A Simple Way to Supercharge Your Tinctures & Oil Infusions

At a recent herbal apprenticeship class, I learned a very simple tweak to my usual maceration process that creates much more potent alcohol tinctures and alcohol intermediary infused oils. It’s not just about speeding things up… the vibrant colors achieved by blending herbs as part of the infusion process are mind blowing! ♥

Working with St. John’s Wort

St. John’s wort is one of the best known and most used herbal medicines in the world. And like so many of our medicinal wild plants, it’s considered a noxious weed in much of the western US.  In my county, we’re actually required to eradicate all trace of the plants on our property within 10 […]

Herbal Coffee to Go

We are, admittedly, coffee snobs of the highest degree, but when we travel, hotel coffee is almost always a bit disappointing. So what to do when coffee at home isn’t practical or possible?

My Favorite Herbal Coffee Blend with Reishi

In recent years, the market has been flooded with new brands of herbal coffee substitutes ranging from roasted herbal roots to powdered mushrooms and everything in between.

Still, I prefer to make my own herbal coffee blends. It’s cheaper, I can make it in bulk, adjust the ratios to suit our tastes and, most importantly, I know EXACTLY what’s in it. Plus, it’s stupid-simple to throw together.

“All the Lipids” Facial Oil with Sea Buckthorn

Awhile back, I was given a sample of Skin Active’s Every Lipid Serum to try out and really liked it. So of course, I immediately set out to make my own version. It started out as a pretty solid dupe, but true to form, I ended up going a bit rogue. (*squirrel!* *shiny ball!* *herbs!*)

Sweet Woodruff & Maple Tapioca (for the Instant Pot)

I’ve been kind of obsessed with sweet woodruff ever since I discovered that the gorgeous, emerald green ground cover loved the dappled shade of my perennial/herb garden. The hardy herb spread like wildfire to cover all of the bare spots in beds where I’d normally be battling weeds. Less weeding makes this lazy gardener very happy…

Alcohol Intermediary Herb-infused Oils (& why understanding phytochemical solubility matters)​

Are you ready to kick your oil infusion skills up a notch? An alcohol intermediary oil infusion harnessing the solvent powers of alcohol might sound a bit intimidating, but it’s surprisingly simple to do. Before we get to the hows of making an alcohol intermediary oil infusion, let’s take a quick look into the whys.

Herbal Water Infusions

One of the oldest, simplest, and some would argue, most effective ways to incorporate herbs into your daily life is in a water infusion, also known as tea. Or, if you’re fancy and drink your tea with your pinky out, a tisane.

Making Herbal Oil Infusions

Infused oils are a foundational cornerstone of herbal-powered wellness products such as salves, creams, lotions, serums and other topical formulations. Oil acts as a solvent (aka menstruum) to capture oil-soluble plant constituents such as alkaloids, gums, resins, volatile oils, and certain oil-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), allowing the plant’s therapeutic compounds to be delivered to the skin.