How To Make Chickweed Salve

By 2 Comments

Chickweed is one of the first plants that show themselves in early spring.  It grows low to the ground, has a tiny line of hair on one side of the stem, tear-shaped leaves, and grows a tiny white star-shaped flower. The flowers are not blooming in this picture below yet, but should soon! You can still use chickweed before the flowers appear.

To make chickweed into an herbal oil:

Harvest fresh chickweed and allow to dry overnight on the counter. Chickweed has a high water content so it’s a good idea to dry it a bit before making it into an herbal oil.

Fill a small jar with washed and dried chickweed.
Or fill the jar halfway with fully dried, purchased chickweed.

Here's how to make chickweed salve from this common herb growing in your yard!

Cover the chickweed with olive oil

Here's how to make chickweed salve from this common herb growing in your yard!

Get all the air bubbles out to help prevent spoilage

Here's how to make chickweed salve from this common herb growing in your yard!

Place a lid on the jar, label, and let sit for 2 weeks.  Shake the oil every day.

Here's how to make chickweed salve from this common herb growing in your yard!

After two weeks, pour the oil through a strainer or cheese cloth into a pan or double boiler .

Here's how to make chickweed salve from this common herb growing in your yard!

Be sure to squeeze the oil out of the herbs the best you can. This is all there is to making an herbal oil! You can place the oil in a jar for future use or make this oil into a salve.

To make this oil into chickweed salve:

  • Add 1/8 cup of beeswax and 1/2 tablespoon of vitamin E oil per cup of herbal oil.
  • You can also add about 7 drops of lavender essential oil to the pan to help prevent spoilage if you wish, but the vitamin E oil will preserve also!
  • Slowly heat the oil until the beeswax melts.
  • Place a spoonful of the oil in the freezer for about 5 minutes as a test to see how the salve will thicken up. If you would like the salve thicker, add more beeswax; if the salve is too thick, add a little more olive oil.
  • Pour the liquid into tins or small jars

Let the containers sit on the counter until the liquid hardens into a salve.

Chickweed salve can be used for:

  • Acne
  • Boils
  • Burns
  • Tumors
  • Itching
  • Psoriasis
  • Eczema
  • Sores
  • Rashes
  • Wounds

Apply the salve as often as needed.

3 Delicious Ways To Add Chickweed To Your Diet

By 1 Comment

Here are 3 ways you can add chickweed to your family's diet!

Chickweed is one of those herbs you may find hiding in your flower bed or growing along the edge of your house. It always shows up for me in the most unexpected places! If you find it in your neck of the woods, here are a few useful, delicious ways to add it to your diet!

Chickweed is great for external needs, such as rashes, acne, boils, itching, eczema, and more! Internally, chickweed is rich in vitamin C and in minerals, especially magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Chickweed is a contact healer, strengthens the bowels and stomach, dissolves plaque in blood vessels, dissolves fatty substances, is a good blood purifier, and has an anti-cancer agent. [1]

3 Simple Ways To Add Chickweed To Your Diet

1. A Salad

A salad is a very simple way to add chickweed to the diet. Our woods here are loaded with thousands of chickweed plants. We harvest a handful of chickweed plants {stems, leaves and flowers} and toss them with our regular salad. 

2.  Chickweed Smoothie

There are several different ways to make a yummy smoothie. Here’s one option:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of water
  • 2 or 3 tablespoons of orange juice concentrate
  • 2 bananas
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • Handful of chickweed

Blend well and enjoy! 

Here are 3 ways you can add chickweed to your family's diet!

3.  Chickweed Pesto

We think this pesto is really yummy! 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh chickweed
  • 1 cup fresh basil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 3-4 oz. parmesan cheese
  • 3-4 oz. almonds

Put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Serve with chips or crackers.

Do you have a favorite way to incorporate chickweed into your diet?  Which recipe would you like to try?

RESOURCES

  1. Keith, Velma J., and Monteen Gordon. The How to Herb Book: Lets Remedy the Situation. Mayfield Pub., 1986.

How To Make Probiotic Shakes

By 8 Comments

Here are the 3 most common recipes my family uses to make probiotics shakes!

Probiotic shakes are a part of our breakfast almost every morning. Sometimes at lunch too, and maybe before bed on occasion. My girls would probably drink them all day long if I let them!

It’s always encouraging when your kids actually ask for something that’s so healthy for them. Kefir is the base for our probiotic shakes and there are countless ways and combinations you can come up with to make them palatable.

Kefir is so so healthy for you! It builds a little army of healthy bacteria that improves your overall health now, and in the long run! I make my own kefir shakes and you can read the simple instructions HERE.

How To Make Probiotic Shakes

Icy Cocoa Probiotic Shake

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Add all ingredients and blend until smooth.

Mixed Fruit Probiotic Shake

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.
Here are the 3 most common recipes my family uses to make probiotics shakes!

Banana Peanut Butter Shake

Ingredients

  • 1 cup kefir
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1/4 cup nut butter
  • 1 tablespoon kefir grains
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (optional)
  • 1 dropperful chocolate stevia

Directions

  1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Below you can watch me make probiotic shakes. Hope this helps!

What are your favorite ways to make probiotic shakes?