Lemon Balm Recipes

Lemon Balm leaves can be harvested as needed, so whether you have an established patch or just planted yours yesterday, you'll soon be enjoying those fragrant lemoney leaves. Here's a few of my favorite (and never-shared-before) recipes.
Calm and Cozy Tea

Calm and Cozy

I blended this tea with two goals in mind. First, I wanted a tea that would act as a mild relaxant but not a sedative. A relaxant can be used to ease tension at any time of day, and is very safe for both children and the elderly. Sedatives, on the other hand, have a wide range of effects on people (some folks are even stimulated by certain sedative herbs like Valerian) and often cause drowsiness. I'm not into selling miracle cures, but would rather help people incorporate herbs and aromatherapy into their daily routine, if only for pure enjoyment. In short, I don't advocate the use of strong herbs without proper guidance.

Moreover, I wanted a gentle tea that would help settle my tummy should I happen to eat something that was not so easy to digest (I've mostly cut grain out of my diet, so when I indulge it can cause some serious stomache acidity). Calm and Cozy is what I concocted:

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Peppermint Leaves
• 1/2 Cup Lemon Balm Leaves
• 1/4 Cup Fennel Seed
• 1/4 Cup Cinnamon Bark (chunks, not powder)
• 2 TBSP Ginger Root

If making a single cup, feel free to use fresh herbs. For this batch, all herbs should be dry for storage. You can use cinnamon powder instead of chunks, but be warned that if you don't contain it in a muslin bag during steeping, it will turn into slime. Thoroughly mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container.
For tea, use 1-2 tsp dry herbs for each 8oz cup of tea. Allow to steep for 10 minutes, strain and enjoy!

Sweet Meadow Smoke Blend

Sweet Meadow Smoke Blend is always popular at Wild Rose

I've never been a smoker, but I have had several friends ask me to help them quit with herbal teas. In addition to tea, I came up with this sweet herb blend to help satisfy the urge to smoke. Surprisingly, I really enjoy smoking this blend on occasion. It's tasty and slightly euphoric, the perfect addition to a warm night.

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Lemon Balm Leaves
• 1/2 Cup Red Clover Blossoms
• 1/2 Cup Chamomile Flowers
• 1/4 Cup Damiana Leaves
• Pinch of Pineapple Sage (or Sage of choice)

All herbs must be very dry. Put everything in a blender and use the ice crush mode to slowly grind the herbs. The mix should become slightly fluffy, but not super fine. Just enough to make rolling it easier. Store any extra herbs in an airtight container.

The Lemon Balm massacred by my neighbor is doing much better now. I should be picking my first leaves in a few short weeks!