Herbal Ghee

Do you ever watch yourself evolve? Sometimes it feels like a different life time ago. Looking back at my upbringing and the relationship I had to food growing up i was disconnected and uneducated on fresh whole food and nutrition. It wasn’t my families fault, it was more of the way of the world where I grew up and the area and communities in which they did, what was being publicized and taught.

It is so beautiful to watch our communities grow in a more food conscious way, isn’t it? To see more and more young kids learning what REAL food is and even meeting the people that grew the food or even growing it at home with their parents. I see this all the time now, mothers and fathers educating their families on the importance of what we put into our bodies, these vessels that will serve us for the rest of our time here. There is more of a push to take care of ourselves, grow deeper self love and healthy minds. It’s beautiful and contagious.

Educating ourselves on food is just another way we get to be in touch with our roots again. It takes us back to our ancestors who gave even spiritual meaning to foods. Plants, herbs, vegetables, they all have a constitution. All working together in ways to support us with what we need the most at that time and always being there for us to cherish. Some of these plants are just in our back yards, the hills, the roads, though I suggest to never harvest near a street, but everything is at our fingertips. Herbs, they are everywhere and can add so much more depth to the rest of the food.

Take rosemary for example ( Rosmarinus officinalis.) First off, it is everywhere and is very sturdy and easy to grow. It is an antiseptic, meaning it helps prevent the growth of disease spreading organisms, a diuretic, antispasmodic, and even an anti-parasitic. For many years it was used for relieving pain, stress, and cramping. It was a gift for the “women” they would call it as it gave a helping hand to menstrual cycles, and as an oil it brought calming aromas into the air.

Another favorite that is easy to find in the hills of California and easy to grow is Sage (Salvia officinalis.) Now, this is a very nutrient dense herb but more than that, it is a spiritual herb. It was known as the “clearing away” formula and was highly used for ceremonies and traditional sweats. Physical assistance would be : Nervous conditions, especially during menopause (antispasmodic), when woman would need blood circulation assistance, a calmative for cramps, helped reduce blood sugar levels, it’s an astringent, and it is used even to help woman who have an excess flow of milk.

I could talk about this for hours so I’m going to stop with just this one last thing. Bottom line, food is medicine ,completely and when we mix it with our passion, our will, and desire for a better self and community, we have the support we need from the plants and nature itself. Food can be as meaningful as chanting if we put the passion and belief behind it.

A staple in my kitchen that brings my emotions and digestion into balance is Ghee. It is also a very “cleansing” tool in the Ayurvedic world that can help with certain ailments. Mixing the ghee with the fresh herbs has become an aromatherapy session in every bite. I personally like fresh herbs instead of dried but it will need to be kept in the fridge or on the shelf and used in a little over a week. Dried herbs however will stay much longer but I usually go through a small jar of ghee weekly so I go with the fresh fresh. Every bite will be a chance to clear away what no longer serves you and can also help soothe your body if it needs some menstrual support or the lube your GI tract.

You can use what ever edible herbs you desire. I like to think of what my body and mind needs, what support would I benefit from and then I search for the herb(s) that would help the most.. or should I say sometimes even the herb finds me.

What you’ll need

1 sticks of unsalted organic butter of choice

1-2 Tablespoons of chopped herbs of choice

Sauce pan, Strainer, and clean glass with airtight lid

How to make:

Chop herbs and set aside

Place both sticks of butter in the pot of medium heat and let it melt- make sure to continue to watch because right when the sticks melt is when you’ll turn the heat down to medium-low and don’t want it to burn

Once the butter melts and you turn the heat to medium-low, you’ll start to see white froth on the top and it will begin to bubble. The pops will begin to be quick and sharp. Similar to the sound of popcorn. Make sure to stay near because it can change very quickly. Once the pops start to become further apart, 1-2 seconds between and you see a gold-brown coverage on the bottom of the pan, you can turn the heat off. Let the ghee sit in the pot for 10-15 mins.

Now, place the herbs at the bottom of the jar and then strain the ghee into that same glass through a small mesh strainer. Take a small fork or knife to stir the herbs and ghee gently then let it sit uncovered to cool.

Store in fridge or out of fridge for a week or week and a half. Just be aware that fresh herbs and mold and waste.

Cant wait to see what herb combinations you come up with. Don’t forget to tag me online so I can see your creations!