BLACK ELDERBERRY

The Elderberry is a medicinal plant which deserves the highest recognition for its healing properties. We used to have a blackberry bush near every house, but today it is only found at the brink of a forest or in a glade. People do not always realize that the elderberry is very healthy.

Elderberry leaves and blossoms stimulate the sweat glands, and increase urine output and toxic substances from the body.

Each year I gather fresh Elderberry blossoms and dry them on fresh air, but not on the sun.

The colour of the blossoms must remain yellow golden in colour. When they are dry I keep them in a paper bag.

When I have a strong cold or a bronchial infection, i prepare myself some Elderberry tea.

Elderberry is very efficient at regulating blood sugar levels, therefore I recommend it to diabetics. Elderberry tea also purifies the blood.

When the Elderberries are ripe in the autumn, I prepare myself some juice. I put around 2 kilograms of berries in the juicer and squeeze them. I cook the juice for an hour and a half and then add 20 dekagrams of honey. When the juice is lukewarm, I pour it in a bottle and store it in a dry and dark space. I drink one spoonful three times a day. Elderberries contain a lot of vitamins, such as vitamin A, B, B1, B2, and C.

I prepare Elderberry tea at least three times a week. I pour boiling water over two tea spoons of dry flowers, strain it after ten minutes and add honey. The tea is very effective against bad body odor. I also use it for rinsing my eyes (without the honey).

Tea from the leaves and tree bark helps with constipation and urinary leakage.

As a child I have fond memories of fried Elderberry flowers, which my mother prepared for dinner, I prepare them even today. I make dough for pancakes and dip elderberry flowers in it (the best are fresh), then I quickly fry the batter, and sprinkle the pancakes with lemon juice, fold and sweeten them with powdered sugar. (Instead of lemon juice I also use honey).

Fresh elderberries should not be eaten raw, otherwise you could get sick or get diarrhoea.



THE CABBAGE

It has been said that Cabbage is food for poor people and if you harvest it at full moon it has the most medicinal substances.

I mostly use raw heated and sour Cabbage. Fresh Cabbage has a lot of vitamin C. Cabbage in acidification excreted very much lactic acid, which prevents rotting processes in the human body. That’s why the excess material immediately eliminates from the intestines. Also the sauerkraut (sour Cabbage) prevents toxic substances to run from intestines into the blood, this affects the health and well-being.

I use Cabbage all year long, in summer and autumn I mostly use fresh Cabbage, in winter and spring I use sauerkraut. When I have headache or back pain, I lie down on fresh Cabbage leaves.

When I suffer from hoarseness I blend Cabbage leaves in food processor and add some of flower honey.  After consuming it I feel better.

Several times that I had stomach problems, I prepared myself fresh juice from fresh and sour Cabbage. I made juice from fresh Cabbage with the juicer, then I drank it for a month, three times a day of two decilitres, beside that I had a suitable diet.

In cold winter when vitamin C is even more indispensable, sauerkraut is the most convenient and healthy meal in any kitchen (it also doesn’t spoil that easy). Cabbage blends well with roast pork and Kranjska sausages.

Salad made from fresh sliced Cabbage with a little boiled, mashed potatoes and whole cumin provide a good companion to every main course and mixed salad.

The most important thing about cooking Cabbage is that you shouldn’t over boil it, especially when you want to use it as a remedy.

 



SAUERKRAUT STEW RECIPE

Here is a recipe for a very tasty stew from sauerkraut.

First I boil sauerkraut slightly, then I separately cook diced potatoes, I do the same with kidney beans (which can be bought canned), meanwhile all that is cooking I add some smoked bacon to sauerkraut. After that I separately make onion roux in a pan, I put chopped onion into hot oil and fry it, then I sprinkle a little flour on it and add tomato paste, after that I add some cold water (this process dissolve the sauce a little), cook it for five minutes and add it to the sour Cabbage. At the end I add one bay leaf and two crushed garlic cloves.

 

 

GARDEN NASTURTIUM / INDIAN CRESS a beauty at home garden

A human could hardly believe that such a beautiful herb, as Nasturtium, can be so healing. Nasturtium caught my eye a decade ago, when I saw it on some neighbour’s garden in our street. The following year I bought seeds and planted it in my garden. Now this beauty boasts in my garden every year. However, you can also find it in some balcony planter box or in concrete planter. I plant it because it repels aphids, caterpillars, snails, ants and mice.

 

Nasturtium has beautiful red, orange and yellow flowers and leaves are coloured green. My son, who is a gastronome by profession, told me, that in gastronomy a nasturtium is mostly used for decorations, soups, and salads, even for meat. I’m using it for making sandwiches, toast, sometimes I add it to sausages, because it tastes like mustard.

 



 

When I have a cold, I eat Nasturtium on a piece of bread. It`s seeds are even better. Those are very spicy, that’s why they are good for your lungs.

Nasturtium contains a lot of sulphur, that’s why I eat it when I have indigestion, because it helps me passing urine and stools. It also helps to boost your immune system.

When my hair is massively falling off, I make a Nasturtium hair tonic for myself. For making tonic I use alcohol, fresh leaves, flowers of Nasturtium and add some nettle. I dunk this tonic mixture from ten to fifteen days, then I strain it. Then I massage it into my hair.

I put Nasturtium flowers in risotto and pasta. It leaves I add to cheese, mixed eggs and omelettes.

 

 

My advice to you is, grow Nasturtium at your home garden.