Edible Recipes with Medicinal Herbs

Whether you are hungry right now or merely looking to add to your cookbook the recipes below are a way to incorporate medicinal herbs into your kitchen. The herbs included in these recipes are also included on the ‘herbs around Guilford’ page of this site.

Turkey Tail Mushroom and Tumeric Tea– Recipe is below. Link is also here- https://draxe.com/nutrition/turkey-tail-mushroom/

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped turkey tail mushroom
• 5 cups purified water
• 2.5 teaspoons ground Tumeric
• 1/2 teaspoon local honey
• 1 drop lemon essential oil (optional) – additional flavors such as almond milk, stevia, and other essential oils can be added if desired

Instructions:

1. Chop the turkey tail mushroom into small pieces and add to a large pot of water on the stove.
2. Bring the water to a boil, then simmer for an hour.
3. Strain the mixture through a colander. Add a ½ teaspoon of fresh ground turmeric and the honey and stir.
4. Add the lemon essential oil and stir again.
5. That’s it — time to drink!

Elderberry Syrup – for Immune Boosting – Recipe is below. Link is also here – https://happyhealthymama.com/homemade-elderberry-syrup-recipe.html

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup of dried elderberries
• 3 cups water
• 1 teaspoon dried cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon dried cloves or 4 whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon dried ginger
• 1 cup raw honey

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, bring the elderberries, water, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, about 40-45 minutes.
3. Allow the liquid to cool, and then drain the liquid using a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth.
4. Press all liquid out of the berries using the back of a wooden spoon.
5. Add the raw honey and mix well.
6. Store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to two months.

Chickweed Salad with crunchy root vegetables: Recipe is below. Link is also here – https://www.tyrantfarms.com/chickweed-recipe-turning-common-weeds-into-gourmet-food/

Prep Time: 10 mintues Total Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chopped chickweed
• 1/4 cup purple daikon radish cut into small chopsticks
• 1/4 cup carrots cut into small chopsticks
• 1.5 Tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon kombucha vinegar or use other salad vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or blood orange juice
• 1 teaspoon fresh or dried citrus zest Meyer lemon or blood orange
• Hawaiian red sea salt or pink sea salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Chop veggies. Chickweed is a very delicate green so you want to balance that with the crunch of carrots and radishes without overwhelming the salad, hence why you want to cut the roots into fine chopsticks.
2. Combine liquid ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Pour on veggies and toss. Sprinkle on sea salt and toss – taste to make sure it’s the perfect amount of salt for your tastes.
3. Sprinkle on zest once the salad is plated.

Pickled Burdock Root – Recipe is below. Link is also here –https://www.ediblewildfood.com/burdock-root-pickles.aspx

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time:  5 minutes Yield: Makes one to two jars.

Burdock root pickles are sure to become a family favorite. With the ginger, garlic, and organic apple cider vinegar, these pickles pack a nutritional punch.

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 medium-sized burdock roots, sliced thin
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
• 4 ginger slices cut into thin strips
• apple cider vinegar
• fermented soy sauce (i.e. Kikkoman)

Instructions:

1. Scrub the roots well to remove any dirt and then remove the outer skin. Cut the roots into 1 to 2 inch long segments, and then thinly slice or julienne them.
   
2. Place prepared burdock into a pan and just cover with water. Bring the water to a boil for 2-3 minutes (just enough to slightly soften the roots), remove from heat. Remove the roots using a slotted spoon and place them in a clean bowl, reserving the cooking liquid.
   
3. Add the ginger and garlic to the burdock and mix well. Divide this mixture into 2 or 3 sterilized mason jars, filling them to about one inch from the top.
   
4. In each jar, fill 1/4 of the volume with apple cider vinegar, 1/4 with fermented soy sauce, and 1/2 with the burdock cooking liquid.
   
5. Cap tightly. Refrigerate until ready to use, or place them in a pressure cooker or water bath to seal and make them shelf-stable.

Dandelion Pesto – Recipe is below. Link is also available here – https://www.almanac.com/recipe/dandelion-pesto

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes Total Time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups tightly packed dandelion leaves
• Well-rinsed and dried1 dozen large basil leaves
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 cup lightly toasted hazelnuts (skins removed), or toasted almonds, pine nuts, or walnuts
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)
• Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor or blender, pulse together dandelion leaves, basil, garlic, and nuts.
2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the motor running, add olive oil and process until smooth paste forms.
3. Pulse in cheese if you like. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Yield:

3-1/2 cups

Spicy Shallot Lion’s Mane Mushrooms– Recipe listed below. Link is also available here – https://chagahq.com/lions-mane-mushroom/

When pan-fried, the flavor of Lion’s Mane is often compared to lobster. Try this easy one-pan recipe to unlock this rich mushroom’s culinary potential.

Adapted from: Much Ado About Fooding

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 100 grams (3.5 ounces) Lion’s Mane mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 4 diced shallots
• Dash of ground black pepper

For this recipe, you’ll want to cut or pull the mushroom apart into small, bite-sized pieces.

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in your pan over medium-high heat.
2. Once the oil is hot, add the paprika and crushed pepper and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add in the Lion’s Mane and the shallots, cook until the mushrooms are golden brown. Stir and turn frequently.
4. Move to a plate and season to taste. Enjoy!