Recipe: brewing Nourishing Herbal INfusions
Nourishing Herbs are wild and weedy.
Think of your common weeds, such as Dandelions, Stinging Nettles, Red Clover and more.
➺ They grow in disturbed earth and arrive to bring nutrients and stability to the soil and ecosystem— and they generously do the same for us.
➺ They are safe, ‘food'-like’ herbs that have been picked and foraged by generations past as they are abundant in micronutrients, vitamins, minerals and nourishment.
➺ They all contain specific medicinal virtues that can nourish us into health and wholeness, and support us in being more resilient, grounded, and energised.
Nourishing Herbal Infusions are potent, yet gentle medicine, with the power to transform our health, wellbeing and vitality.
They can be consumed as a daily ritual over a long period of time to slowly but surely shift our body, mind and spirit towards vitality and healing.
WHAT MAKES NOURISHING HERBAL INFUSIONS DIFFERENT FROM A CUP OF HERBAL TEA?
A cup of tea is very different from a nourishing herbal infusion.
➺ A CUP OF TEA is generally steeped with a small amount of herb (usually in a teabag) for a small amount of time.
The product is delightful and delicious, but doesn't always extract enough of the plant to be considered medicinal/ therapeutic, and the quality of herb used in teabags can often be lesser than loose leaf herbs because the colour and vitality of the herb is hidden in the tea bag.
(FUN FACT: The word 'tea' specifically refers to only one specific plant: Camelia sinesis. This is the plant used to make black tea, green tea, and matcha. Any other plant that is steeped in water is technically not considered a 'tea' at all!)
➺ A HERBAL INFUSION, on the other hand, steeps a much larger amount of herb, for a much longer period of time.
This results in a deeply nourishing and medicinal brew, that is both therapeutic AND delicious
It is not easy to get a medicinal dose from a single cup of tea steeped for a only few minutes, so my recommendation is to brew:
A larger batch (aim for 500mL to 1L of water in a teapot, coffee plunger or mason pickling jar)
With a larger amount of herb (usually around a handful, or a 1/2cup)
And steep for a longer period of time (at least 10- 20 minutes, or for specific nourishing herbs, over night)
WHICH HERBS MAKE for THE BEST NOURISHING HERBAL INFUSIONS?
NOURISHING HERBS INCLUDE:
➺ Nettle Leaf
➺ Oatstraw & Milky Oats
➺ Dandelion root
➺ Red Clover blossoms
➺ Red Raspberry Leaf
➺ Rosehips
➺ Cleavers
➺ Burdock root
DIRECTIONS:
➺ Place a handful of dried herb (around 1/2cup of leafy herb, or 1/4cup of dried root herb) into a large (around 500-750mL) teapot, plunger, or canning jar.
➺ Cover the dried herbs with boiled water from the kettle.
➺ Place the lid on right away, to reduce any medicine from evaporating away with the steam.
➺ Allow to brew overnight or for around 6-8 hours.
➺ Sip on 2-3 cups of your herbal infusion throughout the day.
ENJOY WARM: Leave your nourishing herbs to infuse on your kitchen counter overnight, strain and reheat the next morning and sip throughout the day.
ENJOY ICED: Leave your nourishing herbs to infuse in the fridge over night and sip throughout the day.
➺ Consume infusion within 24 hours of brewing.
➺ The remaining plant matter can then be returned to the earth garden, house plants or compost — this medicine is part of the ecosystem and thus biodegrades and can be composted, added to the garden, or even to potted plants to add extra nutrition to the soil- the beginning of the nourishment cycle.
To get the most out of this potent practice, I recommend choosing one nourishing herb from the list above, and make a nourishing brew daily for a whole month, noting down any changes and improvements to the health of your body, mind and spirit over that time.
This helps you to get to know that particular herb, and gives the plant enough time to gently move the medicine through you, shifting you towards healing where needed.
Need help choosing the right nourishing herb for your daily practice?
These are very safe, nutritive, ‘food-like’ herbs, so use your intuition or ask an herbalist or naturopath if you would like to know more about their individual healing properties.
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If this is something you are interested in, and you would like to be guided on your herbal journey,
I offer herbal tea consults and would love to support you in connecting deeply with the right healing plants for you.
Please email me at hello@erinsheaherbalist.com.au or see my consult information & pricing here.
The specific term ‘Nourishing Herbal Infusion’ is mainly used by American Herbalists within the Wise Woman Tradition,
such as Rosemary Gladstar and Robin Rose Bennet, whom I eagerly encourage you to seek out if this kind of herbalism resonates with you.
