Happy Wednesday, moonbeams! It's time for another herb blurb! This week we are exploring an old favorite whose latin name means "Dew of the Sea".....
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is one of our favorite plant allies and has certainly been in the herbal apothecary for thousands of years. This sun-loving evergreen is native to the Mediterranean but is known for it's unique scent, flavor, and medicinal abilities the world over. I can't think of a single gardener or herbalist who doesn't have at least one of these plants in their garden! Rosemary has so very many uses; from benefiting the circulatory and digestive system, to air purifying and memory enhancing that it deserves its treasured place in the herbalist's healing arsenal.
Rosemary is a perennial shrub of the Lamiaceae (mint) family. It is know as "the herb of remembrance" and it is often used in herbal formulas for memory. Rosemary is also a tasty and pungent culinary herb; it can be used both fresh and dried in cooking. It has carminative and cholagogue actions which can enhance digestion. Rosemary contains vitamins A and C as well as phosphorus, potassium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and calcium. It has been known to aid circulation and has therefore been helpful in the treatment of chronic circulatory weakness. It has also been used as a treatment for patients with cerebral arteriosclerosis.
**Contraindications: Avoid use in cases in which the bile duct is blocked**
Recipes:
Delicious Rosemary Immune Boosting Tea:
1 - 2 tsp dried or fresh Rosemary leaves
About 1 inch fresh Ginger or 1/4 - 1/2 tsp Dried Ginger
1/2 - 1 Lemon peels
2 tsp Honey
2 cups boiling water
Optional: Lemon juice to taste
Optional: 1/2 - 1 clove Garlic for added Immune Enhancement
Super simple! Decoct (simmer) the entire recipe for 6-8 minutes, strain and enjoy!
Rosemary Infused Winter Lentils with Greens:
4 cups water
1 cup of your favorite lentils
7 cups chopped or shredded kale
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
5 pieces dried Astragalus root
2 cups fresh Shiitake mushrooms
2 teaspoons Rosemary, fresh or dried
4 medium slices or 6 small slices of your favorite crusty bread
(I love the Brio Kalamata Olive Loaf with this recipe!)
Mince 2 garlic cloves. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and crushed red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and rosemary and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add water; bring to a boil. Add lentils, reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover and cook for 40 minutes.
Add kale and salt; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and kale are tender, about 10 minutes more.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F.
Brush bread slices with extra virgin olive oil. Bake until toasted, 8 to 10 minutes.
Top the toast pieces with the lentil greens.
Optional: Sprinkle some goat cheese on top. Yum!
Garlic Rosemary Butter:
2 large or 4 small garlic cloves
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped Rosemary leaves
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Sea salt or Kosher salt
Ground Black Pepper
1. Peel the garlic cloves, halve them lengthwise and coarsely chop. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt. Using the flat side of a chef’s knife, smear and mash the garlic and salt together to form a smooth paste. This should result in about 2 tsp. garlic paste.
2. Transfer the garlic paste to a small bowl. Add the lemon juice, and rosemary. Stir to combine. Add the butter and mash together with a fork until completely blended.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Use immediately or use parchment, waxed paper, or plastic wrap to shape the garlic butter into a log, twisting the ends as if it were a sausage. Refrigerate until ready to use. The butter will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
You can find our dried Rosemary here: https://store.moonriseherbs.com/products/rosemary-organic-1oz
And our organic essential oil of Rosemary here: https://store.moonriseherbs.com/products/rosemary-1-8-cineole-wild-rosmarinus-officinalis-5ml
And one of our favorite tea blends featuring Rosemary - Brainy Brew: https://store.moonriseherbs.com/products/brainy-brew-1-oz
#moonriseherbs #herbblurb #rosemary