20+ DIY Herbal Recipes You Can Make for Under $10

 

Affordability is a real issue when it comes to health and wellness. Many of us are living on tight budgets, and that’s not getting any better with the current skyrocketing inflation. One of the things that I love about herbalism is that it empowers me to make better choices for my health and wellbeing without blowing my budget. It’s true that some herbal formulations require ingredients that are beyond what I can purchase, but there are many effective options that fall comfortably in the affordable zone, so I’ve never felt like I missed out because I couldn't buy those pricier options. The following 20+ recipes are perfect examples. From wellness recipes to topical applications and culinary treats, these excellent, affordable formulations have served the Mountain Rose Herbs community well for many years. Enjoy!

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Posted by Heidi

Black Cohosh: A Powerhouse Herb to Use and Source Mindfully+ Recipe for Hot Flashes

Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa) is one of the top-selling herbal supplements in the United States. According to United Plant Savers (UpS), the harvest of black cohosh in our nation is as much as half-a-million pounds in dry weight per year—and 97% of that harvest is wild-sourced! This level of massive-scale wildharvesting has repercussions and raises concerns about the long-term sustainability of this powerhouse herb. Fortunately, unlike some of our other favorite forest-farmed botanicals, black cohosh is easy to cultivate. While this doesn’t address the immediate issue, it does give us hope for a bright future. Let’s take a deeper look at what we can do to support a sustainable future for black cohosh.

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Posted by Heidi

Spicy Margarita Recipe

This spicy margarita recipe with DIY jalapeño simple syrup, homemade citrus margarita mix, and a delicious chili-lime rimming mixture for your glass is going to check all your tastebuds’ boxes. Make the simple syrup and margarita mix ahead of time, refrigerate them until ready to use, and then you can easily shake up a delicious, spicy margarita whenever the occasion calls for it. Organic chili-lime salt and dried jalapeño flakes are the key to these easy, delicious homemade margaritas!

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Posted by Heidi

5 Natural Recipes For When You’ve Had Too Much Sun

I am one of those people who seeks out shade. On a camping day or a lazy afternoon at the river, as the sun crosses the sky, I will be the one moving my camp chair to stay out of its way. And yet, somehow, I still find myself dealing with the effects of too much sun. It’s easy to underestimate the sun’s power when we’re busy playing, gardening, swimming, hiking, and enjoying other summertime activities. That’s why I prepare ahead by keeping the necessary components around for simple botanical formulations that help alleviate the symptoms of prolonged sun exposure. When you have the ingredients, the recipes below take just minutes to put together, so you’re only a couple steps away from sweet relief.

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Posted by Heidi

How to Choose High Quality Herbs and Spices

Recently, as I was making soup with my three-year-old granddaughter and teaching her to pronounce galangal root, I found myself in an extended game of “name that spice.” It turns out you can get through an entire elaborate Thai soup recipe with a toddler in this way; I highly recommend it. It goes something like this: Cute toddler points at spice jar and asks, “What is that spice?” Adult says, “Paprika. Smell it, what do you think?” Cute toddler makes funny face and spies another spice that looks similar. “Is that paprika too?” Adult is impressed. “Good eye, that’s smoked paprika. Does it smell different?” And on it goes like that through the colored jars. In this way, I was reminded that I have so many jars of excellent dried herbs and spices and it’s definitely time to check them for freshness.

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Posted by Heidi

The Benefits and Botany of Amla

I would like to introduce a lovely tree that many people reading this may not have had the opportunity to see in real life. It is one whose medicine is often referenced and shared among herbalists of all levels. Many know this tree and its fruit from its role in some of the most beloved herbal formulas hailing from the Indian sub-continent and the traditional medicine cultural heritage known as Ayurveda.

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Phytochemistry For Beginners: Constituent Groups and the Menstrua That Love Them


Phytochemistry is the study of the constituents in plants that cause physiological changes (aka health benefits) in the human body. These changes are what herbalists are attempting to achieve when creating herbal remedies. We call that herbal medicine. Knowing the actions and needs of constituents and which menstrua will extract and preserve them gives the medicine maker a clear view on pairing constituents with the correct menstrua to create effective remedies. 
Menstruum, or plural menstrua, is the extractor and preserver of plant medicine. The most common menstrua are water, alcohol, honey, glycerine, and apple cider vinegar.

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Trillium Plant: An Age-Old Ally That Needs Our Help

Mountain girl that I am, trillium is one of my favorite flowers. TechnicallyTrillium ovatum, also known as Pacific trillium, is what I think of when I think “trillium” because it’s the one I grew up with in the Coast Range of Oregon. Trillium plants look simple (just three petals and three sepals), but they are actually a complex little botanical. They live for decades, so you can form long-term relationships with them and welcome them back year after year. Unfortunately, however, they are slow to develop and spread, which is a serious weakness in the face of habitat loss and rampant wildharvesting. Between land use issues, trillium collectors who dig up wild varieties, deer who love to munch its leaves, and herbalists who seek out the rhizomes to make potent formulations, wild trillium is now in trouble. Let’s take a look at an age-old herbal ally and what we can do to preserve this beautiful, fragile plant.

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Posted by Heidi

How to Make Herbal Salt Blends + 4 Recipes

It is mighty cliché to start a health and wellness blog with a Hippocrates quote, but I am willing to sacrifice originality for truth. The old adage “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” is still worthy of repeating some 2,400 years after it was first uttered and despite centuries of medical and health advances, it is still relevant today. In this modern age, especially in America, many of us are living with nutritional deficiencies and are at a higher risk of experiencing food-related illnesses.

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Posted by Jessicka

Herbal Blend for Circular Thoughts

Circular thinking is pretty common with stress. Circular thinking starts out as if there is a linear process going on, but there’s no real end. If a problem is settled, the person may go right back to the beginning and start all over again. It’s part of that cycle of starting to question why you did or said that stupid thing, and how it could have been different. Sometimes it can be one particular instance, but in really intense periods, it can involve almost every cringe-inducing interaction that’s ever taken place. It can be pretty awful.

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Posted by Tina- Guest Writer

10 Underused Herbs for Wellness

As a reader of our blog, you may be somewhat familiar with a plant or two (or maybe a lot more than that). Herbal allies like echinacea and lavender have become household names, but what about some of the more uncommon herbs in circulation? While Mountain Rose Herbs is a purveyor of many familiar spices, we are also proud to provide an assortment of lesser-known organic herbs. Many of these underused herbs make effective substitutes for popular staples and are a fun and unique addition to the home apothecary. As always, we recommend consulting a qualified healthcare practitioner and conducting your own research before using new or unfamiliar herbs. Read More
Posted by Elise

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20+ DIY Herbal Recipes You Can Make for Under $10

Affordability is a real issue when it comes to health and wellness. Explore these 20+ effective recipes that you can make for $10 or less.
WRITTEN BY Heidi

June 27, 2022

Black Cohosh: A Powerhouse Herb to Use and Source Mindfully+ Recipe for Hot Flashes

Black cohosh is a powerhouse herb known for helping with hot flashes and night sweats that go with menopause. Learn how you can help create a sustainable future for black cohosh.
WRITTEN BY Heidi

June 20, 2022

Spicy Margarita Recipe

If you love margarita night and you appreciate the sizzle of jalapeños, we’ve got a margarita recipe for you!
WRITTEN BY Heidi

June 1, 2022

5 Natural Recipes For When You’ve Had Too Much Sun

When we’re caught up in summer fun, it’s easy to lose track of how long we’re in the sun. These 5 recipes offer relief when you’ve had too much sunshine.
WRITTEN BY Heidi

May 26, 2022

How to Choose High Quality Herbs and Spices

The best quality dried botanicals have superior flavor, nutrient value, and food safety. Learn why product testing is key and how to test for freshness.
WRITTEN BY Heidi

May 20, 2022

The Benefits and Botany of Amla

Learn about the mighty amla tree and how its superfood status makes it a must-have staple for your home apothecary.
WRITTEN BY Sarah Wu - Guest Writer

May 11, 2022

Phytochemistry For Beginners: Constituent Groups and the Menstrua That Love Them

Knowing the actions and needs of constituents and which menstrua will extract and preserve them gives herbalists a clear view on pairing constituents with the correct medium to create effective remedies
WRITTEN BY Suzanne Tabert- Guest Writer

May 4, 2022

Trillium Plant: An Age-Old Ally That Needs Our Help

Trillium plants are an age-old herbal ally and one of the most overharvested plants in the wild. Learn what you can do to preserve this beautiful plant so it can flower for many more years to come.
WRITTEN BY Heidi

April 28, 2022

How to Make Herbal Salt Blends + 4 Recipes

Learn how to add more herbs to your diet with these easy-to-make herbal salt recipes.
WRITTEN BY Jessicka

April 7, 2022

Herbal Blend for Circular Thoughts

Try this herbal remedy made with passionflower, lavender, and valerian when you have circular thoughts and you need a way to rebalance your mind and body.
WRITTEN BY Tina- Guest Writer

April 1, 2022

10 Underused Herbs for Wellness

Explore 10 underused herbs that are little-known but wonderful substitutes for more popular herbal allies. These uncommon herbs are sure to spark your herbal curiosity.
WRITTEN BY Elise

March 28, 2022