Naturally Simple Blog

I always notice a bit of a change in the air this time of year.   We are slowly but surely edging towards Spring but we aren’t quite there yet and it always seem as though nerves fray just a little bit more easily.   I thought I might offer a bit of advice as to how to eat your way to a healthier nervous system.
Nutrition plays a vital role in a healthy nervous system but before you even think about what foods to eat, you should look at your eating patterns.   Are you skipping meals while taking in large amounts of stimulants or sugars?   These eating patterns need to be addressed before you can move on.   You need to eat enough to provide your body with the foods you need.  It is almost impossible to do this with two meals a day so your body begins to crave foods that will give it that quick energy fix. Unfortunately in our society,  candy bars and coffee are far more available than a leafy green salad or a whole-grain snack.  You have to plan a bit more to provide yourself with healthy alternative but it is completely worth the effort.   Once you address your eating patterns, you can begin to look at the nutrients your body needs to properly support your nervous system.

Calcium intake is key to  healthy nervous system functioning  due to the fact that Calcium molecules are vital to the chemical reactions that take place in your body to transmit nerve impulses and muscle movement.    Thankfully calcium is easily found in many foods and herbs.   Obviously dairy products contain a good deal of calcium but you can also find calcium in many non-dairy products.  Seaweeds contain the highest level of calcium available; even more than dairy products.    In fact, most dark leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale, spinach and parsley also contain calcium.    Oats and almonds are high in calcium which is one of the reasons I use those two ingredients when making homemade oat milk.  Sesame seeds and tahini are good sources, as well.  Herbal sources of calcium include: nettle, comfrey, horsetail, oatstraw/milky oat tops, dandelion greens, and chickweed.
B Vitamins are also important to a healthy nervous system but it is important to note that there is too much of a good thing.  Taking large doses of B vitamins (specifically B12)  can lead to anxiety attacks and panic disorders.   In other words, taking those high dosage “stress tabs”  may lead to an increase in symptoms you are trying to alleviate.    It is also important to note that B vitamins are best taken in as a “complex”.  High dosages of one B vitamin invariably lead to a deficiency of another.  I think that the complexity of B vitamin supplementation may be one of the main reasons I choose to eat my vitamins rather than take pills.  Nature seems to naturally understand what our bodies need and nutrients present in foods are often combined more precisely than we could ever hope to accomplish with supplements.   Thankfully B vitamins are present in so many wholesome foods that I rarely worry if I am getting enough.   Whole grains such as whole wheat, brown rice, oats, and barley are wonderful sources of vitamin B, as are dried beans.  Yogurt, molasses, wheat germ and kefir contain.   Vegetable sources of Vitamin B include most leafy green vegetables,fresh sprouts, and seaweeds.  There are a few other specialty sources of B vitamins that can be included in your diet such as bee pollen, spirulina and nutritional yeast. Bee pollen is an amazing nutrient which I should devote a whole blog entry to, but I do worry about our dwindling bee population and the availability of this nutrient.   Consequently,  I use it sparingly and with a great deal of respect for the creatures who created it in mind. Herbal sources of vitamin B include:  comfrey, parsley, dandelion greens and nettles (Do you begin to see why nettles are always a part of my nourishing infusions?)

Vitamin C mixes with vitamin B-6 to create serotonin so it is important to make sure that you are getting an adequate supply.  Papaya, bell peppers, citrus fruits, strawberries, raspberries, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, broccoli and cauliflower are all good food sources of vitamin C.   My favorite herbal source of Vitamin C is rosehips but there are many others.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin necessary  for calcium absorption which is created in your body when you absorb UVB rays.  These UVB rays are most readily available between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.  Exposure times no longer than 10-15 minutes two or three times a week are adequate.  Still, many Americans don’t get outside as much as we should during the mid-day hours so dairy food is often enriched with vitamin D.    The body does store vitamin D for use during the winter but how much vitamin D your body produces is entirely contingent on the amount of UVB rays your skin absorbs and how much you get in your daily diet.   This can be tricky because there is no plant source of vitamin D.   Sources of vitamin D,  we incorporate into our DAILY diet include:  tuna, eggs, salmon, organic milk and yogurt.  Regardless, of what you might hear, cheese  and butter do not necessarily have Vitamin D so check your labels.    In  the Northern Hemisphere where the UVB rays can’t penetrate the atmosphere well, if at all, from November to February,   it is important to think about Vitamin D supplementation.   For all that I am not a fan of supplements, there is a time to be wise.  If you get little exposure to UVB rays and you are not eating foods which contain Vitamin D,  you might want to consider a supplement.  A good source of vitamin D is cod-liver oil which just goes to show that Grandma might have known what she was doing, after all.

Here are a couple of quick recipes I enjoy which seem to take the edge off of a bad mood.   Many of the recipes I included in my Herbs for Energy post serve a double purpose of providing some of these nutrients as well.  Hopefully, I don’t use too many smoothie recipes for everyone but I find them to be the easiest way for most people to incorporate healthier foods in their grab-and-dash lifestyle.   Keep in mind that an insulated coffee mug keeps things cold as well as it keeps things hot.   Either one of these drinks would make a complete breakfast.

Stressbuster Smoothie

1/2 cup almond-oat milk

1/2 cup  yogurt

1/2 cup raspberries and strawberries

1/4 cup wheat germ

1 teaspoon bee pollen

Avocado Milkshake

1 ripe avocado

1/2 cup yogurt

1/2 cup almond milk

3 tablespoons honey or grade B maple syrup

1 tsp carob powder (optional)

A lot of herbalists talk of using herbal infusions to support your body during and illness or perhaps as an alternative to a nutritional supplement in the form of a nourishing infusion.

They are quite useful; I have been making herbal preparations, for years now,  with good results.

You don’t hear many of them mentioning  spaghetti sauce as an decoction although the acidic base of tomato sauce is wonderful for drawing minerals out of foods. You also don’t hear hot sauce  tossed around as an herbal preparation but these are both excellent examples of ways you can incorporate more herbs into your diet. I think I might have been making hot sauce when it occurred to me that we had lost touch with the reasons that many ingredients are in our foods.  Grandma’s Chili Sauce recipe also reminded me that people use to have a better grasp on cooking to sustain health than we do now.
Keep in mind I am not talking about the watered-down, additive-laden prepared foodstuff you buy at the the megamarket.   I am talking of preparations you make yourself.
I don’t remember exactly when it occurred to me that soups and broths are really just giant pots of herbal goodness.    It was probably  have been shortly after Darian became a vegetarian and I made my first batch of homemade vegetable broth.  I know I definitely had a handle on it by the time I was making garlic broth to use in soups. There is nothing quite so satisfying as a healing soup simmering away slowly on the stovetop, while the flavors and properties of the herbs flow gently into the food.
If you look at the dates on some of the recipes, you will see that this idea evolved over the years.  I didn’t really find one book that sent this message clearly, although I am sure they are out there.  It has been more like a giant experiment for me.    I am always thinking  of new ways to incorporate herbs into my food.  Just the other day it occurred to me to toss a couple of astragalus sticks into the rice pot.  I am sure I am not the only one to do this but it never really occurred to me before, despite the fact that I have been throwing it in soups for years.

I realized that I don’t know that I ever have put our spaghetti sauce recipe on the blog, so I though I would use it here as an example of the herb to food ratio that is health-producing.

Our Marinara Sauce

1 large onion (chopped)

3-5 cloves garlic

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms (sliced)

1/4 cup fresh basil

1/4 cup fresh oregano

1/4 cup fresh rosemary

1 quart tomato sauce  (I can my own sauce and it is not as thick as you buy at the store but it is thicker than juice; you might need to experiment with mixing sauce and juice.)

Heat two tablespoons olive oil in a medium sized sauce pan.  Saute onions and garlic until they are translucent.  Add the mushroom and herbs and saute for a few more minutes.  Add tomato sauce and bring to a boil.  Turn heat very low, cover and simmer for at least forty minutes.

You can see I am not talking about putting two teaspoons of  store-bought italian seasonings in a can of tomato sauce.  I am using lots of herbs; fresh whenever possible and really cooking the sauce long enough to extract the constituents of the herbs.  You can substitute quality dried herbs but by quality I mean herb shop quality not those little containers at the supermarket.
Beverages don’t have to be the boring preparations many people think of as medicinal infusions, either. Almond-Oatmeal Milk may be a bit thick for drinking but it is great for baking and making smoothies.   Herbal Chai,  Creamy Carob Drink, homemade lemonade, vitamin C drink and ginger lemonade are fun drinks which  incorporate herbs and hopefully will be more appealing to the children in your lives.

There is an added benefit of incorporating these beverages into your daily diet.  I have experimented with many different ways to get little ones to eat their herbs. It is much easier to get herbal preparations into children when they are sick, if they are accustomed to them.  As a side note,  Lemon balm is an antiviral could easily be added to any of the last three drinks without noticeably changing the flavor of the drink.  “wink, wink”

We have been doing a good job of staying healthy this winter around our house.  Other than the bout of H1N1 which hit us in October and one gastrointestinal virus which were both short-lived, we have been pretty healthy.  (Riley gets sick once in awhile, but that is to be expected when one exists on a diet of soda, corn chips and queso dip.)

We still have to weather the transition from winter to spring in late March, though.  That is usually the peak of the cold and flu season, so I thought perhaps now would be a good time to discuss my thoughts on nutrition.  I don’t really believe that “ramping up” your nutrient intake once you are sick is very useful, other than perhaps in providing your body with the extra-nutrition it needs at the time.   But what if you ate every day as though you are fighting off a virus or a cold; maybe you would find that you didn’t get sick in the first place.
I  do not like pill pushing regardless of what is in them.  You shouldn’t need to take encapsulated herbs or a fistful of manufactured vitamins every day, in place of food. While I am sure that in cases where a blood test has shown there to be a deficiency, supplements can be useful to catch the body up.   I prefer to avoid the deficiency in the first place.

I also don’t like using them from a sustainability standpoint.  I don’t want my well-being to be dependent on any industry and it would be rather hypocritical of me to talk a good game about local sustainable food systems when half my nutrients are arriving on a boat from China.  This is one of the reasons that I tend to focus on using herbs and foods that I can grow or wild-craft in my area.

I   mention this so that you know that I really am not very much help when it comes to giving advice about supplements.  Sometimes people are surprised that I haven’t bothered to learn about this sort of thing.  Studying herbalism, to them, should be a study of which bottled herbs you should buy at the supermarket or nutrition store in the mall.   Unfortunately, I can’t tell you which company produces the best supplements and  I try to avoid those aisles at all cost, for fear of saying something offensive.  I do openly admit that I came by my aversion to pills honestly.  Back in the days before I knew better, I lost a lot of weight (125 pound) with these bottled supplements and almost destroyed my health in the process.

For the next couple of weeks, I am going to post about different ways eating and cooking with herbs can help to improve your health.   Hopefully I will post some recipes you would consider trying along the way and give you new things to think about when making meals.   Do keep in mind though that I am a staunch proponent of the concept of having “all things in moderation”.  Don’t fight with yourself (or your family) to entirely give up a questionable food substance, just don’t abuse your body with it and use the healthiest form of the substance possible.

Some General Guidelines I Follow

1.  When you don’t eat properly, your body does not find the nutrition in the food you eat, it will find the nutrients someplace in your body such as your bones, muscles or brain matter.   This is especially true of protein which your body will leach from your muscles or brain matter and vitamins and calcium which your body will take from your bones.  A vast majority of health complaints in this country; fatigue, mental fogginess, depression, etc… are caused by your bodies natural response to incomplete nutrition.

2.  It should go without saying, but purchase as many organic foods as you can afford and avoid eating food additives.  The best way to do this inexpensively, is to learn to cook and bake your own food.
3.  70-80% percent of your daily intake of food should be in the form of organic whole-grains, vegetables (including legumes), fruits, and herbs.   Don’t be afraid of fats & oils though.  Your body needs a certain amount to function properly.   I cook with mostly olive oil, and I bake with butter, coconut oil and applesauce.

4. Regardless of what they taught our parents in the fifties, darker is better where most foods are concerned.  Refined white foods have been completely robbed of nutrients and should be avoided.  Brown rice, old-fashioned oats, whole wheat flour, (we compromise around here on the white whole wheat) and whole hulled barley are far more nutritious than their polished counterparts.

5.   I don’t avoid sugar completely, but I don’t use it often and I NEVER use the white junk they sell at the grocery store.   I don’t even enjoy the constant influx of “sweet” that many people crave.  I think it is because I get plenty of B vitamins.  I read someplace that craving sugar was a sign of a B vitamin deficiency which makes sense when you think about it as sugar cane naturally contains B Vitamins.   Unfortunately, sugar in the form of the white sucrose powder you buy in the store is completely devoid of the B vitamins.  So when you bake with sugar, you should be substituting locally produced honey, organic molasses, sucanat, turbinado, or evaporated cane juice in recipes that call for sugar.   Maple syrup is nice too, but opt for “Grade B” maple syrup which is less refined and retains more of its natural nutrients.    I avoid high fructose corn syrup like the plague and I don’t use agave nectar nor do I plan to base on the information I have read.

6.  Eat Your Herbs!   I have learned that by taking in herbs in the form of nourishing infusions, tonic nutritive vinegars and most importantly by eating them,  you can provide your body with a much broader spectrum of daily nutrients than you can by with food, alone.

The November Herbal Blog Party is on and the buzz this month is morning stimulants or ritual blends.  This topic hits home for me because I LOVE coffee but I have been making a concerted effort to cut back on the amount I drink.  I found the way to make this transition easier on myself was by replacing an unhealthy habit with healthful herbal concoctions.    There are many herbs that are considered stimulants which can be included in the daily diet.   These herbs create energy by nourishing the body, activating body systems and increasing circulation thus restoring vitality and health.   Making the switch to herbal stimulants, however, is a process that requires patience   Herbal stimulants don’t provide the instant gratification that one becomes used to when consuming caffeinated products.

There are many herbs that I  have experimented with including; cinnamon, cloves, ginger, ginseng, peppermint, spearmint,  cayenne, and horseradish.  These are all very mild herbs which I feel comfortable including in my daily diet as sources of nourishment and stimulation.  While there may be stronger stimulants out there such as ephedra and guarana,  I feel they should be treated with the same respect as coffee and saved for occasional use.

Morning Brews
In the morning,   I need something warm and quick.  Nourishing infusions are strong herbal “teas” which contain nutritive herbs that tonify and nourish the body.  I also like to throw a little “wake up herb” in to the mix as well.    As these infusions need to brew for quite some time, I have gotten in the habit of starting mine before I go to bed.  It is nice to wake up to that steaming carafe.  Often I just drink mine black but you can make a latte if you are in the habit of drinking your coffee with creamer or sweetener.

Peppermint Latte

1/3 part  dried peppermint or spearmint leaves

1/3 part  dried red raspberry leaves,  blackberry leaves, red clover blossoms, or any other nourishing herb

1/3 part  oatstraw

1 quart water

Brew a  nourishing infusion of the dried herbs.   In the morning you just steam some milk or coconut milk and add to the infusion and sweeten with honey, if desired.

If you are wanting to add root or bark herbs to your diet, the best way to prepare them is by decocting.   Chai is an excellent example of a decoction which stimulates and nourishes. A great way to make chai caffeine free is by replacing the black tea with dandelion root and burdock root.   This is a single recipe but you can make it in large batches and just use a few tablespoons of the mixture at a time.

Herbal  Chai

1/2 tablespoons dandelion root

1/2 tablespoon burdock root

1 tablespoon of fennel seeds

6 green cardamom pods

12 cloves

1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 small cinnamon stick

1/4 inch slice of fresh ginger root (or a teaspoon of dried ginger)

Grind all of the ingredients except the  fresh ginger.  Bring 7 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan and add the ground mixture and fresh ginger to the boiling water.  Turn the heat down to the lowest setting and simmer the ingredients for 30 - 40 minutes.  At this point you can add milk, coconut milk, or almond milk to your liking.    Sweeten with honey, if desired.  I don’t really have much of a sugar habit so I don’t add any sweetner.  I think that the herbs add a mild sweetness of their own which I enjoy.

The 3 p.m. Drop
If you are like me,  you might experience a mid-afternoon drop in energy.   Consider turning to a healthful drink or snack for energy rather than reaching for a soda or more coffee.  These make good summertime drinks as well.

Oatmilk Smoothie

1 1/2 cups  almond-oatmilk,  or coconut milk

1/2 cup berries (we like raspberries)

dash of cinnamon

Blend all ingredients and drink

This blend is nice because you can mix a large batch up and take it with you to enjoy during break-time.  I think you will agree that it is a better alternatives than a candy bar & soda. You can play around with the herbs in this recipe to suit your taste but I like a little bit of spice.

Vegetable Juice Cocktail

1 cup tomato juice

1/4  cup carrot juice

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 clove of garlic  (I am lucky to have a juicer and I just toss this in with the carrots)

1 tsp fresh horseradish

dash of cayenne pepper

These are a yummy snack that provide a more healthful source of energy, as well.  I came across the recipe, originally, in the Gladstar course but I tweaked the ingredients a bit to suit my taste.  Rosemary Gladstar recommends the very sparing use of guarana in these balls for students or people who might be driving long distances.

Zoom Balls

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup tahini

1 tablespoon ginger

1 tablespoon ginseng

1 tablespoon bee pollen

Add  unsweetened coconut, chopped almonds and chopped dried cherries in equal parts until the mixture is stiff enough you can roll the  it into balls or pat it into bars.

1/2 cup raw almonds

1 1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup oat straw

10 cups of water

(Editor’s Note:  I didn’t mention my oatstraw is a mix of straw and milky oat tops.  I mix four ounces oatstraw and four ounces milky oat tops together and use it when oatstraw is being used for nutritional purposes.)
Grind almonds, oats, and oatstraw in a food processor.  Put water and ground mixture into a large saucepan.   Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 20 minutes,  strain, and refrigerate.

This is a thick liquid as it brings out the mucilage from the oats.   It works best in smoothies and baking although I like it warm over granola.

Recently I was invited to contribute to the  October herbal blog party.   I had no idea what I could possibly contribute.  I find it highly doubtful that I have much to offer that  could possibly add to the wealth of information others are contributing.   Furthermore, it is harvest time and I am extravagantly busy preserving the summer goodness for the winter months, ahead.

When I had almost decided to pass on the invitation, Darian asked me a question about the peppermint I was bringing in from the garden.  It occurred to me that perhaps I do have something to share.  I know that many people who read  my blog are utterly new to herbalism, and probably a bit taken aback by the idea of going out and wildcrafting weeds to combat a cold or flu.  (Don’t worry you will come around.)

I am hoping to offer those of you who are just beginning a comfortable place to start by talking about herbs you might be growing as food.  Somewhere in the beginning of the 20th Century, Americans lost touch with the idea that many culinary herbs contribute far more to our dishes than flavor.  Although these ingredients are thought of only as “seasonings” now, many can be powerful allies in the struggle against winter colds and flu.  Unfortunately,  even in herbal circles the  usefulness of these common kitchen herbs is overlooked in lieu of more exotic or “trendy” herbs.

In the interests of keeping with the bio-regional theme of this month’s blog party (and my philosophical beliefs)  I thought I would share a few ways I use some of the most common herbs I grow in my own garden.

Garlic: 

According to David Hoffman, ” Garlic is one of the most effective anti-microbial plants available, acting on bacteria, viruses, and alimentary parasites.

Garlic is most effective when it is taken fresh and raw.  It can be minced and added to hummus and other dips,  homemade salad dressings, or mixed into butter or olive oil to spread on warm bread.  One of our favorite dips is minced garlic, wasabi, and sea salt stirred into plain yoghurt.
It can also be infused in raw, local honey to be mixed with other herbal preparations.   One of my favorite remedies for a sore throat is to mix this 1/4 cup of this golden garlic honey with 1 tsp of sage tincture.   This “syrup” can be taken by the teaspoon to soothe a sore throat and makes heating the preparation unnecessary which protects volatile essential herbs.

When a virus does hit our household, we avoid cold foods and use fresh garlic in simple broths.  I have a vegetable broth recipe and a garlic broth recipe which we use as base for many soups.  Chives and onions are in the same plant family as garlic and adding these to your foods will also be beneficial.

Mint

Peppermint would be a “must grow” herb if for no other reason than it is an excellent remedy for upset stomach and flatulence.  Peppermint tea is what we fed baby Trapolin for his horrible colic and peppermint tea is what I drink now when my migraines make me nauseous.

The essential oil is another ingredient in my chest rub while the dried herb is a steam inhalation ingredient.  I include peppermint because the volatile oils help to clear the sinuses but also settles a queasy stomach which is a nice combination when one has the flu.

Rosemary

I have  found that a strong infusion of peppermint and rosemary is very useful in addressing flu symptoms.   I would argue that the combination might be as effective as boneset.  The rosemary is anti-microbial, and addresses the achy feelings while the peppermint addresses the fever and queasy stomach.   It is definitely an infusion you would want to add some lemon and honey to as well.

Rosemary combines well with peppermint  in a steam  inhalation for nasal congestion.  Rosemary also has analgesic properties as well and can help ease a headache which might accompany the flu.
Rosemary can also be infused in vinegar and used in salad dressings as a digestive stimulant and nutritional herb due to it’s high level of anti-oxidants and flavonoids.

Sage

Sage’s culinary use seems to be reduced to making stuffing these day, which is unfortunate.  Sage is an excellent digestive aid.   As with rosemary, vinegar infused with sage can be used to make excellent homemade salad dressings.

Medicinally, sage tea is traditionally a sore throat remedy.   Make an infusion of  1/2 oz dried sage leaves,  1 oz of honey,  the juice from one freshly squeezed lemon, a pinch of salt.  Put all these ingredients in a thermos, cover with boiling water and cap tightly.  Infuse for four hours or overnight.  Serve the beverage warm.  It will help to replenish electrolytes and may be used as a gargle for sore throats.

Tansy’s post on dandelions reminded me that I intended on sharing my favorite recipe for the greens.   I love to roast the really tender young leaves in my roasted root vegetables.   It is very simple.   Chop up some of your favorite root vegetables.  I used sweet potatoes, white potatoes and carrots this time.   Then I stirred in a few cups of cleaned dandelion greens, some rosemary, garlic and olive oil.   Then just bake in the oven until the vegetables are tender.   It is so good!

This drink  full of vitamin C and flavonoids.The blackberry leaf adds iron which is absorbed more easily in the presence of vitamin C.  It turns a bright, cheery red due to the hibiscus which makes it fun for kids. It also makes great Popsicles but don’t serve cold treats or drinks to children when a viral condition is present.

1/8 cup rose hips

1/8 cup orange peels

1/4 cup rose petals

1/4 cup hibiscus petals

1/4 cup blackberry leaf
honey to taste
Place the orange peels and rose hips in a saucepan with 5 cups of water.  Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.   Add rose petals and hibiscus and blackberry leaf cover and allow to steep for four hours.  Sweeten with honey, to taste.

It’s cold outside.  Why not warm up with a tasty, hot beverage that is good for you.

1/2 tablespoons dandelion root

1/2 tablespoon burdock root

1 tablespoon of fennel seeds

6 green cardamom pods

12 cloves

1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 small cinnamon stick

1/4 inch slice of fresh ginger root (or a teaspoon of dried ginger)

Grind all of the ingredients except the  fresh ginger.  Bring 7 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan and add the ground mixture and fresh ginger to the boiling water.  Turn the heat down to the lowest setting and simmer the ingredients for 30 - 40 minutes.  At this point you can add milk, coconut milk, or almond milk to your liking.    Sweeten with honey, if desired.

This is a basic recipe,  It can really be quite versatile.  I almost always add other roots and berries that might be beneficial as well such as hawthorn berries,  chaste berries (for women)  or maybe even a touch of  touch of white willow bark.  When making an herbal chai specifically for men, I add Saw Palmetto and Sarsparilla.

This is an interesting alternative to hot cocoa powder.  I like it but the kids aren’t so crazy about it.   I would say it is an acquired taste.

3 cups of milk

1 cinnamon stick

2 cardamom pods
5 cloves
3-5 tablespoons carob powder

Honey to taste

Heat milk in a saucepan until it just forms a skin.  Add cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Cover the sauce pan and allow to steep for 40 minutes.  Strain the herbs from the milk and mix in the carob and honey.  Serve warm with a bit of ground cinnamon sprinkled on top. You have to play with the recipe a bit to see how strong and sweet you like it.

Edited to Add:  I have found the best way to do make this is to put the herbs in  in a tea ball.  I don’t believe I had one when I first posted this recipe.  So crush them up a bit in a mortar and pestle and put them in a tea ball which you can then drop into the warm milk.  Then just steep the herbs and pull the tea ball out after forty minutes.    The drink mixes well and frothes up nicely if you use an immersion blender to stir in the carob powder and the honey.