Lemon Balm Recipes
Lovely lemon balm. We have had some fun talking about her this month. We’ve also focused on herbs for mood support, how to support our natural immunity, and an overview of thyroid function.
Before we begin learning about a new herb in May, let’s take a moment, get our hands on some lemon balm, and engage our creativity. If you are looking for ways to get ahold of lemon balm, your local garden center should have some starts - plant it once and lemon balm will come back year after year. Be careful as she will try to take over your garden like any self-respecting mint family perennial. You can also ask a friend for a cutting from their lemon balm to root in water.
If dried leaf is what you seek, I highly recommend contacting herb shops in your local area - all us small businesses need the extra support right now!
Okay, let’s have some fun!
Fresh Lemon Balm:
If you can keep yourself from eating all your fresh lemon balm by the leaf, fresh lemon balm has many great uses. For a simple start, you can sprinkle lemon balm leaves into your next salad.
Lemon balm juice:
Juiced lemon balm leaves are a classic aid for an overactive thyroid and states of anxiety that include palpitations.
Simply juice the leaves in a juicer or blend the fresh leaves well with as little water as possible - once well blended, strain out the solid bits.
No more than 2-3 ounces should be consumed daily. A great way to preserve the juice is freezing it into ice cubes which can be stored for months in a container in the freezer. You can mix the juice with other juices or add to soups as you like.
Lemon balm infused water:
For a delightful drink that has a hint of lemony flavor, infusing water with lemon balm works great!
Harvest a handful of two of fresh lemon balm leaves.
Roughly chop and bruise the leaves.
Add leaves to a pitcher or glass.
Cover with room temperature water.
Allow to sit on the counter for 1-2 hours.
Strain and sip your creation.
If you would like to play with this recipe, sliced lemon and cucumbers make a great addition.
Lemon balm pesto:
Pesto is the besto! Most green leafy herbs can be made into a lovely pesto. This version adds a light lemony flavor.
Harvest 2 big bunches of lemon balm - about 2 cups of leaves and stems
In a food processor combine the lemon balm with 2-3 Tbsp of good olive oil
Add in 1-2 crushed garlic cloves and blend well.
Season with salt to taste.
Enjoy!
Dried Lemon Balm
Lemon balm tea:
As with any tea, the key is the quality of your ingredients, the heat of your water, and time.
Add 1 tbsp of dried herb to your cup or tea strainer.
Pour in 8 oz (1 cup) of just boiled water.
Cover cup well to keep in the essential oils.
Allow to steep for 20 minutes while covered.
Strain or remove your tea strainer and enjoy.
Tea lends itself well to rituals due to the 20 minute waiting period. Starting a mug of tea and then taking time to journal, meditate, stretch, read, take a walk, write a letter, etc can be a great way to start or wind down your day. Make some time for a cuppa!
Lemon balm oil:
Herb infused oils are a great thing to have on hand. Whether you use them as an after shower body oil, add bees wax to create a salve, pour a bit in your bath tub, or create more elaborate things like lip balm - herbal oils are a great household staple.
Add dried lemon balm to a jar and fill about 1/3 of the way.
Top your herb off with the carrier oil of your choice. I like olive oil for general uses due to it’s light weight, anti-inflammatory properties, pleasant aroma, and low comedogenic rating.
Put a lid on it
Allow to sit and infuse for 4-6 weeks.
Note: with some rare exceptions (calendula and St John’s wort) dry herbs should be used when making herbal oils, this keeps excess water from making its way into the oil and causing it to spoil quickly.
Lemon balm bath salts:
Baths are quite therapeutic, I’m sure you can agree. Adding Epsom salt and baking soda can soften your tense muscles as well as your skin. Adding dried lemon balm to your mix creates an even more relaxing experience.
Find a large container that will fit all your ingredients and you don’t mind keeping near your bathtub.
Mix 2 cups epsom salts and 2 cups dead sea salt with 1/2 cup of baking soda.
To this mix, add in 1/2 cup dried lemon balm leaves and mix well
To use: Add 1/2 to 1 cup of mix to your tub as it fills with water.
Soak for a minimum of 20 minutes.
Note: if you prefer to leave the leaves out of your salt mix, you can instead create a bath tea. To do this, brew a larger batch of lemon balm tea (4-6 cups should do it) and add this to your bathtub in addition to the bath salts.
Lemon balm tincture/glycerite/vinegar:
This recipe gets a category of its own as you can use a blend of fresh and dry herb to make these medicinal extractions. We are creating a folk remedy here. This means we aren’t being exact with measurements. If you would like instructions on how to create herbal extractions with specific measurements, I highly recommend Dr. Sharol Tilgner’s book Herbal Medicine From the Heart of the Earth.
Your choice of extraction liquid is up to you. Alcohol will create the strongest extraction, glycerine will create a milder alcohol-free extraction, and vinegar will create an alcohol-free and mineral rich extraction.
If you choose alcohol aim for something that is 60-90 proof (30%-45%) honestly, brandy is the best tasting with lemon balm. If you choose glycerine, you will want to mix half distilled water and half glycerine to create a 50% solution. If you choose vinegar, raw apple cider vinegar undiluted works best.
Grab a quart jar and fill it 1/4 of the way with dried lemon balm.
Fill the jar the rest of the way with fresh lemon balm that you have roughly chopped.
Fill to the top with your liquid.
Allow to sit in a dark temperature controlled location for 4-6 weeks. Shake it when you remember.
After 6 weeks, strain your extraction and bottle in dark glass. Be sure to label your finished product and include the date.
Herbal tinctures last for several years.
I hope this has sparked an urge to get creative in your kitchen and play with lemon balm. I would love to hear about your experiences. Please feel free to share them in the comments or in an office visit.
To our health!
