Lavender Lemonade

• 6 lemons
• 1 cup organic cane sugar
• 6 cups cold water
• 1/4 cup fresh or 1 tablespoon dried lavender buds
• Ice cubes
• Lavender springs and lime slices for garnish (optional)

1. Juice the lemons to make 1 cup of juice. To extract the most juice, firmly roll the lemons between your hand and the counter top before cutting in half and juicing. Place the lemon juice in a pitcher and set aside.
2. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the sugar with 3 cups of the water. Over medium-high heat, simmer and stir the water until the sugar is completely dissolved.
3. Stir in the lavender to the sugar water, cover, and remove from heat. Steep for 25-30 minutes.
4. Strain the lavender mixture through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, and discard the lavender buds. Pour lavender infusion into the pitcher with the lemon juice. Add the remaining 3 cups of water, and stir well.
5. Pour into tall glasses half-filled with ice and garnish with fresh lavender sprigs and lime slices. (optional)

Lavender (Lavendula spp.)

Parts used: Flowers

Benefits: Lavender, oh lavender, how I love thee!  If I could only use one herb for the rest of my life (I know, that’s a terrible thought), I would choose lavender because of it’s so versatile, both medicinally and culinary-wise.  Lavender is the queen of nerve tonics, allowing you to respond to stressors of life in a less stressful way.  It helps with irritability, restlessness, depression; calms anger and agitation; and invokes an uplifted feeling of well-being.  It’s even useful for headaches and migraines!  Lavender has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and astringent properties as well.  Therefore it makes an excellent topical healer for skin conditions such as athlete’s foot, rashes, eczema, and psoriasis.  Soak in a lavender bath when you are mentally or physically worn out or have aches & pains.  Lavender is effective in nearly every form - tea, tinctures, oils, salves, vinegars, liniments, baths.  Decide what works best for you! 

Let’s not forget the versatility of lavender in the kitchen.  Whip up lavender-infused oil and add it in your pesto, soups, stir-fries, sauces, and marinades.  Steep lavender in vinegar and add it to drinks, dipping sauces, and salad dressings.  Rub meats with lavender-rosemary salt or dazzle people with lavender lemonade!  Seriously, go plant some lavender!

Summertime activities like hiking, gardening, and camping often result in sore muscles, cuts, scrapes, insect bites, sprains, sunburns, and other discomforts. Luckily, you can treat yourself to homemade herbal remedies straight from your garden!  These simple recipes can turn classic herbs into medicinal preparations that soothe, heal, and rejuvenate.

Aloe vera, lavender and peppermint sunburn spray

Aloe Vera and Lavender offer immediate relief, shorten healing times, and are soothing while Peppermint is cooling and refreshing.

• 4 oz organic aloe vera gel
• 15 drops lavender essential oil
• 10 drops Vitamin E Oil
• 2-5 drops peppermint essential oil

Mix all ingredients, pour into a 4 ounce spray bottle, and apply to the skin as often as desired. Store in refrigerator to increase its cooling effect upon the skin.

Herbal massage oil

This botanical-infused goodness accelerates healing times and soothes aching muscles, sprains, and areas that are inflamed or swollen.

• 4 oz herbal infused oil - choose one or a combination: calendula, chamomile, or lavender
• 10 drops peppermint essential oil
• 10 drops rosemary essential oil
• 5 drops eucalyptus essential oil
• 5 drops juniper berry essential oil

Pour all ingredients into a glass bottle and roll between palms to distribute the oils evenly. Massage into sore and tender muscles. If in a pinch, organic extra-virgin olive oil may be substituted for the herbal infused oil oils, but it will not have quite the same medicinal effects.

Calendula, Lavender and Shea butter balm

A soothing and healing balm. Rub into sore muscles or apply to minor cuts, scrapes, insect bites, rashes, chapped skin, and other skin irritations.

• 3 oz calendula flower infused herbal oil
• 1 oz shea Butter
• 1/2 oz beeswax
• 20 drops lavender essential oil

Melt beeswax, shea butter, and calendula oil over a double boiler until melted, then remove from burner and mix in the lavender oil. Quickly pour into tins or glass jars and allow to cool thoroughly before using or capping jar.

Herbal Foot Soak

Soak those tired “dogs” with this rejuvenating and therapeutic blend of salt and herbs fresh from your garden.

• 1/2 cup Epsom salt
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Sprigs of fresh chamomile flowers, eucalyptus leaves, lavender flowers, peppermint leaves, rosemary, thyme, or oregano. If fresh herbs are unavailable, substitute with dried herbs or a few drops of essential oil.

Boil water and pour over herbs, then add salt and olive oil. Once the water has cooled to a comfortable temperature, soak feet for as long as desired. For an even more luxurious experience, place a few smooth stones into the bottom and gently roll your feet over the stones to naturally massage and relax them.

I had a fun day yesterday making some herbal honeys and vinaigrettes, and I thought some of you might be interested.  Sorry for the grainy picture - all I had was some poor lighting and my MacBook. 

The smaller jar is a lavender-chamomile honey.  I took a cup of local organic honey and poured it over over 1/4 cup of dried lavender (picked by my partner from her friend’s garden, dried by me) and 1/4 cup dried organic chamomile.  I am going to let it steep for 2-3 weeks before it’s ready - it will be so worth the wait!

The bigger jar is a blueberry herb vinaigrette.  I used 1 cup of organic blueberries, 1/4 of lemon verbena fresh from my garden, 3tbsp of sage and 3tbsp parsley (also fresh from my garden), 1/4 cup lemon peel, and 3 cups of apple cider vinegar.  I am going to let this sit for a month in cool, dark place before straining it and then adding a cup of honey.  Delicious.