Tag: cardamom

Categories
herbal skincare Recipes

Orange, Coffee and Rose Oil Aromatherapy & Eye Serum Roller

We’re in the thick of winter, and it is a time to cozy up with both bright, invigorating aromas to bring a spark of sunshine, and rich, earthy scents for grounding and comfort. Orange and coffee both certainly fit those descriptions!

Orange’s sweetness and tartness give a vibrant boost during the dreary winter. Not only is it a potent reminder of the sun, boosting our mood just like the sun’s rays, but it provides antioxidant and antibacterial benefits that can aid skin. This makes it ideal in both skin and aromatherapy treatments.

Coffee is a botanical that energizes from the inside out. The caffeine in coffee can be invigorating and rejuvenating in skincare, especially tired and delicate under-eye skin. Use an under eye serum with coffee to brighten, awaken, and de-puff. 

The scents and properties of orange and coffee pair excellently with rose, cardamom, and jojoba oil. So excellently, in fact, that this botanical-infused oil roller can also double as an aromatherapy perfume oil. Jojoba is nourishing and moisturizing, as is rose. While the scent of sweet orange essential oil enhances the uplifting and awakening scent of coffee, cardamom adds a spiciness that imparts earthy complexity. You’ll feel a calming and joyous energy every time you inhale this lovely and luxurious oil. (It would also make a sweet gift or treat to yourself for Valentine’s Day!)

Materials

Directions

To make the rose-infused oil, fill a pint jar about three-quarters full with dried rose petals. Pour jojoba oil to cover petals, leaving about 1 inch of headspace in the jar. Use a chopstick or the handle of a wooden spoon to push the petals into the oil so they are fully submerged. Cover with a coffee filter or cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band. Allow to infuse for four to six weeks, then strain out the rose petals and put the remaining oil in a clean jar. Add 1 teaspoon of vitamin E oil to extend the shelf life of this oil. 

To make an aromatherapy / eye serum roller, fill a 10 ml roller bottle about halfway with rose-infused jojoba oil. Add 5 drops of coffee essential oil, 5 drops of sweet orange essential oil, and 3 drops of cardamom essential oil. (If you have sensitive skin and plan to use this as an eye serum, you can adjust and use less of the essential oils. If you want a stronger scent for aromatherapy, you can add about 3 more drops of each oil.) Fill the remaining space in the bottle with more of the rose-jojoba oil, leaving a little headspace for the roller. Insert the roller and screw on the cap, giving the bottle a swirl to mix the oils in. 

Store any unused portion of the rose-jojoba oil in a cool, dark space. 

For educational purposes only. Not intended for medical advice. Always consult your physician.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you choose to buy something from a link that I share, I will make a small percentage of the sale *at no extra cost to you*.

Categories
Recipes Tea wheel of the year

Yule + Winter Solstice Tea Blends

Today I’m sharing two herbal tea blends to enjoy for Yule // the Winter Solstice!

The Yule Tea blend is a sweet and festive spiced sip, full of immune-boosting ingredients that taste lovely. The combo of orange and spices is traditional for the season, in part because of those properties and in part because of associations with protection, divination, prosperity, and luck derived from them.

Yule:
1 tsp rooibos
1 tsp cacao nibs
½ tsp orange peel
½ tsp cinnamon pieces
½ tsp rose hips
¼ tsp allspice berries
¼ tsp star anise
¼ tsp nutmeg

The Winter Solstice Tea tastes decadent like a holiday cake, but without the heartburn or feeling of overindulgence! With soothing herbs that promote digestion, relieve pain, and aid in circulation, it’s like a sweet, warm hug. And chamomile represents the sun that returns brighter each day after the solstice; juniper is a powerful talisman of winter protection, cleansing, and luck; and the other botanicals have ties to healing, love, and luck, too.

Winter Solstice:
1 tsp chamomile
1 tsp mint
½ tsp meadowsweet
½ tsp cinnamon pieces
¼ tsp ginger
¼ tsp vanilla bean powder or ¼ a vanilla bean
4-5 juniper berries
2-3 cardamom pods

To brew—

To make a single cup of tea, add 1 tablespoon to a tea strainer, eco- friendly tea bag, or French press. Pour 1 to 1 ½ cups hot water over the tea and steep for 3-5 minutes. Add honey or maple syrup to taste, if desired.

For educational purposes only. Not intended for medical advice. Always consult your physician.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you choose to buy something from a link that I share, I will make a small percentage of the sale *at no extra cost to you*.

Categories
Herbs and Herbalism Recipes

Roasted Roots + Coffee Mix

When I first became interested in herbalism, my dad surprised me by gifting me all of my great grandmother’s herbalism and gardening books. By chance, or most likely not, I had wandered into a family legacy. My dad then regaled me with stories of some of her practices, like how she used to brew sassafras tea and root beer, made dandelion fritters, and added chicory and dandelion root to the coffee she brewed every day. 

It is actually a long-standing tradition to add roots like dandelion, chicory, and burdock to coffee to add nutritional benefits and cut some of the bitterness. Beyond those roots, you can get creative with sweet and aromatic spices if you’d like to add more complex flavors. It’s really a very hygge—simple and intentionally cozy—process to develop your own personal mix and roast the ingredients yourself. 

I love that I am carrying on my great grandma’s legacy. Many times when I make coffee, I also mix in roasted roots like she used to cut her coffee with. Herbs like dandelion, chicory, and burdock are nutritious and grounding, and help lessen the overall caffeine in your mug. They taste quite similar to coffee, though perhaps more complex and earthy, and you can put your own spin on your recipe with the addition of other flavorful botanicals. 

Here is a closer look at some of the ingredients you might add to your own roasted root blend:

Dandelion root

Strong liver, gallbladder, + kidney support 

Vitamin + mineral rich

Supports heart + balances blood pressure

Chicory root

Vitamin + mineral rich

Digestion support

Antioxidant rich

Supports liver + stomach

Burdock root

Kidney + liver support

Anti-inflammatory • Antioxidant • Detoxifying

Antibacterial + antifungal • Skin clearing

Blood sugar regulating

Cacao

Mildly stimulating

Synergizes other herbs

Heart + blood pressure support

Blood sugar regulating

Cinnamon

Digestive support • Circulation stimulating

Blood sugar regulating • Analgesic

Antimicrobial + antifungal

Antioxidants • Supports brain health

Warming + drying

Allspice, cardamom, cloves, fennel

Digestive support

Promotes circulation • Immune support

Soothing • warming • uplifting

Method

Roast equal parts of chosen roots on a baking sheet at 375° for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice to prevent burning. Allow to cool.

Mix in any spices or additional ingredients like cacao nibs and cinnamon chips, then grind in a coffee grinder and brew as you normally brew coffee. Opt for a coarser grind if brewing with a French press.

Adapted from my Roasted Roots article from the Autumn 2022 edition of Botanical Anthology.

For educational purposes only. Not intended for medical advice. Always consult your physician.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you choose to buy something from a link that I share, I will make a small percentage of the sale *at no extra cost to you*.

Categories
herbal skincare Hygge Recipes

September Perfume Oil

I decided to whip up an adorably tiny roller bottle of September-inspired perfume oil recently! I love teeny roller bottles because I can make a small amount to test out the scent combination, and I don’t have to worry about making too much if it’s something I’m only going to use for a short period because it’s intention is geared to a specific occasion or month.

The basis of this essential oil blend is Ho wood and benzoin, which are creamy, vanilla-esque scents that I find very cozy. Combined with these are notes that are spicy, woodsy, sweet, and a hint of floral. To me, this combination evokes early autumn: the sweet and creamy scents are rich, yet sunny and light, and the spice is subtle enough to hint at autumn without being too heavy.

If you have sensitive skin, you probably ought to cut back on the EOs when making this recipe, and you can leave out the cinnamon and cardamom if they might be irritating. (The cinnamon chips included will gradually infuse in the base oil anyway!)

And, as always, be sure to source and use essential oils responsibly and from reputable, sustainable sources. (Not an ad and not sponsored at all, but I get most of my essential oils from Mountain Rose Herbs and Simply Earth.)

Materials:

5 ml roller bottle

Dropper

Carrier oil of choice (I like olive oil even though it’s a bit unorthodox—I used calendula-infused olive oil to make it extra special!)

Cinnamon stick chips

Essential oils, in drops:

3 Ho wood

3 benzoin

2 cypress 

2 sweet orange

1 geranium

1 cinnamon

1 cardamom

Method:

Add a few pieces of cinnamon stick chips. Fill the bottle about halfway with carrier oil using a dropper. Carefully add the essential oil drops, then top with more carrier oil—make sure to leave room to insert the roller ball top. Add the roller and cap tightly, shake to mix well, and let it sit a day or two before using.

What scents put you most in mind of September?

Categories
Hygge Recipes

Gluten Free Chai Apple Crisp

It may not be pumpkin spice time yet (Says who? It’s always pumpkin spice time to me!) but apples are ripening and it’s a great time to whip up some apple crisp. I am gathering with friends this evening, so I made a chai apple crisp that is gluten-free for one of my friends’ dietary needs.

You can’t fault me for rushing Autumn if I’m using chai spices! And anyway, there are so many benefits to chai spices. Medicinally they’re immunity boosting, digestion aiding, circulation stimulating, and so much more—check out THIS blog post for more on that. Chai spices also help soothe, relax, and even help with sleep. And symbolically / spiritually, many of these warming spices are said to bring prosperity, protection, joy, and divinatory insight. Plus, they’re just cozy and tasty! Perfect for a gathering with friends paired with tart Granny Smith apples.

Here is the recipe!

Gluten-Free Chai Apple Crisp—

Ingredients

For the filling—

  • 8-10 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced or chopped
  • 2 Tbsp gluten-free flour blend
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp pumpkin spice mix (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves) or ¼ tsp of each 
  • 1/4 – 1/2 tsp allspice
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the crumble—

  • 1 cup gluten-free old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup gluten-free flour blend
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
  • 1/8 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom
  • 1 stick of butter of choice, cold, cubed

Method

Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease a 9 x 13 glass baking dish and set aside.

Prepare apples and put in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with sugar, flour, and spices and stir to coat; add vanilla extract and stir again. Scoop this mixture into your greased baking dish.

In the same mixing bowl if you’d like, mix the oats, flour, spices, and salt well. (If you’d like to ease back on the spices, omit them from the crumble.) Add the brown sugar and butter and cut in with a pastry blender or fork until pebbly consistency is reached. Sprinkle over the apple filling evenly.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes; cool before serving.

Notes

Serves 6-8

Substitute in your favorite chai spices and play around with the amounts to your preference!

Would also be amazing with walnuts in the crumble topping.

This recipe could easily be adapted to be non gluten free with conventional flour.

Are you a big fan of apple crisp? And do you think August is too soon for it? Let me know in the comments!

Categories
herbal skincare Herbs and Herbalism Recipes

Easy Oat & Chamomile Face Mask

I’ve recently realized how easy it is to make soothing herbal face masks, and now I’m hooked! They’re versatile, ingredients are interchangeable, and you can definitely make them without a formal recipe. I am just getting started, but I can’t wait to experiment with all kinds of combinations (and share my favorites with you here)!

Today’s face mask is a very gentle, soothing one that is great for sensitive skin. Even your kiddos can try this one out! It combines powdered oats, chamomile, and cardamom for the dry ingredients—which you can store in a jar with a long shelf life, and simply combine a bit with the wet ingredients that your skin needs each time you use it.

Oats are extremely nourishing and soothing to skin, adding moisture and calming redness. Chamomile does much the same and is often included in skincare products for that reason! Cardamom has antibacterial properties and can help clear your complexion.

As far as wet ingredients to moisten the face mask, you can choose between many options based on your skin’s needs! Here are a few ideas; you can play with amounts to mix in for the sake of the mask’s consistency on your face.

  • Honey: antibacterial, helps with scars, mildly exfoliating (you’ll definitely need a thin liquid too to make the mask less sticky if you use honey)
  • Herbal toner: a witch hazel and herb infusion (like the comfrey one pictured) adds acne fighting and pore toning benefits
  • Rose water or other herbal hydrosol: gentle, nourishing, moisturizing, soothing, and smells amazing
  • Black or green tea: tightens pores, tones, purifies
  • Herb-infused oils: moisturizes and conditions dry and/or aging skin, feels super luxurious, and helps the mask have a lovely consistency
  • Aloe Vera: healing for acne scars and skin rashes, soothing, and tightening

Don’t be afraid to experiment with amounts! In the pictured dry mask base, I used 1/4 cup oats, 2 tablespoons chamomile, and 1/2 teaspoon cardamom. But experiment with amounts to get a consistency you love! Then apply to clean skin with a makeup brush, leave on for 10-15 minutes, and rinse off with lukewarm water.

What are your favorite face mask ingredients?

Categories
Herbs and Herbalism Recipes

Orange Rose Shortbread Cookies

I’ll admit—this recipe was inspired entirely by rewatching old episodes of the Great British Bake Off. I keep seeing shortbread cookies, and hearing them talk of how their “biscuits” have a satisfying snap. My midwestern American palate is much more accustomed to gooey, soft cookies which are delicious but a bit simpler. So I thought I’d try my hand at some springy shortbread cookies—which, of course, had to incorporate herbs.

In addition to a classically sweet and crisp shortbread recipe, I’ve combined the flavors of rose, orange, cardamom, vanilla, and honey. These lend a distinctly layered complexity to the mild taste of the biscuits and help them pair even better with a lovely black tea. (Springtime tea party recipe, perhaps?) Also, all these botanicals are uplifting, bright, and fresh. It’s the perfect light sweet after a winter of heavy sweets and spices.

Here is the recipe if you’d like to try them!

Categories
herbal skincare Herbs and Herbalism Recipes

Flower Garden Tea Party: Perfume Oil

Are you as ready as I am for spring? Late February seems to always be like that for me, with sneaky early warm days making me itch for the real thing. And the fact that the first crocuses are beginning to pop up doesn’t help!

Between that and reading books about Beatrix Potter lately, I am in a distinctly flowery-tea-party mood. Not the fancy or stuffy kind, however; the unfussy, cozy, enjoying the bounty of nature and the comforts of home with friends kind. The sort with lavender Earl Grey in mismatched cups and a fresh-picked garden bouquet in a jam jar on the table. The type of flowery tea party I think Miss Potter herself would have enjoyed.

Imagining this scenario brings me to the simple little perfume oil I recently made to capture that feeling. I combined lavender-infused almond oil that I made recently with a few essential oils: geranium, bergamot, cardamom, and benzoin. This combination of scents is dreamy and floral, with a hint of sweet vanilla and warm spice. It’s nourishing to the skin and has a lovely calming effect.

The particular botanicals I chose also relate to this tea party I dreamed up. Geranium figured prominently into Beatrix Potter’s gardens and especially window boxes, with their cheery flowers and lovely rose-like scent. Bergamot, of course, is the key ingredient in Earl Grey tea, which was a bit of a special-occasion luxury to those in the Lake District at Beatrix’s time. Cardamom is more of a personal addition, but it’s my favorite and is the spice that I think ties florals, fruits, and musky scents together just right. And benzoin resin oil is an affordable alternative to vanilla with a distinctly vanilla creaminess; it also is traditionally used in incense to lift the spirits.

If you are also interested in folk and spiritual associations of botanicals, here are a few of the many associations I found for these:

Lavender: love, protection, calm, peace, insight

Geranium: uplifting and protection, balance, joy, beauty

Bergamot: happiness, harmony, love, courage

Cardamom: creativity, strength, focus, healing

Benzoin: purification, prosperity

If you’d like to join me at this imaginary tea party, here is the recipe!

Materials

One 10 ml essential oil roller bottle

Lavender-infused almond oil, or your carrier oil of choice

3 drops geranium essential oil

2 drops bergamot essential oil

2 drops cardamom essential oil

1-2 drops benzoin resin essential oil

Method

Add lavender almond oil to the roller bottle until it is half full. Add the drops of essential oils. Top with more lavender almond oil, leaving about 1/4 inch head space. Securely place the roller top and lid on the bottle, then shake to mix. I like to let a perfume oil sit and infuse for a few days before using so the scents develop fully, but you wouldn’t have to.

Wear this perfume oil where you’d normally place perfume, and dream about springtime tea parties on sunny days! Just don’t forget to send me an invitation and let me know when teatime begins!