HERBAL EXTRACTS VIA CITRIC ACID

1/4 once of dried oregano extracted in citric acid in 4 days.
 It's still powerful even if it has lost its green color.
Its loaded with phyto-nutrients.  This too is great medicine,
 and dissolves in any liquid.

I like the Citric Acid method for herbal extraction because once the herbs has been chemically changed by the citric acid, it dissolves easily in any liquid I found. Even water! Thus making it ready for oral ingestion via any form of food, mixed with liquid.  If you want a lemon herbal tea in water, just take a pinch off your extract and dilute it in water.  So easy.  It also mixes great in vinegar, salad dressing, sauces, soup and even soda.

1/4 oz Medical cannabis extracted from citric acid after 4 days.
 You lose  nothing.  Here is the 1/4 oz I started with.  I will leave
 it in the jar a bit longer till it really looks shiny and tarry.
when done I will  flatten, cut and air dry.  It does medicate.:)

I prefer herbal extracts over drinking herbal tea because you do not get many of the real medicinal properties of all the herbs by just steeping it in hot water.  Yes, chlorophyll is good for you and you get the "green benefits" of the herbs by steeping it.  However, when you use a real herbal extract, you get a lot more nutrition like micro phyto-nutrients that are necessary for healthy living.  You also get the benefits of the oils in the herbs including, plant chemicals pharmaceutical companies make medicine out of. My thought is, why pay them for medication that is easily available with a little know how.  I've been working with herbal extracts for over 40 years and the citric acid is by far one of the easiest methods.  No need to decarb any herbs here.  Nor is there any equipment you  have to purchase.  It's all done naturally with organic citric acid.  Waste not, want not is my motto. No herbs go to waste either. You can purchase citric acid in some markets if your lucky.  I  buy Organic Citric Acids in bulk quantity as I use it for many other homemade recipes like cheeses, candy and bath soap fizzies, etc.  

This recipe can be cut in half or multiplied depending on how much herb you have on hand.  It can be made using most herbs like rosemary, green tea, parsley, cayenne or oregano. To those who medicate using cannabis can also find this recipe very helpful.    Please remember that this is an extract so you want to keep your herbs organic.  You don't want to extract any pesticides right?  Ready?  Here it is...

Ingredients:

• Herbs 1/4 oz (approximately 7 grams)
• Citric Acid  2 teaspoons (use organic and not the chemical one)
• Vinegar 2 teaspoons (approximately just enough to moisten the herb. I used kombucha vinegar)
• lecithin 1 teaspoon (I used powder)
• Small GLASS container with lid

Rosemary in citric acid day 2

Instructions:

• Grind herbs in blender fine ( not necessary if using bagged herbal teas)
• Mix the herbs and lecithin. Mix well.
• Add the citric acid.  Mix well.
• Add vinegar making sure all the ingredients are moist.  Compress your herb in a jar and seal tight with a lid.  Let it ferment if you will.  lol.  I love fermented foods.  They are so good for you probiotic wise.  Set this aside in a dark corner for 5 days. 

By the end of 5 days it is ready to use.  It looks and feels like pliable tar. You can then roll this dark tarry herb into a golf size ball or flatten it out between plastic wrap and roll it out. At this point, you can cut it into smaller serving pieces.  Let it air dry and store in a sealed container.

To use:

• Just pinch a piece off and add to your favorite recipe.  Hot herbal tea anyone?  Yum.:)
• Because it is extracted with citric acid it goes great in vinaiegrettes, and teas, lemonade, and soda.  You chose your own recipe.  I'm just saying its very lemony.  Oh, medicated lemon chicken sounds good.  So does lemon herbed potatoes.

Oregano in citric acid day 2

If you like my recipe please feel free to share this or one of my other food blog recipes with your friends.  I share how to survive and eat well on a low budget.  I do it here at Mary Helen's Test Kitchen.  It's where all the experiment recipes take place.  I for one never follow recipes.  I love to cook and know my herbs. I do my own thing using the simplest utinsils, yet creating delicious meals that have more nutrition than most dishes.   I then share all my findings with you.

My thought for today is this world would be a happier place if we were all healthier right? Remember, Food is Medicine. Herbs have been given to us to use as food. It is a gift from our Heavenly Father. I thank you for allowing me to be of service.  Many Blessings.

Sincerely,

Mary Helen

Medical cannabis in citric acid day 4

Rosemary in citric acid day 4.  It looks the same
but does feel very oily and a lot softer.
Yup it's breaking down

PS:  Pictures coming soon.  It's just that I take 1000's pictures monthly and I have to go way back and search for them.  I will update as soon as I find them.  For now this will do.  My apologies.

Oregano in citric acid day 4.  Very oily

SPICY SWEET & SOUR GREEN TEA MINT SAUCE

Spicy Sweet & Sour Green Tea Mint Sauce/ kombucha vinaigrette.

Here is a delicious recipe where the  spicy green tea & mint flavor enhance this sauce/ vinaigrette.  This goes very well with samosas, lumpia, eggrolls, fish, lamb or salad. This is great for someone who do not drink herbal teas, but they get to get the nutritional benefits from eating it in a big way.

It's also a great way to disguise these herbs in mouth watering recipes.  They don't have to  know how healthy it is.  haha I did that with my dad (onions) and my son (carrots).  My poor daughter had to eat it straight, because I did't know how to disguise healthy foods back in the 70's  So to her.  Sorry about all that vegetarian food especially that alfalfa.   lol  Not really:))

Herbs are one of the worlds greatest spices of life.  Loaded with antioxidants, and fiber and it gives food  a boost of nutrition, as well as flavor and fiber.

Here I created a mouth watering spicy sweet and sour green tea mint sauce or vinaigrette using a few herbs and tea I had on hand.  Note, If for some reason you don't have a certain ingredient.  Don't sweat it.  It's all still good. So, let's get busy...
                                                                   Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup  mint leaves and stems (fresh) 
• 1/2 cup brown sugar ( you can use 1/2 the brown sugar and substitute it for sweetener or honey)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced
• 1  green tea teabag
• 1 tbsp cayenne pepper (you can always add more or less)
• 1/2 tbsp. parsley dried
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp.  pepper
• 1/4 tsp garam masala or curry
• 1/4 tsp citric acid or juice of one lemon
• 2 cups kombucha vinegar  (I have a lot on hand because I brew it, but if you don't have it you might want to use apple cider vinegar starting with 1/4 cup and add to taste).  Never use white vinegar, except for cleaning, because it is so unhealthy.

Heat water in a saucepan on low to almost a boil, and put fire on low.  Add all the ingredients except for the kombucha vinegar.  Cook on low for 30 minutes, and drain.Cool to room temperature and add kombucha vinegar.  Now I bottle 1/2 of is and store it in the refrigerator.  Let me continue to thicken the rest of the sauce...

• 1/2 of the above sauce
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1/4 cup water

Heat the sauce again in a sauce pan.  Mix the cornstarch in cold water and add to the green tea mint sauce.  Stir constantly for a couple of minutes till thickened.  Add kombucha vinegar when warm to preserve the probiotics of the kombucha, mixing well.  Yummy now you have this Spicy Sweet & Sour Green Tea Mint Sauce.

So here you have it.  It's really easy, delicious and nutritious too. Oh and two of my favorite words, it's also, homemade, and cheap.  You get a great sauce that costs a couple of dollars homemade.  Yet, with it you can turn a simple dish into a dish that will be remembered for a long time.  Priceless! Surely you will get a thumbs up!  I hope you like it.  Here's to your health and theirs. Get ready for more green tea recipes and other herb recipes coming real soon.

Many blessings,

Mary Helen

Please be patient..

It's a work in progress.  lol.  Yes I have lots of recipes, I just need the time to blog this for you.  So please come back soon.  Thank you:))
Many blessings,
Mary Helen