The Winter Herbal Medicine Cabinet
In 2021 I offered 3 online classes, hosted by the wonderful River Valley Coop. They recently shared with me the recordings of these classes so I’ll be posting them here on my blog throughout the year!
The final one of the series was this class, “The Winter Herbal Medicine Cabinet”.
Please enjoy the class video below and the accompanying text, which is the handout class participants received, which includes numerous recipes!
In this class I demo making:
Elderberry Syrup
Garlic Honey
Winter Immune Broth
You can find the recipes for these below if you’d like to follow along and make your own while you watch.
And you’ll also find many of my favorite tried and true winter recipes and remedies in this post as well as my own personal winter herbal medicine cabinet too!
The Winter Herbal Medicine Cabinet
In thinking about herbs and preparations to have on hand during the winter months I find it helpful to think about classes of herbs by way of their herbal actions. Here are a few herbal actions to consider when picking herbs for your home winter apothecary and some of my favorite herbs to have on hand (but these lists are not at all exhaustive):
Apple Mint (Mentha suaveolens)
Expectorants- Mullein, Ginger, Garlic, Onion, Thyme, Elecampane, White Pine, Anise Seed, Linden
Demulcents- Marshmallow Rt, Mullein, Plantain, Linden, Licorice
Antibacterials- Garlic, Ginger, Thyme, Oregano, Elecampane, Bee Balm, Myrrh, Barberry
Antivirals- Ginger (best fresh), Garlic, Lemon Balm, Licorice, Elderberry, Elderflower, Reishi
Diaphoretics- Peppermint, Apple Mint, Yarrow, Lemon Balm, Elderflower, Chamomile, Catnip, Boneset
Immune Tonics- Astragalus, Reishi Mushroom, Schisandra, Shiitake mushroom, Turkey Tail mushroom, Echinacea, Elderberry
Respiratory Antispasmodics (anti-tussives) - Thyme, Anise Sd, Wild Cherry Bark, California Poppy, Red Clover, Mullein
Digestive herbs (carminatives)- Peppermint, Anise Seed, Chamomile, Catnip
Lymphatic herbs- Echinacea, Elderberry, Elderflower, Calendula, Red Clover
Sedative herbs- California Poppy, Skullcap, Kava, Passionflower, Valerian
Vitamin C-rich herbs/foods- Lemons, Rose Hips, Hibiscus fls, White Pine needles
My Personal Winter Herbal Medicine Cabinet
Here’s what I try and keep stocked in my home kitchen and apothecary during the fall and winter months
FOODS
Garden Sage, Rosemary & Oregano
Fresh Ginger Rt
Fresh Garlic
Onion
Fresh and/or dried Mediterranean culinary herbs- Rosemary, Basil, Thyme, Sage, Oregano
Chai Spices- Ginger, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Black Pepper
Honey (raw, local)
Fresh Lemons
Sea Salt (for neti pot)
Miso
Olive Oil
BULK HERBS
Elder flower (Sambucus canadensis)
Elder Flower (Sambucus canadensis, S. nigra)
Yarrow Lf + Fl (Achillea millifolium)
Peppermint Lf (Mentha piperita)
Chamomile (Matriaria recutita)
Elecampane Rt (Inula helenium)
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
Anise Seeds (Pimpinella anisum)
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Medicinal Mushrooms- Reishi, Shitake, Maitake, Birch Polypore, Turkey Tail
Astragalus Root slices (Astragalus membranaceus)
Marshmallow Root Powder (Althea officinalis)
Herbs naturally high in vitamin C- Rose Hips (Rosa spp, Rosa multiflora), White Pine Needles (Pinus strobus), Hibiscus fls (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
TINCTURES
Boneset
Wild Cherry Bark Syrup or Tincture (Prunus serotina)
Echinacea Tincture (Echinacea purpurea)- organically grown, NOT wildcrafted
Myrrh Tincture (Commiphora myrrha)
Valerian Tincture (Valeriana officinalis) and/or California Poppy Tincture (Eschscholzia californica)
Boneset Tincture (Eupatorium perfoliatum)
Barberry Tincture (Berberis vulgaris, Berberis thunbergia)
Japanese Knotweed Tincture (Fallopia japonica)
PREPARATIONS
Elderberry Syrup
Fire Cider
Herbal Cough Syrup
Deep Immune Syrup
Herbal Honeys
ESSENTIAL OILS
Trees (Eucalyptus, Spruce, Fir, Pine)
Lavender
Peppermint
Rosemary
Ingredients:
6 Tbs. fresh elderberries or (4 tbsp dried)
1 tsp. fresh ginger root
2 cups water
1/2 cup raw, unrefined honey
1/4 cup brandy or apple cider vinegar (optional)
Directions:
Combine elderberries, ginger and water in a saucepan and simmer on low until the liquid volume reduces by half (to about 1 cup) to make an elderberry decoction. Strain berries and ginger from decoction and measure your liquid. Don't worry if you have a little less or a little more than exactly 1 cup. As long as you are within about a half a cup range this recipe will work just fine. If you have significantly too little liquid, simply put the berries and decoction back in the pot, add some more water and reduce it again, keeping an eye on it to be sure you don't reduce it too much again. If you have too much liquid, just keep on reducing! Add ½ cup of honey and brandy or apple cider vinegar (optional). Mix until the honey dissolves and all ingredients are combined. Stored in refrigerator will usually last for up to 3 months and even longer with addition of brandy. It works well to put the mixture in a mason jar with a lid and shake it until it is dissolved. To make an alcohol-free syrup try raw, unrefined apple cider vinegar instead of the brandy. You can also add some fresh squeezed lemon juice to this recipe. Lemon juice is high in vitamin C and also acts as a preservative.
Uses:
Antiviral, cold and flu preventative, immune-stimulant. As a preventative for cold and the flu take about 1 tsp 3-4x a week mixed in water, tea or straight. If people around you are sick, take it more often, at least once a day, with a dropperful of echinacea tincture added. If you feel you are coming down with something or are already sick, take it 1 tsp 2-3x/day with 2 dropperfuls of echinacea tincture added. Elderberry syrup will not only ease the symptom of a cold or flu, it will also lessen the duration of the sickness entirely.
All Purpose Cough Syrup
You may also use the ratios from the Elderberry Syrup recipe to make a Basic Cough Syrup Recipe and use common respiratory herbs instead of, or along with, the Elderberry (because Elderberry is a great respiratory herb too!).
A nice cough syrup recipe would be the following:
Wild Cherry Bark (Prunus serotina) – 1 part
Mullein Lf (Verbascum thapsus) – 1 part
Marshmallow Rt (Althea officinalis)- 1 part
Elecampane Rt (Inula helenium)- ½ part
Thyme lf (Thymus vulgaris)- ½ part
Anise Sd ½ part (Pimpinella anisum)- ½ part
Cinnamon (Cinnamom spp)- ¼ part
Directions:
Water, Brandy, Honey and just use the same proportions for water, brandy and herbs as given in the recipe above! So for instance if you are using 6 tbsp of dried herb total you would divide 6 tbsp by the number of parts of herbs, 4.75 and 1 part would equal 1.25 tbsp (which equates to roughly 4 tsp- it’s ok if it’s not exact, this is folk medicine!). Then you would follow the recipe above, simmering in 2 cups of water, reducing to 1 cup, adding the honey, and so on.
Other nice additions would include Common Violet Lf (Viola sororia), White Pine needles (Pinus strobus), Ginger (Zingiber officinalis), Rose Hips (Rosa sp). Be Creative!
Use:
This is an excellent all purpose cough syrup because it is well-balanced formula that incorporates herbs with a wide variety of herbal actions appropriate for a diversity of respiratory issues, from wet coughs, to dry coughs, to spasming coughs. The Wild Cherry, Thyme, and Anise all have anti-spasmodic properties that will help with a hacking, spasming cough. The Marshmallow, Cinnamon, Anise, and Mullein have a soothing effect on sore throats from coughing and dry irritated lungs. The Mullein, Thyme, Anise, Cinnamon, and Elecampane have expectorant properties and will help break-up mucous and congestion in the lungs, and the Elecampane, Thyme, and Cinnamon are antimicrobial, essential oil-rich herbs which help fight respiratory infections. 1 tbsp is a dose and if the cough is acute you can take up to 5 tbsp/day
Deep Immune Syrup
Ingredients:
Reishi Mushroom 2 tbsp (or use favorite medicinal mushroom of choice)
Astragalus 2 tbsp
Schisandra 2 tbsp
Ginger 2 tsp dried or 2 tbsp fresh
1 cup Honey, preferably raw (NOTE: 1 cup of honey=1 lb)
4 cups Water
3/4 cup Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, Brandy, (or similar alcohol of 40-50% alcohol), or tincture (optional)
Directions:
First, made a double decoction of the herbs by combining them with water. Next, simmer the herbs and water on medium-low until the water reduces by about half. Strain, and add equal amts of honey to the liquid you have left, for instance, if you have 1 cup of decoction, add 1 cup of honey. You may add raw apple cider vinegar or brandy, at a ratio of 1/4th cup for every cup of finished syrup if desired, which will help extend the shelf-life. You can also use a tincture of any of these ingredients instead of the brandy/alcohol. Must be refrigerated! Lasts about 2 weeks without the addition of the apple cider vinegar/alcohol and months with it.
Use:
This syrup builds-up and strengthens immunity at the bone marrow level. Helps prevent colds and flus and strengthens low immunity. For the person who catches everything that goes around. Enhances over-all health and may be used as a daily tonic. Stop using it while acutely sick with a cold, flu, etc. Take 1-2 tbsp/day on its own mixed in warm water, in bubbly water, in and on foods, etc
Quick Onion-Honey Cough Syrup
Ingredients:
1 Onion
Raw Honey
Directions:
Chop an onion into crescents, put into a glass jar and cover with honey, stirring to completely coat the onion. It’s ok if the onion is sticking out on the surface as long as it’s completely coated in the honey. Let it sit overnight in the honey and in the morning you will notice that the honey has become much more viscous and tastes like onion because it has extracted, the medicinal properties of the honey overnight.
Use:
This ready-made on onion-honey syrup is an excellent quick remedy for deep, wet, cruddy coughs and congestion in the sinuses as well. An excellent remedy when you need to make something fast with common ingredients from your kitchen! This is food as medicine and you can take lots- up to 5 tbsp/day if needed. Eat a spoonful straight, drizzle on toast, put into a cup of hot water, and don’t hesitate to be creative and add to foods.
Fire Cider
Ingredients:
1 Quart Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
¼ cup Fresh Horseradish grated
½ cup Fresh Onion, chopped
1/8 cup-1 head Fresh Garlic (to taste) chopped
½ cup Fresh Ginger grated
1 small cayenne pepper (or about 1 tsp)
Raw Honey to taste (optional)
WARNING! Do not touch your eyes or any other mucous membrane after making this unless you wore gloves!
Directions:
Chop-up all the ingredients and combine with the apple cider vinegar in a jar. Cover the top with wax paper (since the vinegar will corrode metal) and then put the lid on over that. Let sit 4-8 weeks, shaking often. Strain and store out of direct light, will last at least a year. Other nice additions include burdock root, orange and/or lemon peel, hibiscus flowers, rose hips, oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary, cumin, coriander, and fennel!
Uses:
An herbal classic created by herbalist Rosemary Gladstar. Antiviral, antibacterial, anti-fungal, expectorant, immune-stimulant, decongestant, liniment, cardiovascular tonic. Nearly every ingredient is antibacterial, and garlic and ginger additionally are antiviral, making this mixture a natural antibiotic! Fire Cider increases your white blood cell count and stimulates immune response. It is also a respiratory aid and will help break-up congestion in the lungs. To help soothe a painful, drier cough or sore throat, add honey and about 1 tsp fire cider to a cup of warm water and drink as a tea, 2-3 cups/day while symptoms persist. Also very helpful for sinusitis and allergies to relieve sinus congestion, sinus headaches and copious mucous discharge. Also a circulatory stimulant, both internally and topically as a liniment for bruises, strains and injuries. Fire Cider is also a cardiovascular tonic for high cholesterol and to prevent arteriosclerosis, and for heart health in general. As a general tonic to prevent cold and flu as well as its many other uses, take about 1 tsp 1-2 x/day mixed in water or straight. If you are coming down with a cold or flu or already sick, increase dosage to 1/2-1 shotglass of Fire Cider anywhere from 1-5x/day, diluted or straight. Since this formula is so hot and spicy in nature precaution should be taken for those with chronic heartburn, acid reflux, gastric ulcers, IBS, Crohn's Disease, sensitive stomach. Stop taking 2 weeks before and after surgery because of blood-thinning effects.
Ginger-Lemon-Honey Tea
Ingredients:
2-3 tbsp Fresh Ginger, chopped
Juice of 1-2 lemons
Honey (local, raw) to taste (~2 tbsp)
1 Quart Water
Directions:
Easy. Chop-up the ginger as fine as you can. Place in a 1 quart mason jar and cover with boiling water just about to the top. Add the fresh-squeezed lemon and honey, mix and let steep at least ½ hour minimum. Strain (or don't strain, also nice to chew and eat the ginger!) and drink through-out the course of the day to lessen the duration of a cold
Uses:
Antibacterial, antiviral, respiratory aid, decongestant, immune-stimulating, diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory. Excellent remedy for a cold that presents with a painful sore throat. Also has expectorant properties and will help soothe a cough while also promoting the production of mucous from the lungs, helping to break-up congestion. Very warming, comforting and soothing for a cold. Excellent remedy for the very early signs of a cold, take with lots of echinacea! For best results add 3-5 dropperfuls of echinacea tincture to each quart.
First Sign of Flu Tea
Equal Parts, dried bulk herbs:
Yarrow (Achillea millifolium)
Peppermint or Chocolate Mint (Mentha spicata)
Elder Flower (Sambucus canadensis, S. nigra)
Directions:
Make a simple infusion (classic tea) of the mixture of above herbs. Use about 2 tsp herbs: 1 cup water, pour boiling water over the herbs, cover and let sit for about 5-10 minutes. Strain and drink!
Uses:
Antiviral, diaphoretic, antibacterial, digestive aid. Excellent remedy to take at absolute first sign of a cold or flu and especially if you are running a low-grade fever and have the fuzzy head, headache, aches and pains, a cold sweat and chills. Make the tea and run a hot bath. Make the bath as hot as you can tolerate, get in and bring in a cup of very, very hot tea and drink it in the bath as hot as you can stand. Soon you will start to sweat. Once you have been sweating for about 10 minutes and the bath begins to cool, get out. Staying warm, dress in the warmest clothes you can, get under lots of covers, go to sleep and sweat that cold out! In the morning you should feel much, much better. Also excellent to take if the cold or flu has already taken hold.
Garlic Honey
Ingredients:
Whole, peeled fresh garlic cloves
Honey (preferably raw)
Directions:
Peel your garlic and put the whole cloves into a dry glass jar. I like to gently score the garlic to help with the extraction and you can even chop it up if you’d like- I just like having it whole so I can eat a clove as needed! Then cover the garlic with honey completely so all of the garlic is completely coated in the honey. It’s ok if some garlic is sticking out on top as long as it’s thoroughly coated in the honey. Let it all sit for about a month and then it’s ready to use!
Use:
To use simply pluck a clove out of the honey and eat as needed when you need an immune boost or are sick! And you can drizzle the honey on just about everything you can think of.
Basic Tincture Recipe/Echinacea Tincture Recipe
Ingredients:
Dried or Fresh Echinacea Rt (Echincae purpurea)- organically grown, never wildcrafted
80-100 proof alcohol (vodka, brandy, rum, whiskey, gin)
FRESH Plant Tincture:
Chop-up your plant material well and put it in a glass jar. Gently pack the jar with the herbs and completely cover the herbs with your alcohol of choice. In folk medicine-making, such as this, vodka is traditionally used for tinctures because of its neutral flavor, but any alcohol that is 80-100 proof will do. To figure-out the alcohol percentage of an alcohol simply cut the proof number in half i.e. 80 proof alcohol is 40% alcohol. The remaining percentage of the alcohol is water 80 proof would mean the alcohol is actually 40% alcohol and 60% water. This is why we use 80-100 proof alcohols for tinctures since it’s a good middle-of-the road alcohol percentage for extracting a wide variety of plant constituents. For example, the water portion of the menstruum extracts the water-soluble minerals and vitamins of the plant and the alcohol portion extracts alcohol-soluble constituents such as alkaloids and essential oils. Once you’ve covered the plant material with the vodka (or alcohol you choose), give it a little stir to remove air bubbles and then add a little more vodka to top it off. It’s ok if some plant material is floating on the surface; it won’t mold. Let your tincture steep for 4 weeks minimum, shaking often. It will be fine steeping in the alcohol for literally years because of the preservative properties of alcohol, however it will be ready in a month. Strain, label your medicine, and store in an amber glass jar or in any glass jar just out of direct sunlight, since this can degrade the medicinal properties. Tinctures, being mostly alcohol, have a virtually limitless shelf-life, making them an extremely practical way to preserve medicine!
DRIED Plant Tincture:
To make a tincture with dried plant material you want to have 1 part plant material to 4 parts by volume of your alcohol (known as the menstruum). Since this is by volume this is all done visually by approximation. Here’s how to visualize this- covering the herbs with the alcohol is taking up 2 parts because one part is what the herbs absorb, and the other part is the alcohol that is filling-in the between the herbs. Then add enough vodka so that you have about twice as much alcohol as herbs. It’s ok that this isn’t exact- this is the folk method of medicine-making that doesn’t involve measurements. There are more scientific ways of measuring-out herbs too, but that’s not what we focus on in this class, although there’s certainly nothing wrong with making your medicine that way! Then follow the same basic directions for macerating, straining, and storing.
Adaptogen Chai
Ingredients:
1 tbsp Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum)
1 tbsp Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)
1 tbsp Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor), Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum or G. tsugae), or Birch Polypore (Fomitopsis betulina) Mushroom
1 tbsp Chai spices (I love the pre-made blend by a company called Chai-Wallah or I'll often simply do equal parts ginger, cardamom and cinnamon)
1 can full fat coconut milk (or milk of choice)
3 cups water
Sweeten with raw honey to taste
Directions:
Simmer it all covered for at least 10-15 min. Strain and enjoy!
Use:
There are many adaptogens out there, but this recipe features Tulsi and Ashwagandha, two of my favorites that tend to be well-tolerated by most folks (NOTE: a few adaptogens, namely Rhodiola and Ginseng can be too stimulating for some folks and can cause headaches and insomnia at night), but you could also swap these out for your favorite adaptogens! Both Tulsi and Ashwagandha are easy to cultivate as annuals in the northeast and I grow both in my garden, ensuring a good supply for winter teas and cooking. Both these herbs are not only adaptogenic, but also nervines, meaning they can calm and relax anxiety as its happening-a wonderful added bonus! The classic chai spices in this recipe-called carminatives in herbalism- aid digestion, ease gas and bloating, improve nutrient assimilation, contain antimicrobial essential oils, are enlivening and warming, and add a wonderful flavor. I also love adding medicinal mushrooms to my chai. Medicinal mushrooms contain immune-boosting polysaccharides called beta-glucans that give the immune system a good work-out, so it’s primed and ready when the body encounters true pathogens like viruses and bacteria. They’re an important part of my herbal routine that I would never want to be without! Feel free to make your own additions and subtractions to this recipe to suite you own needs in true kitchen medicine fashion.
Adaptogens are known to work on what’s often referred to as the HPA Axis, or Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis, which is a complex and integral communication system between our endocrine and nervous systems. Herbs in this category restore frazzled nervous systems, improve energy, encourage proper hormonal rhythms, improve quality of sleep, and increase our body's resilience to stress. In short, they're veritable life-savers for folks trying to balance the stresses of everyday modern life. Adaptogens are tonic herbs safe for daily use, and they have a cumulative effect in the body- the longer you take them the more strongly you’ll feel their effects. They lend themselves incredibly well to food as medicine practices, and one of my favorite ways to imbibe is in this adaptogen-filled chai. Enjoy!
Immune Boost Decoction
Ingredients, dried herbs:
Rose Hips 1 part (if you’re using whole rose hips do not crush)
Astragalus root 1 part
Medicinal Mushroom 1 part- good choices are Reishi, Maitake/Hen of the Woods, Shiitake, or Birch Polypore (Fomitopsis betulina)
Ginger ¼ part
Raw Honey
Directions:
Make 1 part any amount of herb you’d like (i.e. 1 tbsp, ½ c, 1 cup, etc) and combine in the proportions above, depending on how much of the blend you’d like. For instance if you decide to make 1 part= 1 cup, you’d use 1 cup each of Rose Hips, Astragalus, and Mushroom each and ¼ c Ginger. Then simmer 1 heaping tbsp of the herb mix: 1 c H20 until the water volume is reduced by half. Strain. Will keep 1-2 days refrigerated. Have at least 2 cups throughout the day, hot, if you feel you’re coming down with something. Leave out the Astragalus if you have a fever. Sweeten with raw honey to taste
Winter Immune Soup/Broth
Ingredients:
8 cups water/bone broth/vegetable broth/chicken broth/miso broth
2 tbsp Astragalus rt slices (cook in a small muslin bag for easy removal or cheesecloth bundle)
2 tbsp Nettles
2 tbsp Shiitake, Maitake, Reishi, Turkey Tail (cook Turkey Tail in a small muslin bag for easy removal or cheesecloth bundle if you’re making a soup)
1 tbsp Rosemary/Thyme/Sage (3 tbsp if fresh)
1 tbsp Garlic and/or Ginger
1 tsp Seaweed of choice
Directions & Use:
Combine all ingredients in your liquid of choice, cover, and let simmer gently for ½ hr to 45 minutes. Feel free to add any veggies or meat if desired if making soup or just leave it as is and strain for a simple broth. Let cool. This soup/broth is meant to build-up the immune system and prevent illness. If you’re using it preventatively, a cup/day in the winter months would be excellent, or if you think you’re coming down with something have 3 cups/day. If you have signs that you are already sick you should NOT drink this as Astragalus is not for acute. You could just leave-out the Astragalus and increase the mushrooms. This could be strained and frozen as a broth or the entire soup may be frozen as well! Sip warm with sea salt, use as your liquid portion when making grains, make ramen, and so on- the possibilities are really endless!
Vitamin C Gummies
Rose multiflora Rose Hips
Ingredients:
3 cups unsweetened juice (cherry, grape, cranberry or pomegranate are all nice choices)
1/2 c dried elderberries
¼ c dried rose hips (do not crush if they’re whole)
¼ c dried astragalus
1/8th c (2 tbsp) dried ginger
1/2 c unflavored, grass-fed gelatin pwd (Great Lakes and Vital Proteins brand are both great choices)
¼ c raw honey
Directions:
1. Simmer the juice and the herbs, covered, on low heat for about 20-30 minutes
2. Strain into another pan and let cool until it’s still warm but not hot
3. Mix in the honey (if using) and the gelatin and mix rapidly until the gelatin dissolves, gently warming if it’s gotten too cold for the gelatin and honey to dissolve, but not bringing to a boil
4. Line a baking tray or shallow baking dish with parchment paper. Pour the mixture into the pan or tray. You can also use silicone gummy molds for cute shapes! Put into fridge and allow to cool, where it will solidify into a jello-like consistency. Cut into 1 inch sized cubes or remove from the molds and store in fridge for up to 2 weeks. Freeze them if you make a super large batch!
5. Medicinal dose is 3 one inch-sized gummies/day
Enjoy all. I hope you get to make some of these recipes and have a healthy fall and winter! ~Jade
Interested in learning more about our locally abundant medicinal herbs?
Our From the Roots Up Bioregional Herbalism Apprenticeships Year I & II are now open for registration for 2024!
Classes met entirely outside and in the field and the focus is on working with our locally abundant medicinals up close and personal. Participants will learn botany and plant ID, medicine-making, and sustainable wildcrafting practices, build their home apothecary, and more.
