Making the world a little greener with our spare thyme.
The Sage Page
The Cumberland Herb Association
November 2012
Tuesday, November 27 at 7:00 p.m. will be our next meeting at the Miniature Cottage located at 410 E. Iris near 100 Oaks in Nashville. We will be making the herbal wraps. If you’re able to make a few or several bags, we will fill and finish them this Tuesday. They should be at least 12x6 inches. Be sure to leave about a 3 inch open space for filling the bags. Bring
a needle and some thread to finish the bags. These are popular items in the Lawn and Garden booth. Speaking of which, the overall show theme for 2013 is Gardens of the Sun. Our garden theme will be Thyme After Thyme and we will incorporate recycle/upcycle ideas to bolster our theme.
Happy Thanksgiving fellow herbies.
CHA Newsletter Editor -Michelle Murakami 445-8749 (kitvroom@yahoo.com) If you have any information to include in the newsletter, please contact the editor by the first week of the month.
Herb of the month - Comfrey - (Symphytum officinale)
Native to Europe, Comfrey is a perennial herb with a black, turnip-like root and large, hairy broad leaves that bears small bell-shaped flowers of various colors, typically cream or purplish, which may be striped. Comfrey accelerates the healing of tissue and the closing of wounds. The plant contains the small organic molecule allantoin, which is thought to stimulate cell growth and repair while simultaneously depressing inflammation. Applying fresh leaves or salves to a wound causes it to contract and close quicker. Comfrey leaf has a long history for being used internally for many alignments from arthritis to ulcers. It does, however, contain a toxic alkaloid that if used in extremely large doses over long periods of time may cause potentially fatal liver damage (It is not recommended that you use comfrey plant internally). Comfrey promotes the rapid healing of both skin lesions and bone breaks.
Aside from its medicinal properties, Comfrey is also prized for its fertilizer uses. Comfrey is an excellent source of potassium, an essential plant nutrient needed for flower, seed and fruit production. Its leaves contain 2-3 times more potassium than farmyard manure.
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Chicken and Quinoa Salad with Roasted Chiles
INGREDIENTS: 8 - ounces fresh Anaheim chile peppers, poblano chile peppers, banana chile peppers, and/or red sweet peppers 1 - cup quinoa 1 - cup water 3 - tablespoons lime juice 2 - tablespoons olive oil 2 - cloves garlic, minced 1/4 - teaspoon salt 1/4 - teaspoon ground black pepper 8 - ounces shredded cooked chicken or cooked pork 1/2 - cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro 1/2 - cup sliced green onions (4) 1/3 - cup pine nuts or slivered almonds, toasted Bibb or Boston Lettuce
juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Cover and shake well to combine. 4. In large bowl combine roasted pepper strips, quinoa, chicken, cilantro, green onion, pine nuts. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine. Line serving plates with lettuce. Top with quinoa mixture. Serve salad at room temperature. Makes 4 or 5 main-dish servings. nutrition facts (Chicken and Quinoa Salad with Roasted Chiles) SERVING INFO: 4, cal. (kcal) 454, Fat, total (g) 22, chol. (mg) 50, sat. fat (g) 3, carb. (g) 43, fiber (g) 5, pro. (g) 26, sodium (mg) 220, Potassium (mg) 991, calcium (mg) 838, iron (mg) 1, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 425F. Line baking sheet with foil; set aside. Halve peppers lengthwise. Remove stems, seeds, & membranes. Place pepper halves, cut sides down, on prepared baking sheet. Roast peppers in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until skins are blistered & dark. Carefully fold foil up & around pepper halves to enclose; let stand 15 minutes. Use a sharp knife to loosen the edges of the skins; gently, & slowly pull off the skin in strips. Discard skins. Cut peppers into bitesize strips. Set aside. 2. In fine-mesh sieve thoroughly rinse quinoa with cold water. In a medium saucepan combine quinoa 1 cup water. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 25 min. Remove from heat. Uncover & let stand 30 min. 3. For dressing, in a small screw-top jar combine lime
Green Beans with Shallots, Thyme, and Shiitake Mushrooms
INGREDIENTS: 2 - pounds green beans, trimmed 2 - tablespoons olive oil 2 - tablespoons butter 1/4 - cup thinly sliced shallots (2 medium) 12 - oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed & halved 2 - teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel 3 - tablespoons lemon juice 2 - tablespoons fresh thyme leaves Coarse sea salt or kosher salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
Boil large pot of water. Add green beans. Return to boil; reduce heat. Cook, covered, 8-10 minutes. Drain. Run cold water over beans until chilled. Heat oil & butter over medium heat. Add shallots; cook until tender, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms; cook 6-8 minutes or until tender, stir frequently. Add green beans. Cook for 5-8 minutes tossing occasionally. Add lemon peel, lemon juice, & thyme; toss to coat. Season with salt & pepper. Garnish with almonds.
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Nuts About Cranberries Tart
INGREDIENTS: 1 pie crust 1/4 - cup packed brown sugar 2 - tablespoons butter 1 - cup fresh cranberries 1 - medium pear, cored and chopped 1/3 - cup lightly salted pistachio nuts 1/3 - cup sliced almonds 1/2 - teaspoon vanilla 3 - tablespoons currant jelly, melted Lightly salted pistachio nuts (optional) DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Prepare Pastry pie crust - bake 8 min. Remove foil. Bake 3-4 min. more or until pastry is set & dry. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 375 F. 2. In medium saucepan, combine brown sugar & butter. Cook & stir over medium heat until combined. Add cranberries & pear; cook & stir until slightly thickened & bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/3 cup pistachio nuts, the almonds & vanilla. Spoon filling into tart shells, spreading evenly. Place tart pans on baking sheet.
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until filling is bubbly around edges & pastry is golden brown. Carefully brush tops with melted jelly. Cool in pans on wire rack. 4. Using a small sharp knife, gently loosen edges of crust from sides of pans. Remove tarts from pans. If desired, sprinkle tarts with additional lightly salted pistachio nuts. Makes 12 servings.
Making bath bombs in last month’s meeting. (photo by Linda Thornburn)