Growing up, I had the unique opportunity to embrace herbal wisdom through the ancient Indian philosophy of Ayurveda. For a number of years, my family hosted Ayurvedic physicians who traveled around the world to spread this beautiful knowledge of wellness and balance. It was through this incredible learning experience that I began to understand that the best tools for facial care came from the herbal pantry. Triphala, one of the most common and versatile Ayurvedic herbal formulations, was used for this refreshing facial mask.

While I’ll never stop loving a classic café latte, I’m amazed by the variety of creamy drinks you can create with healthful herbs and teas. That's why we were overjoyed to see this submission from Rita Gillan (ritadoula.com), a recipe contest winner from our Fall 2017 catalogue. Enjoy her simple how-to-guide and chai maca latte recipe. Now you can make this delicious herbal beverage in the comfort of your own home. Thanks, Rita!  

Peppermint just happens to be one of those well-loved but simultaneously affordable scents. Not only is it popular, it’s incredibly versatile. Here are seven fun and simple ways to use this refreshing essential oil, so you can get more bang for your buck (and make everything smell fresh and minty in the process!).

At home, my kitchen is never lacking cardamom. I like this spice so much that I’ve got a separate hand-held spice grinder filled with just hulled cardamom (hint, if you use a clear glass vase grinder, you won’t get your cardamom confused with your black pepper). This way, I can have freshly ground cardamom goodness whenever I want! One of my favorite ways to enjoy it is in sweets, like shortbread or teacake. I adapted this recipe for my gluten-free and dairy-free friends, so we could all enjoy it together.

For those of you who count on Mountain Rose Herbs for dried herbs and spices, we're honored! But we strongly encourage our community to support nearby farmers who grow beautiful, fresh botanicals too. Your buying power has the potential to fuel your local economy, reduce your carbon footprint, and promote the cultivation of local varieties of the herbs you love.

We are proud to announce a new herbal resource for our community! We are compiling a list of certified organic local herb growers with under 40 acres in cultivation, so that plant lovers like you know where to go to get high-quality fresh herbs!

It’s chai time, and I’m about to make some of my favorite tea.

Would you like some?

With half of my family from North India, I’m fairly accustomed to the ritual of drinking chai. Not the frothy, ultra-sweet, flavored-milk drink you get from national coffee chains. I mean real chai, made from raw ingredients, and crafted to suit the individual’s preference. And it never fails to surprise me how varied people’s tastes can be.