You're Having What With Your Fries??? Ketchup+Mayo=Fry Sauce & More Possibilities

Ketchup!!! Ketchup!!!  I have ketchup to dip my french fries into!!!  Don't bother me with anything else to in which to dip my fries!!!

If that's your attitude, you're quite close-minded and probably hypocritical.  Most of you have probably heard of--and really love--chili cheese fries.

In Utah, if you go into a fast food restaurant--even national chains--and order french fries, you probably won't get ketchup with your fries.  You'll most likely get a sauce packet consisting of a ketchup + mayo combination that's labeled . . .

FRY SAUCE.

You might be asking how that got started?  Many people in Utah belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  When members turn 18 and have graduated from High School, they're eligible to go on a mission for the Church.  These missions are in every country on the planet that allows proselyting--including Europe.

Early missionaries to Europe found their favorite fast food restaurants over there and ordered food--with french fries.  When they got their order, they saw that they were served mayo with their fries.  You see, Europeans eat mayo with their fries.  The missionaries likely had to specifically order ketchup to have with their fries; but, they still had the mayo that they were served.  So, to be polite, they kept the mayo and decided to try something new.  They dipped their fries in the ketchup and the mayo.  Apparently, it was a hit. 

When the missionaries returned home, they brought with them the new idea of dipping fries in a ketchup and mayo combination.  They took this idea and marketed it to the fast food restaurants--including the national chains.  These fast food restaurants took the idea and created FRY SAUCE packets.  It's quite popular in the state of Utah.  In fact, many people in Utah wonder why it hasn't caught on nationwide!

You may be saying:  But I went to Europe and got ketchup with my order of french fries!!  Well, Europeans learned from that experience as well.  They learned that Americans like ketchup with their fries.  So, if you go into any restaurant in Europe and order with an American accent, they will serve you ketchup with your fries.

There are other sauces you can dip your fries into as well:

BBQ sauce

steak sauce

honey mustard (or do honey or mustard separately)

ice cream

whipped cream

any salad dressing

peanut butter

 jelly/jam

salsa

sour cream

chili

cheese sauce

salsa-cheese combo.

chocolate sauce

caramel sauce

your favorite healthy shake/smoothie

guacamole

hot sauce

mayo

relish
tartar sauce

You can even come up with your own ideas.  After all, french fries are made of potatoes, and so are potato chips.  So, anything you can have with potato chips can be applied to french fries.

So, some of the ideas above may be a little too creative for you.  Remember, these are dipping sauces.  You only have to dip your fry in once to try it.  If you don't like it, you don't have to dip again.

Remember, variety is the spice of life!!  Enjoy your french fries!!!

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Healthy Baked French Fries

Potatoes (washed and/or peeled)
Spice Rack

Line a cookie/baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray a little non-stick spray on the foil.  Cut potatoes into the size of fries you desire.  Place them on the baking sheet.  Use the spices on your spice rack to season your fries how you desire.  Avoid the salt!!!  Have a little fun figuring out what seasonings to use on your fries.  You may be surprised at how easy it is to have flavorful fries without the salt.  Bake at 400-425℉ for about 20 min., stirring the fries about every 5 minutes.  Fries will be done when they are tender enough to stick a fork into them.  If you like crispy fries, leave them in the oven until they are as crispy as you desire.

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Sauce and Condiment Recipes

Making your own sauces from scratch is quite beneficial health-wise.  You can avoid food allergens, excessive salt, excessive sugar, excessive fat, artificial colors, artificial flavors, food dyes, preservatives, and more.

Everyone has their own tastes and dietary needs, so here's a list of websites that have a lot of sauce and condiment recipes for you to try.  You're sure to find something that fits your needs and taste buds:

Saveur

Taste of Home

All Recipes

Food Network

Delish

Pinterest

Simply Recipes

Bare Feet in the Kitchen

Macheesmo

Chow Hound

Chili Pepper Madness

Academy of Culinary Nutrition

DIY & Crafts

What's Cooking America

Curious Cuisiniere

Parade

Daily Burn

Serious Eats

Reader's Digest

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Applesauce Brownies

1/2c. shortening
2 squares (1 oz. each) unsweetened chocolate
1c. sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2c. applesauce
1t. vanilla
1c. flour
1/2t. baking powder
1/4t. baking soda
1/4t. salt
1/2c. chopped nuts (optional)

Melt shortening and chocolate in saucepan with low to medium heat.  Remove from heat and add sugar and beaten eggs.  Blend well.  Stir in applesauce.  Stir in vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add the flour and mix well.  Stir in nuts.  Pour into greased and lightly floured 9-inch pan.  Bake at 325℉ for 30-35 min. or until toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.  Cool and frost if desired.

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Safe and Edible Cookie Dough

Eating raw cookie dough has gotten a bad rap from the Centers of Disease Control (CDC) for various valid reasons.  If you're one of the millions of raw cookie dough lovers, you've had difficult decisions to make.  After all, eating the raw cookie dough is part of the fun of making cookies.  Your choices included buying already made cookie dough so you could eat it (store bought cookie dough is safe to eat), making the cookie dough and baking all the cookies without even tasting the dough, buying already baked cookies, or giving up on cookies all together.

Raw cookie dough lovers can now rejoice!!!  There are options out there where you can make your favorite cookie recipe and eat the raw dough without the fear of getting sick.  Here are the reasons raw cookie dough has been considered "hazardous waste" and the steps you can take to remove those hazards:

FLOUR

To understand where the hazards from flour come from, you must understand that flour comes from wheat that's grown in fields that are fertilized to help the wheat grow.  The hazards come from how the fields are fertilized.  Without going into extreme detail on a food blog, good fertilizer comes from the droppings of animals.  These droppings, by nature, are contaminated with bacteria.  The pathogenic bacteria the CDC has determined to be the main culprit of its concerns is E. coli (a very nasty bug that in some cases can cause death).  E. coli can be killed by heat.  So, what to do about the flour???

1.  You can buy heat treated flour online; but, it might be too expensive.

2.  You can heat the flour yourself before using it in your cookie dough: 
Microwave method:  If you have a candy thermometer, place flour in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it.  You'll need to stir it every 15 sec. to make sure it gets heated all the way through.  It must reach 160℉.
Oven method:  Spread the flour out on a cookie sheet.  For 2c. of flour, it takes about 5 min. at 350℉.  

**Remember, flour is a thickening agent and most people use more than what the recipe calls for.  Be sure to heat enough flour to the required temperature. Be sure to let the flour cool before adding it to your recipe.  

There is a chance that heating will destroy some of the gluten.  So, if you want to bake the cookie dough later, you may want to do a single test cookie to see how well it bakes.  It may not be noticeable in cookies or brownies; but, that's for you to experiment and find out.  If you heat the flour for cake dough (mainly because you want to lick the bowl after pouring the cake dough into the pan), you'll want to do a test cake ahead of time to see how well the cake cooks.  Doing it ahead of time will give you time to make another cake if the cake doesn't cook well with the heated flour.

EGGS

Eggs have a different issue.  They could be contaminated with salmonella (another nasty bug you don't want).  Heat also kills salmonella.  There's no way to tell which eggs are contaminated; and, there's no way to pasteurize eggs in their shell.  Pasteurization is a process where heat is applied to a product to kill harmful organisms.  So, what do you do about eggs?

1.  You can buy pasteurized egg product at any grocery store.  These days, the product is usually pasteurized egg whites.  If you know where to look, you can find pasteurized egg product with the whole egg being pasteurized.  You'll have to look on the carton to find out how much egg product to use that will equal one egg.  They usually come in pint-sized cardboard cartons (like some milk cartons) where you open it at the top and pour out the product. 

One quick note:  If you're using pasteurized egg whites to fluff in a recipe (such as meringue), you'll need to add some cream of tartar or lemon juice or white vinegar to the pasteurized egg whites in order for them to fluff for the recipe.  For 1 egg white, use 1/4t. cream of tartar, 1/4-1/2t. lemon juice, or 1/4-1/2t. white vinegar--cream of tartar works best.

2.  If you know you won't be cooking the dough at all, you can probably leave out the eggs.  Eggs are used in baked products to help structure the dough while it is cooking.  They don't really contribute anything to the way the dough tastes.  Eggs, however, do contribute to the moistness of the dough.  So, instead of using eggs, try using an egg substitute.  If you google egg substitutes, you’ll find many websites with lots of suggestions of what to use instead of eggs.  Find the egg substitute that works best for you.


LEAVENING AGENTS

With the exception of yeast (which by definition can cause yeast infections, but is killed by the acid in your stomach), leavening agents do NOT cause you to get sick.  The main problem with leavening agents, especially if in large doses, is the gas they produce.  Even while in your stomach, before the stomach acid destroys it, those agents can be producing carbon dioxide gas.  Some people can absorb the gas in their bodies without any kind of problems.  If you're one of the millions of people with some sort of digestive issue, leavening agents in raw cookie dough can cause varying amounts of distress as the gas acts as an intestinal irritant.  So, how should you deal with leavening agents?

When talking about the amount of leavening agents in raw cookie dough, most people can handle those leavening agents without intestinal issues.  For those who can't (and that will take some experimentation on your part to find out if your GI tract can handle it or not), there is another option.  This option only works if you do NOT plan to cook the dough EVER--you can leave out the leavening agents.  They're only  needed during the cooking process and do not contribute to the taste of the dough.  So, if you know you won't be cooking the dough, just leave out the leavening agents.

So, until the CDC finds another issue with raw cookie dough, you can now grab your favorite cookie recipe, make it healthier, and ENJOY  YOUR  COOKIE  DOUGH  AGAIN!!!

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How To Modify Recipes To Make Them Healthier

So, you want to eat healthier.  Great!!!  Now, how do you do that?  You want to eat food that tastes great and you don't want to give up your favorite recipes.  Guess what?  You don't have to give up your favorite recipes!!!  You can make them healthier.  Now, how do you do that?  Experts tell us that we're eating too much fat, sugar, and salt.  So, let's concentrate on modifying those recipes to account for fat, sugar, and salt.  Here are some suggestions:

FAT

1.  Familiarize yourself with good and bad fats.

2.  Applesauce may be substituted in some baked (i.e. cakes and cookies) goods for fat.  1c. fat = 1c. applesauce.  However, this will affect the texture and taste of the final product.  Completely substituting all fat with applesauce in a baked good is not recommended.  Try substituting half the fat with applesauce instead.

3.  When choosing a cooking oil or fat to use in a recipe, you'll want to choose one with the least amount of SFA's and have more MUFA's and PUFA's.  Also, try to avoid trans-fatty acids as much as possible.

4.  If you decide to replace a solid fat with a cooking oil in a baked good, you may need to add more thickening agents to the recipe (i.e. flour). 

5.  Not all margarines are created equal.  Be sure you check the nutrition label and ingredients list for the breakdown of SFA's, MUFA's, PUFA's, and trans-fat.

6.  It is recommended to keep fat intake to less than 30% of your total calorie intake for each day.  Instead, eat more fruits and vegetables--you need 5 servings of these each day and they make you feel full faster (and they contain no fat).

7.  You can have your fried chicken and eat it too.  It all has to do with your choice in cooking oils.  Healthy frying is possible.

8.  For meat, eat more fish and chicken. Substitute ground turkey or chicken for ground beef. Remove the skin from chicken before cooking.  Eat leaner cuts of beef and pork, and trim as much visible fat as possible before cooking.

9.  Bake, broil, or grill meats. Avoid breaded meats and vegetables.

10.  Use fat-free or reduced-fat milk instead of whole milk. Instead of sour cream, try nonfat plain yogurt or a blend of yogurt and low-fat cottage cheese. Use low-fat cheeses.

11.  In recipes, use two egg whites instead of one whole egg.

12.  Avoid cream and cheese sauces, or make recipes with low-fat milk and cheese.

13.  Instead of chips, snack on pretzels or unbuttered popcorn.

14.  When eating in a restaurant, ask that the sauces and dressings be served on the side.

15.  Try cooking with herbs, spices, lemon juice, etc., instead of butter or margarine.

SUGAR

1.  Did you know that the sweetness of sugars is based on table sugar (sucrose)?  Fructose (sugar in fruit) is sweeter than sucrose and sucrose is sweeter than glucose (blood sugar).  Familiarize yourself with basic sugars.  Instead of using brown sugar, molasses, powdered sugar, etc., try using just sugar or honey.  (Exceptions:  Icings/frostings require powdered sugar and sugar is necessary if yeast is an ingredient.)

2.  Most dessert (and even some pastry) recipes call for more sugar than is needed for the recipe to taste good.  Try reducing the sugar in 1/2c. increments (or 1/4c. increments) each time you make your recipe until you find the desired taste for you and your family. 

3.  If you are using fruit in the recipe, very ripe fruit is high in fructose which is sweeter than sugar.  If you're making a dessert recipe that calls for fruit, try using very ripe fruit and try reducing the sugar you add in the recipe even more (1c. or more).  See Banana Nut Cookies (with chocolate chips).  Below the original Mrs. Field's recipe is a healthier version of the recipe with less sugar.

4.  Avoid artificial sweeteners.  Since they're not natural molecules, the body will treat them like fat.  Also, artificial sweeteners have been linked to strokes in women.

5.  Many recipes call for seasonings.  These seasonings spice things up and even act as sweeteners.  If the recipe calls for seasonings, try reducing the sugar that the recipe calls for by at least 1/2c.  It's easy to do in recipes like pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

6.  If possible, you may use Agave syrup.  Just 2/3 cup of it can be substituted for every cup of sugar. When using it, combine it with wet ingredients before adding dry ingredients.

7.  Replace up to 1/4 of the sugar in your recipe with powdered milk to add a boost of nutrition and sweetness. For instance, use 1/4 cup powdered milk and 3/4 cup sugar when your cookie recipe requires 1 cup of sugar.

8.  Need some hard facts and rules?

***Need some help believing you can reduce sugar and fat in these recipes?  Check out the Banana Nut Cookies (with chocolate chips) recipe on this site.  Below the original Mrs. Field's recipe is a healthier version of the recipe with less sugar and fat.***

SALT

There are many salts in this world; but, when talking about salt in the diet, we're talking about sodium chloride (NaCl).  Many Americans get too much salt in their diet.  Sodium is the main culprit of concern as it can affect blood pressure.  Salt is also necessary in the diet, so finding a balance is necessary.  The best advice is to cut out added salt (salt you add at the kitchen table).

One way to cut out added salt (and the best way) is to leave it off the table and replace it with your spice rack.  Many of the herbs and seasonings in your spice rack can complement and add to the flavor of your food.  Many of these herbs also have awesome health benefits.  Let you and your family experiment with these seasonings on various dishes.  This will be a learning experience; but, it will be well worth it.  You and your family will learn what seasonings work best with which dishes; and, you'll learn to ditch the salt.

There are lots of hidden salt (and sugar) in many of the foods you buy at the supermarket.  Try buying the low sodium versions when possible.  You may also want to make your own sauces and snack foods at home to further reduce salt and sugar.

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Herbs and Health

For centuries, many cultures used herbs almost exclusively to cure every known illness.  Research has shown that plants (fruits, vegetables, and herbs) contain phytonutrients.  These are natural chemicals in plants that make them biologically active and give plants the abilities they have on the human body.  In fact, the pharmaceutical industry is based on the ability to identify and isolate these nutrients; and, make these chemical nutrients available in a purer form.

Herbs can do many amazing healing functions in the body; and, are less likely to cause the side effects seen in prescription or over-the-counter drugs.  Caution, however, must be used when using herbs to help with various ailments as many herbs are quite potent.  Some herbs can be deadly if used for prolonged periods of time.  The active ingredients in some herbs may interact negatively with some prescription medications.  So, if you're being treated by a doctor for any reason, let the doctor know what herbs you are taking or plan to take.  

Before you consider using herbs, be sure to look up their full list of benefits, side effects, drug interactions, toxicities, and dosages on places like WebMD.  A good google search will also help.  There are many ways herbs can be used:  compresses, teas, essential oils, extracts, ointments or salves, poultices, and powders.

All herbs/seasonings have health benefits.  Below is a list of SOME herbs with their healing properties, ailments,  and human systems with which they can help:

❧Alfalfa
Detoxifies the body, diuretic, inflammation, lowers cholesterol, balances hormones, antifungal, bleeding disorders, bone and joint disorders, digestive disorders, skin disorders, and ulcers.

❧Aloe Vera
Heals burns and wounds (externally), cell regeneration, astringent, emollient, antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, (internally) soothes stomach, aids healing, laxative.

❧Anise
Digestion, clears mucus from air passages, infections, promotes milk production in nursing mothers, sinusitis, menopause.

❧Astragalus
Protects immune system, adrenal gland function, digestion, increases metabolism, produces sweat, promotes healing, combats fatigue, increases stamina, colds, flu, cancer, chronic lung problems.

❧Barberry
Decreases heart rate, slows breathing, reduces bronchial constriction, antibacterial on skin, stimulates intestinal movement.

❧Bayberry
Congestion, aids circulation, fever, astringent, helpful to stop bleeding, circulation, fever, hypothyroidism, ulcers, eyes, immune system.

❧Bilberry
Insulin levels, strengthen connective tissue, diuretic, hypoglycemia, inflammation, stress, anxiety, night blindness, cataracts, may halt or prevent macular degeneration.

❧Birch
Diuretic, inflammation, pain, joint pain, urinary tract infections, (externally) boils and sores.

❧Black Cohosh
Hypertension, cholesterol, reduces mucus production, cardiovascular and circulatory disorders, induces labor, hot flashes, menstrual cramps with back pain, morning sickness, pain, arthritis.

❧Black Walnut
Digestion, promotes healing of mouth or throat sores, parasites, bruising, antifungal, herpes, poison ivy, warts.

❧Blessed Thistle
Increases appetite and stomach secretions, liver, inflammation, circulation, purifies the blood, strengthens the heart, brain food, female disorders, milk flow in nursing mothers.

❧Blue Cohosh
Muscle spasms, stimulates uterine contractions in childbirth, memory problems, menstrual disorders, nervous disorders.

❧Boneset
Congestion, loosens phlegm, fever, increases perspiration, calms the body, laxative, inflammation, bronchitis, aches and pains.

❧Borage
Adrenal tonic, gland balancer, cardiovascular function, healthy skin and nails.

❧Buchu
Inflammation of the colon, gums, mucous membranes, prostate, sinuses, and vagina.  Bladder and kidney problems, diabetes, digestion, fluid retention, prostate disorders, bladder infections.

❧Burdock
Purifies blood, restores liver and gallbladder function, immune system, skin disorders such as boils and carbuncles, relieves gout symptoms.

❧Butcher's Broom
Inflammation, carpal tunnel, circulation, edema, meniere's disease, obesity, raynaud's phenomenon, thrombophlebitis, varicose veins, vertigo, bladder, and kidneys.

❧Calendula
Inflammation, skin soother, regulates the menstrual cycles, fever, skin disorders like rashes and sunburn, neuritis, toothache, diaper rash, skin problems in small children.

❧Cascara Sagrada
Colon cleanser, laxative, constipation, parasites.

❧Catnip
Fever, digestion, sleep, stress, stimulates appetite, anxiety, colds and flu, inflammation, pain.

❧Cat's Claw
Cleanses intestinal tract, enhances actions of white blood cells, antioxidant, inflammation, viral infections, arthritis, cancer, ulcers.

❧Cayenne
Digestion, circulation, stops bleeding from ulcers, catalyst for other herbs, heart, kidneys, lungs, pancreas, spleen, arthritis, rheumatism, colds, sinus infections, sore throats, pain (externally), with lobelia (another herb) used for nerves.

❧Cedar
Antiviral, antifungal, immune system, increases venous blood flow, expectorant, lymphatic cleanser, urinary antiseptic, (externally) warts.

❧Celery
Hypertension, muscle spams, improves appetite, arthritis, kidney, antioxidant, sedative.

❧Chamomile
Inflammation, appetite stimulant, digestion, diuretic, nerve tonic, sleep, colitis, diverticulosis, fever, headaches, pain, stress, anxiety.

❧Chaparral
Free radical scavenger, protects from radiation and sun exposure, skin disorders, protects against the formation of tumors and cancer cells, pain.

❧Chickweed
Reduces mucus in lungs, lower blood lipids, bronchitis, circulation, colds, coughs, skin diseases, warts, good source of vitamin C.

❧Cinnamon
Diarrhea, nausea, congestion, peripheral circulation,  warms the body, digestion, metabolism of fats, antifungal, diabetes, weight loss, yeast infections, uterine hemorrhaging.

❧Clove
Antiseptic, parasites, digestion, (externally) mouth pain.

❧Comfrey
Wound healing, various skin conditions, bleeding hemorrhoids, leg ulcers, nosebleeds.

❧Corn Silk
Bladder, kidneys, small intestine, diuretic, bed-wetting, carpal tunnel syndrome,edema, obesity, PMS, prostate, removes mucus from urine.

❧Cranberry
Prevents bacteria from adhering to the bladder, urinary tract infections, good source of vitamin C.

❧Damiana
Stimulates muscular contractions of the intestinal tract and brings oxygen to the genital area, energy tonic, aphrodisiac.

❧Dandelion
Cleanses blood and liver, increases production of bile, diuretic, reduces serum cholesterol and uric acid, kidneys, pancreas, spleen, stomach, abscesses, anemia, boils, breast tumors, cirrhosis of the liver, rheumatism.

❧Dong Quai
Ovarian and testicular hormones, female problems such as menopause and PMS, vaginal dryness.

❧Echinacea
Stimulates certain white blood cells, inflammation, antiviral, immune system, lymphatic system, colic, colds, flu, infectious illnesses.

❧Elder
Builds the blood, cleanses the system, constipation, immune system, inflammation, increases perspiration, fever, respiratory tract, circulation, antioxidant, skin irritations.

❧Ephedra
Congestion, diuretic, relieves bronchial spams, stimulates the central nervous system, decreases appetite, elevates mood, allergies, asthma, colds, general respiratory complaints, depression obesity.

❧Eucalyptus
Congestion, antiseptic, inflammation, relaxes tired and sore muscles, colds, coughs, other respiratory disorders.

❧Eyebright
Eye wash, eyestrain or minor irritation of eyes, allergies, itchy and/or watery eyes, runny nose, hay fever.

❧False Unicorn Root
Balances sex hormones, infertility, menstrual irregularities and pain, PMS, prostate, may help prevent miscarriage.

❧Fennel
Appetite suppressant, eyewash, kidneys, liver, spleen, clears lungs, abdominal pain, colon disorders, gas, GI spasms.

❧Fenugreek
Laxative, lubricates intestines, fever, eyes, asthma, sinuses (reduces mucus), inflammation, lung disorders.

❧Feverfew
Increases fluidity of lung and bronchial tube mucus, promotes menses, stimulates appetite, stimulates uterine contractions, arthritis, colitis, fever, headaches, menstrual problems, muscle tension, pain.

❧Flax
Bones, nails, teeth, skin, colon, female disorders, inflammation.

❧Garlic
Detoxifies body, enhances immune function, hypertension, circulation, lowers blood lipid levels, arteriosclerosis, arthritis, asthma, cancer, cold and flu, digestion, heart, insomnia, liver, sinuses, ulcers, yeast infections.

❧Gentian
Digestion, circulation, kills plasmodia (causes malaria) and worms, stimulates appetite, pancreatitis, parasites.

❧Ginger
Cleanses colon, reduces spasms and cramps, circulation, antioxidant, antimicrobial for sores and wounds, fever, hot flashes, morning sickness, motion sickness, nausea, vomiting.

❧Ginkgo
Brain function, circulation, oxygenation, depression, headaches, memory, tinnitis, leg cramps, asthma, eczema, heart, kidneys.

❧Ginseng
Adrenal and reproductive glands, immune system, lung function, stimulates appetite, bronchitis, circulation, diabetes, infertility, lack of energy, stress, cocaine withdrawal, protects against radiation exposure, body strengthening.

❧Goldenseal
Antibiotic, cleanses the body, inflammation, insulin resistance, immune system,colon, liver, pancreas, spleen, lymphatic system, respiratory system, cleanses mucous membranes, digestion, regulates menses, decreases uterine bleeding, hypertension, stimulates the central nervous system, ulcers, bladder, prostate, vagina, can stop a cold or flu from developing.

❧Gotu Kola
Diuretic, fatigue, depression, libido, shrinks tissues, stimulates the central nervous system, fever, heart, liver, circulation, connective tissue disorders, kidneys stones, poor appetite, sleep.

❧Gravel Root
Diuretic, urinary tract tonic, prostate.

❧Green Tea
Fatigue, may lower the risk of esophageal, stomach, colon, and skin cancer, delays arteriosclerosis.

❧Hawthorn
Dilates coronary blood vessels, lowers cholesterol, restores heart muscle, anemia, circulation, immune system.

❧Hops
Anxiety, heart, hyperactivity, insomnia, nervousness, pain, restlessness, STD's, shock, stress, toothaches, ulcers.

❧Horehound
Respiratory disorders, fever, sinusitis, immune system.

❧Horsetail
Calcium absorption, skin, bone, hair, nails, teeth, healing of broken bones and connective tissues, heart, lungs, diuretic, arthritis, bone diseases, bronchitis, edema, gallbladder, inflammation, muscle cramps, prostate, (poultice) depresses bleeding and accelerates healing of burns and wounds.

❧Hydrangea
Diuretic, kidneys, bladder infections, obesity, prostate, kidney stones (when combined with gravel root).

❧Hyssop
Congestion, blood pressure, gas, (externally) wound healing, circulation, epilepsy, fever, gout, weight problems, (poultice) heal cuts.

❧Irish Moss
Aids in the formation of stools, intestinal disorders, used in skin lotions.

❧Juniper
Diuretic, blood sugar, inflammation, congestion, asthma, bladder infections, gout, kidneys, obesity, prostate.

❧Kava Kava
Relaxation, diuretic, genitourinary antiseptic, anxiety, depression, insomnia, stress.

❧Lavender
Stress, depression, skin, burns, headaches, psoriasis.

❧Lemon Grass
Astringent and tonic properties, skin and nails.

❧Licorice
Cleanses colon, muscular spasms, respiratory disorders, adrenal glands, has female-like effects, stimulates interferon, allergies, asthma, chronic fatigue, depression, fever, herpes, hypoglycemia, inflammatory bowel disorders, ulcers, GI disorders.  Use with caution.

❧Lobelia
Cough, hormone production, colds, fever, respiratory disorders, flu, heart disease, epilepsy, pain, viruses.

❧Marshmallow
Skin, mucous membranes, diuretic, expectorant, bladder infections, digestion, headaches, kidneys, sinusitis, sore throat.

❧Milk Thistle
Contains the most potent liver-protecting substances known, antioxidant, prevents formation of damaging leukotrienes, kidneys, adrenal disorders, inflammatory bowel disorders, immune system, psoriasis.

❧Mullein
Laxative, pain, sleep, warts, respiratory disorders, earache, hay fever, swollen glands, kidneys, inflammation.

❧Mustard
Digestion, aids in metabolism of fat. (Externally) chest congestion, inflammation, injuries, joint pain.

❧Myrrh
Antiseptic, disinfectant, deodorizer, bacteria in the mouth, bad breath, periodontal disease, skin, ulcers.

❧Nettle
Diuretic, expectorant, pain, anemia, arthritis, hay fever, allergies, kidneys, malabsorption syndrome, goiter, inflammation, respiratory problems.

❧Oat Straw
Depression, restorative nerve tonic, promotes sweating, bed-wetting, skin, insomnia.

❧Oregon Grape
Purifies blood, cleanses liver, skin-including acne and psoriasis.

❧Papaya
Stimulates appetite, digestion, heartburn, inflammatory bowel disorders.

❧Parsley
Prevents multiplication of tumor cells, expels worms, gas, digestion, freshens breath, bladder, kidney, liver, lung, thyroid, bed-wetting, diuretic, hypertension, obesity, prostate.

❧Passion Flower
Sedative, anxiety, hyperactivity, insomnia, neuritis, stress.

❧Pau D'arco
Antibacterial, cleanses blood, healing effects, candidiasis, smoker's cough, warts, infections, AIDS, allergies, cancer, heart problems, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatism, ulcers.

❧Peppermint
Digestion, chills, colic, diarrhea, headache, heart trouble, nausea, poor appetite, rheumatism, spasms.

❧Plantain
Respiratory problems, urinary tract, (topically) antibiotic effect for sores and wounds, bed-wetting, (poultice) bee stings and any kind of bite.

❧ Primrose
Weight loss, hypertension, alcoholism, arthritis, hot flashes, menstrual problems, multiple sclerosis, skin.

❧Pumpkin
Prostate

❧Red Clover
Antibiotic, appetite suppressant, blood purifier, relaxant, infections, AIDS, inflamed lungs, inflammatory bowel disorders, kidney, liver, skin, immune system.

❧Red Raspberry
Decreases menstrual bleeding, relaxes uterine and intestinal spasms, strengthens uterine walls, nails, bones, teeth, skin, diarrhea, female disorders, canker sores, morning sickness when combined with peppermint.

❧Rhubarb
Eliminates worms, gallbladder, antibiotic properties, colon, spleen, liver, ulcers, constipation, malabsorption.

❧Rose
All infections and bladder problems, good source of vitamin C, rose hip tea is good for diarrhea.

❧Rosemary
Antibacterial, relaxes stomach, circulation, digestion, acts as astringent and decongestant, brain, liver, anticancer properties, headaches, blood pressure, menstrual cramps.

❧Sage
Stimulates the central nervous system, digestion, estrogenic effects on the body, reduces sweating and salivation, menopause, disorders of mouth and throat, dries up milk when women stop nursing.

❧St. Johnswort
Antiviral, HIV, herpes, depression, nerve pain.

❧Sarsaparilla
Increases energy, protects against radiation exposure, regulates hormones, diuretic, hives, impotence, infertility, nervous system disorders, PMS, blood impurities.

❧Saw Palmetto
Diuretic, urinary antiseptic, stimulates appetite, enlarged prostate.

❧Skullcap
Sleep, circulation, heart, anxiety, fatigue, headache, hyperactivity, nervous disorders, rheumatism, muscle cramps, pain, spasms, stress, barbiturate withdrawal.

❧Slippery Elm
Inflammation, digestion, urinary tract, diarrhea, ulcers, colds, flu, sore throat.

❧Squawvine
Pelvic congestion, soothes nervous system, menstrual cramps, childbirth.

❧Suma
Anemia, fatigue, stress, immune system, cancer, AIDS, liver, hypertension.

❧Tea Tree
Disinfecting wounds and healing all skin conditions, acne, athletes's foot, cuts, scrapes, antifungal, herpes, insect bites, scabies, vaginitis, warts, (gargle with water) colds and sore throats, (douche) yeast infections.

❧Thyme
Gas, fever, headaches, reduces mucus, antiseptic, lowers cholesterol, respiratory problems, liver, scalp itching caused by candidiasis.

❧Turmeric
Liver, inhibits platelet aggregation, lowers cholesterol, antibiotic, anticancer, inflammation, antioxidant.

❧Uva Ursi
Diuretic, strengthens heart muscle, spleen, liver, pancreas, small intestine, bladder and kidney infections, diabetes, prostate.

❧Valerian
Circulation, sedative, reduces mucus from colds, anxiety, fatigue, hypertension, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, menstrual cramps, muscle cramps, nervousness, pain, spasms, stress, ulcers.

❧White Oak
Antiseptic, skin wounds, bee stings, burns, diarrhea, nosebleed, poison ivy, varicose veins, teeth.

❧Wild Yam
Muscle spams, inflammation, promotes perspiration, has progesterone-like effects, gallbladder, hypoglycemia, kidney stones, female disorders such as PMS and menopause.

❧Willow
Pain, headaches, backaches, nerve pain, toothache, injuries.

❧Wintergreen
Pain, inflammation, arthritis, headache, toothache, muscle pain, rheumatic complaints.

❧Witch Hazel
(Topically)-astringent and healing properties, itching, hemorrhoids, phlebitis, skin.

❧Wood Betony
Stimulates the heart, relaxes muscles, hyperactivity, neuritis.

❧Wormwood
Sedative, expels worms, digestion, fever, vascular disorders, migraine.

❧Yarrow
Heals mucous membranes, inflammation, improves blood clotting, increases perspiration, diuretic, fever, colitis, viral infections.

❧Yellow Dock
Blood purifier and cleanser, colon, liver, anemia, skin disorders-eczema, hives, psoriasis, rashes.

❧Yerba Mate
Cleanses blood, controls appetite, fights aging, stimulates the minds, stimulates cortisone, nervous system, enhances other herbs, allergies, constipation, inflammatory bowel disorders.

❧Yohimbe
Hormone stimulant, libido, erectile dysfunction, increases testosterone levels.  Use with caution.

❧Yucca
Blood purifier, arthritis, osteoporosis, inflammation.

As you can see, many herbs are considered every day spices and seasonings.  If you don't have a spice or seasoning for one of your recipes, please consider these substitutions.

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