with honey, dried fruits, and/or wine or mead into a thick dough which can be rolled into rounds or cones. I find a mixture of mugwort or salvia (to hold the burn), fragrant herbs and spices (roses, cinnamon, lavender, chamomile, mint, cloves, tulsi, rosemary etc), and resins (frankincense, pine sap, copal, myrrh) work best as a whole, but let your imagination guide you! You can add an element of magic and intention to your insence as well, by focusing your energy on your intention as you select and mix your herbs. Make a blend that speaks to you of self love, self honoring, your unique personality, or elements you want to welcome in. Burn your mixture daily during self care rituals, bath time, or bed time.

  **10) Build an altar to your plant allies and yourself** - Clear a space for yourself to build/create an altar to yourself- the qualities you love about yourself, and the elements you would like to call into your life and your self expression- and/or to celebrate your plant allies and all the ways they serve you, gift to you, teach you, heal you and your deepening relationship with them. You can pick one plant or several. Put up pictures of yourself, pictures representing yourself, words you wish to reflect on, affirmations of self love and honor, pictures of your plant allies, potted plants, dried plant parts or flower arrangments, flower essences, tinctures, essential oils, candles, or little cups of tea! Spend some time daily or weekly at your altar in meditation, gratitude, or prayer. Honor yourself- beautiful, abundant, loving, wise, luscious, nourished- and honor your plants- friends, teachers, wisdom keepers, allies and healers.

Make Your Own Herbal Infused Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil + Herbs = <3

(Make your own herbal infused coconut oil!) 

xoxoxo

Thuja Occidentalis Snapshots

The Daily Wild Zine and a Special Gift from Blue Turtle Botanicals

Friends, it is with GREAT Pleasure that I share this lovely little announcement with you!   A dear sister in the Southwest, Meekah Sage, has created a wonderful little art zine- The Daily Wild zine.  Its a beautiful tribute to rewilding, resacreding, living fully, sensory awareness, nature connection and so much much more!  

I'm super honored to be featured in  an interview in this month's issue on Love, Sex and Aphrodisiacs.  

But there is more!

If you are one of the first 10 folks to order a paper copy directly from Meekah, you will get a special free package of Love Charm Herbal Aphrodisiac Tea from me!  And everyone who orders a copy, paper or pdf, will get a special discount code to be used in my store at Poppy Swap!

You can order your copy now  at the DailyWild Blog today!

May your month be as juicy and glorious and full of love as you can dream!