buddy woke up yesterday a little congested. this morning the congestion is still there and now his nose is runny. mind you, he "doesn't feel bad", but none the less, he looks a little puny to me. perfect morning for some elderberry tea. elderberry is full of antioxidants and bioflavonoids, making it perfect to boost the immune system and fight off both viral and bacterial infections. interestingly enough, in 1995 there was a flu pandemic in panama, and elderberry was used to fight it. that is one powerful little berry!
to make the tea i add one tablespoon of dried elderberries to one cup of water. this morning i wanted enough to make 3 cups, so i used 3 tblsp. of berries. i rarely buy tea bags, i usually just use bulk teas, or rather, components of teas (dried herbs) to make my own blends. you can find reusable muslin tea bags at most health food stores for little ( i think i bought a pack of 3 for under $2).
another use of elderberries is as a syrup. this is wonderful to have on hand. it keeps in the refrigerator for 2-3 months. this recipe is from the herbalist **rosemary gladstar:
elderberry syrup
1 cup fresh or 1/2 cup dried elderberries
3 cups water
1 cup raw local honey
glass jar with lid
1. heat the berries in the water and bring to a boil. reduce the heat and let the berries simmer for 30-45 minutes.
2. using the back of a fork, mash up the berries, strain them and add the honey. stir up until it is well mixed.
3. pour into a glass jar with lid and keep in the refrigerator.
**have you ever noticed how prominent herbalists change their names to sound more 'herby'? john and i have been tossing some names back and forth for me after i complete my herbalist certification. funny how most of the names end up sounding like stripper names and NOT serious, clinical herbalist names, ie: daisy wildrose, dandelion honeysuckle, etc.
hahaha!!! i'm cracking myself up here!
