How to Make a Medicinal Oil {Plus Printable} ~ Home Pharmacy Series

{Before we continue further in our Home Pharmacy Series, a simple tutorial on medicinal oils would be in order so that the "how-to-make-a-medicinal-oil" information doesn't need to be repeated each time we share about a specific herb.}

Making medicinal oils are easy and fun because there is so much you can do with them! It doesn't require any "real" work, just mix together some herbs in some good quality oil. Depending on the herbs and oils used, you may enjoy a sweet smelling concoction for luxurious massage oils and lavish body oils. Or, you can prepare medicinal oils to sooth various ailments depending on the plant used.  You can also use your herb infused oil as a base for making handmade lotions, creams, moisturizing bars, balms and salves.

You can use either dried herbs or fresh for this project (I prefer using dried when available as you know the water content has been removed). However if you choose to use fresh, it is recommended to fresh-wilt your herbs first to remove excess moisture from your oil. Here is how herbalist Rosemary Gladstar explains it:

"When I make oils from fresh herbs, before adding the herbs to the oil, I usually freshwilt them: I place them on a basket or screen in a single layer, in a warm area out of direct sunlight, and let them wilt for several hours. They’re ready when they look limp. Fresh wilting allows some of the moisture to evaporate, so there’s less chance of spoilage."

~ Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide 

Two Methods to Prepare a Medicinal Oil:

There are two methods to making your medicine oils. The solar infusion is my favorite as it only requires a clean jar filled with herbs and oil which you place in a warm, sunny area (you can cover oil with a light cloth if you want to avoid direct sunlight). This seems to me to be a natural and gentle way to create an herbal oil. However, when in a rush, you can always prepare a batch quickly using the stove top. Both methods are described below.

Type of Oils to Use:

You will want to use a high quality vegetable oil. Keep in mind that olive and coconut oil are both highly medicinal while boasting longer-lasting shelf lives (about 1 year). Almond oil is also a nice choice for more cosmetic purposes since it doesn't have a strong aroma and absorbs quickly. Jojoba is also lovely as it mimics our own moisturizing sebum and therefore works wonders for dry and chapped skin. Grape-seed oil and sunflower oil are convenient choices because many of us have them sitting in our pantry. Just keep in mind the shelf lives of your oils first so that you use your product up before it becomes rancid. 

Note: Cooking oils such as "vegetable" oil, canola oil and corn oil are not recommended.

To Make a Solar Infusion {my preference}:

1.  Gather your fresh or dried herbs (make some or buy some). If using fresh herbs, fresh-wilt them first as shared above and place them in a clean jar.



2.  Cover herbs by at least 1-2 inches with oil making sure they are completely submerged the entire time (with this in mind, the more herbs you use, the more medicinal oil you will produce).

3.  Screw lid on firmly. Let the mixture steep in a warm, sunny spot for 2 - 3 weeks (you can cover oil with a light cloth if you want to avoid direct sunlight).

4.  When the time is up, strain the solids through a fine cheesecloth or a piece of thin cotton/muslin to remove all particles. I found that double straining with a second time through cotton works best.

5. Pour into a clean, dry jar or bottle (we often reuse the glass bottle our oil comes in) and label with the name and date.

Quick Maceration Method:

1.  Place your herbs and oil in a pan (making sure to fresh-wilt the fresh herbs as described above). For better results, use a double boiler.

2.  Cook at a low heat for 20 - 30 minutes (you don't want burnt herbs or oil so be careful that it is gentle).

3.  When the time is up, strain the solids through a fine cheesecloth or a piece of thin cotton/muslin to remove all particles. I found that double straining with a second time through cotton works best.

4. When the oil has cooled off, pour into a clean, dry jar or bottle (we often reuse the glass bottle our oil comes in) and label with the name and date.

Double Strength Infused Oil:

To make your infusion double strength, add another batch of herbs to your finished (and strained) oil and repeat the process one more time.

Optional: Medicinal and Aromatic Additives

You can also add 10 drops of your favorite essential oil to every cup of your infused oil to give it a stronger potency of medicinal benefits and a longer shelf life.



How to Store, Maintain and Print Directions with Labels:

Store oil in a cool, dark area (like your pantry) for 6 - 12 months (or until oil seems "off").

If you notice condensation on the inside of your lid, wipe with a clean and dry cloth immediately (your herbs may have had too much moisture in them when preparing this).

We are also sharing some printable instructions and labels for your herbal {to learn what an herbal is and to make your own, visit here}. Simply download from the menu link HERE, save and print.

Disclaimer: I am not a certified herbalist but a homemaker interested in the arts of natural healing. The information I have learned has been gleaned through study of some of the following favorite books; Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide, Grow Your Own Drugs by James Wong, and The Complete Illustrated Book of Herbs by Reader's Digest and websites of herbalists (such as the Bulk Herb Store Blog).

I am not a doctor. While I do seek scientific confirmation of the safety and effectiveness of the herbs and remedies I use, remember that using remedies is a personal decision. Nothing I say on this blog is approved by the FDA or intended to diagnose, treat or prevent disease. All things on this blog are my opinion or the opinion of others. Also, if you have a medical condition, are taking pharmaceutical drugs, or are pregnant, please consult your physician prior to taking herbs.

This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Monday's Musings, Make Your Home Sing Monday, Good Morning Mondays,  The Scoop, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Tuesdays with a Twist, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Homestead Blog Hop,  Wow Us Wednesdays,  Coffee and Conversation, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Our Simple Homestead, From the Farm Blog Hop, Front Porch Friday Blog Hop, Awesome Life Friday Link Up, Five Star Frou Frou Friday, Shabbilicious Friday, Simply Natural Saturdays and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these.

How We Blanch, Freeze and Like to Eat Broccoli {Stumps & All}

“It's been many years since I had such an exemplary vegetable.”

~ Mr. Collins, Pride and Prejudice (2005 Movie Adaption)

We had a bountiful crop of broccoli this year! The excess flowers were prepared for freezer storage. Being a no waste advocate, I was excited to see how my freezer stash increased by shredding all the broccoli stumps and placing them separately in smaller sized baggies. I couldn't think of tossing those home-grown beauties and you don't realize how much the stumps add up! These I have been including in homemade vegetables soups, pasta sauces and layered in lasagnas.

To properly freeze broccoli (most vegetables in fact), you need to blanch them. This helps to retain flavor, color and texture (though I didn't bother with the stumps since they would be thrown into soups and sauces where the quality didn't need to be top notch). 

The first step is to thoroughly wash your produce. I added a few drops of grapefruit seed extract in the water to kill any undesirables. I also separated the flowers from the stumps reserving the stumps to be processed later.

The second step would be to blanch your broccoli. This can be done in two ways, by submerging in boiling water for three minutes or by steaming for five minutes. I chose to steam this time in order to preserve more of the nutritional qualities.  

Once the broccoli has finished steaming, immediately plunge into an ice water bath for three minutes. This stops the cooking process. (You will notice some of our broccoli was starting to go to seed when we picked it as we had a sudden heat spell but it still tasted great!)

Once the time is complete, place your broccoli in a colander in order to remove excess water. Though not mandatory, I also follow this with a journey in the salad spinner for additional water extraction.

Place in freezer bags and freeze (sorry I forget to take photos at this point). Make sure you remove as much air as possible from the inside of the bag. This can be accomplished by sealing your baggie and leaving a tiny corner open. Place a straw inside the opening and suck out any extra air. Quickly seal and store.

If you want to be able to access customized amounts of broccoli for different recipes, place your final product (blanched and cooled as shared above) of broccoli in a single layer on a cookie sheet and flash freeze them. Once frozen you can put these in a plastic freezer container and scoop out the individual pieces as needed.

Now on to the stumps. Once they were nice and clean, we shredded them. As mentioned earlier, we didn't bother blanching these first as they would be added to soups and sauces so perfect quality wasn't necessary and time was more important to me at that moment.

The shredder attachment on my Bosch mixer made easy work of this little project! I have heard of these kitchen tools being referred to as the maidservants for the modern Proverbs 31 woman. I must say I agree! 

Of course, I had to label the baggies that the shredded stumps would be placed into. Just a note to write on your labels before adhering to slippery plastic! You could see I struggled with writing at that point.

As with the broccoli flowers, you want to remove all air from the freezer bag. I like to flatten down the contents in the bags so that they will stack nicely in the freezer like little office files. 

We ended up with eight full baggies (2 cups each) of the shredded stumps which will supplement many meals nicely! The fun part is to put all your homegrown produce in the freezer for those "rainy days". So very convenient for the cook!

Some of our favorite ways to prepare broccoli is steamed with assorted vegetables and drizzled with garlic infused olive oil, a dash of butter, sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Lemon Broccoli Bowtie Pasta (photo above) is also a favorite. Don't forget about cream of broccoli soup. A tasty summer dish is to add the blanched broccoli into pasta salads (our favorite recipe is shared below).

Favorite Summer Pasta Salad {with Blanched Broccoli}

Toss together the following:

• 1 bag of cooked and cooled rotini pasta (you can also use whole grain pasta)
• 1/3 bottle of Salad Supreme Seasoning (Size 2.62 ounce)
• 1/4 cup of chopped red onion
• 1 green bell pepper chopped
• 1 can of sliced olives (use basic black or green marinated ones for different flavors)
• 1 basket of cherry tomatoes cut in half or a few garden fresh diced tomatoes
• 2 - 3 cups of blanched broccoli flowers
• Italian Dressing (according to taste, about a cup or more)

Serve chilled. You can always add more or different veggies to this than the amounts specified. The more raw ingredients the better (and healthier). This makes for a tasty lunch or is a wonderful side dish to grilled meats, etc.

Another dish we like to serve is White Bean Broccoli Alfredo. Simply prepare the pasta of your choice (our favorite is the brown rice spaghetti from Trader Joe's). Sprinkle pasta with a liberal amount of steamed broccoli followed by a generous serving of white bean Alfredo sauce (recipe follows and adapted slightly from the Prudent Homemaker).

White Bean Alfredo Sauce

Blend together the following:

• 2 cups cooked white beans (I use my pint jars of canned butter beans)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups of cream
• 3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. sea salt (or to taste)
• ground pepper to taste

Cook blended ingredients in a small saucepan until heated through and starting to bubble. Keep stirring so that it doesn't burn. I like to prepare this sauce over the traditional Alfredo for the extra protein that the beans offer.

Did you plant broccoli this year? Perhaps you stocked up at a Farmer's Market? And finally, what do you do with the stumps?

This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Monday's Musings, Make Your Home Sing Monday, Good Morning Mondays,  The Scoop, Titus 2sdays, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Roses of Inspiration, Tuesdays with a Twist, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Homestead Blog Hop,  Wow Us Wednesdays, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Coffee and Conversation, So Much at Home, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Hearts for Home Thursdays, Home Acre Hop, From the Farm Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday, Front Porch Friday Blog Hop, Awesome Life Friday Link Up, Simply Natural Saturdays and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these.

Make Your Own Seasonal Citrus Cleaning Products ~ Citrus Series

“Creativity is taking a simple thing and bringing it to life.” 

~ Emilie Barnes

Seasonal celebrations of ordinary items used to be standard thinking many years ago. An orange was once delightful and exciting when it finally ripened on the trees! Each month gifted the homemaker with special harvests only available for short periods of time. She would embrace God's bounty and use it to bless those in her household in creative ways. And we can still do this today!

For instance, in the spring and summer, it is profitable and enjoyable to make lavender infused cleaning products while the stems are bursting with purple hues.  And in the autumn and winter, it is prudent and pleasant to prepare citrus based cleaning products while these fruits are bursting on the branches. Though it may seem luxurious, it is actually very frugal to scent your home with the seasons. Not only is it a natural way to keep house, but very economical when these items are in abundance and most likely free.

{Homemaking Hint: Both lavender and citrus peel contain d-limonene which is a natural degreaser and excellent cleaning solvent. Both are also delightfully aromatic and all these products can be made for less than $2!}

I like to prepare bulk batches of seasonal cleaning products to make our provisions last for several months and store the excess in recycled jars in our storeroom pantry. It is fun to line them up and showcase them on a shelf like you would your homemade preserves. With these simple supplies, you can make a lovely all-purpose cleaner, scouring scrub, carpet deodorizer, glass cleaner and scented room spray (recipes and printable labels shared below).

Supply List:

• recycled jars/containers/spray bottles
• fresh and dried citrus peel (orange, lemon, tangerine or grapefruit)
• plain white vinegar
• baking soda
• optional: citrus essential oils such as orange, grapefruit, lemon or citrus bliss

Before we begin, some of our recipes call for dried citrus peel (I did not use the dehydrated slices that are shown in these pictures, I thought they were a pretty prop is all). You will find our tutorial on how to dry citrus peel here along with some other make-it-yourself "peel" projects.

All-Purpose Citrus Cleaner Recipe {Basic Cleaning Solution}

Place fresh citrus peels into a clean jar. Cover peels with white household vinegar (make sure they are submerged under the vinegar so that they do not mold). Cap your blend with a plastic lid and let it infuse in a sunny spot for 3 - 4 weeks. Once the time is up, strain the vinegar and discard the peels. Pour through a fine sieve to remove any excess solids. You now have an effective and aromatic cleaning solution.

How to Use:

• Use a 50/50 mixture of citrus infused vinegar (aka cleaning solution) and water for an all purpose cleaner.

• Add a cup of this solution to a bucket of hot water to clean your floors.

• For tough cleaning, use pure without diluting.

Note: If you have granite countertops, I would advise against using vinegar based cleaning products  on them as it can do something called "etching" (which can leave white marks on your counters).

Citrus Peel Scouring Scrub Recipe {Household Cleaning Cleanser}

Grind up approx. 2 - 4 tablespoons of dried citrus peel until powdery (I used a coffee grinder) and add approx. 1 - 2 cups of baking soda (this is flexible). Blend mixture together and pour into your cleanser jar or empty spice shaker (tutorial to make your own cleanser jar is shared here).

Optional: Stir in a few drops of citrus essential oil.

Use like you would any cleaning cleanser.

Citrus Carpet Deodorizer Recipe

Add 15 drops of citrus essential oil (orange, lemon, grapefruit or citrus bliss) to 1 - 2 cups of baking soda and stir until combined. Orange essential oil is a nice choice for those of you who have indoor pets for its ability to kill fleas. My personal favorite scent is the citrus bliss blend. Let mixture sit for 24 hours before using.  I find that an old spice shaker is a convenient way to store this deodorizer.

For best results, leave the deodorizer on carpet for a few hours (or overnight) before vacuuming up.

An alternative idea for those not wishing to use essential oils is to "put lemon peel and baking soda in your vacuum cleaner bag to deodorize it." ~ Excerpt from Donna Smallin, Cleaning Plain & Simple

Citrus Room Spray {Two Options}

Recipe #1 (Most frugal) ~ Mix together 1 cup of water with 1/2 cup of your citrus infused vinegar (recipe shared above).

Recipe #2 ~ Mix together 1 cup of water, 10 drops of either orange essential oil, lemon essential oil, a blend of both or citrus bliss essential oil and place in spray bottle (I also like to include 1 drop of lavender essential oil to this). To preserve the solution better, add 1 tsp. of vodka. Let mixture sit for 24 hours before using.

Citrus Window/Glass Cleaner

Pour into a spray bottle, 1 cup of water, 1 cup of vinegar and a few drops of a citrus essential oil. Wipe surfaces clean with newspaper or a microfiber cloth for best results.

As you need to prepare dinner every night, it pays to make it tasty. In the same way, housecleaning is necessary for the homemaker, we might as well make it lovely! And, with the addition of our labels (free printable HERE), you have yourself a nice, affordable and practical gift option also! 

If you enjoyed this project, we share 100+ more ideas on how to use up fruit scraps in our Ebook here! Happy kitchen-crafting, ladies!

All the fine print. This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Monday's Musings, Make Your Home Sing Monday, Good Morning Mondays,  The Scoop, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Tuesdays with a Twist, Raising Homemakers, The Homesteader Hop, Wise Woman Link Up, Homestead Blog Hop,  Wow Us Wednesdays,  Coffee and Conversation, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Our Simple Homestead, Awesome Life Friday Link Up, Five Star Frou Frou Friday, and Shabbilicious Friday. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. This post may contain affiliate links (which are merchant links that help to support this site at no additional cost to you if you purchase an item through them). This greatly helps to support our site so thank you in advance!

Five Simple Steps to a Healthier Life {and a Pep Talk}

"The first wealth is health."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

As I am approaching my forties, health has begun to be a concern. My energy levels aren't what they used to be and different illnesses have introduced themselves in family and friends that is very alarming. In this new year, something I am working on is preventative health. I am thinking on subtle changes that are realistic.



"Achieving radiant health and vitality doesn't have to be difficult, nor does it require "medical" intervention. Your body is designed to run at optimal levels, and given the opportunity, it will." 

~ Rosemary Gladstar, Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health

With this in mind, I am sharing five steps to a healthier life. Though these concepts may seem obvious and simple enough, sometimes we need reminders to be better keepers of our God-given temples!

{Note: The actual "5 steps" which are in bold and enlarged have been gleaned from Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health though the "pep talk" under each title are my own.}

1.  "Exercise is Essential"

I know you all already know this one but it is important! Man was made to work till the sweat of his brow and that meant "movement". Our modern lifestyle removes this concept for many. I am not talking about artificial exercise but incorporating it into your routine like our ancestors did (I think this contributes to stronger mental health as well). The thought of people needing to exercise in the old days was nonexistent since "life" was exercise! (Here are some ideas and incentive to get you moving while being productive, without spending money on gyms, fancy equipment, workout dvd's, etc.) Keep in mind that a simple old-fashioned brisk walk is also considered exercise (visit here for inspiration)!

"Walking is an excellent form of exercise for women. Walking is low-impact aerobic exercise that won't harm the joints over the long-term."

~ Shonda Parker, The Naturally Healthy Woman

2.  "Maintain a Balanced Diet"

The easiest way to explain this is to try and eat foods as closest to their natural state. Country folks call it "from scratch" cooking. In a nutshell, keep away from those "convenient" processed foods, eliminate items containing creepy ingredients that you can't even recognize let alone pronounce, try and stay clear of white flours, lots of sugar and avoid excessive fried foods, cook with whole grains instead of drained grains (brown rice verses white, etc.) and consume vegetables and fruit in raw forms as much as you are able. Also, don't forget those nuts and seeds (smoothies are a great way to achieve this).  Here are some realistic ideas of how we transitioned into healthier eating (though we are not food saints by any means!).

"Remember: It is not what you eat every once in a while that will cause your health problems. It is what you eat every day."

~ Shonda Parker, The Naturally Healthy Woman

3.  "Get the Rest and Relaxation Your Body Needs"

{Daytime "Rest"} This may be hard for some of you with small children but it can be done! During their nap time you really need to rest. There is temptation to get projects done but that will result in further exhaustion. Even when children are past the napping stage, I would continue to implement a "quiet time" for an hour each day where they rest on their bed with a stack of books (and they know there would be consequences for getting up earlier than you releasing them). This would give me some moments to relax and be strengthened for the dinner hour when my husband came home. If you are not a daytime napper, consider a cup of tea with some inspiring literature while lifting up your feet. Just 20 minutes can make a difference. It can turn you into a human again (honest)!

"Work is not always required. There is such a thing as sacred idleness."

~ George MacDonald

{Nighttime "Rest"} Your brain needs approximately 8 hours to fully recharge (in other words, to be a functioning person and actually handle stress) and therefore it is important to give yourself enough sleep at night. It is very tempting to stay up late on the computer while everyone is out for the night but it is not healthful to you nor is it blessing your family. What I have found very helpful is to clear my brain before bed. Remove yourself from the computer at least an hour before you plan on sleeping in order to slowly wind down. The internet is over-stimulating and won't allow you a peaceful sleep when your mind is thinking on all the ideas it had been seeing. A gentle book (here are some of my favorites) or magazine before bed is ideal.

"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

~ Benjamin Franklin

4.  "Eliminate Undue Stress"

I am sure many of you think there is nothing that can be done about stress when you are a wife and mother. However, there are little things we can do to clear our schedules to allow for more time to keep peaceful. I think our #1 enemy is outside activities. Today's modern mothers have too many of them! Our job is to be keeper of the home yet many of us spend more time outside of the home (volleyball practice, piano, swimming, soccer, macrame, you get the idea...) than in it. No wonder we are stressed out. We are running ourselves ragged! I respectfully suggest that you scale back on outside activities. You will not only save your nerves, but money on gas and paying for said activities.

“Each and every decision you make, regardless of its level of intensity, is vitally important as you seek to do God’s will.” 

~ Elizabeth George, Finding the Path to More Peace and Less Stress

5.  "Use Herbs Every Day for Health and Vitality"

This is a newer concept for me that I am trying to administer into my daily routine. According to herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, "Don't wait until you are sick to use herbs. The best way to cure illness is not to become ill, and there is wonderful longevity, nutritive, and tonic herbs that can be used daily to enhance wellness." Some nutritive herbs she recommends are horsetail, passionflower (passionflower would be excellent before bed as it supports restful sleep), cleavers, chickweed, red clover, and lemon balm. Consider brewing up some of these for a daily tea time to unwind a few minutes and nourish your body at the same time.

I just wanted to share some of what I have been reading and thinking in order to administer a healthier routine this year. What have you been doing or plan on doing to contribute to a healthier lifestyle?

"Care for your body daily by eating well, exercising, and purifying your thoughts and actions. Feed your spirit with regular communion with Christ at His table in your local church, and through the daily reading of His Word. Worship your Creator and God fervently in these ways and you will discover the truth of full health: salvation in the Lord."

~ Shonda Parker, The Naturally Healthy Woman

This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Homestead Barn Hop, Monday's Musings, Make Your Home Sing Monday, Marriage Monday, Good Morning Mondays,  Titus 2sdays, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Tuesdays with a Twist, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Homestead Blog Hop,  Wow Us Wednesdays, Wildcrafting Wednesday, The Scoop, Coffee and Conversation, So Much at Home, Growing in Grace Thursdays, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Hearts for Home Thursdays, Home Acre Hop, From the Farm Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday, Front Porch Friday Blog Hop, Simply Natural Saturdays and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these.

            

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