Working Mommy Journal

August 13, 2014

Medicinal Herbs by Adina Senft #HerbOfGrace

In combination with her book Herb of Grace and it’s accompanying tour, Adina Senft is sharing with you this fantastic post on Medicinal Herbs. I love treating the body and mind with natural herbs so this was a fantastic learning experience for me and I hope you enjoy it as well! Don’t forget to check out my review here.

My backyard is full of medicine cleverly disguised as weeds. What have I been pulling up all these years? Needless to say, after writing these books, I’m a little more discriminating now. While I’m outside with my flock of rescued chickens, just a quick look around shows me California poppy, feverfew, plantain, rosemary, chickweed, dandelion, and cleavers—all of which can be used in cures.

When the flat was full, she got a piece of paper and drew a grid, with the names of the plants in the squares, and a word or two about what kind of soil and sun each one liked.

“Ruth, I don’t even know where to start.”

“It will come. Begin simply and the rest will grow from there. Folks around these parts favor certain complaints, you’ll find—burns from the stove, cuts from the lawnmower blades, head colds, stress, flu. These plants are the basics. Get them going and they’ll carry you through most problems you’ll run into.” —Herb of Grace

One of the most humble weeds, the sticky one with the burrs called cleavers, is good for clearing the lymphatic system. Simply crush up several stems of the fresh plant, add in some orange calendula petals, and pour a quart of hot water over it to make a tea. Strain out the plant matter, cool, and drink it over the course of the day.

She found a moment to pull Amanda aside, and took a small package out of the pocket of her dress. “I made you some things for your skin,” she said. “Chickweed and cleaver tea—I wrote out a recipe that tastes gut—like breathing a meadow. It will clear your glands if you drink a cup every morning. And here is a jar of rose cream. Use it everywhere, not just your face.”

Amanda touched her jaw, where a couple of blemishes had appeared, her gaze falling self-consciously. “Is it that bad?”

Sarah gave her a squeeze. “Of course not. But there is nothing wrong with using the plants God gave us to make things better.” —Keys of Heaven

My chiropractor, Harriet Segelcke, who is also deeply interested in homeopathic medicine, told me a simple cure for gout—a painful condition where uric acid forms crystals in the joints (often the toes). A glass or two of black cherry juice per day over a week will dissolve the crystals and relieve the pain. Of course, once it’s gone, it would be helpful to look into what’s going wrong in the diet to cause it in the first place.

Oran had stopped now, and was fiddling with the straps on the gray-sided buggy sitting next in line for repairs. “Medication ain’t so strange,” he muttered just loudly enough for her to hear. “It’s putting that burden on the church for no reason I can’t abide. Stuff’s expensive.”

“No, it isn’t,” she chirped. “You can find it at the supermarket. Sometimes you can get it on sale for a dollar fifty-nine.” He huffed as if she were babbling nonsense, and turned to make his way through the big sliding door. “Black cherry juice did the trick, didn’t it, Simon?” She raised her voice just enough to carry through the door. “A couple of glasses a day, and Jacob was right as rain in a week. It dissolves what they call uric acid, you see, that forms crystals in the toes.” —Herb of Grace

I get my pedicures from a lady who’s a cross between a cosmetologist and an herbalist. Toenail fungus is a disgusting problem that lots of people have but don’t want to admit to … but she gave me a cure for it. Mix 4 parts grapeseed oil and 1 part oregano oil, and pour it into a bottle. Soak your toes in distilled white vinegar for 10 minutes every other day. After you dry your toes, use an eyedropper to put a drop or two of the oil mixture on each toenail, rubbing the excess dribble into your skin. Within a few weeks you should see the new toenail growing in fungus free.

“I have a customer who’s Englisch and as stubborn as an old mule. It’s taken me two months to convince him to eat his vegetables. Now he tells me he’s had toenail fungus for months and did I have something to cure it. Sure I do. He has to soak his toes in white vinegar for ten minutes every other day, and then put a drop of this oil on each toenail afterward. But if he follows my instructions even once, I’ll be surprised.” Sarah stuck a handwritten label on the bottle. “Why do people resist being made well?”

“Maybe they don’t really believe that something so simple will help them. We Englisch are used to just going to the doctor and taking a pill.”

—Keys of Heaven

One of the best cures for colds is the antiviral agent found in elderberries—and wouldn’t you know it, the tree fruits just in time for the onset of cold season. To make a delicious cough syrup, cook a couple of cups of ripe berries in water until the skins burst. Strain well, and return the liquid to the heat to simmer until it’s reduced by half. Add an equal amount of honey to sweeten. Administer by the teaspoonful up to four times a day, or add the teaspoonful to a glass of warm water for a soothing drink.

Legend has it that Roman soldiers used to take borage (Borago officinalis) before they went into battle, hence the expression “borage for courage.” It is known for its support of the adrenal glands, so maybe that’s why. This starry blue flower can be eaten right off the plant, and tastes like cucumber. Here’s a way to liven up the punch bowl at a summer party: Simply freeze a borage flower into the ice cubes in the tray and when you add the cubes to your punch, it will look as though flowers are floating in it. Maybe you’ll find the wallflowers among your guests plucking up their courage to be more social!

“If a woman is unhappy but can’t tell the cause, I often give her my Sunshine Tea. You probably have everything you need to make it in your own garden, except borage flowers and rose petals, which I enclose in the zippy bag.”

—Herb of Grace

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia says, “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance: pray, love, remember.” Studies have shown that breathing in the scent of rosemary helps to aid memory. Of course, it’s also a cooking herb, great for flavoring meat and vegetables. But some health professionals are looking into its use to help with cognitive function, memory loss, and even treatment of Alzheimers.

“Ruth made it sound so ordinary—as though selling herbs with which people could cure themselves was no different than selling them rosemary and thyme to cook with. But both went into the body and helped it to work as God meant it to. It was clear she hadn’t been thinking of it in the right way before at all.” —Herb of Grace

Thank you so much Adina for sharing this fantastic post with us! Don’t forget to check her book out here.

Do you have any special home remedies or recipes with herbs and natural ingredients that you make at home? Share it with me – I would love to learn what you use at home.

August 13, 2014

Herb of Grace by Adina Senft #review

Adina Senft creates a powerful story of grace, forgiveness, faith and friendship in her novel Herb of Grace.

Herb of Grace is the story of Amish widow, Sarah Yoder. Sarah has been struggling to raise her two teenage sons along with providing a home where family and members of her Old Order Amish church can find fellowship. Sarah feels like her relationship with her boys is beginning to fall apart. Her stepson wants desperately to move away and try to make it on his own while her youngest son spends his time with their neighbour who left their Church years ago. Not only does Sarah struggle with her relationship with her children she is also struggling financially and relies on her eldest son to help provide for the family.

Sarah’s friend and the local Dokterfraa, Ruth, believes that Sarah can and should be using her gift of growing plants to become a herbal healer just like her. Sarah is reluctant to take this step unsure on whether this would take her away from her family – the place where she feels God wants her to be. She begins to search her heart and decides to help those in her community including a stubborn man who made a harsh decision and is suffering from those consequences.

An incredibly touching and moving book – I loved every moment of Herb of Grace. I did not want it to end! The only saving grace for me at the end is knowing the book will continue. Even if I am a bit impatient and would love to get my hands on the next book now!

Sarah is an incredibly strong woman and mother. She bears great pressure on her young shoulders alone while raising two young men. As the mother to two boys myself I can’t even begin to imagine the difficulties she must face. Sarah cares so much about the people around her. She wants them to be whole, happy and at peace but finds it hard to trust in herself. Her character is so real and easy to relate to. I felt like that could have been myself – so many times I doubt myself and my own strength and calling. Sometimes it feels hard to hear what God is trying to show us.

I loved watching Sarah grow as a person, as a woman and as a mother. You can see her growth in her garden, her herbs and even in her relationships with others around her.

Herb of Grace by Adina Senft is a definite must read – she will not disappoint you! You can check out the full blog tour here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Adina Senft is a transplanted Canadian who grew up in a plain house church where she made her own clothes and perfected the French braid. She holds an M.F.A. in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania where she teaches as adjunct faculty. Writing as Shelley Bates, she was the winner of RWA’s RITA Award for Best Inspirational Novel in 2005, finalist for the award in 2006 and writing as Shelley Adina was a Christy Award finalist in 2009. Three of her books have been shortlisted for the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Carol Award for book of the year.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

August 12, 2014

Michael Smith’s Family Meals #review

The process of preparing a meal and eating it is very important in our home. Cooking together helps us bond, laugh and share stories. I still remember as a child helping my Dad prepare dishes and helping myself to his cannelloni stuffing at the same time! Good food has a special way of bringing families together. Michael Smith’s Family Meals is the ultimate family cook book with healthy recipes, life hacks and so much more.

I am not a huge fan of the typical organization of cook books – you know the ones that list recipe after recipe with few pictures, complicated ingredients and no tips. As soon as I start flipping a cook book open to find that back on the shelf it goes. What I like about Michael Smith’s recipe books is that he shares his recipes as a story. You are part of his adventure in the kitchen and it is like he is there teaching you each step. He has a down to earth approach that even the most novice of cooks can appreciate.

The photographs in this book are incredible. Not even going to lie some are down right drool worthy. The type that make you want to drop everything and have that meal right that very second. Michael also features his family in this book which truly touched home for me. Michael is a Father who loves to cook for his family and provide them with nourishment. His children share that passion and it is lovely to see them helping out with their special roles of cracking eggs, stirring and so much more.

In Family Meals, Michael places a strong emphasis on fresh foods – and fresh foods has always been a secret ingredient of mine. I love the taste of fresh picked tomatoes in my sauces. It really gives that extra special touch to any dish. Meals made from local and unprocessed ingredients is very important to me as a Mother.

The book is divided into several sections for breakfast, lunch, salads, desserts and so much more. In between each section you can find life hacks for cooking, snack ideas and so much more. These were honestly some of my favourite sections. So many fantastic ideas in just a couple of pages – who says eating healthy takes too much time? Not anymore – apple peanut butter sandwiches anyone?

One of the first recipes we tried? Nacho burgers. Yup you heard that right – nacho burgers. What a great twist on a family favourite. I am able to share his recipe with you courtesy of Michael Smith and Penguin Canada!

Makes 6 large or 8 smaller burgers

For the burgers

2 pounds (900g) of ground beef
2 tablespoons (30mL) of ground cumin
2 tablespoons (30mL) of dried oregano
1 teaspoon (15mL) of salt
Lots of freshly ground pepper
1 onion, minced

For the burger buns

1 teaspoon (5mL) of chili powder
2 tablespoons (30mL) of butter, melted
6 or 8 of your favorite burger buns

To garnish the burgers

1 heaping tablespoon (20mL) of your favorite salsa per burger
¼ cup (60mL) of any shredded cheese per burger
3 or 4 tortilla chips, crushed, per burger

Build a hardwood fire and ultimately a bed of glowing coals. Or prepare and preheat your grill or stove top griddle to high.

To make the burgers, have a clean plate on the counter and a few sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap nearby. Place the ground beef in a large bowl. Break it up a bit and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the meat as evenly as you can with the cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and onions. Using your hands, thoroughly and evenly mix the works together. Form the proceeds into 6 or 8 evenly shaped thin burgers and place them on the plate, with the wax paper in between layers.

To ready the buns for the grill, stir the chili powder into the melted butter and brush the fragrant fat onto the cut sides of the buns. Just before grilling the burgers, toast the buns until lightly browned and delicious.

Grill the burgers until browned, 4 or 5 minutes a side. Move the finished burgers straight from the grill to their toasted buns so the juices soak into the bread. Top with the salsa, cheese, tortilla chips and bun tops. Serve and share!

Rating: 5/5

Michael Smith’s Family Meals is a cook book for you and your family to share, love, cook and have fun with. Is cooking important to your family? How do you encourage your children to help out in the kitchen?

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

August 11, 2014

My Personalized Mom Survival Kit

Being a parent is hard. There are days that are magical and days that are full of frustration and tears. My children mean the world to me – I would do anything and everything I could for them. Even on the bad days the moment they look up at me, reach out for a hug everything melts away.

Sometimes I still need those moments for me. You know those quiet moments of peace where I can just get back to being Carla.

When I was asked what were the things I would need for these Carla moments it really had me thinking. What, besides my children, do I need on a daily basis? A monthly basis? The things that make me feel good, energized, relaxed and ready to conquer the world. Here are the four things I came up with:

My Tassimo. I love my coffee. I would be lost without that delicious cup of coffee every morning! Coffee time is me time. Where I am all alone with my thoughts, able to reflect, think on the day ahead and to just relax. Not to mention what a fantastic cup of coffee this baby makes!

My book collection. I am a huge book worm. A good book is the best form of relaxation to me. I lose myself in my books and cry, laugh along with the characters. There is nothing better then finding that new great book!

Pedicures! So this may not be the best picture of a pedicure I gave myself (do you know how hard it is to paint your toes with two jumping boys on the bed??) but it is something I love to do for myself. I feel feminine, pretty and since I am on my feet all day it really helps my aching feet!

Last but not least my garden! I would never have added this to my list even five years ago but I can not believe how relaxing gardening is and how rewarding. We have had so many tomatoes in the last two weeks and I am so proud that I grew them myself!

The idea to create this Mom Survival kit was given to me by Man Crates – not familiar with Man Crates? Man Crates creates unique gifts for men based on their likes and ships them to your door in a wooden crate. How awesome is that? Can’t get much more original then that!

What would be in your survival kit?

August 7, 2014

Eyewitness Dinosaur @DKCanada #review

The iconic Eyewitness book series has been the most trusted non-fiction series in classrooms and in homes for 25 years! DK Canada has updated this popular series to paperback (a first in North America!) as well as adding new covers, improved layouts and a better ratio of text to photo. You can check out the full twelve updated Eyewitness Series books here on the DK Canada website.

My kids are huge dinosaur fans (as if you couldn’t tell from my other post here!). To be able to combine that love with learning is my number one goal as a parent. Eyewitness books are perfect for this! With clear and bold heading they highlight for our son what the page will be about. In Eyewitness Dinosaurs the images on each page are striking and in full colour making you feel as if they are really bringing the dinosaurs to life. With over 150 images this book kept him (and me) engaged for hours!

I read the book before giving it my son (I have to be honest with you, I love learning new things and this book was incredible for this). I spent an hour going through each page reading all the tidbit information and looking at the beautiful photographs. I learned so much (who knew they can classify dinosaurs into two groups and many had feathers?!). If we stumbled on anything we were not sure of there was a fantastic glossary at the end of the book. Together we were able to follow their evolution straight to extinction.

Right now DK Canada is offering 30% off the Eyewitness series (making the books only $7.69 CDN!). Make sure to check them out here.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.