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May 23, 2013, 9:48am

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Topic: Unusual Vegetable and Herb Usages (Read 508 times)

12540dumont
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Re: Unusual Vegetable and Herb Usages
« Reply #15 on Apr 30, 2012, 7:33pm »

We use all the vege flowers in our salad mix. So last week's salad had cabbage flowers and calendulas. During the season, I will add rose geranium, violets, and borage.

We make Lemon Balm Tea,
Horehound Drops
Rosemary Lemonade
Rhubarb Cordial

None of these are really very unusual. Right now I'm picking wild lambs quarters when I weed and putting them in the greens mix. Leo likes them in scrambled eggs.

David, my golden purslane is up!

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greltam
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Re: Unusual Vegetable and Herb Usages
« Reply #16 on Apr 30, 2012, 8:20pm »

Apr 30, 2012, 7:25pm, castanea wrote:

Apr 30, 2012, 10:27am, greltam wrote:

I tend to spam this one, because it's important for me to know. Plants like Datura, Belladona, Brugmansia have chemicals that relieve asthma attacks. They are poisonous, but as always dosage is key. I wouldn't take any orally, ever.

I've only read about and used Datura by smoking. Grew some last year.
http://www.drugstoremuseum.com/sections/level_info2.php?level=4&level_id=79
I let the leaves dry down and used a filtered cigarette maker to make cigs to use. I only needed a few puffs to get relief. Sounds like an oxymoron to smoke to relieve asthma, but it works.

Cannabis has also been know to relieve asthma symtoms in small doses used infrequently:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/23082-marijuana-treatment-asthma/

Unfortunately Cannabis is quite illegal to grow/possess/use in the U.S.A. I needed something to replace my previous medication, and the few Solanaceae species seemed to be what I was looking for.

I also found a non-drug way to help relieve the gasping during asthma attacks. It started from some article I read that claimed asthma was caused by a lack of CO2 in the lungs or something as such. What I do is push all the air out of my lungs and hold them deflated for as long as possible. Then I get as deep a breath as possible and immediately exhale to the deflated state and hold again. This goes on until the gasping subsides.. sometimes only takes 3-4 times for noticeable improvement.

I've had one too many asthma attacks without medication, and many times to accept my own mortality.

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leenstar
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Re: Unusual Vegetable and Herb Usages
« Reply #17 on Apr 30, 2012, 8:30pm »

Got a recipe for the Rhubarb Cordial?

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castanea
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Re: Unusual Vegetable and Herb Usages
« Reply #18 on Apr 30, 2012, 8:34pm »

Try magnesium supplements-

"Researchers at Great Britain's University of Nottingham's Division of Respiratory Medicine found low levels of magnesium were a major cause of asthma attacks. The study found an intravenous shot of magnesium can provide immediate relief from the symptoms of an asthma attack. Returning magnesium levels to a normal level was found to increase lung function and ease wheezing symptoms associated with asthma."

http://www.ehow.com/about_5476814_magnesium-cure-asthma.html

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12540dumont
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Re: Unusual Vegetable and Herb Usages
« Reply #19 on May 1, 2012, 4:32pm »

http://www.mockpaperscissors.com/2010/05....nder-cocktails/

http://backyardfarmsto.blogspot.com/2010/05/can-jam-5-gus-and-barb.html

These are the links to the rhubarb cordial. I also make the angelica/rhubarb one (when I can get angelica) that's talked about in the first blog.

I tend to make a lot of cordials here on the farm. They are quicker than jam and preserve the basis of the fruit so that I can turn it into something else later. Like rhubarb cordial mixed into strawberries to begin straw/rhubarb jam. If I can pry it away from the spouse.

Right now we are using fava bean leaves for one of my favorite things.

Flash leaves.
I spray the leaves with non-stick oil and sprinkle them very very lightly with salt. I put them one branch at at time in a very hot frying pan, they instantly crisp. We pull them out of the pan and stand in the kitchen and eat them.

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mnjrutherford
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Re: Unusual Vegetable and Herb Usages
« Reply #20 on May 1, 2012, 4:52pm »

My MOST useful tea is plain ole thyme. Boil 2 to 3 cups of water, remove from heat, dump in 2 tablespoons of dried thyme, cover and steep for 10 minutes, strain and use. I think the BEST use is as a wash for skin "issues". We've tested everything from poison oak/ivy to unknown rashes to psoriasis. It's amazingly effective.

I add lavender and put it in laundry soap.

We drink it straight up (2 T. every hour for 48 hours) for every little cough and cold. If you aren't better within 24 hours, you have a viral issue and you should discontinue the thyme tea and make a tea (the same way) with star anise. But I always start with thyme.

Depending on what else is going on I'll add stuff like:
honey for sore throat
spearmint for sluggishness or coughing
lavender for a calmative

I've found that ratatouille is a fast easy dinner fix and FABULOUS for getting your insides back on an even keel when you've been away from home.

eggplant
onions
tomatoes
zuchinni
green peppers
garlic
herb provence
salt/pepper

Heat a generous bit of olive oil and or butter in a large skillet. Add veggies as you prep them. When it's all in there, cover and simmer while you fix up a nice pot of fluffy hot rice. Add a couple eggs on top for a protein hit.

I make brown sugar cookies with a ton of ginger and cinnamon when my joints are having "issues".

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Jo - A developing farmer based on Bible teachings. Diversity, research, and chemical independence are key. Our top soil is about 12 to 18 inches of depleted sandy loam. Under that is a layer of light colored clay. Our sons will soon have more information as they learn to dig deeper and deeper holes. www.TrulyThankful.typepad.com

Drahkk
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Re: Unusual Vegetable and Herb Usages
« Reply #21 on May 1, 2012, 6:21pm »

Thanks, Jo!

My mother-in-law has tried everything from banana peels to UV exposure for psoriasis, but I'll bet she's never heard that one. I've been growing thyme for years. We'll have to try it. And if spice cookies can make uncles Bert and Arthur go home for a while it would really be a blessing. They always overstay their welcome.

Mike

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mnjrutherford
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Re: Unusual Vegetable and Herb Usages
« Reply #22 on May 2, 2012, 11:51am »

My pleasure! The way I look at it, food is medicine. We medicate and treat ourselves (or poison ourselves) with what we consume. So, the more different things we consume, the more "issues" we can address, sometimes without ever realizing we had an issue.

PLEASE, give me some feed back about how the tea works for her. I am trying to get a "body" of results. So far, I have about 4 people who report positive results.

As for Uncles Bert & Arthur, you should also try tumeric in your food. I have also heard, but not yet tried, raisins soaked in gin. You keep them in a jar and eat 12 a day. Why 12? I have no clue! Sort of like 12 almonds a day keep the ladies doctor away.

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steev
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Re: Unusual Vegetable and Herb Usages
« Reply #23 on May 3, 2012, 1:23am »

I had only one Leamington Giant Cauliflower that survived, which was producing a skimpy curd, so I braised the leaves and all. Not at all bad for greens.

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Creation has provided us with Being and the capacity to contemplate Doing; shall we not get on with it; is it not that for which we are fit and purposed?

mnjrutherford
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Re: Unusual Vegetable and Herb Usages
« Reply #24 on May 3, 2012, 3:40am »

Cabbagy I would presume? I love cabbage... It needs to be started VERY early here to prevent all the nasty little wormies... =o(

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steev
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Re: Unusual Vegetable and Herb Usages
« Reply #25 on May 3, 2012, 10:49am »

Not so strong as cabbage.

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Creation has provided us with Being and the capacity to contemplate Doing; shall we not get on with it; is it not that for which we are fit and purposed?

mnjrutherford
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Re: Unusual Vegetable and Herb Usages
« Reply #26 on May 3, 2012, 3:08pm »

hmmm... roasted cauliflower with cheese and hazelnuts.... Sometimes I REALLY miss California.

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steev
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Re: Unusual Vegetable and Herb Usages
« Reply #27 on May 3, 2012, 8:57pm »

I don't really get what it is with cauliflower; it seems to me a rather finicky thing to grow, pests and all. Yet it seems to be a very basic veggie in Indian cuisine. Also, when I was in El Salvador, which seemed to import the bulk of its produce from Guatemala, cauliflower was one of the biggies. I don't recall seeing broccoli, which would seem to me easier to grow and more nutricious. Whatever, I eagerly await harvesting my Sicilian Purple cauliflower.

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Creation has provided us with Being and the capacity to contemplate Doing; shall we not get on with it; is it not that for which we are fit and purposed?

12540dumont
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Re: Unusual Vegetable and Herb Usages
« Reply #28 on May 3, 2012, 9:46pm »

I'd like to boast about my Sicilian Purple Cauliflower, so I have to go to weather to post the beauties out of the field this weekend.

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