Simple Thrift and Herbs

Saving money, time, energy. And chatting about herbs.

herbs

  • Ashwagandha (withania somnifera)

    Again, no picture this week. I did actually grow this a few years ago (NE Colorado), but didn’t take photos. Ashwagandha is a relative of tomatoes and tomatillos and looks a lot like a tomatillo plant. If I remember correctly, the fruits even have the little paper-like coverings like them. The thing to take away Read more

  • Saint John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)

    For the next few posts, I thought I would review herbs that manufacturers seem to want to add to everything. The first time I really noticed this was with St. John’s wort. ‘It’s treats depression’ would be the implied claim. Smart manufacturers don’t claim that any herb or supplement treats something, unless they have data Read more

  • Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

    No photo today – I don’t grow my own! Let’s talk about turmeric. I’ve known what it is for a long time – a pungent yellow spice that my mom put in pickle relish and it wasn’t really summer until I smelled it. Turmeric is used in lots of foods – pickles, curry, eggs, lots Read more

  • Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

    This one has kind of outgrown its bed and I need to harvest the root (when I have time – HA!) Licorice is an amazing plant, and one that most herbalists don’t want to do without. It also is one of those herbs that is poorly understood, and has developed a reputation for raising blood Read more

  • Elder (Sambucus spp.)

    Was checking the garden today and noticed that I had quite a few elderberries ripe. The berries are not ripe until they are fully black or dark purple. Unripe berries will make your stomach very unhappy. There are two parts of elder that we use as herbalists: The berries and the flowers. The leaves and Read more

  • Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.)

    Everyone has a pint jar of cinnamon, right? I mean, I’m not weird or anything…. well, moving on… Many herbs and spices that we use in everyday cooking have medicinal uses as well. Supposedly, many were used to cover the smell or taste of foods that had gone ‘off’ in the days before refrigeration. Maybe Read more

  • Oats (Avena sativa)

    There are many medicinal ‘herbs’ that are traditionally thought of a ‘food’. Who says they can’t be both? One of my favorites, turmeric, is considered a spice and even a food in Indian cooking. I don’t know that I could live without it, but that’s another post. The photo above is from a few years Read more

  • We’re All donuts

    I know, I know – you’re thinking I’m nuts. Well, possibly true, but we are all donuts. Bear with me. I would love to say this analogy is originally mine, but it’s not. Thanks to one of my herb teachers, Kat, I can share this. We have an inside and an outside – and those Read more

  • Althea officinalis and friends (why Latin names are important part II)

    This is my friend Althea. She is just the most calm soothing herb you could ever run into – great for almost all tissues (skin, intestines, lungs, any mucous membranes) and so gentle. A little more detail for you. Althea officinalis or marshmallow is full of mucilage and immunomodulating polysaccharides, so using it internally as Read more

  • Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)

    I’ve been seeing a ton on FB lately about mullein. Which is a little strange to me since I think of it as being primarily for respiratory issues and earaches. I first got mullein from my friend Judy that lived a lot closer to the mountains than I do – Hwy 85 south of Greeley. Read more