Hi'iaka's Healing Herb Garden

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Super Simple Recipes for Budding Herbalists

If you've ever admired those pretty bottles of herbed vinegars and oils at your local gourmet shop or farmer's market, or if you've ever wondered what's in "Herbal Essences" shampoo, you're a budding herbalist.

It is so easy and inexpensive to make wholesome, delicious, attractive products in your own kitchen I don't understand why everyone isn't doing it, and with the holidays almost upon us, they make wonderful gifts. Here are a few of my super simple recipes.

Super Simple Herbal Hair Rinse

Who needs chemicals and food coloring in our hair care products? Rosemary or Lemon Verbena rinse is especially good for oily hair and makes your hair smell heavenly after your shampoo. You can buy inexpensive bulk dried herbs such as Rosemary and Lemon Verbena at your natural food store.

Here's how to make it:

1. Boil 1 quart of water in a non-metal pan, such as Pyrex.

2. Add one handful of dried or freshly cut Rosemary or Lemon Verbena.

3. Simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Strain it and pour the juice into a non-breakable container, which you can leave in the shower.

5. After your shampoo, saturate your hair with 1/2 cup of the rinse and don't rinse again.

Making Herbal Sun Tea

Tea has become popular again! You can buy it in bottles, but why spend the money when it's so easy to make you don't even have to boil water! Try the Basils, such as lemon or Thai (anise) basil, Chamomile flowers, different mints, etc. If you use dried herbs, you can use a tea ball, but it's not necessary. If you like caffeine, you can include tea bags of either black or green tea, which has cancer preventative and anti-tumor activity.

Here's how to make a refreshing sun tea:

1. In a clean glass quart container, place 10 4-inch sprigs of fresh herb, or use 4 tablespoons of dried herbs.

2. Fill the jar with good pure water, cover it, and set it in a sunny spot for several hours.

3. Strain your tea and pour it over plenty of ice cubes in a tall frosty glass. Garnish your beverage with a slice of lemon, lime, or orange, and sweeten it to suit your taste.

4. Cover your container and store the leftover tea in the fridge, but use it up within several days to benefit from the fresh, fragrant herbs.

Making Herb Vinegar

Herbed vinegars are very simple to make in your own kitchen. You can use them in salad dressings, stir-fry recipes, or add some to the water in which you steam veggies. You can use them in any recipe that calls for vinegar.

Be imaginative! For your vinegar, try Tarragon, Basil, Savory, or whatever strikes your fancy or is plentiful at the time. You can use either fresh or dried herbs, but fresh ones contain more essential oils and are more flavorful and aromatic. And don't forget to use the flowers of your fresh herbs if they are in bloom--they contain more of the plant's essential oils, so they are not only beautiful but contribute to the good herby taste. You can combine herbs and even use fruit such as Noni for its healthful properties. Raspberry vinegar is a high-priced delicacy you can make for pennies by using frozen berries, available at most grocery stores.

Here's the recipe for herb vinegar:

1. Select good quality apple cider vinegar or wine vinegar.

2. Place 10 4-inch sprigs of fresh herb or 4 tablespoons of dried herb into a clean quart size glass container. If you're using fruit, fill your jar 1/4 full with chopped fruit. You can combine herbs with your fruit-based vinegar if you wish. It doesn't matter exactly how full the jar is: this isn't rocket science!

3. Add 2 or more cloves of garlic and 2 slices of onion if you like them.

4. Fill the jar with vinegar and cover it.

5. Set the jar in a sunny spot for one full day.

6. Strain your mixture through a sieve, cheesecloth or a stocking (knee-high panty hose are my favorite), label it and store it in a cool, dark place.

Making Herbal Oil

Herbal oils are equally easy to make and can be used in salad dressings, for sauteing, as well as for massage and skin care, depending on the oil and the herb you select.

1. For cooking oil, select a good quality olive oil or other cooking oil. Choose any culinary herb that strikes your fancy, such as Bay Laurel, Oregano, Basil, Marjoram, etc. Place 10 4-inch sprigs of fresh herb and 2 cloves of garlic into a clean quart size glass container.

2. For massage oil and skin care, almond oil and grape seed oil are very nice. Use 10 4-inch sprigs of fresh herb such as Calendula flowers (great for skin care), Lavender, Eucalyptus, Rose geranium and many others.

3. Fill the jar with oil and cover it.

4. Set the filled jar in a sunny spot or a warm place for 10 hours.

5. Strain your mixture, label it and store it in a cool, dark place. Your finished oil will last forever in the fridge. For massage oil, if you add 1/2 teaspoon of vitamin E oil, it acts as a natural preservative. You can also add some essential oil if you want it to smell wonderful and give an aromatherapy effect.

For convenience and gift giving, you can transfer your completed vinegar or oil to smaller decorative bottles -- and don't forget to add a small sprig of fresh herb to add to the effect.

With these simple formulas, you can impress your friends and family with attractive, homemade gifts, and perhaps embark in some new directions in your own life that include herbs and the wealth that nature has given us.