Herbal Sprinkles are one of the most simple and satisfying ways to incorporate more herbs into your cookery. The key to using herbal sprinkles is to take them out of the cupboard and keep them next to where you cook and eat. I have several herbal sprinkle combinations right next to my stove and blender and on the kitchen table. If the herbs are readily accessible you get into the habit of using them every day, pretty soon you wonder how you lived without such a pleasing array of herbal flavors.
I have an entire chapter on herbal sprinkle recipes in The Herbal Kitchen. I have to tell you that by far the most popular sprinkle that people have loved the most is Red Powder. It didn’t start out with the name Red Powder; my family would just say, “Hey, pass the red powder, would ya?” So the name stuck. It is definitely a favorite at our table. ~Kami McBride
by Kami McBride
I love Red Powder on rice and apply it lavishly to egg dishes. I put this herbal sprinkle in our summer smoothies and green drinks. It is a really delicious addition to grain dishes and is super yummy mixed with yogurt. You can even add it to oatmeal, granola, or sprinkle it on winter squash or sweet potatoes.
Red Powder is a source of anthocyanins which are a type of flavonoid that give the plants their deep rich color. This is a great way to include anthocyanin containing herbs into your diet. Herbal sprinkles bring the healthful qualities of your apothecary to the center of your daily culinary experience. Enjoy this wonderfully creative and delicious journey.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons powdered organic rose hips
2 tablespoons powdered organic hawthorn berries
1 tablespoon powdered organic rose petals
1 tablespoon powdered organic orange peel
Dash of powdered organic clove
Supplies
Salt shaker or spice storage bottle for herbal sprinkles
Finely powdered dried organic herbs
Bowl
Herbs
The herbs and spices used in shakers need to be finely powdered. Home powdering isn’t sufficient for many spices as standard blenders aren’t powerful enough to completely break them down. There is the tendency to grind the spices for too long and the heat generated by the blender dissipates beneficial components of the spices. Also the small sticks and seeds get caught in the holes and clog up your shaker. Mountain Rose Herbs offers many organic herbs in powdered form here.
Storage
Salt shakers have open holes, so the herbs are consistently exposed to oxygen. This exposure breaks the herbs down more rapidly, but they still last pretty well in the shaker and usually six months isn’t a problem. I prefer shakers with lids that close over the holes when you are finished using them. If you keep your herbal sprinkles in a jar with a tight fitting lid they can last for a year and sometimes longer. These Spice Jars with Shaker Tops are perfect!
“With the simplest of ingredients and always an eye for what is practical and doable, Kami guides us to create recipes for health and healing and weaves the magic and power of herbs back into our daily lives. Within the limitless range of the kitchen lies the pathway to wellness. As Kami makes obvious, “this is a book about reclaiming the art of using herbs in our daily food routines and developing a deeper understanding of our relationship between food and wellness.”
~ Rosemary Gladstar
Herbalist and author Kami McBride is sharing one of her favorite recipes with us and giving away copies of her amazing book, The Herbal Kitchen! Kami teaches experiential herbal programs to revive the art of homemade herbal medicine. Her work is centered in sustainable wellness practices, creating self reliance and revitalizing relationships with the plant world. You can find her website here:www.livingawareness.com Be sure to enter for a chance to win!
