Mugwort

Mugwort. It's the quintessential "Witchy" herb. Just the sound of it- "Mug-WORT" sounds Witchy. You don't very often find non-Pagan folk talking about it either. After all, it's not something most people use regularly. It's not much of a seasoning or a spice. Usually when mugwort makes an appearance, it's for a reason.

Mugwort is a recent addition to my kitchen. I sort of struggle with keeping plants alive. A green thumb I have not. So far though, with the help of JP, many of my herbs are surviving, if not thriving. The poor mugwort though, has been struggling a bit and it seems to be an abundance, rather than a shortage, of water that's the culprit.

From what I've read on mugwort, in many parts of Europe, Asia, North America and Africa, it's little more than a common weed. It grows abundantly in hedgerows and waysides and its weedy personality indicates its habitat of choice- well drained, less "pampered" soil. Its name should have given that away. Artemisia vulgaris. It's funny... I like most plants whose Latin name includes "vulgaris." Interestingly enough, after my initial draw to the herb, I discovered "Artemisia" was its name- and I, being dedicated to the goddess, Artemis, was delighted. Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort) and its more potent cousin Artemisia absinthium (the famous Wormwood used to make absinthe) are two of my favorites.

Mugwort is a tall "woody" herb, often growing in excess of 3 feet, with dark green leaves that take on a silvery appearance due to dense, fuzzy hairs on the undersides. When it flowers they come out either dark red or yellow. Mine has not yet flowered, but I'm hoping it does. Since it flowers in late summer, from July to September, chances are I won't see any petals this year.

It was once commonly used to flavor drinks, hence the name "mug"wort. It was commonly used to flavor beer before the prevalent use of hops. The plant was gathered only after flowering, and the leaves were dried. Many believe that the fresh plant is unsuitable for this use. In recent years it was still used in some areas to flavor home brews. Sixty or seventy years ago, in Cromwell, the working classes began using the dried herb as a substitute for the then expensive tea. One of the few culinary uses I have found for mugwort is to use the fresh greens to stuff geese before roasting.

As you can imagine, it has a range of magickal uses. Some of the old tales recount the many ways it can be used. In the Middle Ages the plant was called Cingulum Sancti Johannis, and it was believed that John the Baptist wore a girdle of mugwort while in the wilderness to protect him. It's believed to protect travellers from fatigue, sunstroke, wild animals and evil spirits. A crown made of mugwort leaves was worn on St. John's Eve to protect its wearer from possession, and in some places it was thought that if it was gathered on St. John's Eve it would give protection against diseases and misfortunes. *Note: Mugwort, while sometimes called St. John's Plant, should not be confused with St. John's Wort.

Uses for mugwort tend toward either the medicinal or the magical. It's said that the name "mug"wort may have actually derived from moughte (moth or maggot), because the plant has been regarded (like it's cousin, Wormwood) as being helpful in repelling moths. Used to repel insects, it can either be by hanging the plant around the home, or by applying the tea to your skin. Place sachets of its leaves in closets or bureau drawers to keeps moths away from your clothes.

In connection with Artemis and her role in child birth, mugwort is believed to stimulate the uterus and aid women in labor. It has also been used as an emmenegogue, meaning it stimulates menstruation when taken by those with irregular or suppressed menses. Because of its ability to induce menstruation, it has also been used as an abortifacient to induce miscarriage, so it should certainly NOT be used by pregnant women. Mugwort has also been used in treating epilepsy, colds, fevers, bronchitis, colic, kidney ailments and as a diuretic. The volatile oils. It has been suggested that mugwort stimulates the uterus, which agrees with some of its other uses as a tonic during labor and to relieve menstrual cramps. Because of its ability to induce menstruation, it has also been used as an abortifacient (to induce miscarriage). The volatile oil in the leaves make a good remedy for indigestion, upset stomachs, and other stomach ailments. Research shows it may lower blood sugar.

Magically speaking, mugwort is most famous for its dream-inducing properties as well as supporting psychic development. It is known to enhance dreaming, both in sleep and in meditation. Medicinally, it's a fantastic nervine, which makes it perfect for dreaming, as well as treating insomnia and nervousness. While mugwort is used to promote lucid dreaming, it may cause nightmares or restless dreams. In addition to its use with dreams, mugwort is associated with psychic powers in general, and is often burned before crystal ball gazing and other forms of divination, and used for astral projection. Some people rub the plant over their ritual tools in consecration or to increase their powers, particularly divination tools.

One of the best uses for mugwort is to create a smudge. When used for smudging and incense, it can be burned near your bed before sleep for both protection and dream enhancement. It's also useful in clearing negativity from your home. When smudging with mugwort it leaves a bit of magickal energy behind, infusing all acts that take place in the home with magick. Whether performing a spell, or simply washing the dishes, burning mugwort will heighten your work. *Note: If you do use it as a smudge, keep in mind it does smell more like marijuana than most other plants. Be mindful of where or when you use it. Your car, for example, might not be a good place to smudge with Mugwort.

Other fun, Witchy uses for mugwort include stuffing pillows with the herb to make dream pillows, or store the dried herb with your scrying tools or any tools you use for dreaming your journeying, such as drums and rattles. Oils made from fresh leaves can be made to anoint these objects also, or alternately use an infusion to wash your tools. Swags or wreathes made from dry or fresh branches, when placed over your doors will protect against negative energies. Many believe it will also ward off negative entities. Toss the dried herb into a burning fireplace or wood stove and it will protect you from lightening.

For right now I'm going to cultivate my little mugwort and let it grow. I can't wait to start putting it to use around my home. I think this is one of the first things I'm going to do when I decide to start harvesting...

Remember Your Dreams Potion

This deceptively simple technique is highly effective, although it may take a little time to get the hang of it. Practice and persistence will be rewarded. Mugwort tea is deemed most effective; however, any beverage may be used.

1) Bring a cup of tea or glass of water to your bedside before going to sleep.

2) Have a sip and tell yourself, "When I awake, I will have another sip and remember my dreams."

3) When you wake up, do so. Keep a dream journal near your bed. It helps to write down what you remember immediately upon waking.

A Whole New Meatball

I love meatballs. They're so yummy, and they don't seem to require the "commitment" that a meatloaf does. I mean when you make a meatloaf, you've got a meatloaf, which is fine when you have lots of folks eating. For me, it means I'm eating meatloaf for a week. With meatballs I can eat two, or four, or five. Or I can snatch one out of the fridge with a fork for a meaty little snack.

Taking some inspiration from JP's Meatcake, I decided to once again wrap cheesy yummy goodness in meat, and oh... these babies are GOOD! I mean good as in really good. Good as in "I could eat a pound of meat and not realize it" good.

You have got to try this. Seriously.

Stuffed Meatballs

Filling:
1 package cream cheese, softened
1/2 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced

Meatball mixture:
2 lb ground meat
2 eggs
1 onion, minced
2 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Start with your cream cheese filling. Gently saute onion and garlic with a small dab of butter or tallow in a pan over medium heat just until soft. In a small bowl combine onion and garlic to room temperature cream cheese and blend well.

Scoop out cream cheese mixture in 1-inch balls and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. They don't have to be perfectly round. Just little scoops will work fine. Place cheese balls in the freezer until firm.

In a large bowl blend meatball ingredients, mixing by hand.

Remove cheese balls from the freezer. Gently form meat mixture around each cheese ball. Each meatball will be about the size of a tennis ball.

Now here's the trick. You can put them on a cookie sheet, but I found it was easier (and safer for the meatballs) to put them in the pockets of a muffin tray. Besides, it's not like my muffin tray is getting that much love anymore.

Bake meatballs at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until browned. You may see a bit of the cream cheese bubbling to the surface, but that's OK. Let cool just slightly before serving. Sure, the cream cheese was frozen at the beginning, which does help save your tongue from white molten lava, but that cream cheese still gets pretty hot!

I really like these. Really, really. Oh, and they make great leftovers too! I brought the remaining two meatballs to work today, really wishing I had more. I didn't even bother to heat them up, just let them be at room temperature. It made a fantastic snack. You know I can't wait to make these again!

Pickling Like Crazy

A big part of my life lately is focused on finding happiness and contentment in what I have, rather than what I wish I had. That meant taking a look at my life and figuring out what makes me happy, learning at what moments I feel most content. I've found that I often find my contentment in the kitchen. I'm a kitchen Witch, and I've come to realize I feel especially witchy when I'm preserving foods. Sure, I always add that extra touch when cooking any meal, but preserving is different. It's such a wholesome, earthy, productive act. It's one of those activities that immediately make you feel like you're doing something meaningful, something old and traditional. It's an act with roots. It's just one of those things you can do, that your parents may or may not have done, but your grandparents likely did, as did your great grandparents, and their grand parents before them.

Here we are smack in the middle of the harvest season. Mabon will soon be upon us. Fruits and vegetables are in abundance- so much so that I find myself with a little more than I can use right now. When it comes to preserving certain summer vegetables, like cucumbers and zucchini, pickling seems to be the best way to go. Sure, you can dry zucchini into chips (which are absolutely delicious by the way,) but in that form it's easy to eat a whole zucchini before you realize it. Freezing is an option for zucchini, but I don't think cucumbers hold up well. You know I like my eggs pickled, so I decided to branch out and see just what else I can spice up and save for the winter months.

I went again with a spicy pickle seasoning for the zucchini and cucumber. The eggs worked well- with a sort of spicy brown mustard flavor- but I wanted to try something just a little bit hotter. Not a lot. Just enough to give them some bite.

Spicy Pickled Cucumbers and Zucchini

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup white vinegar

1/2 onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic

2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp pickling spice

1 tsp mustard seed

a pinch of red pepper flake (just a pinch!)

The pickling procedure is all the same. Simply cube or slice your veggies (I cubed the zucchini and sliced the cucumbers) and pack them into clean, sterile jars.

Prepare the brine and bring to a simmer, then pour into the jars. Occasionally jostle any air bubbles to the surface and continue filling the jars completely.


After making a huge batch of carrot and raisin slaw, I still had a lot of leftover carrots. Since we couldn't resist playing with my new food processor just a little bit more, JP sliced up a bunch of the carrots and I decided to pickle them too.

For the carrots I went back to a more traditional "dilly" flavor. I'm not sure how these will come out, but I'll be glad to update you as soon as I find out. I think along with the carrot chips, I want to try this recipe with carrot sticks. They might be a bit easier to eat, I'm guessing.

Dilly Pickled Carrots

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

1 cup white vinegar

2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp pickling spice
1 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp dill

Again, use your regular canning methods. It takes a little shaking to get all the air bubbles out of carrot slices, and I'm sure I missed some, but that's OK. This is a kitchen witch experiment after all.


I just picked up another case of jars, so there's sure to be more canning projects in the future. It's a practice I think I enjoy more than any other when it comes to cooking. I've heard some ideas from friends and family on more unusual foods that can be pickled. Maybe even step into the world of preserves... assuming I could find a way to make them Primal, of course. As always, I'm looking for suggestions.

I have a lot more carrots that I'd love to pickle. I'd also like to know, if you've made carrot pickles, what spices did you use for them? Or do you have any ideas that maybe you haven't tried but would like to see done?

Carrot Raisin Slaw

Yesterday was my 10 year high school reunion. It's a little hard to believe I've been out of school for a decade. So many things have changed, but seeing my old friends again I realized so many things have stayed the same. Familiar faces with new stories, new lives. Some stayed close to home, while others have been all over the country and all over the world.

It was pretty much concensus that I am the most changed of my classmates, with the 125 pound weight loss, and the attitude and confidence changes that came with that. We looked through old year books, comparing photos of then and now. So many really great memories.

I wanted to share a bit of my healthier lifestyle with my old classmates, as well as ensure I had something edible at the gathering. It's sometimes difficult preparing Primal foods for conventional eaters- it's a taste issue. Most people are accustomed to starches and sweet flavors. Typically that's not part of Primal fare.

Carrot Raisin Slaw seemed to be an easy compromise. No starches, but it was sweet enough. Carrots have their own mild sweetness, as do raisins. Apples and honey sweeten up the slaw nicely for most palates.

Carrot Raisin Slaw

1 lb shredded carrots
1 1/2 cup raisins
1 large apple, diced
1 cup slivered almonds

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp lemon juice

Toss carrots, raisins, apple, and almnonds together in a large bowl until thoroughly mixed. You can add more or less of any of the ingredients to your taste.

In a separate bowl, mix mayonnaise, honey and lemon juice. Pour dressing over the salad and mix well. Refrigerate until serving.


This is the first time I used fresh shredded carrots instead of the "matchstick" carrots from the grocery store. A lot of carrots go a long ways and I ended up with a lot more salad than I intended. A lot of it went at the reunion, but it looks like I'll be eating carrot slaw for a good week. No complaints here!

Oh, and just in case you're wondering, it makes a fantastic side dish for breakfast. Today I had it with eggs, but I'm thinking tomorrow I'll pour a bit of coconut milk over the top for a great Primal "cereal."

The First Boarfest

This last weekend I hosted what is hopefully the first of many future Boarfests. Being the first of its kind, not everything went according to plan, (hell I'm not sure anything really went according to plan,) but it was certainly a great time for everyone.

Boarfest started off on Friday, setting up camp, arranging the cooking and kitchen areas, tents, the fire pits. We attempted a huge canopy but the wind had other opinions about that. It sure was fun trying though!

Dinner Friday was a feast of venison. Random cuts labelled "hot dog meat" procured from our butcher. He certainly supplied us well. Not only did we have hunks of meat, but pounds of Italian and breakfast sausage for some of our guests to take home. It was fantastic sitting around with Batty- Queen of the Fire, drinking Red Cat and ChocoVino (chocolate wine that tastes like a mudslide.) With as much Red Cat as we drank through the weekend, I'm thinking maybe they should become an official sponsor!

Speaking of sponsors, I'd like to thank Mark Sisson at MarksDailyApple.com for his sponsorship of the event. Thanks Mark!

Saturday was party day all the way. Food of all kinds- Amish eggs, venison, fruits, raw goat milk, pickled eggs, kombucha, wine, all kinds of wonderful Primal side dishes including watermelon & goat cheese salad with mint, fiddleheads & milkweed, sweet potato raisin salad, wilted greens salad, and others I can't remember. There was food everywhere. And of course there was the boar!

The boar was a fun little adventure. My dad and I got up way before the crack of dawn- at about 3 a.m.- and started the roaster. 80 pounds of charcoal that would cook Mr Pig for about 15 hours. We waited patiently for the roaster to heat, got the pig spread out Superman-style on the roasting grate, and watched the moon rise over the hill. It was an unbelievably clear night. Every star was visible. Finally at about 5 a.m. the boar was in the roaster and left to cook long and slow.

Saturday morning started early and we kicked off the day by gathering firewood in the forest. It was a nice workout to get the day rolling, after a hearty eggy breakfast of course. More guests trickled in throughout the day as the festivities went on. The party peaked at about dinner time on Saturday and the boar was taken out of the roaster. Oh, did I mention the 300 clams? My friends Elijah and Melissa of the band Dirt Lounge brought 300 tasty mahogany clams to share with the party.

The night rolled on with some fantastic jams by Dirt Lounge, accompanied with a fire show by JP. Hopefully I'll have video of that soon. Nothing like food, fire, music and friends to make a night worth while. Oh, and wine. Did I mention there was lots of wine? Lots of Red Cat and the party rolled on into the night.

The next morning was sleepy and calm, eventually turning into a bit of exercise and play. Our last several hours together were spent walking through the woods and celebrating with what's become for JP and I a tradition- Sunday morning banana boats. A little frisbee and hula hooping, and just having fun.

Sadly though, it all had to come to an end and everyone had to pack up and return home. The weekend passed so quickly and it's hard to believe the first Boarfest is already said and done. Plans are already in the works for next year however. We're already thinking of ways to make it a bigger and better event.

Here are some photos from the weekend. There aren't many. We were just having too much fun to remember to use our cameras.


Building fire pits.

Live Boar.

Boar at the butcher.

Bowl O' Venison

Attempting the (failed) canopy.






Mmmm... Boar...

And more boar...


And yes, more boar.




It's chow time!

What's left of the pig...


It is SO good...




Yes, that's boar tenderloin.


More photos to come soon. Hopefully more of you can join us next year! I'll update you as planning progresses.

Mealworm Chocolate Chip Cookies

Haha... I can see you all cringing right now. I understand the thought of eating bugs, even in cookies, is disgusting to those of you who are not adventurous eaters like myself. But trust me on this one... it's not that bad! In fact, I quite like bugs in my cookies. So long as I put them there myself.

As I wrote previously, I am farming mealworms. It seems to have really taken off too. Sure, I can't grow vegetables to save my life, but I can farm mealworms like you wouldn't believe. I guess it's because they largely take care of themselves. I just have to give them fresh veggies occasionally, and do a little picking and sorting. The rest is all about the worms. And the beetles. The beetles are important too.

It's amazing how quickly this little farm project has started to roll along. It took a little while to get the snowball rolling, but now I have a whole new set of adult worms on a daily basis. Not enough to live off of (and honestly I wouldn't dare try) but they do make a nice yummy snack, or a fun addition to otherwise mundane treats. Oh just you wait 'til Halloween!

So this is my first real attempt to cook food with the worms, rather than just eating them all toffee flavored and yummy. I tinkered with 2 different recipes, trying to figure out just what kind of (Primal) cookie I liked best. One used almond flour, and the other used not-quite-Primal peanut butter. I was in a pinch and didn't have the dollars to drop on the good stuff. It happens.

The first batch of cookies I used the almond flour recipe as follows.

Mealworm Chocolate Chip Cookies #1

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/8 tsp baking soda
few shakes of salt
5 Tbsp melted butter
3 Tbsp honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup or more chocolate chips
gently roasted mealworms* (as many or few as you'd like)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix your dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix your wet ingredients together and add them to the dry ingredients. Fold in your chocolate chips and mealworms.

Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 10-13 minutes.

I really like these cookies. They have great flavor, just like conventional chocolate chip cookies. I did have some trouble getting the dough to stick together before I baked the cookies however. A little gentle pressing them together seemed to do the trick though.

Because the dough wasn't as "sticky" as I'd like, I decided to test out another cookie recipe. This one I gathered from Emily at Joyful Abode. Thus...

Mealworm Chocolate Chip Cookies #2

Ingredients:

1/2 cup nut butter
2 eggs
3 Tbsp butter
4 packets powdered stevia
4 heaping Tbsp shredded coconut
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp lemon juice
1/3 cup (or more) chocolate chips

toasted mealworms* to taste

This one is a bit more simple. Just mix all of your ingredients together (no dry or wet business) and drop batter out onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet, just like the other recipe.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

These cookies did hold together better than the first batch, but the first batch had more flavor. Maybe it had something to do with my choice of nut butter. Something tells me cashew butter would be splendid in this recipe, and I may very well try it. Halloween perhaps?

For me, I liked the first batch more. That's just my opinion. The nice thing is you now have two options for cookie making, depending on which ingredients you have in the house. If you, like me, have trouble finding almond flour (*grumble*) then the second recipe might be a more reasonable option.

I'm going to keep tinkering with my cookie recipes because... well, we all like cookies. I'm hoping to have lots of great mealworm recipes in the future, assuming the farm continues to produce. Perhaps something more savory next time.


*Note: When preparing mealworms for recipes, they should be frozen at least a day or more, then gently toasted in the oven or in a dry pan on low heat, until slightly browned (as if you're toasting nuts.) Don't heat too quickly. They pop!

Banana Bread Brownies

Continuing with the baking theme from the last post, I decided to get a little splurgy and make some banana bread. I was tired of moving the frozen bananas around the freezer and figured it was about time to use them. I sort of ended up combining two recipes to get this one, and it worked out really well.

This project started out by searching half the state for almond flour. GreenStar Natural Market in Ithaca usually carries it, but the last two times I was there they were out. It's a good $3 per pound cheaper than buying Bob's Red Mill, and hey... I'm cheap. I'd rather wait than pay more. Unfortunately that's not what happened and I went to 3 stores before I finally bought a bag of Bob's. I think I'm going to have to start ordering this stuff in bulk off the net. Thank you, Amazon.

Banana Bread Brownies

Ingredients:
1 cup almond flour
1 cup pecan meal
4 very ripe bananas
4 eggs
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
slivered almonds for garnish (optional)

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and blend them together.

Mash the bananas, then add the egg and vanilla. Mix together until well combined then add to the dry ingredients. Stir together until the batter is smooth. Add the (optional) chocolate chips.

Grease a large baking ban with butter and pour in the batter. Sprinkle slivered almonds over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Before serving, frost with honey butter.

It came out really well for an experiment. I almost expected it to be a little on the dry side but it wasn't. It wasn't as "fudgy" in texture as regular brownies, somewhere between a bread and a brownie. This would also work well to make banana bread muffins. Simply reduce bake time when doing individual muffins. If had walnuts they would have been a nice addition as well.

Lughnasadh

Today is Lughnasadh (pronounced "Lu-na-sa")... the first harvest. It's the point in the year where focus turns from planting and growing to the harvest. Typically a celebration of the grain harvest, for Primal Pagans like me (not that there are so many of us) it's a celebration of the fruits (and vegetables) of summer. It seems like everything is finally coming into season after all the planting, and waiting. Let's be honest though. My garden is pathetic. I'll be waiting for a while for any sort of harvest.

Lughnasad is also sometimes called Lammas, a name taken from the British Aisles. It's a Celtic celebration, which doesn't exactly pair up with my Roman ways, but I celebrate none the less. That is, after all, the Roman way- to adopt the traditions and celebrations of other cultures, to better assimlate them into yours. That's why, as a Roman Pagan, I have no problem participating in any and all celebrations. It is a reason to party, and we Romans like to party.

Lughnasadh not only celebrates the first harvest but it's a time of community gatherings, family reunions, horse racing and all sorts of festivities. It was also a time of weddings- known in Pagan circles as Handfastings.

Modern Pagans often celebrate Lughnasadh with bonfires and dancing. While the weather is still sunny and warm, the mood of the season begins to change. We're entering harvest time, which also becomes a time of personal reflection, introspection and harvest- something I've been going through a lot lately. Taking stock of our actions and deeds, events, things we've experienced, as well as our gains and losses. I once heard it said, "Each experience opens a window into ourselves, into who we were, who we are, and whom we are choosing to become."

Today I'm simply taking stock of my life, as I've been doing the last few days, and reflecting on this year as it's coming to pass. Looking at my small garden, struggling to survive, let alone produce, I see a reflection of myself. Big dreams and lots of potential, but not a lot of fruit. I guess I, like my garden, just need a little more patience and nurturing to grow big and strong. Not exactly the easiest thing for me to do, but I'm learning.

I'm choosing to celebrate this Lughnasadh quietly tonight. No big fires, but maybe a few small candles. The big events will be taking place this coming weekend, also known as "Boarfest." It's a small gathering of fellow Pagans and Primals. We'll be partaking in a large boar, and many fruits and vegetables that are of the season. Food, fire, music, and friends... everything that is Lughnasadh.

Here's to the season. Many blessings to you, and a bountiful harvest!