Morgan Botanicals

Chia is often found growing on sunny hillsides, disturbed fields, prairies, and plains throughout the West and often after fires. This member of the sage family (Salvia columbariae) is very aromatic and worth growing. Chia will grow anywhere from 6- 24 inches tall and will have as many as 5 flower heads per stalk. The leaves are opposite, mostly basal and up to 4 inches long.

Seeds of this plant and the related species, S. mexicana, were an important food to the Indians and early settlers. These seeds are not only nutritious but easily digested. Some Indian tribes believed that a tablespoon of chia seed would give a warrior enough energy to go on a 24-hour forced march. When moistened, the seeds become mucilaginous and can be used to calm an upset stomach or made into poultices for topical wounds. If placed under the eyelid before retiring, this will help clean dirt from the eyes.

I think chia seeds are one of the most nutritious foods known to man, and besides providing an enormous amount of energy, they are high in protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and calcium.  These seeds are a good option for a child or adolescent, the pregnant women, vegetarian, or athletes and weight lifters who need that extra protein in their diet.

So what to do with all these Chia seeds you wonder? Well, Chia can be eaten raw, sprouted, roasted, or ground as a mush or as flour for bread. I mix them into meat loaf, breads and smoothies. One of my favorite ways to use them though is as a popular drink in Mexico called Agua de chia or Chia Seed Water. Here a great recipe to try at home.

Agua de Chia

• 1 cup chia seeds
• 2 quarts pure water
• 1 cup raw sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh lime or lemon juice, or to taste
• A sprinkling of powdered cinnamon

1. Soak chia seeds in water until they soften and take on a spongy consistency.

2. Sweeten the 2 quarts of water with the sugar, stirring to dissolve, and add the chia seeds and citrus juice.

2. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve chilled.

 -Enjoy!

Find Chia seeds in my Local Harvest Store. 

As always, please email any questions to herbalist@morganbotanicals.com.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. Jessica Morgan, M. H., Morgan Botanicals.

Disclaimer - The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information in this article for self-diagnosis or to replace any prescriptive medication. You should consult with a health care professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem, suffer from allergies, are pregnant or nursing.

Jessica Morgan, M.H.

Boy, is it ever sunflower season! We all know that growing sunflowers isn't that unusual but as a garden crop they are fun and productive to grow. I tend to grow too many sunflowers- I just can't get enough! I save and search for new seeds of every color and size.

Nearly all of the sixty species of sunflowers in North and South America are edible, and to me, this make them valuable. Most of us are use to buying and eating just the seeds, but sunflowers offer so much more. Did you know that the immature sunflower head can be eaten like Globe Artichokes? Pick the buds when they're swollen but before they open- they taste just like a floral artichoke.

As for the seeds, gather the seed heads in late summer to early Autumn before the seeds are dry enough to be released. Then hang them in a warm, dry place.  The seeds can be roasted, hulled, made into a fine meal for flour, ground into butter or oil, or just simply eaten. Shells can even be ground as a coffee substitute.

I'm already starting to collect seeds for next years sunflower crop and so should you because there are so many wonderful ways to enjoy them!

Look for unusual sunflower seeds coming soon in my Local Harvest Store.

As always, please email any questions to herbalist@morganbotanicals.com.

Follow me on Twitter - MorganBotanical 

Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. Jessica Morgan, M. H., Morgan Botanicals.

Disclaimer - The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information in this article for self-diagnosis or to replace any prescriptive medication. You should consult with a health care professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem, suffer from allergies, are pregnant or nursing.

Jessica Morgan, M.H.

Tomatillos are perhaps one of my favorite and most prized fruits. They're not only fun to grow (as they are incredibly beautiful plants) but they are rich in flavor and yummy to eat.

This native of Mexico, which is much like a tomato, dates back to at least 800 B.C. and has for a long time been cultivated there, but has never really caught on elsewhere. For a plant which is so rich in flavor, productive and easy to grow, this is surprising. In Mexican cuisine the tomatillo is important, replacing tomatoes which have come to be used in their place in other countries, particularly in salsa or other sauces for meat. I love how they impart a unique tanginess which tomatoes never quite attain.

The tomatillo is a member of the Solanaceae family (the nightshades: tomato, potato, eggplant, ect.) and should be taken into account for your crop rotation plan. Physalis ixocarpa and phladelphica are the most common varieties grown but there are several. Most nurseries sell Physalis ixocara as the principal Tomatillo species. But, you can find many varieties of seeds which may include large yellow or green fruits as well small purple ones.

If you have never grown tomatillos before just remember that they are sun loving, warm weather crops and love the heat. You'll want to choose a site that gets full sun and has well-drained soil that’s not too rich. A pH reading that’s close to neutral (7.0) is good for them. Simply water and feed while fruits are forming. I pick my tomatillos as soon as they are large enough to be useful and continue picking until frost.

So for those of us who are picking our tomatillos right now (and I say this in pure excitement!) thank goodness there are so many ways to use this abundance of fruit. I myself enjoy salsas, verdes, fried, or any where I want some tang.

Here is a simple and delicious recipe for Tomatillo Jam - Enjoy!

 Tomatillo Jam

1. Follow basic instructions for Jam making. (cleaning jars and preparing canner)
2. Finely chop or grind tomatillos. Measure exactly three cups into saucepot and add lemon juice.
3. Stir in sugar, add butter if desired, (this reduces foaming) and bring mixture to full rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly.
4. Stir in pectin and return to full rolling boil and boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off any excess foam.
5. Ladle jam quickly into clean jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe, seal and place into canner. Water must cover jam jars by at least and inch.
6. Cover and bring to gentle boil. Process 10 minutes. Remove jars and allow to completely cool. After cooling, check for proper seal, if lid springs back refrigeration is necessary.

As always, please email any questions to herbalist@morganbotanicals.com.

Follow me on Twitter - MorganBotanical 

Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. Jessica Morgan, M. H., Morgan Botanicals.

Disclaimer - The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information in this article for self-diagnosis or to replace any prescriptive medication. You should consult with a health care professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem, suffer from allergies, are pregnant or nursing.

Jessica Morgan, M.H.

Mullein is an awkwardly beautiful, tall fuzzy plant with sweet smelling yellow flowers that bloom from March to November. The flowers are fragrant and taste sweet, but the leaves being bitter are still wonderfully useful. Apart from its medicinal use, I love mullein for its ornamental purpose in the garden; it also attracts a wide variety of pollinators, including bees, flies, and butterflies. Mullein is widely available in the wild, and is easily identified by its spike of yellow flowers and huge, sometimes over a foot long, leaves. If you can find them - the leaves, flowers, and roots of this plant are edible and easy to dry, and may be used to make your own herbal medicines. You can find mullein seeds in my local harvest store.

The leaves, root, and the flowers are anodyne, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, demulcent, diuretic, emollient, expectorant, nervine, and vulnerary. What an amazingly useful plant...right?

Mullein leaf is a good respiratory remedy and traditionally used as a tea for treating a wide range of chest complaint including cough. When combined with water, the fiber in mullein produces a slippery substance called mucilage, which coats and soothes the throat and intestines. It combines well with other expectorants such as coltsfoot and thyme. Mullein helps reduce inflammation while stimulating fluid production and thus facilitating expectoration. It is considered a specific in bronchitis where there is a hard cough with soreness. Its anti-inflammatory and demulcent properties indicate its use in inflammation of the trachea and associated conditions.

The dried leaves are sometimes smoked to relieve the irritation of the respiratory mucus membranes an will ease the hacking cough of consumption. 

Studies have shown that mullein has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties and that it may help relieve hemorrhoid symptoms. Topical compresses made from mullein infusions have also been used to treat inflamed cold sores and herpes virus.

Steep 2 teaspoons of dried mullein plant in a cup of hot water for an infusion to treat cough, congestion, or diarrhea. Drink three cups of hot mullein tea a day until symptoms disappear, or store the tea in the refrigerator to make a soothing infusion for treatment of hemorrhoids and cold sores.

Mullein oil is a very medicinal and a valuable destroyer of disease germs.   An infusion of the flowers in olive oil is used as an effective earache remedy. This infusion is a strong antibacterial.  It is also used in alternative medicine for the treatment of migraine headaches accompanied with oppression of the ear. You can find mullein leaf in my local harvest store.

Please email any questions to herbalist@morganbotanicals.com.

Follow me on Twitter - MorganBotanical 

Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. Jessica Morgan, M. H., Morgan Botanicals.

Disclaimer - The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information in this article for self-diagnosis or to replace any prescriptive medication. You should consult with a health care professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem, suffer from allergies, are pregnant or nursing.

Jessica Morgan, M.H.

There is a sense of excitement that comes from growing something new in your garden each year. Why not explore your creative side and plant something unusual this year. I've put together some extraordinary vegetables with unusual flavors that will be worth the extra effort it takes to find these magnificent plants.

• Asparagus Bean, also know as yard-long bean. A beautiful addition to any vegetable garden, and as good to eat as they are strange to behold. Easy to grow, produces abundantly, and has a pleasing taste all their own.
• Borage is not the prettiest of plants when mature but useful to say the least. Leaves possess a mild, cucumber-like flavor guaranteed to perk up any salad.
• Burdock doesn't need much water and is easy to grow. Slice the roots up for refreshing, sweetish, unusual aromatic flavor in stir-fry dishes or soups.
• Chayote is low in calories and high in trace elements plus a good source of fiber. This vegetable pear is a tasty stand in for asparagus, or use it as you would potatoes or French fries.
• Dandelion is enjoyable all year, and a closer look at its nutritional value should persuade you to do just that.
• Horseradish root is useful both as food and medicine. Cook as you would parsnips or spice up a pot roast or baked ham. In the spring, the first leaf shoots of the plant can be picked for an unusual and pungent potherb.
• Jicama tastes very much like water chestnuts, but with a slight hint of sweetness. These tubers can be used in a multitude of ways.
• Luffa is a member of the cucumber family and is seldom seen growing in America, but spa-bathers and boat scrubbers are undoubtedly familiar with this sturdy "vegetable sponge." Grow some to scrub your veggie's!
• Nettle if handled with care will make a valuable addition to you garden. Arm yourself with gloves and harvest away.
• Orach has a mild flavor and contains much less acid than most other types of spinach. Add to quiches, roll up in crepes, toss into soups, or enjoy this delicious vegetable by itself.
• Rocket is an excellent late crop with the flavor quite distinctive- sharp, spicy, pungent. Enjoy it at its best raw in salads.
• Salsify has a multitude of uses. These roots can be baked, boiled, fried, or served in soups.
• Scorzonera is delicious served hot with melted butter or a cream or mushroom sauce. But like Salsify can be baked or fried as well.
• Sea Kale shoots have a delicate, nutty, slightly bitter flavor. They are yummy when eaten raw with cheese or in salads, or prepared like asparagus.
• Skirret responds well to interplanting with salad crops such as radishes, onions, and leaf lettuce. Boil these roots up with salt and mash like potatoes.
• Tomatillo's are the first cousin of the ground cherry. These sticky green berries are the perfect accompaniment to any Mexican dish.

Please email any questions to herbalist@morganbotanicals.com.

Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. Jessica Morgan, M. H., Morgan Botanicals.

Jessica Morgan, M.H.