5 Home Apothecary Recipes

Elderberry Syrup

A great daily Winter tonic for both children* and adults. Dosing is 2 teaspoons/day for adults and 1 teaspoon/day for children.

*Since there’s honey in this, don’t give to children under 1 year old

Ingredients

1/4 cup (1 oz) Elderberries, dried

1/4 cup (1/4 oz) Elderberry Flowers, dried

1/4 cup Brandy

1/2 cup Honey

1 tablespoon Glycerin

1 tablespoon Cinnamon Pieces

1 grated tablespoon Ginger Root

4 cups Water

Directions

  1. Place the berries and flowers in a pot along with the 4cups of water. Measure the depth with a chopstick or wooden spoon handle. This will help you know when you have simmered and reduced the infusion by half.

  2. Add the cinnamon pieces and ginger. Bring to a boil then reduce to a low simmer until reduced by half (about an hour).

  3. Remove pot from heat after it is reduced; place a piece of cheesecloth in a strainer and place strainer in a large glass measuring cup.

  4. Pour contents of pot into strainer. Wait until it infusion is cool enough to handle, then carefully fold the ends of the cheesecloth together and squeeze herbs until liquid is no longer being released. Discard herbs. There should be about 2 cups of liquid. (At this point, you can add drops of Echinacea, Astragalus or other herbal extracts depending on whether you want an immune boost, help with digestion or warming energy.)

  5. Add brandy, honey and glycerin and stir well.

  6. Put into clean bottles and label. Will keep for about a year in the

    refrigerator or about 10 days at room temperature. If it turns, you will be able to smell it.

Suggested amounts: Adults: 2 teaspoons daily as a tonic. If you feel like you are coming down with something, may take up to 4 times per day.

Adaptogen Nut Butter Paste

These paste balls are an easy way to get herbs into your diet. The use of both a nut butter and coconut oil/ghee adds healthy fats. These herbs are slightly warming and drying but the Shatavari brings in a moistening aspect. They all help build resilience to stress by assisting both the immune and endocrine systems, promote better sleep, increase energy levels and calm the mind.

If you have hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) or high iron levels, omit the Ashwagandha and increase the amounts of the other herbs.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, avoid using these herbs.

Ingredients:

4 ounces total of powdered Ashwaganda, Astragalus, Shatavari, Eleuthero
1⁄2 cup Ghee (or coconut oil)
1⁄2 cup Almond Butter (slightly warming it before using makes it easier to stir in powders)

1⁄2 cup Honey
1⁄4 ounce Cardamom
1⁄4 ounce Ginger
1⁄4 ounce Cinnamon

Directions:

Mix all together into a paste. Spoon into jar and store in the fridge.

Suggested use: 1 teaspoonful daily then increase to 1 tablespoon daily. Can also make into either 1 teaspoon or 1 tablespoon balls. Makes about 1.5 cups

CHICKEN BROTH (Crockpot method)*

Less hassle and the taste is rich due to the browning of veggies and bones.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken frame, including neck** 3 chicken feet (important for gelling)

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

5 garlic cloves

2 sticks celery

Pinch of dried Thyme

3 Black Peppercorns

1 tble Apple Cider Vinegar 2 quarts cold water

Directions

  1. Turn oven to 450º. Place chicken frame, feet and vegetables in roasting pan and place in middle of oven. Roast for 30 – 40 minutes or until golden brown.

  2. Remove from oven and place in crockpot.

  3. Add thyme, peppercorns, water and vinegar to crockpot. Cover and turn to “low” setting for 12 hours.

  4. During the last hour of cooking, add one bunch of parsley.

  5. Remove pot from crockpot, strain and discard bones/vegetables. Pour into bottles and refrigerate up to 5 days OR freeze up to 9 months.

Grief Release Oxymel

An oxymel is a combination of both vinegar and honey. Because they’re alcohol-free, oxymels can be used by most everyone. Fresh or dried herbs can be used. The following recipe uses dried herbs and was created to help ease folks through periods of grief or loss.
When we grieve, our immune system takes a hit so the elderberries, elderflower and Reishi mushroom cover this aspect. Hawthorn and rose are thorny plants that help protect the tender, vulnerable aspects of ourselves, in addition to their cooling and soothing effect on the heart and nervous system. Honey reminds us of the sweetness to be found in life when all seems dark.

Ingredients:

.75 oz Hawthorn Leaf/Flower

.75 oz Hawthorn Berry

.75 oz Elderberries

.75 oz Elder Flowers

.5 oz Rose Petals

.3 oz Reishi mushroom

2 tsp Cinnamon pieces (can substitute 1 large cinnamon stick)

2 tsp Ginger pieces (can substitute 1 tablespoon grated fresh)

4 cups water

-

1⁄2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar (or your vinegar of choice)

1⁄2 cup Vegetable Glycerin

1⁄2 cup Raw Honey

1 drop Rose EO (optional)

Directions:

  1. Bring the herbs and the water to a low boil and cook until it is reduced by half (2 cups) - approximately 45 minutes.

  2. Strain the above into a gallon container and discard the herbs. Allow to cool slightly.

  3. Add the vinegar, glycerin, honey, and rose essential oil (if using) to the cooling mix

  4. Stir well. Bottle and label. Best to keep refrigerated since there is no alcohol involved.

Suggested Use 1-2 teaspoons up to 5 times/day. We recommend keeping it refrigerated where it can last up to 10 months.

Calendula Rose Cream

PREP TIME 15 min. | COOK TIME 45-50 min.

Ingredients

  • 18 oz. Calendula tea

  • 3 oz. Glycerin

  • 1 oz. Arborcide

  • 9 oz. Grape seed oil (or Rose Hip Seed oil)

  • 1.5 oz. Emulsifying wax (by weight)

  • .25 oz. Citric acid (by weight)

  • Essential oils (15-20 drops) Rose EO is fabulous but expensive

Directions

  1. Bring to boil 18 oz water. Add 4 heaping tablespoons of tea/herb. Set aside the tea water and let steep for 30 – 40 minutes. Strain and discard herbs.

  2. Place grapeseed oil, glycerin, wax, Arborcide and citric acid in a double boiler.

  3. Slowly heat and melt the oil/wax mixture, stirring frequently with a wooden chopstick until the oil mixture is blended and melted.

  4. Remove the measuring cup from the heat. Carefully wipe all moisture from the sides of the glass measuring cup. Pour the tea water into a glass jar, insert immersion blender and turn on to start to mix.

  5. While the blender is running, slowly pour the oil/wax mixture into the tea. Blend at least 2 minutes.

  6. Add the essential oils and blend another 30 seconds more.

  7. Pour into containers while hot. Allow them to cool completely

    before applying lids.

Recipe adapted from Rosemary Gladstar and Cynthia Kennedy