Simple Summer Salads

Called the Salad Lady by some in my churches, I love to bring fresh raw foods to our luncheons and potlucks. I learned to love these gourmet salad greens, sometimes called mesclun mix. My sister had married an Italian from Sicily. He loved a big green salad with exotic lettuce, and thus we all learned to love them.

Since I love to garden, I was soon growing my own fresh greens: romaine, arugula, and red lettuce. Later I added radicchio, escarole, and endive to my repertoire. At first I painstakingly gathered the young leaves one by one. That being too time-consuming, I soon learned that I could easily use a sharp knife, trim a whole section off, and they would soon grow new leaves.

Now in my small backyard I have my lettuce garden, along with my other vegetables, interspersed with my flowers. They are so easy to grow, and I love to give them away to friends who appreciate their subtle and not-so-subtle flavors.

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Garlic

Garlic (Allium sativum), a member of the lily family, is possibly the most popular herb in world cuisines. While it originated in central Asia, garlic has been cultivated worldwide for millennia. Garlic has been used throughout the centuries for both food and medicine. Garlic owes much of its popularity in Europe to the Benedictine monks who grew garlic in their monastery gardens.

The Greek historian Herodotus reported that large amounts of garlic, radishes, and onions were consumed by construction workers of the Egyptian pyramids. He claimed that the large amounts of garlic were necessary to protect the builders from illnesses. In the ancient Codex Ebers, an Egyptian medical papyrus, no less than 22 of the medicinal formulations contained garlic.
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Echinacea

To enhance immune function

Echinacea (pronounced eK-i-NAY-sha) is the top-selling herbal supplement in the United States today, accounting for almost 10 percent of herbal sales. Its principal use is for the treatment of colds and upper respiratory tract infections. Its popularity stems from the fact that it has minimal side effects compared with the various cold medications on the market. Echinacea is also valued for its reported ability to enhance immune function.

There are nine varieties of echinacea indigenous to North America that grow in the Midwest and central plains. These members of the daisy family have dark cone-shaped flower heads, with radiating petals that are mostly colored shades of rose, pink, or purple. The roots of echinacea are harvested in the autumn after the plants have gone to seed. The fresh above-the-ground parts are usually harvested at blooming time.
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Clean Inside Out

The Americas

Deep in the heart of the Amazon rain forest, medicine is an herbal-based art in which healing is interconnected with spiritual beliefs. It’s rooted in the dark shadows of shamanic customs in which the healing traditions are orally passed from shaman to apprentice. The herbs chosen are tailored to the individual person and their condition.
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