Herbal

Parsley

Parsley ( Petroselinum crispum ) is a species of flowering plant that is cultivated as a herb and widely used in European, Middle Eastern and American cuisine. There are three types of parsley which are curly leaf, flat leaf and root parsley, it is believed to have been grown originally in the Mediterranean area of the world and was revered by the Ancient Greeks as a sacred plant that was important in funeral rites.

It is mostly used as a culinary herb and is high in Vitamins A, C and K which is particularly good for healthy bones. Parsley is also used medicinally and as a fragrance, apparently chewing on raw parsley combats bad breathe.

Magically parsley is a masculine plant associated with the element of air and ruled by the planet Mercury. It is used magically for love, fertility, protection, and purification.

Superstitions surrounding parsley include it being bad luck to be transplanted and it should originally be planted on a holy day, especially Good Friday if you wanted it to be successful; this was due to the fact that it was only witches who could grow parsley well and planting on a holy day was the remedy to this.

Recipe – Parsley Vinaigrette

This is a great recipe for helping children learn to measure ingredients out plus they can pick the parsley themselves if you have some growing in the garden.

½ pint olive oil

1 tbsp lemon

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tsp caster sugar

1 tsp French mustard

2 peeled garlic cloves

8oz fresh parsley leaves

Blitz ingredients in a food processor

Sage

Sage (salvia officinalis) is a perennial evergreen plant native to the Mediterranean region and a member of the mint family. It was used extensively by ancient civilisations and in folk medicine it was the go to herb for many ailments including stomach troubles, bleeding, sores, ulcers plus liver and kidney problems.

Sage is actually very good for you as it is a great source of Vitamin K which is essential for blood clotting and building bone strength. It also contains Iron, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Manganese and is loaded with antioxidants as well. Sage mouthwash is good for oral health too.

Magically Sage is best known for its purifying and cleansing properties which is why it is used for smudging homes or sacred spaces. It is however also connected magically with wisdom, good luck, emotional strength and helping with grief.

Make a sage smudge

You will need

Sage still on stalks

String

Scissors

Gather your sage together into a bundle.
Tie your bundle together at the base securing with a knot.
Criss cross your string up the bundle tightly but be careful not to crush the leaves and knot.
Cut off any excess string
Hang your sage bundle upside down somewhere airy and dry for at least a week
When fully dry your sage stick is ready to use

Recipe – Sage butter

This is a great to put over plain cooked pasta and all you need is a handful of sage and butter plus it’s easy peasy.

Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a shallow pan then add sage leaves.
Cook over a medium heat until sage and butter are slightly brown

Clove Tea

Good for killing bacteria in the mouth, expelling mucus from the lungs and supporting the immune system.

1/2 inch of ginger

1 cinnamon stick

1/4 teaspoon whole cloves

3 cups of boiling water

Steep for five minutes. Strain and allow to cool. Add honey to sweeten before drinking.

For the Sweetest of Dreams

To make a herbal sachet for giving sweet dreams use:-

1 tablespoon dried violet

1 tablespoon dried spearmint

2 tablespoons dried lavender

Tired Feet

If you’re like me then you’re on your feet a lot and at the end of the day they may well be aching and feeling tired.

So here’s something you can do to refresh those tired feet. Soak your feet in a bowl of hot water that you’ve added one tablespoon of sea salt and a large handful of fresh herb or a quarter cup of dried herb.

The herbs to choose are either bay, lavender, sage, sweet marjoram or thyme.