There is so much change, color, flavor and medicine growing this time of year. From our local wild foods to farms and gardens, we are rich in delicious medicine! 

The salad greens, sautéing greens, asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries, wood sorrel, sheep sorrel, purselane, wild spinach, walking onions, parsley, cilantro, dill, mint, thyme, oregano, tarragon, savory, sage and the beloved garlic scapes, are all in full swing. By the time this publication is out, there will be even more summer foods available.

When we look at the vitamins, minerals and higher order compounds in our local food, we realize it truly is our best medicine. Seasonal eating means eating what is available in our surrounding communities in order to take advantage of the plant medicine at its peak. 

Summer is the time to build our health and energy back up to its full potential in order to work and play hard. The fall is the time to harvest and eat warm root vegetables and herbs that tend to strengthen the digestive and respiratory systems just in time to help prepare us for the winter’s onset of colds and flu. Winter comes and we crave heavier, fattier foods to get us through the cold and dark days. Spring comes with those first bitter greens helping to stimulate the liver and digestion, easing us back into the warm abundance of summer. If we are paying attention, it’s a beautiful and well-orchestrated seasonal dance.

Traditional cultures that rely on plant medicine as their primary source of healing understand this connection and use local food and herbs to make teas, tonics, brews, syrups and remedies. These are powerful recipes that have been handed down through generations to keep communities alive and healthy. These time-tested formulas that come to this country with first-generation immigrants are frequently forgotten by the time the second generation has been melded into our Western society.

There is, however, a resurgence in the U.S. to remember these old ways and to put a fresh spin on it. People are learning what we like to call “Kitchen Medicine,” the use of food and herbs to prevent or lessen what ails you. This includes honey infused with herbs (wild or garden-raised) to make tea, broths with herbs, mushrooms and vegetables, elderberry elixir, spicy garden herbs and peppers, all to create/recreate delicious kitchen medicine.

One of the remedies we have fallen in love with this year is the switchel-a drink both tart and sweet. These drinks were given to those who needed more than water to stay hydrated and continue a day of hard physical work. See the recipe in the sidebar for the hibiscus mint switchel that we developed at TIOSN.

Making food and herbs our medicine is one of the most powerful things we can do to for our health care. Finding local sources for our food or learning to grow some of your own better assures peak flavor and potency. 

Ask your elders if they remember any of these old remedies and write them down. These are fascinating and valuable pieces of our health history. The time has come to learn these remedies again to ensure they are not lost to future generations. 

For information on how you can learn about more kitchen medicine, foraging, culinary skills, sustainable gardening and seasonal nutrition, visit The Institute Of Sustainable Nutrition at TIOSN.com or call 860-764-9070. See ad, page 63.

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Hibiscus Mint Switchel Recipe

Makes one quart of hibiscus mint tea.

About the Ingredients

Hibiscus is a beautiful flower that makes a refreshing ruby red tea. It is a cooling plant that is high in vitamin C, minerals and antioxidants. The flower is quite astringent and helps to tighten mucus membranes. In 2008, the American Heart Association published a report documenting that hibiscus tea lowers blood pressure in pre and mildly hypertensive adults.

Mint adds delicious flavor, minerals and antioxidants to the tea. It is known to help relieve cramping in the digestive system and to help with alertness.

Apple cider vinegar adds electrolytes, great for those who have been sweating due to work or play. It also helps to stimulate gastric juices, aiding in digestion.

Honey is antimicrobial and rich in minerals. Local honey has the added benefit of being made from local plants, which helps us cope with seasonal allergies.

How to Make It
1 heaping Tablespoon dried hibiscus flowers
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1 quart water
Bring water to a boil. Pour the hot water over the hibiscus and mint leaves, cover and steep for 1/2 hour.
Pour 1 cup of tea through a strainer into a glass and add
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon lime juice
Stir to dissolve honey.
Refrigerate for several hours, serve cold.

Recipe provided by The Institute of Sustainable Nutrition. TIOSN.com.