Sarah's Super Smoothie

This is a recipe from my web site - I posted the original about 10 years ago.  I change the recipe a little bit according to what I have on hand, but this is still the basic format.
This super-nutritious smoothie is part of breakfast at my house almost every day.  It’s important to me to have enough protein to get the day off to a good start, and this recipe certainly fills that need.  The yogurt provides probiotics and digestive enzyme support we need, and the super foods help to maintain our energy levels all day!  As with all foods, locally-grown or organic is a better choice, if you can afford it.  That said, we all just do the best we can...

You can find the bee pollen, Sarah’s Super Green powder, and many tinctures for sale on my website.  Just go to the Products page with your shopping list!

In your blender put:
1 ripe banana
1 cup frozen blueberries
2 heaping teaspoons bee pollen
1 or 2 tablespoons Sarah’s’ Super Green powder
1 or 2 teaspoons of Ashwagandha powder
2 teaspoons Flax Seed Oil or Cod Liver Oil (or one of each!)
1-1/2 cups cranberry juice, black cherry juice or blueberry juice
1-1/2 cups whole milk yogurt with no thickeners

Blend on the Puree setting for 2 minutes, to fully dissolve the Green powder and the bee pollen.  You can also add tinctures to this smoothie, as long as everyone drinking the smoothie is taking the same tinctures.  From Autumn Equinox until Spring Equinox, I take Astragalus tincture to strengthen lungs and immune system, so I am better able to fight off the colds & flu that make the rounds.  I add a teaspoon or two of Elderberry syrup, too, as a preventative.

Serves 2 to 4, depending on the size of the glass.

It's not always easy to find plain yogurt with no thickeners.  I am fortunate enough to have a nearby dairy farmer who make yogurt from raw milk!  Check with your local farmers, or consider making your own from local organic milk.  White Mountain and Seven Stars both make very nice yogurts that you should be able to get your local health food store to order.  Stonyfield and Dannon are widely available, but both contain thickeners & will re-set if you don't drink the smoothie immediately.

copyright Sarah Preston, 2005 & 2015

Donna Bryant Winston Sharing the Secrets of Soapmaking

Sharing the Secrets
of Soapmaking

Saturday, October 17, 2015, 12-4pm
at Radiance, in downtown Lancaster, PA

This class is offered to those who want to experience the fine art of making herbal and natural vegetable-based soaps.

Join us in the delightfully fun, hands-on, workshop as we discuss the history of soap and go through every step of the soap-making process, sharing tips and techniques along the way.  Our goal is that participants will leave feeling confident about making soap on their own at home.  You will learn how to incorporate the healing power of herbs, essential oils, and natural ingredients into your luxurious handmade soaps.  This class will make a goat’s milk soap.

Discussion will include troubleshooting and diagnosing signs of trouble in the soap pot.  Handouts, recipes, and samples included!

Cost for this class is $40 in advance, $45 on the day of the class.

We will meet in the classroom at Radiance.  To register call 717-290-1517, or stop by the shop at 9 W Grant St, in downtown Lancaster, right across the cobblestones from Central Market.

 Donna Bryant Winston is an Herbalist, Educator, and the Director of School-based & Neighborhood Health Initiatives for St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem, PA.  She is currently responsible for directing and organizing the Mobile Medical Vans, a School based health clinic and neighborhood initiatives where access to care and education is the primary focus to improve community health outcomes. Here she combines her nursing knowledge with her herbal background to educate the community on natural health.  Also a member of the American Holistic Nurses Assoc., Donna works closely in partnership with Moravian College, Temple Medical School, and DeSales and Lehigh University, to provide unique student nursing rotations and service learning projects. She is a wonderfully inspiring educator and has been the co-director for the Annual New England Women’s Herbal Conference in NH, with Rosemary Gladstar, for the past 18 years.

Sarah's Newest Tea Formula - AnxieTea!

Something is shifting. For years, people have phoned, or come to the shop looking for a tea to help with stress. We have several, as well as other things we recommend. Lately, though, the language has changed. People are looking for help with Anxiety. Bigger than Stress. More persistent than Stress. So, I've formulated a new tea. AnxieTea.

Kick Pain in the Kitchen, a Workshop with Author Barbara Searles

at Radiance, in downtown Lancaster, PA

Saturday, October 10, 2015
10am-1pm

Do you wish for realistic, holistic tools, which will minimize your pain and make you confident in your body?  Have you struggled to meet life’s demands because managing chronic pain takes so much time and effort, leaving you exhausted?

The Kick Pain in the Kitchen Workshop offers you a holistic approach to pain relief that can be integrated with many treatment plans. It’s full of straightforward, every day steps that you can start using right away.

Your path to health and pain relief starts in your kitchen and supermarket cart! Learn why healthy, whole foods and other pain relieving changes can help. Plus, get a practical game plan structured through the meals of the day.

You’ll leave the workshop with an autographed copy of the book, and a new focus on healthy habits to relieve your pain naturally. 

This class will be held in the classroom at Radiance, 9 W Grant St, in the heart of downtown Lancaster.  Call (717)290-1517 or stop in to register.

The cost for this workshop is $35 in advance, $40 on the day of the class, and includes a light lunch, as well as an autographed copy of the book.

 Barbara Searles, LMT, BCTMB, HHC, AADP is a nationally certified massage therapist and health coach. As the founder of ConfidentWellness.com she’s deeply passionate about coaching people living with chronic pain. Her strategies have been featured in Health Monitor, Natural Awakenings, and Blog Talk Radio. When she’s not coaching, writing, or speaking, you’ll find her relaxing with her fami

Creamy Nettle Soup

I'm re-publishing a favorite recipe of mine.  A friend of mine sent me a version of this recipe from the West Country of England, & I've tweaked it several times over the years.  I think it's fabulous!

This should be made with young, tender nettles, early in Spring.  To avoid being "stung" by the nettles, you might want to wear clean gardening gloves for harvesting, washing & chopping.  If there is any sting, it will be gone by the time the nettles are wilted.  It is quite possible to handle nettles without being stung, but it takes a brave heart and unwavering attention! 

Olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 Cups young nettles (use only the top few inches), washed & chopped
2 pounds potatoes
2 Tablespoons  butter
2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup Dulse flakes or sea salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
1 cup plain yogurt

Wash the nettles and chop coarsely. 

In soup pot, saute chopped onion in olive oil until clear.  Add nettles and simmer for about 10 minutes, until limp. 

Meanwhile, cut potatoes into thick slices.  Add stock to the nettles, heat & add potatoes, Dulse flakes & pepper.  Simmer on low until potatoes are soft.

Cool slightly & puree with a stick-blender.  Stir in yogurt & serve.

Copyright 2005, 2006, 2015 Sarah Preston

Pain and Inflammation with Herbalist, Tammi Sweet

Herbs from the Labyrinth, LLC presents:
Pain and Inflammation Intensive with Tammi Sweet
Saturday, May 23, 2015  9am-5pm
CEUs available
As individuals, many of us experience pain and inflammation ourselves.  As health-care providers of all kinds, many of our clients come in with both acute and chronic pain. The best way to assist them in their healing path is to have a deeper understanding of the mechanism of pain, the reason for it physiologically and ways of relieving it when necessary. This class will explore the physiology of the pain pathway from the origin, all the way up to the recognition in the brain. Next the class will discuss the different types of pain; acute, chronic, nociceptive, inflammatory, dysfunctional and neuropathic, their etiology and mechanisms. We will also explore the latest findings in pain research, the myriad of methods to interrupt the pain pathway, how these methods work and finally their hindrances and benefits.
Since inflammation is one of our primary defenses in the body and is a major cause/contributing factor to almost all illness, disease and pain we will take an in-depth look at the entire process. This information will help you make informed decisions concerning when and if you need to alter the process. We will look at how and why inflammation is beneficial, when it is not beneficial and finally we will discuss an anti-inflammatory lifestyle, which includes, among other things, our friends the herbs.
This will be a very rich and full day. If you are in chronic pain or inflammation or are working with folks, please come and learn. We will traverse the entire terrain from novice to expert. You will be able to join the journey if you are a beginner. All levels are welcome, interest is the only requirement.
This workshop will be held in the classroom at Radiance, 9 W Grant St,, in the heart of downtown Lancaster, PA,  across the cobblestones from Central Market.  Call 717-290-1517 or stop in to register.
Cost for this class is $100 for early registration; after May 12 cost will be $115.   8 hours CEUs are available to Nationally Certified Massage therapists for an additional $10 processing fee. 
 

Tammi Sweet, a passionate and energetic teacher, brings 25 years teaching experience into the classroom. Her love, amazement and wonder of the human body and how it works shines through as she presents the material in ways people can understand and utilize. She loves integrating the wisdom of the body with all aspects of living. Presently she co-directs her Herbal Program at Heartstone Herbal School, and teaches Anatomy and Physiology at Herbal schools in New England and Herbal conferences. Her learning of the body has come through many paths including traditional Master’s level college studies in Neurobiology, teaching College level Anatomy & Physiology, Massage School, Yoga Teacher Training, Herbal studies, collegiate athletics and most importantly, an ever-growing love of understanding who we are in relation with this wonderful home we call earth.

The Heart as an Organ of Perception with Tammi Sweet

Herbs from the Labyrinth, LLC presents:
The Heart as an Organ of Perception with Tammi Sweet

Sunday, May 24, 2015  10am-1pm


The time has come for us to return to our natural way of being in the world. The way we were born to live and interact with life around us. For eons we knew this way of health-full and heart-full being. Healers and shamans have carried this knowing, this way of being forward for our re-membering and now our present “belief system”, science has come full circle and started “validating” what we’ve always known. This “heart literacy” can be used in everyday life to access and communicate with the world around us, benefiting our own health and the health of those we come into contact with. Research shows that using these techniques improves the quality of our responses and decision-making, increases our immunity, lowers high blood pressure and our risk of heart disease. If that weren’t enough, these techniques can be used to access our inner guidance and intuition, aiding our insight and assistance with our clients, patients and students. Lastly, if you are an outdoor-lover, living in this “heartspace” allows us to resume our rightful place in the natural world. We are able to move within the natural world as quietly as the chickadee or the fox, allowing us to see what those who live in their heads would never dream of. This workshop is based on the teachings of the Heartmath Institute, Stephen Buhner, Tom Brown Jr., and Paul Pearsall.
This intensive will be a mixture of lecture, hands on activities and, weather & time permitting, perhaps wandering in the natural world to practice heart-centering techniques.
This workshop will be held in the gardens at Herbs From the Labyrinth, 1053 Wheatland Ave,, at the edge of  the city of Lancaster, PA.  Call 717-290-1517 or stop in at Radiance, 9 W Grant St in downtown Lancaster to register.
Cost for this class is $45 for early registration; after May 12 cost will be $55.   

Tammi Sweet, a passionate and energetic teacher, brings 25 years teaching experience into the classroom. Her love, amazement and wonder of the human body and how it works shines through as she presents the material in ways people can understand and utilize. She loves integrating the wisdom of the body with all aspects of living. Presently she co-directs her Herbal Program at Heartstone Herbal School, and teaches Anatomy and Physiology at Herbal schools in New England and Herbal conferences. Her learning of the body has come through many paths including traditional Master’s level college studies in Neurobiology, teaching College level Anatomy & Physiology, Massage School, Yoga Teacher Training, Herbal studies, collegiate athletics and most importantly, an ever-growing love of understanding who we are in relation with this wonderful home we call earth.

Charge of the Goddess

Earlier this month, I taught a weekend intensive version of Elements of Magic.  On Sunday morning, I recited this lovely piece, originally written by Doreen Valiente and later adapted by my dear friend and teacher, Starhawk.

Last week, I recited part of it to a woman who came to see me for a Reiki session.  She's asked for the words.  Here they are...



Listen to the words of the Great Mother, Who of old was called Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Diana, Arionrhod, Brigid, and by many other names:

Whenever you have need of anything, once a month, and better it be when the moon is full, you shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me Who is Queen of all the Wise.

You shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that you be free you shall be naked in your rites.
Sing, feast, dance, make music and love, all in My Presence, for Mine is the ecstasy of the spirit and Mine also is joy on earth.

For My law is love is unto all beings. Mine is the secret that opens the door of youth, and Mine is the cup of wine of life that is the cauldron of Cerridwen, that is the holy grail of immortality.

I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal, and beyond death I give peace and freedom and reunion with those that have gone before.

Nor do I demand aught of sacrifice, for behold, I am the Mother of all things and My love is poured out upon the earth.

Hear the words of the Star Goddess, the dust of Whose feet are the hosts of Heaven, whose body encircles the universe:

I Who am the beauty of the green earth and the white moon among the stars and the mysteries of the waters, I call upon your soul to arise and come unto me.  For I am the soul of nature that gives life to the universe.  From Me all things proceed and unto Me they must return.

Let My worship be in the heart that rejoices, for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals.
Let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you.

And you who seek to know Me, know that the seeking and yearning will avail you not, unless you know the Mystery: for if that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without.

For behold, I have been with you from the beginning, and I am That which is attained at the end of desire.

Let's Make Fire Cider with Sarah Preston

  Let’s Make…

 Fire Cider!

With community herbalist,
Sarah Preston

Saturday, February 28, 2015
 1-3:30pm

Fire Cider is a traditional cold remedy with deep roots in folk medicine. Almost every herbalist makes a version of this tasty combination of cider vinegar infused with powerful immune-boosting herbs and vegetables. Fire Cider is especially pleasant and easy to incorporate into your daily diet to help boost the immune system, stimulate digestion, and get you nice and warmed up on cold days.

Because this is a folk preparation, the ingredients can vary slightly, depending on when you make it and what’s growing around you. The standard base ingredients are apple cider vinegar, garlic, onion, ginger, horseradish, and hot peppers, and we will discuss plenty of other herbs that you might want to include in your own Fire Cider.

Cost for this class is $30. Bring a quart of raw apple cider vinegar to class, all other ingredients will be provided.

Class will be held in the classroom at Radiance.  To register call Radiance, 717-290-1517, or stop by the shop at 9 W Grant St, in downtown Lancaster, right across the cobblestones from Central Market. 

Sarah Preston is a community herbalist in Lancaster, PA, and is owner of Herbs from the Labyrinth, LLC.  She says, “Being an herbalist is a natural extension of my life-long love of plants, trees and wild places, and my interest in natural healing, which was instilled in me by my mother.  I see herbalism as a lifelong learning process.