How to make parsley tea

Cucumber or parsley?
Originally uploaded by Wesley*

Here are some general directions to make herbal tea or infusion:

1. pour one cup of boiling water over the plant material to be infused
2. cover and let it stand for 5 minutes
3. strain
4. drink

Fresh plant material:
use 1/4 cup of fresh herb material - follow the instructions above

Dried plant material:
use 2 teaspoons of dry herb - follow the instructions above

Seeds:
use 2 teaspoons of dry seeds - follow the instructions above

Which part of parsley (Petroselinum crispus) to use:
When referring to parsley tea, the leaves are used for infusion. Parsley seeds are traditionally used for rheumatism and arthritis.
Note: tea made from parsley seeds can cause fetal damage and abortion so it has to be avoided during pregnancy.

Traditionally parsley tea has been used as:

* diuretic
* for removing excess water from the body
* for slimming
* for boosting kidneys
* for rheumatism
* for gout and arthritis
* for contracting the uterus - after childbirth
* to ease menstrual pain
* for period irregularity
* as detoxifier

Parsley tea also has a calming effect on adrenal glands - according to Dr. Abravanel's Body Type Diet and Lifetime Nutrition Plan

Also check out general guidelines for using herbal teas/infusions.


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Guidelines for uses of herbs

A herb of Venus
Originally uploaded by borealnz

General guidelines for using herbal infusions

* Use the herbal material only in case you are 100% certain that it really is the herb in question.

* When ill or you have any health concerns, consult a certified health practitioner.

* Noone should continuously drink the same infusion for a long period of time (unless prescribed by a registered health practitioner). Generally, the maximum use is for 10 days - and then skip 5 days.

* Have one cup of herbal infusion per day, except during acute periods - for instance when you have a cold or flu. You can then have it three times per day, but for a maximum of 4 days.

* Some herbal remedies can be extremely powerful. Should you notice any side effects when taking these infusions, immediately stop using the herb and consult your health practitioner right away.



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Happy Thanksgiving!

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Sunrise today, on Thanksgiving morning

I walked into a bathroom this morning and before I even started opening the blinds I knew there was something spectacular going on outside. The view of the morning Florida sky literally took my breath away. The only thing I managed to squeeze out of my throat was an awed woooooow - and then I ran to grab the camera. I took a few photos and made a video. The colors were simply spectacular, something I rarely see even though I seldom miss this time of the day.

Thanksgiving morning sunrise

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Around the globe in 31 minutes

honoring humanity's health protectors
Originally uploaded by job_earth

When this video was first put online, it circled the globe and was viewed by people in all continents within a matter of 31 minutes!

My today's message is short:

If you or your loved ones are battling disease, please take 5 minutes out of your busy schedule and watch this video here
It might for ever change your life...



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Homemade cranberry sauce with a twist

recipe: cranberry sauce - _MG_6075
Originally uploaded by sean dreilinger

Even when using recipes - I just have to invent something that's uniquely mine, to adjust ingredients and taste to my preferences.

Here's the story about inventing a different kind of homemade cranberry sauce.

About a year or so ago I found this really great recipe how to cook cranberries into delicious sauce. I used the original recipe a few times and the sauce was great: easy to make and tasty. The only thing I have a problem with is that it calls for a lot of sugar (which I try to eliminate from my diet) and orange juice (which is acidic so it's also on my "stay-away list").

That's why I cooked my newly invented sugar free cranberry sauce by replacing sugar with agave syrup and orange juice with grapefruit juice...

... and my 2008 Thanksgiving cranberry sauce recipe is as follows:

• 12 ounces cranberries
• juice of a medium-sized grapefruit
• approximately 1/2 cup of agave syrup*

Directions:
Cook cranberries in grapefruit juice and agave syrup in a medium size pan over medium heat for about 10 minutes (cranberries need to pop). Remove from heat, place in a bowl and let the sauce cool and thicken.

If you like your cranberry sauce more jellied, mash cooked cranberries with a fork.

* The quantity of agave syrup is approximate because the taste will depend on the size and the sweetness of the grapefruit you use. However, with using agave syrup as a sweetener it's easy to add more, even after the sauce cools down.

And the most important thing about this recipe is that it's good for everyone, does not contain any alcohol or any artificial ingredients.

Enjoy!



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Going green with recycled pots for seeds

In my last post about how to grow seeds I've mentioned seedlings of some plants that don't like to be transplanted (they don't like having their roots disturbed).

The seeds of these  delicate plants should therefore be planted at their permanent spot right away and when that's not possible, the best way is to start them in pots that will easily deteriorate in the ground - after being planted along with the seedling.

There's really no need to buy peat moss pots or alike - everyone has an abundance of materials to make these simple but practical seed-starters at home.

You will need:

• toilet paper roll
• coffee filter
• twisty tie or rubber band 

How it's done?

It's the simplest craft ever - just secure coffee filter around the tube of bathroom tissue with rubber band or twisty tie. Paper coffee filter  provides the bottom with proper drainage to the pot - and keeps soil in it.

And - guess what - you can even use already used coffee filter... :) Paper towel rolls can be used as well - by cutting them to the proper height.

The only thing left to do is filling our new pots with potting soil and placing them on a tray or somewhere secure to make sure they don't tip over easily. I used the recycled plastic box from baby wipes - after adding some drainage holes in it.

Now you have your new pots, made of recycled materials, ready to grow some new plant seeds. They are taller than usual planters and are therefore great for seeds that take longer to germinate, especially trees and such.

 

When the new plant is ready to be planted outside, remove the rubber band or twisty tie, cut the side of your carton planter and make sure it's all covered in soil.

Check out a lot more ways to reuse paper rolls

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Frost and lost plants

We had another frost this morning even though the weather forecast said the low temperature was supposed to stay in low forties... :(

So I didn't cover any of my plants last night and - sad enough, I lost some of my nasturtium plants. Luckily I have quite a few more (and more seeds) - and I plan to be more careful from now on.

I am sorry I haven't protected my banana trees. I really enjoy watching their tropical appeal through my kitchen window. All of their leaves froze after two light frosts in October but two of them already recovered by now and grew two beautiful, big new leaves. And now they're gone.

Photo: Beautiful banana tree leaves in July

I also lost a couple of cotton plants. I've seen many cotton fields for the first time in Georgia this past October - and they looked enchantingly beautiful to me. So I picked up some seeds and planted them in different planters around the house. They sprouted only a few days ago and I was really looking forward to observing their development and was getting more and more excited about the possibility of growing some organic, home-grown cotton. Now I need to make sure to keep the rest of them.

Photo: Cotton field in Georgia - courtesy of amyxoxox

Anyway, all the above events kept me busy for quite a few hours this afternoon. I moved some pots closer to the house, to protected areas - and covered everything else that might get damaged if the temperature drops to freezing again.

Hopefully this works and I can grow more plants and have lots of blooms around Christmas - instead of losing one flower or herb after another. Besides, this is supposed to be Florida...



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Box Tops, Barnes and Noble and $50.00 gift card giveaway

Box Tops bokeh!!!
Originally uploaded by off2skool

"Did you know that Box Tops has donated more than $250 million to schools nationwide since 1996? Would you like to help raise that number? Then start collecting Box Tops and use their Marketplace to do your online shopping! To help you get started, I am giving away a $50 gift card to Barnes & Noble (thank you Barnes & Noble for your support of such a great program!). What do you have to do?

Each one of these things will give you one entry..."

Join the fun - click here now!



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October fall colors in Tennessee

October in Tennessee
Originally uploaded by sunflower19020

Now that I'm done with all the commenting and stumbling and digging, I decided to get a good rest - and dream in colors and while at it - why not beautiful autumn colors from Tennessee, still very alive in my memory?

How to grow herbs from seeds

These are seedlings of holy basil herb (Ocimum sanctum). They are tiny but I only planted the seeds - in a planter indoors - on Sunday (four days ago). I was incredibly surprised that they sprouted this early - I guess I managed to provide perfect conditions for once... ;)

However, sprouting of seeds depends on many factors and there's no way to control them all. My best advice would be to do your best and then let Mother Nature do her job.

Some seeds like parsley can take weeks before they sprout (which takes patience and faith... ) and others just can't wait to grow as fast as they can.

Tiny seeds should not be planted too deep. They only have to be covered with soil (like 1/4 of an inch is more than enough).

Also, when planted in the garden just before heavy rains, the seeds can be washed away.

The fastest way to grow herbs from seeds is by using planters. Moisture and sun exposure are much easier to control in that smaller growing environment (than in the garden) - and they can be kept them indoors or out. As soon as they are big enough to handle (they have to have at least a pair of true leaves), they can be transplanted.

Yet, some herbs don't like having their roots disturbed - which is hard to avoid when transplanting. No worries, for those sensitive plants there's a simple and cheap solution. I'll describe it tomorrow.

One last thing - not every herb will grow everywhere in the world. I know about some varieties that just wouldn't grow (or at least not thrive) in Florida - although the most skilled gardeners have been trying hard for years.

Find more posts on how to grow seeds here




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Best pasta with herbs recipe

A couple of days ago I received an email from one of my subscribers. Here's the partial copy:

"... I wonder if you have any nice pasta recipes with different herbs. I own a small shop and have just started selling salads and any variation on what I offer would really be appreciated.

Thanks
Patricia, New Zealand"

I am very grateful to Patricia that she contacted me and I really want to help her. I'm thinking that a shop with a nice selection of pasta dishes might become very popular if she offers some tasty varieties. But I still need your help.

• I'd like to hear from bloggers who had contests on their blogs before - maybe you can share some experiences
  
  
• I'd like to hear from everyone who has a good pasta recipe - just submit it in the "comments" area of this post
  
  
• I'd like to hear from anyone who might be interested in contributing an award for the best recipes (in addition to mine $20 paypal cash to the submitter of the recipe that Patricia herself chooses as her favorite). My idea is to create polls for the following categories: the most yummy (best tasting), simplest, the most unusual etc.

Any thoughts,

ideas,

recipes?

Let's get together, help Patricia and make this world better! :)

Thanks in advance to all who decide to participate in any way!

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Autumn's Eternity Turning

Autumn's EternityTurning
Originally uploaded by Irishphotographer

I love beautiful photos and fall-colored trees!

And even though I've already seen plenty of this season's images and took loads of photos myself - I still couldn't resist to add this snapshot from Ireland as the second post today - because it's simply stunning.

Wouldn't you agree?

Thank you, Irishphotographer!




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Nasturtium blooms in the kitchen

Although nasturtium blooms look like they are made of parchment paper, fragile and delicate, they are surprisingly durable.

Their taste is spicy and that's where their common name comes from: "Nasus Tortus" (sounds like "tortured nose" to me... :) - means convulsed nose, referring to the faces people made when tasting this surprisingly tangy-flavored plant.

Ways to take advantage of Nasturtium's flavor and decorative color:

• as garnishes their blossoms look vibrant and last long
  
  
• whole or chopped blooms look great as decoration in creamy soups, salads, butters, cakes, platters, appetizer etc.
  
  
• blooms added to the spinach salad create quite a dramatic effect
  
  
• nasturtium, added to cheese spreads is a winning combo
  
  
• add them to tea sandwiches
  
  
• an idea for stunning look: open-faced cucumber sandwiches on white bread, decorated with orange nasturtium blossoms and violets
  
  
• recipe for a zesty herbal vinegar: use five blossoms per cup of vinegar, place them in decorative bottle, cover them with hot (not boiling!) white wine vinegar for a day, then strain the spent flowers out and add fresh one as decoration
  
  
• stuffed Nasturtium blooms make a sensational, tasty hors d'ouvere: guacamole, chicken salad, egg salad and seasoned cream cheese mixtures all work well for that purpose - as long as their ingredients are really finely chopped to fit in the tiny throat of the flower
  
  
• for tea-time or snack-time treat wrap blossom around a mixture of raisins, walnuts and orange peel in cream cheese
  
  
• Nasturtium buds and green seeds can be pickled and used in place of capers

Note that nasturtiums will grow in partial shade and produce lush foliage but not too many blooms. In full sun they produce the most blooms and their peppery flavor gets stronger and stronger as the summer sun gets hotter. For a milder taste therefore, choose flowers grown in shade or semi-shade.



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Another breathtaking Nasturtium bloom

Bi-colored nasturtium bloom

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Colors of Nasturtium flowers

Traditional colors of nasturtiums are bright orange and yellow but lately the range of their blossoms are becoming more and more exciting:

• brilliant vermilion red blooms - "Empress of India"
• shades of tangerine, soft salmon, deep mahogany and cherry rose - "Whirlybird"
• the color of a cut white peach with an accent of raspberry in the throat - "Peach Melba"
• soft cream toned colors in delicate double flowers - "Butter Cream"

Can you make your garden any brighter?



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Growing Nasturtiums

Other common names for nasturtium: Common nasturtium, Garden nasturtium, Indian cress

Photo "Flower Nasturtium" above courtesy of Dave Howell

More reasons for growing Nasturtium:

• the secret to nasturtium's explosion of blooms is: zero fertilizing
• historically nasturtium has also been used topically as a remedy for rheumatism
• about.com about nasturtiums: "Issues treated by Nasturtium include exhaustion, fatigue, lethargy, and depleted immune systems. Nasturtium flower essence is good for anytime you feel under the weather or less that par health wise. It will warm up "colds" and help nurse you back to your normal vitality."
• snails don't like them
• established plants are virtually carefree
• in the garden they self-seed and keep coming back every year
• they quickly cover the given area, producing decorative foliage and endless amount of brightly-colored blooms
• the shape of their beautiful leaves is reminiscent of water lily pads, usually flat and round in deep green color, but some are variegated, speckled-like

No wonder some people call nasturtium: every gardener's dream... :)



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Uses of Nasturtium - Tropaeolum majus

Photo and quoted text below courtesy of pennyeast

With the photography above I found this beautiful description of several uses for Nasturtium plant:

"Nasturtium flowers, leaves and immature seed pods have a tangy taste like water cress, and the colorful flowers really brighten up a green salad. Add some nasturtium flowers to an herb vinegar. The immature pods can be pickled. The mature seeds can be roasted for eating out of hand or used like black pepper.

Nasturtium has long been used in herbal medicine as a disinfectant and wound-healing herb, and as an expectorant to relieve chest conditions. All parts of the plant appear to be antibiotic and an infusion of the leaves can be used to increase resistance to bacterial infections and to clear nasal and bronchial catarrh. The remedy seems to both reduce catarrh formation and stimulate the clearing and coughing up of phlegm.

The leaves are antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, aperient, depurative, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, laxative and stimulant. A glycoside found in the plant reacts with water to produce an antibiotic. The plant has antibiotic properties towards aerobic spore forming bacteria. Extracts from the plant have anticancer activity.

The plant is taken internally in the treatment of genito-urinary diseases, respiratory infections, scurvy and poor skin and hair conditions.

Externally it makes an effective antiseptic wash and is used in the treatment of baldness, minor injuries and skin eruptions. Any part of the plant can be used, it is harvested during the growing season and used fresh."



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How to plant seeds?

If you are a complete beginner in growing your own flowers, herbs or veggies, then I have a shortcut to your first guaranteed success for you today. :)

Start small and simple, with easy to grow and possibly fast-growing plant. That just might give you so much pleasure that you'll never want to stop planting seeds again...

Above is a photo of about 1 inch tall nasturtium seedling I planted 10 days ago in an outdoor planter

Today my suggestion is to try to plant nasturtium for several reasons:

• it's really easy to grow
• its seeds are approximately the size of a dry pea - which makes them a lot easier to plant precisely where you want the plant to be
  
• it sprouts in only seven to ten days
• grows really fast afterwords
• the whole plant is edible
• can be grown in the flower bed or in medium-sized pot indoors
• has beautiful flowers which are also edible and starts blooming as fast as in about 5 to 6 weeks
• has beautifully shaped leaves, grows in a bushy manner and looks good even without blooms
  
• in a flower bed nasturtium will reseed itself and keep coming back every year
• planted indoors this plant will provide almost instant greenery and thus improve your living space

You might be wondering about a lot of "HOW TOs", you might have loads of questions and - let me assure you - in gardening (like in most other things) - simple is the best.


There's no need to get all stressed out about the seeds and planting and soil and planters. Simply start where you are, with what you have.


How to plant seeds indoors


These are simplified instructions on how to plant one nasturtium seed - in other words - that's how I do it and it's working for me.


There are many conditions that affect every growth and we can't always control them all. Be creative and if one method doesn't work for you, try something a little bit different. Change one factor and observe the results.

1. any container in the size of at least 4 inches (10 cm) across will do - as long as you poke some drainage holes on the bottom
2. cover the bottom of the planter with paper coffee filter - it prevents washing the soil out of your pot
   
3. fill the pot with store-bought potting mix (garden soil in planters is usually a ticket to failure)
4. use mister or spray bottle to water - until the water shows up in the saucer underneath the planter
5. lay a single nasturtium seed on top of the soil in the middle of your chosen planter
   
6. cover the seed with 1/2 inch (1 cm) of soil
7. place to a sunny spot and check on this about-to-happen tiny miracle every day
   
8. keep the soil moist - but not soggy

How to plant seeds outdoors

Planting seeds outdoors is pretty much the same. Prepare the soil and then follow instructions from the seed packet regarding spacing, depth and sun requirements. For seedlings hand-watering with watering can is the best because those small plants are quite fragile.

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Past the election day

It feels really good to wake up into the morning past the elections. In case you wander - yes, even Florida's native flowers were affected by heated debates, trying to persuade voters (mostly) - who is worst - and why...

The best man won (doesn't he always?) and we better move our attention to the bright side of the life. Laugh, dream big, read a good book that will inspire you, watch a funny movie, play a video game, put a seed in the ground or a pot, water and watch it growing - do whatever makes you feel good and enjoy every moment of your life!



A little bit more than a week ago I planted nasturtiums seeds. Some outside in flower beds and some in planters indoors and outdoors. For the last three days they are sprouting like crazy and every time I discover a new seedling it makes me feel like I've never seen such a pretty new plant before... Nasturtiums are so easy to grow anyone can do it!

Oh, and before I wrap this up, here's an entertaining cartoon for you - an all time classic - Popeye, who is running for president (of course!). Enjoy!





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Vivacious November Flowers

I took photos in the video this very morning around my home.





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