Quick and Easy Herbal Gifts for the Holidays

By Danielle Klinkow, Clinical Herbalist

One thing I love about the holiday season is that it provides me with the opportunity to create herbal gifts for people that are special to me.  Everyone loves receiving handmade gifts tailored to their lives, and it’s personally rewarding to create items that are both practical and enjoyable.

This year I decided to focus on salt, a particularly cleansing and flavorful addition to anyone's life.

One of the easiest gifts to make is custom bath salts. They are a luxurious and economical gift for those who enjoy long soaks in the tub. I prefer to make a big batch of a basic bath salt recipe and then add custom ingredients to each jar based on what I think the recipient might enjoy. 

Basic Bath Salt Recipe: 

equal parts Epsom salt, Dead Sea salt, Himilayan pink salt, and baking soda.

Depending on how many jars I want to create, I will usually mix one or two cups of each of these salts and store them in a large glass container until I am ready to use them. Fancy additions to bath salts can include dried flower petals, seaweeds, as well as nutritive and essential oils. The combinations for herbal aromatherapy baths are endless!

Here are a few of my favorites:

The Rose Bath is a beautiful, calming, and moisturizing bath that can be taken when you want to access feelings of love and sensuality. There is nothing better than relaxing into a tub full of rose petals!  Here is the recipe:

1 C basic bath salts 

1/4 oz dried damask rose petals 

20 drops rose scented essential oil (you can use rose geranium, rose attar, rose maroc, or any scent you enjoy within the rose family) 

2 teaspoons glycerin 

2 teaspoons jojoba oil (The jojoba oil and glycerin give the bathwater a silky feel and moisturize the skin at the same time)

Mix the oils together first and then incorporate these into the salt and rose petals. Store in a glass jar. 

When you're ready for your bath, add 1/2 cup into your bath water once the bath has been drawn. It is important to add anything with essential oils to your bath just before you enter the bath, as the oils will quickly evaporate. Draw figure 8's in the water with your hand until all the salt has dissolved -- this both mixes the ingredients into the water and potentizes the water with the energy of the rose flowers and oil. You can also put the mixture into a muslin cloth bag and swish it in the tub, if you prefer not to have to clean rose petals out of your tub at the end of your bath. I like to enjoy this bath while drinking a cup of Uplifting Spirits tea, a custom blend Gathering Thyme makes.

Another enjoyable bath is a stimulating Rosemary Mint Bath, which is perfect for mornings when you have a hard time waking up, or any time you crave mental stimulation. 

1 cup basic bath salt 

1/4 oz dried mint 

1/4 oz dried orange peel 

10 drops rosemary verbena essential oil (or any rosemary E.O.) 

6 drops peppermint essential oil

4 drops lemon essential oil

Mix all ingredients thoroughly and store in a glass container.  In addition to adding these salts to a bath, you can also rub your body with the bag of herbs to facilitate cleansing and detoxification. Try this bath with a cup of Peppermint tea.

The Seaweed Detox Bath is another favorite of mine. I like to take this bath when I am feeling tired and rundown, as it helps to cleanse my system and the lavender oil is particularly relaxing. 

1 cup basic bath salts 

1-2 ounces powdered bladderwrack, kelp or a combination of both (Gathering Thyme can powder these for you) 

20 drops lavender essential oil 

4 tablespoons bentonite clay

Blend thoroughly and store in a glass container. Mix 1/2 cup into a hot bath (as hot as you can stand), and soak for 20-30 minuntes. Make sure to rinse off with soap in a quick shower afterwards, so you don't reabsorb the toxins you just released through your skin. Drink plenty of water during and after this bath, as well as with all baths taken. You can add fresh lemon juice to your water for extra detoxification.

If a bathtub is not available to you, or you simply don’t enjoy baths, a Salt Scrub is another way to cleanse you body, facilitate detoxification, and rejuvenate your spirits. Any of the above recipes can be altered to become salt scrubs instead of salt soaks. Replace the basic bath salt with 1 cup fine grain dead sea salt, add 4 ounces almond oil, and mix in 1 ounce jojoba oil, 2 tablespoons glycerin, and your favorite essential oils. Lavender is a great essential oil for a scrub, as are sweet orange, grapefruit, vanilla, or jasmine. Mix 12-20 drops essential oil per cup of scrub. Please be aware that some essential oils can cause skin irritation, so always research your oils before adding them to any preparation that has direct contact with your skin.

Another salt product that I really enjoy is Flavored Herbal Salts, which add such wonderful accents to meals. When herbal salts are corked in fancy bottles they make beautiful and impressive gifts for the foodie in any family.    

Herbs de Provence mixed with the Celtic Sea salt are a great addition to eggs, chicken breasts, pork tenderloin, grilled zucchini,  or my favorite, mushrooms. 

1 C coarse or finely ground sea salt (grey salt is preferable for its high mineral content and unique flavor) 

3 tbl. oregano leaves 

3 tbl. thyme leaves 

1 tsp. basil leaves 

1 tsp. sage leaf 

2 tbl. marjoram 

2 tbl. lavender 

1 tsp. rosemary. 

Mix thoroughly and store in tightly sealed jars. Add a pinch of this salt at the end of cooking, or season your meats or veggies with the salt before searing or baking.

If you or your loved ones are on a low salt diet, you can make a Flavored Herbal Sprinkle instead. Herb sprinkles are especially good when added to freshly cooked rice, salads, potatoes, or anywhere a little extra flavor (and nutrition) is needed. This recipe is very nutritive; the dulse and nettles are both high in essential minerals, and sesame seeds are very high in calcium. 

1/2 cup dulse flakes 

1/2 cup nettles 

3/4 cup toasted sesame seeds (you can toast raw sesame seed quickly in a cast iron skillet on medium high heat -- just make sure to stir constantly as the burn quickly). 

You can add any spices you like to this basic combination; some spices I enjoy are basil and oregano, or cumin and cayenne pepper. 

Put all ingredients in a Cuisinart or a coffee grinder that has never been used to grind coffee (otherwise your mixture will taste like coffee grounds!), and pulse a few times. You want the mixture to be the consistency of course sand. Fill up a spice jar with a shaker lid attached and enjoy! Yum!

Herb of the Month: Medicinal Mushrooms

Medicinal mushrooms have taken the Western Herbal Medicine world by storm in the past decade, although for centuries mushrooms have been prized in Chinese medicine as potent remedies for everything from cancer to impotence to immune deficiencies.  In fact, some mushrooms were reserved for royalty only, such as Reishi.  But throughout the world, from China to Japan to Africa to Old Europe, generations of herbalists have sought out the healing powers of mushrooms to promote healing and longevity.
Many naturopaths recommend taking a mushroom supplement every day alongside your fish oil -- but cooking them into your soup is another easy way to reap the benefits of these friendly fungi that tastes delicious, too!

There are thousands of types of mushrooms throughout the world; no one knows for sure how many of them may be medicinal.  Those that have been studied are used for immune support, arthritis, anemia, respiratory issues, digestive and cardiovascular diseases,  exhaustion, strength restoration after illness,  support for those going through chemotherapy, HIV, chronic fatigue... the list goes on and on.  

A couple of our favorites are: 
Reishi - Ganoderma lucidum

This hard woody polypore has  been called "Herb of Immortality", "Marvelous Herb" and "Ten Thousand Year Mushroom." Some consider Reishi or Ling Zhi the cornerstone of Traditional Chinese Medicine, where it is placed into the highest class of overall tonics. 
Shitake - Lentinula edodes 
The delicious and popular Shiitake is one of the world's favorite mushrooms because of its superior flavor and extraordinary medicinal qualities. It is an excellent source of protein, potassium, zinc, B-vitamins, complex carbohydrates, as well as all the important essential amino acids. Among its many qualities, it has been shown to pull heavy metals from the body, as was learned from the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasake.    
Turkey Tail - Trametes versicolorA small spongy fungus that grows in clusters on decaying logs, its banded edges and colorful appearance give Turkey Tails its common name. Derived from this mushroom is one of the most widely used cancer therapies in Japan. It has been shown to prolong life by suppressing the proliferation of cancer and tumor cells, and by bolstering the immune system's natural response.  It is quite prolific in our area, it's fan-shaped color decorates many a downed oak log along the trail. 
Maitake - Grifola frondosa
This is a tasty and quite nutritious soft-fleshed mushroom with a beautiful ruffled appearance. It is perhaps best known for its powerful abilities in easing the side effects of chemotherapy treatment, while at the same time enhancing the treatment's effectiveness. It is currently the subject of research in the treatment of HIV and AIDS. 
Some of our favorite lines for Mushrooms include The Herbal Apothecary, Host Defense, and Ancestral Apothecary.


Magically Delicious Mushroom Bisque Recipe
1 1/2 pounds mushrooms (shitake, oyster, maitake, etc).
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
 1 1/2 cups bone broth or water
1 1/2 tbsp butter or olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp thyme
3 cups milk, scalded
1 cup heavy cream
black pepper
green onions or chives

1.)  Slice potatoes thinly. Chop mushrooms coarsely. Begin cooking the onion in butter, adding 1 tsp. salt.

2.) When the onion becomes translucent add the potatoes. Continue to cook over fairly low heat, mixing well, so the butter coats everything.

3.) After several minutes add the mushrooms, water, and remaining salt. Cover and cook over medium heat 15 minutes.

4.) Puree the entire mushroom mixture with a submersion blender until  smooth.  Heat very slowly as you whisk in the scalded milk and cream.  

5.) Serve topped with freshly-chopped chives and freshly-grated black pepper.
Recipe adapted from  Mollie Katzen, The Moosewood Cookbook

The Seven Most Important Essential Oils (by David Crow)

David Crow is one of the world’s foremost experts and leading speakers in the field of botanical medicine, natural health and ecological sustainability. He is a master herbalist, aromatherapist and acupuncturist with over 20 years experience and is an expert in the Ayurvedic and Chinese medical systems.  He is a renowned author and the founding director of Floracopeia Aromatic Treasures.

Here at Gathering Thyme, we're proud to carry Floracopeia essential oils, which are of the highest quality, have an incredible potency, and are crafted in an ecologically sustainable way -- a rare and important quality in the world of aromatherapy.  Come in today to experience their power -- we're happy to answer whatever questions you may have about these beautiful oils.

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Here is a short list of what I would consider the most important essential oils, which I will be adding to gradually. The criteria I am using is general safety, overall efficacy, and wide range of therapeutic applications. These are the oils that I would suggest that people have as a home pharmacy, and know how to use effectively.

1. Lavender: The world's number one selling oil. In this list because of its gentle nature, low dermotoxic potential, benefits as a mild calmative relaxant with immune enhancing and antimicrobial powers, a specific remedy for burns, and for assisting children in concentration and learning. I regard lavender as the essential oil equivalent of an adaptogenic herb, because it fulfills the definition of helping the body cope with stress through balancing, strengthening and harmonizing the axis of immune, neurologic and endocrine systems. It of course has a multitude of other uses, many of which are mentioned in the monograph that I have posted.

2. Helichrysum italicum: Number one wound healing oil, with remarkable powers of skin regeneration, scar tissue resolving, anti-inflammatory, blood vitalizing and bruise resolving, and anti-microbial powers.

3. Jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi, Himalayan spkienard): One of the most psychoactive of the oils, especially for dreaming, intractable insomnia, deep-seated traumas, high vata and chronic overstimulation of the sympathetic nervous system.

4. Frankincense (Boswelia genus): One of the most beneficent for ceremonial and ritual purposes, evocative of spiritual moods, anti-anxiety and anti-depressant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, bruise resolving and blood vitalizing, beneficial for the skin, scar tissue resolving, and excellent for the respiratory system. A multitude of other benefits, including evidence of anti-tumor powers.

5. Respiratory oils: A group instead of a specific oil, this would include the conifers and eucalyptus oils. These are the number one choice for using in diffusers for atmospheric purification and reduction of microbial contagion, for enhancing respiratory immunity, decreasing incidence and aiding symptoms of colds and flus, clearing sinus congestion, enhancing mental clarity.

6. Tea tree (Melaleuca alterniflora): The most studied of the oils for antimicrobial effects. Reports of dermotoxicity if applied directly to the skin, so requiring proper dilution. Can be used effectively with respiratory oils in the diffuser, and blended with niaouli (another species of melaleuca) and/or lemon-scented tea tree (Leptospermum citratum), which is actually a type of manuka.

7. Palo Santo (Bursera graveolens): The most important aromatic tree in South America, used extensively in ceremony and ritual, and for repelling mosquitoes in homes. The oil has a multitude of uses, including antimicrobial, atmospheric purifying, antidepressant and anti-anxiety. It is especially potent as an anxiolytic calmative when inhaled directly, and is reputed to have immediate relaxing effects for panic attacks. It is an excellent oil to use in the diffuser combined with the respiratory category of oils, as it both reduces contagion of airborne pathogens and benefits respiratory conditions.

David Crow will be speaking in January at the Ohlone Herbal School.  For more information, click here.