I have been driven by the idea that food is medicine since I was a teenager. I had health issues that were difficult to treat using conventional, pharmaceutical-based medicine It became clear to me that when we sit down to eat we have a powerful opportunity to nourish and heal ourselves with the foods we choose. And I have dedicated a significant portion of my life’s work doing that through health coaching, and through our work with Fire Cider. One of my favorite things to do is share the idea of food as medicine with my friends and family especially during this time of giving. Here are my five go-to make-at-home ways to share the gift of food as medicine this holiday season.
Photo from thriftyniftymommy.com
Start A Window Herb Garden
A small window herb garden is easy to assemble and gives the gift of fresh, green herbs all winter long! Nothing brightens up a meal like a confetti of fresh herbs sprinkled on top or an oil infused with herbs picked nearby. For how-to resources on making a kitchen herb garden to gift, I used the post, “Tips for a Small-Space Kitchen Herb Garden” on thekitchn.com and on WikiHow.com “Start A Window Herb Garden” as resources.
Don’t have a green thumb? You can purchase ready-to-pick, plants at your local greenhouse, farm store or grocer. I like Basil, Parsley, Cilantro and Rosemary but pick what your recipient will use the most. Add handmade tags with simple care instructions and a couple of your favorite recipes to complete the gift.
Grinding cardamom for the spice mix.
Make A Healthy Drink Mix
I love drinking sweet and spicy golden milk, especially in the winter when I can really use the benefits of turmeric. You can read more about “Golden Milk – A Calming Ayurvedic Health Drink” on the FireCider.com blog. This year, I’ll be giving out jam jars filled with my pre-mixed golden milk spice blend, milk not included!
Golden Milk Spice Mix to fill on 8 oz jam jar:
¼ cup dried powdered ginger
½ cup dried powdered turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
¾ teaspoon ground black peppercorns
Put everything in a 1 cup jam jar, seal and shake to combine! Decorate the jar, add an ingredient label and include a short and sweet recipe for Golden Milk:
For every 8 ounces of milk (whole dairy or coconut) use one teaspoon of Golden Milk Spice Mix. Whisk to combine and bring to a simmer for two minutes.
Add raw honey (or stevia/sweetner of your choice) to taste.
I ordered all of the above organic ingredients from Starwest Botanicals but you can also find them in the bulk section of your local co-op or grocery store.
Give a Farm Share or Produce Delivery
Give the gift of nutritious, whole foods week after week! Find a CSA— Community Supported Agriculture or a store that has a weekly delivery service like Berkshire Organics in Dalton, MA.
For a list of CSA’s across the US, LocalHarvest.org is an excellent resurce.
Custom Teas for Health
“Tea began as a medicine and grew into a beverage.” —Okakura Kakuzō
Winter is the season for tea so why not give the gift of delicious, medicinal tea for winter health? Make your own blends of tea using dried plants from your garden, local farm or bulk organic herbs and spices from Starwest Botanicals. I found a long list of tea recipes on adelightfulhome.com under the post, “52 DIY Herbal Tea Recipes” Package your tea in ball jars and add a tag with the ingredient list and steeping instructions.
Learn Together
Don’t feel crafty? Not sure what to make? Sign yourself and a friend up for a class and learn how to make something together! The gift of an experience, especially one that’s shared, is sometimes the best gift. Learn how to make your own bone broth, herbal tinctures, Thai food, etc by checking out classes near you—start with local farms, chefs and herbalists and see what’s happening in your town.
The Candida Diaries 