Blog by Melissa and David Sokulski, L.Acs.

Showing posts with label wild edible walk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wild edible walk. Show all posts

Monday, February 25, 2013

Detox With Ear Acupuncture And Herbal Tea

In Chinese medicine, ear detox treatment consists of five points, which balance and support detox organs and systems of detox. We needle shen men, which balances the nervous system, sympathetic point, which balances the endocrine system, and then the 3 organs of detoxification; lungs, liver and kidneys.

These points can help when the body is detoxing from anything physical to emotional. These points are used in hospital detox clinics as part of the support for people detoxing from drugs and alcohol. They can also be used when people are detoxing from sugar, caffeine, nicotine, wheat, dairy, or even unhealthy relationships, lifestyle choices, or toxic thoughts and self-talk. Needling these points bring immediate and lasting balance and relief.

dandelions
Another way to support the body with detox is with herbal tea. We can choose herbs which mirror and support the points and organ systems chosen:
  • oatstraw for the nervous system
  • cleavers for men and red raspberry leaves for women, to support the endocrine system
  • nettles to support the kidneys
  • dandelion to support liver
  • mullein to support lungs
We can choose one at a time, mix and match, and add things like lemon balm, spearmint and peppermint for flavor.

Many of these plants can be found right outside most people's doors. They can be harvested, dried and stored to have available year round. We have a sister website, Food Under Foot, filled with information, pictures, videos and recipes for identifying and using wild plants. Cleavers, nettles, dandelions and mullein are easy spring weeds to find.

Be well,
~ Melissa and David Sokulski
Acupuncturists

Read these articles by Melissa Sokulski, L.Ac. in Natural News for more information:

Monday, July 12, 2010

July Wild Edibles Walk: Beaver, PA


Our Next Wild Edibles Walk is Scheduled!

Saturday, July 31, 2010 11:00 am
Beaver, PA

Join Melissa Sokulski of The Birch Center for an easy walk around Beaver, PA, looking for wild edible and medicinal plants.

We will begin at Three Rivers Yoga studio in Beaver at 11 am. The walk/talk will last approximately an hour and we will return to the studio for conversation and refreshments.

Where: Three Rivers Yoga Beaver
428 Third Street, Beaver, PA 15009
When: Saturday, July 31, 2010, 11:00 am
Fee: $5/person, children under 10 free
More information about Three Rivers Yoga Beaver: Contact Andrea at (412) 901-6478

More information about Wild Edible Plants at Food Under Foot.

To register call (412) 381-0116

Or Register Online:

July Wild Edibles Hike, Beaver PA







We hope to see you there!

David and Melissa Sokulski, L.Ac.

Licensed Acupuncturists
The Birch Center for Health
(412) 381-0116

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter! We have raw recipes, information about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and overall wellness information. Sign up today and receive your free gift: 10 Ways to Improve Your Health Right Now. We'd love to stay in touch. Thank you!


Monday, May 31, 2010

Happy Memorial Day

Hope you all had a happy Memorial Day weekend. We'd like to send out our love and appreciation to all the people who have given their lives to defend our way of life, and to their families. We know a lot of our Birch Center family and friends have been touched by war and we extend our love and appreciation to you and your loved ones.

*****

Thank you all who joined us for our Wild Edibles Walk yesterday! In case you haven't seen it, we posted a recap of the walk and all the plants we saw on Food Under Foot. Please make sure you check it out! We'll schedule our next walks soon, so please stay tuned!

******

Stay tuned for posts later this week! You'll hear about
  • powerful medicinal mushrooms growing wild all around us (even right here in Western PA!)
  • Ways to greatly increase your vitamin D intake, like by drying shiitake mushrooms gills-up in the sun
  • A serious caution about protein powders and drinks: Consumer Reports has found they contain high levels of heavy metals including arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury.
We'll get these and other stories to you soon!

Thanks again.

Peace,

Melissa and David Sokulski

Licensed Acupuncturists
The Birch Center for Health
(412) 381-0116

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter! We have raw recipes, information about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and overall wellness information. Sign up today and receive your free gift: 10 Ways to Improve Your Health Right Now. We'd love to stay in touch. Thank you!


Sunday, May 9, 2010

Fresh Living Workshop


It's spring and everything is blooming! What better time to learn about natural health and fresh living! Join us as we show you how you can easily incorporate healthy foods and natural healing practices in your life.

Fresh Living is the first series that covers wild edibles, raw food, aromatherapy and homeopathy in one enlightening workshop. Presented by four experienced natural health practitioners, the series give you the basics that you need to start living a naturally vibrant and deliciously healthy life!

Fee: $50, includes a wonderful raw food lunch, handouts and samples. Reservations suggested as space is limited. Please Register by May 14th.

May 22, 2010
10:30am – 2:30pm
Wilkins Community Center
7604 Charleston Ave Swissvale, PA 15218

To register call (412) 381-0116

*Please Register by Friday, May 14!


Schedule:

10:00 am – Registration and Morning Tea

10:30 am – Wild Edible Walk with Melissa
Start the morning with a walk around the park and discover nature's edible bounties that were always right before your eyes!

11:15 am – Raw Food 101 with Leah
What could be fresher than raw? In Raw Food 101, Leah will show you the basics of how to un-cook. As summer approaches, learn how to make refreshingly delicious raw meals (beyond salad!) From raw raviolis, soups, dips and desserts! We will also juice and use some of your finds at the Wild Edible Walk!


12:00 – Lunch (Raw Food and Wild Edibles)

1:00- Homeopathy 101 with Tara
Join Tara for an introduction to self-prescribing for the everyday complaints of a healthy family. These include coughs, colds, ear infections, sore throats, stomach disorders, flu, and first aid. She will cover the basic principles of homeopathic philosophy to provide a structure for understanding simple prescribing. She will also look at symptoms in depth to help guide you in observing illness. She will cover the most commonly used remedies for each of the above disorders as well as the basic principles of dosing and repetition of remedies.

1:45 – Aromatherapy with Cathy
Learn about the safe use of essential oils for household use and for physical and emotional health and well being. We'll discuss the use of pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils as alternatives to: toxic household cleaners, pet care products, insect repellents, pharmaceuticals and more. A wide variety of essential oils will be on hand to view/smell. Oils will be diffused in the room. We'll cover natural options that will build the health of our bodies and our environment instead of breaking them down. Samples will be provided for each participant to take home. Fresh water with therapeutic-grade lemon oil will be on hand for drinking.

About Us

Cathy Daniels
Cathy Daniels is the founder and owner of One Gentle Spirit Holistic Services, LLC, a Certified Hypnotherapist, Reiki Master/Teacher and Natural Health Educator, she has been sharing her passion, experiences and information regarding natural ways of bringing positive changes to the body, mind and spirit for the past 14 years. As well as providing private sessions for clients, Cathy holds classes and workshops on Hypnotherapy, Aromatherapy, Reiki, Natural Health and Nutrition Awareness.† She is the mother of 3 and is a retired La Leche League Leader.†Cathy is excited to be thriving on her path of health and wellness and joyfully sharing her experience with others.†
More information on Cathy can be found at www.onegentlespirit.com

Tara McElfresh
Tara McElfresh has been practicing and studying Homeopathy for the last 3 years. Her interest in naturopathy and alternative medicine began when her child was diagnosed with heavy metal toxicity after an adverse reaction to a vaccination. After consulting with an ND, her daughter showed incredible improvement with homeopathic treatment. Tara;s passion for homeopathy continues and she is currently working with a naturopath to deepen her knowledge and broaden her practice. She uses only natural remedies to treat her family's ailments. Tara actively writes about homeopathy and natural medicine in her blog naturalremedyhealing.blogspot.com

Leah Shannon
Leah Shannon, is a certified Integrative Nutrition Counselor and Food Educator. She received her training in Holistic Health from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and her Masters Degree in Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University. Leah is an advocate for urban farming, healthy food accessibility, and food safety policy. Leah is the menu planner for Shepherd Wellness Community’s Friday Night Dinners and Holistic Health Counselor for Matrika Wellness Center’s Stress Reduction Programs. She serves on the board of Grow Pittsburgh whose mission is to demonstrate, teach and promote responsible urban food production. Leah lives in Stanton Heights adjacent to Mildreds’ Daughters Urban Farm where she teaches healthy cooking classes during the season.
More information on Leah can be found at www.befullwell.com

Melissa Sokulski
Melissa Sokulski is a licensed acupuncturist and massage therapist trained in the practice of Eastern and Holistic medicine. She received her Masters Degree in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology in 1996 from the New England School of Acupunture. She and her husband David are the founders and proprietors of the Birch Center for Health in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Melissa is well-recognized in Pittsburgh as an expert on Wild Edibles and Raw Food and regularly leads Wild Edible Walks around town.
More information on Melissa can be found at www.foodunderfoot.com and www.birchcenter.com

Thanks so much!

Melissa and David Sokulski

Licensed Acupuncturists
The Birch Center for Health
(412) 381-0116

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter! We have raw recipes, information about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and overall wellness information. Sign up today and receive your free gift: 10 Ways to Improve Your Health Right Now. We'd love to stay in touch. Thank you!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Wild Edibles Walks

Wild Edibles Walk at Frick Park Earth Day

It was cold, but we still had a great turnout and great fun at both our walks at Frick Park Earth Day celebration last Saturday! Thanks to everyone who braved the cold!

We saw so many wild edibles...way more was up this year than last year, even though the event was held the same weekend last year! I guess our warm temperatures at the beginning of the month caused a lot more to come up.

Here are some things we saw:

Fiddleheads
Fiddleheads

violets
Violets

garlic mustard, flowering
Garlic Mustard

We also saw:

    dandelion
    burdock
    lambs quarters
    japanese knotweed
    may apple - ripe fruit is only edible part of this plant
    bloodroot (medicinal, not edible)
    mugwort
    cut-leafed toothwort
    onion grass
    jewelweed (poison ivy remedy)
    poison ivy - not edible, please do not eat!



Please join us for our next wild edible walk, which is this Sunday, April 25, 2010 at 11 am at the south side river trail in Pittsburgh! It is $5/person (children under 10 free). For more information visit our events page. Please call (412) 381-0116 to register, so we know to expect you.

Thanks!

~ Melissa and David Sokulski, acupuncturists and herbalists

Food Under Foot
Birch Center for Health

(412) 381-0116

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter! We have raw recipes, information about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and overall wellness information. Sign up today and receive your free gift: 10 Ways to Improve Your Health Right Now. We'd love to stay in touch. Thank you!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Wild Edibles

Getting ready for a new season of wild edibles!


above: early spring Burdock from last year...haven't seen it this year yet.

Tomorrow I'm doing a presentation for the Oakland Garden Club, (Wild Edibles in the 'Burgh) and the first Wild Edible Walks of the year are now scheduled!

Saturday, April 17, 2010
Frick Environmental Center
Earth Day Celebration
2 FREE walks: 1:30 pm and 3:00 pm.
These are very easy walks, where we mostly meander along and observe and discuss wild edibles we find. I'm sure we'll see onion grass, garlic mustard, burdock, dandelion, fiddleheads, cresses....it will be great fun!

I hope you join us!

We'll have our full spring schedule up soon, along with lots of other exciting things.

Stay tuned!

~ Melissa and David Sokulski

Licensed Acupuncturists
The Birch Center for Health
(412) 381-0116

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter! We have raw recipes, information about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and overall wellness information. Sign up today and receive your free gift: 10 Ways to Improve Your Health Right Now. We'd love to stay in touch. Thank you!

Friday, October 2, 2009

Raw Food Potluck and Wild Edible Walk Sunday

If you are interested in raw foods and wild edible plants, please join us in Schenely park this Sunday, October 4 at noon (Steeler game is not until 8:20 pm this Sunday, so you won't miss a thing!)


Black Walnuts - still in their green hulls - which we will likely see on Sunday


This event is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Raw Food Meetup Group, so if you'd like to attend (it's a free event), please join the meetup group (there is no charge to join) and RSVP on the meetup invitation page. This way you will be contacted if there are any last minute changes (weather!), and given the full information about the whereabouts and who to contact with questions. We hope to see you there!!!

If you are new to raw foods: this is a potluck, so please bring a dish containing only raw (uncooked) fruits and veggies...a simple fruit salad is always welcome (no canned fruit, though, only fresh.) If you are feeling adventurous, check out some of the many raw recipes on sites like www.goneraw.com or the wonderful recipe page of the All Raw Directory. If you are really inspired, you may want to check out some of the raw "cook" books we recommend in the raw food section of our bookstore.

Here is a simple recipe I am preparing tonight:

Garden Fresh Tomato Salad


5 Garden Tomatoes, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed (or finely chopped)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (or you can use fresh thyme or oregano)

Mix all ingredients together well and serve...delicious!

See you soon!

~ Melissa and David Sokulski
Licensed Acupuncturists
The Birch Center for Health
(412) 381-0116

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter! We have raw recipes, information about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and overall wellness information. Thank you!

Friday, June 19, 2009

Upcoming Events

We have a couple things coming up within the next week you may want to know about:

Saturday, June 20, 2009, 3 pm:

Wild Edible Walk
Hunker, PA
Maggie's Organics Farm Festival (Festival is from 1 pm - 8 pm)
Admission to the Festival is $10 adults, $5 children
Click Here for more information, or call Maggie's Organic Farm: 724-925-9474



Thursday, June 25, 2009, 7 pm:

Acupuncture and Natural Treatments of Seasonal Allergies

East End Food Coop, 7516 Meade Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15208

Join Acupuncturist David Sokulski of the Birch Center for Health as he discusses acupuncture and other natural treatments for seasonal allergies.

David is a PA licensed acupuncturist and owner of the Birch Center, located in Pittsburgh's historic South Side.

The talk is free and open to all, call the coop at (412) 242-3598 for more information.

We hope to see you there!

~ Melissa and Dave

Birch Center for Health

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter! We have raw recipes, information about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and overall wellness information. Thank you!

www.BirchCenter.com

Monday, June 8, 2009

Wild Edibles Walk for Folks from MAFA


This past weekend I had the pleasure of leading the folks of the Middle Atlantic Folklore Association on a wild edibles walk.

Their annual meeting was close to Pittsburgh this year, and they brought me in to do a walk, talk, and food demo (wild green smoothies, of course!)

We were about 1 1/2 hours south east of Pittsburgh (in the Laurel Highlands) and our walk was around a little pond. We did see the usual suspects: plantain, dandelion, clover, garlic mustard, violet, chickweed, and burdock, but we saw some other things as well:

  • skunk cabbage (not edible, though some books say otherwise…it is used to make medicine, though)
  • cattail
  • horsetail
  • daisy
  • wild raspberries
  • wild blackberries

They were also interested in herbal aspects of the plants, so I got to talk about that, including the differences between Chinese herbal medicine and Western botanical medicine (one of my favorite topics.)

I demonstrated a wild green smoothie using bananas, mangoes, water, ice, plantain leaves and red clover flowers and leaves:



I also did some chair massage for them:



It was such a nice meeting with a wonderful group of people. Thanks so much for having me!

~ Melissa

*** To schedule a walk or chair massage for your next function or event, please view our services page for details, or call The Birch Center at (412) 381-0116. ***

Monday, June 1, 2009

Wild Foods and Wild Times at the Birch Center


We had an exciting weekend at the Birch Center for Health!

On Saturday morning, we had our Wild Edibles Workshop, which was a blast! We took a walk in Frick Park and saw:

  • garlic mustard
  • burdock
  • chickweed
  • cleavers
  • motherwort
  • mugwort
  • plantain
  • wild raspberries (not yet ripe)
  • prickly lettuce
  • dandelion

Then we returned to our beautiful Squirrel Hill location and we all made garlic mustard vinegar:



We sampled delicious food made with wild edibles, including Red Clover Apple Cookies, Plantain Crisps and Dandelion Wine. Melissa demonstrated Wild Green Smoothie, Mint and Lamb's Quarters Pesto, and Burdock-Apple-Ginger juice. (Recipes are available in our free eBooks, which you get when you sign up at Food Under Foot.)



It was a great time with great people! Thanks to all who attended.

Then, on Sunday morning, we were interviewed by Rhio, of NY Talk Radio!



Our interview - about both The Birch Center and our new Wild Edibles endeavor: Food Under Foot - will be on Hooked On Raw this week, and available for podcast ever after. We'll put in podcast link as soon as it goes up.

Our monthly newsletter will be out soon - full of very exciting upcoming events and in depth articles - if you're not on our email list, please sign up.

Also, if you are interested in Wild Edible Plants and haven't received our free 5-eBook series (starting with Burdock!), please visit Food Under Foot and sign up there.

Thanks and Live Healthy!

~ Melissa

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Coop Talk Tonight; Wild Edibles Workshop Saturday


If you are in Pittsburgh, PA, please join Melissa and David Sokulski tonight - Thursday, May 28 at 7 pm - at the East End Food Coop. We're going to be talking about Wild Edibles in Pittsburgh (and sampling a few treats made with wild edibles!) The talk is free and open to all. For more information or to register, call the coop at (412) 242-3598.

On Saturday, May 30, we hope you'll join us for what promises to be a fantastic Wild Edibles Workshop! We'll start with a Wild Edibles walk around Frick park. We'll all make garlic mustard vinegar to take home. Melissa will demonstrate recipes using wild edibles, and we'll sample those plus other previously made yummy treats.

On the menu are:

  • Wild Pesto
  • Red Clover Apple Cookies (pictured above)
  • Dandelion Wine
  • Plantain Crisps
  • Wild Green Smoothie
  • Lemony Ginger Burdock Juice
  • Various Vinegars made with Wild Edibles


Each participant will get a full color identification guide of all the wild plants used, along with the recipes.

The class is from 10 am to 1 pm, and is $35.

Please call us at (412) 381-0116 to reserve your space! (Please call soon by Friday, space is limited!)

More information can be found on our wild events page.

We hope to see you soon!

~ Melissa and Dave

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Join Us for a Wild Edibles Workshop on Saturday

Join us this Saturday, May 30, at 10 am to 1 pm for a Wild Edible Workshop.

We found the perfect location in Squirrel Hill...it's easy to find and abuts Frick Park, where we will take a Wild Edible Walk and identify and gather wild edible plants together.

Then we'll all make our own Garlic Mustard vinegar to take home. Melissa will demonstrate recipes using wild edible plants, and we'll all get to sample those recipes and ones that she will have made in advance.

On the menu are:

* Lemony Ginger Burdock Juice
* Dandelion Wine
* Wild Green Smoothie
* Red Clover Apple Cookies
* Plantain Green Crisps
* Wild Pesto
* Various Vinegars mad with Local Wild Edibles
* Red Clover Mint Iced Tea

All participants will also receive a full color handout with identification information of all the plants used, and recipes of all the dishes demonstrated and sampled.

Space is limited, so please call today (412) 381-0116 to reserve your space with credit card.

Give us a call to register or if you need more information visit the Events Page on our website.

Hope to see you soon!

Location: 2534 Mt Royal Rd, Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Time: 10 AM - 1 PM
Cost: $35
Register: (412) 381-0116 - call to register or for more information
* Please register by Thursday, May 28, 2009*

Friday, May 15, 2009

Walk With Us Sunday

We hope you'll join us this Sunday, May 17, at 11 am on the South Side River Trail for a Wild Edible Plant Walk!

This weekend, we are looking forward to seeing Black Locust Flowers. This amazing edible delight is only available a few weeks every year. The flower is the only edible part of this tree, and they are delicious:



Please give us a call: (412) 381-0116 for more information, or to register for the walk.

The cost is $5. Kids are welcome with adults, and children under 10 are free.

****


If you can't make the walk, make sure to check out our Wild Edibles Workshop on May 30 from 10 am - 1 pm. This promises to be a great workshop! We'll go on a walk, harvest edible plants, make garlic mustard vinegar (we'll each make our own so you can take yours home). I will also demonstrate some recipes. We'll sample delicious food made with wild edibles including:

  • Juice
  • Smoothies
  • Cookies
  • Green Chips
  • Vinegars
  • Dandelion Wine
  • Pesto

Each participant will also receive a packet of all the recipes sampled and demonstrated, and a picture guide of wild edibles used.

The cost of this workshop is $35, please register early, space is limited! This workshop will be held in Squirrel Hill (location will be sent once you register). Call (412) 381-0116.

We hope to see you soon!

~ Dave and Melissa
The Birch Center for Health

***Also, please check out our new website, Food Under Foot, which is devoted entirely to wild edible plants! There are pictures, videos, free eBooks and more!!***

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Earth Day Wild Edible Hike at Frick Park

Thanks to everyone who came on the hike today at Frick park! What fun!

If you haven't check out our new website, please check us out at Food Under Foot. When you get there, please do sign up for the Food Under Foot newsletter...you'll get our 5 part series on 5 common wild edible plants.

Today we saw:

  • garlic mustard
  • wild onion
  • burdock
  • plantain
  • dandelion
  • may apple
  • false mermaid
  • red clover
  • cleavers
  • wintercress
  • a smaller cress
  • fiddleheads
  • violets
  • mugwort

I also mentioned the burdock juice...you'll hear more about that in part 1 of the series, but here is a sneak preview:

The ingredients: 3 apples, 1/4 lemon with peel, piece of burdock root (peeled), some ginger:



The juice: (it was very good!):



Our next hike is next Sunday, April 26, down by the river on the south side (see our events page.) Please come! We'll try to keep it as a smaller group, so please call to register: (412) 381-0116. If there are lots of people, we'll break it up into two walks, so let us know if you'd want an earlier hike that day!

Thanks again, and we hope to see you soon!

Love,
~ Melissa and Dave

Friday, April 17, 2009

Wild Edible Video! and Upcoming Walks and Workshops

Here's our first video of the year! I describe how to identify and harvest early spring mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) and show making a vinegar.

I also mention our new site: www.FoodUnderFoot.com, please check us out!

Below the video you'll find our schedule of spring walks and workshops...we hope to see you soon!



Spring Walks, Talks and Workshops

Saturday, April 18, 2009
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Wild Edible Walk
Frick Park Nature Reserve, Squirrel Hill
Part of Frick Park Earth Day Celebration: 11 am - 4 pm
free

Sunday, April 26, 2009

11 am - 12 noon
Wild Edible Walk
South Side River Trail, Pittsburgh, Pa (follow 18th street toward river, park under bridge, meet by yellow gate at start of upper trail)
$5, please call (412) 381-0116 to register

Sunday, May 17, 2009
11 am - 12 noon
Wild Edible Walk
South Side River Trail, Pittsburgh, PA (follow 18th street toward river, park under bridge, meet by yellow gate at start of upper trail)
$5, please call (412) 381-0116 to register

Thursday, May 28, 2009
7 pm - 8 pm
Talk: Wild Edibles in the 'Burgh
East End Food Coop, Meade Street, Pittsburgh
free, call (412) 242-3598 to register

Saturday, May 30, 2009
10 am - 1 pm
Workshop: Wild Edibles!
Birch Center for Health, 1931 East Carson Street, Pittsburgh, Pa
$35, call (412) 381-0116 to register
In this workshop we'll discuss wild edibles, take a wild edible walk around the south side, and return to the Birch Center for wild edible recipe demos and sampling, including the vinegars made and discussed in the video!

Hope to see you soon!

Love,
Melissa and Dave

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Happy Holidays...and What I'm Up To

Happy Passover and Happy Easter to everyone!!!

Though not quite ready for the big drum roll and announcement...if you want to see what I've been up to, take a look at www.FoodUnderFoot.com...it's a website all about wild edibles that I have been putting together with Dave and also my brother Jason.

Let me know what you think (and don't forget to sign up for the newsletter over there...it will come with a 5-part mailing of five favorite Wild Edibles!!!)

And remember to check out our events page...our early spring walks are coming right up! And there's a lot growing out there: garlic mustard, onion grass, dandelion, burdock, coltsfoot, mullein, mugwort...to name just a few.

Hope to see you soon!

Love,
Melissa

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Natural News - East and West, Dandelion is Best

Here is an article I wrote about dandelions, which was published today by Mike Adams in Natural News!

(NaturalNews) It is the time of year to find dandelion greens emerging from the ground. Dandelion leaves are found in basal rosettes, and will stay this way even when it puts up its flower stalk. The leaves are hairless and sharply toothed (the name Dandelion means "tooth of lion.") ...

Read the complete article here.

The wild edibles are really coming up!!!

Our spring walk schedule is now posted on the right hand side of this blog, and also on our website.

We hope to see you soon!

Love to all,

Melissa Sokulski

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter! We have raw recipes, information about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and overall wellness information. Thank you!

www.BirchCenter.com

Monday, March 16, 2009

Mmm...Monday: Garlic Mustard Pesto

A Tutorial on Garlic Mustard
written by me: Melissa Sokulski, L.Ac and herbalist of The Birch Center for Health

Garlic mustard (Alliaria officinalis or Alliaria petiolata) is one of the first wild edibles...and it's already up in Western Pa! It grows along shaded roadsides, woody paths, and other shady areas. It is actually an invasive weed and is easy to find in most places (more on that later.) Garlic Mustard is a biennial plant in the mustard family (Brassicareae.)

Garlic Mustard leaves first appear as heart-shaped coarsely-toothed and veined leaves close to the ground. They taste and smell (when crushed) strongly of garlic. Soon the second year plants will send up their flower stalk; the leaves will alternate along the flower stalk and become thinner, and white four-petaled flowers will appear at the top.

According to field guides, there are no poisonous look alikes and all parts of this plant are edible.

The leaves become bitter as the weather gets hot, so they are best collected in early spring and summer. They can be collected either from the ground rosettes or from the stalk.

Flowers and chopped leaves can be added to salads for a nice pungeant garlic flavor.

The roots can be collected in early spring and again in late fall, when no flower stalks are present. These are very spicy and taste like horseradish. The root can be chopped and steeped in apple cider vinegar for a spicy condiment.

In the fall the seeds, which have a mustard flavor, can be collected and eaten.

Garlic Mustard was brought to North America in the 1860's as a culinary herb and has become quite invasive, threatening both native plants and animals. Certain butterflies mistake the flowers of garlic mustard for Toothwort flowers, and lay their eggs on the garlic mustard, which is toxic to their larvae. The National Park Service recommends various management techniques such as hand removal to toxic herbicides to fire control. So when you see garlic mustard, now you have another excuse to sample and use this delicious wild edible plant.

Raw Garlic Mustard Pesto


1 1/2 cups garlic mustard leaves
1 1/2 cups spinach leaves
juice of 1/2 - 1 lemon (to taste)
1 clove garlic (or more to taste)
1/2 cup pine nuts or walnuts
1/4 cup olive oil
salt or tamari to taste

Blend above ingredients in food processor or blender and enjoy over pasta, zucchini noodles, on a cracker or on zucchini or sweet potato rounds.

Caution: If you are unsure of a wild plant, please do not eat! Many wild plants are poisonous!

Please join us for our first Wild Edible Walk of the Year!

Place: Frick Nature Center - Earth Day Celebration
Day: Saturday, April 18, 2009
Time: 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Price: Free! (The city's picking up the tab for this one!)

For more information visit Frick's website, or visit our events page.

Much love,
Melissa Sokulski

Please sign up for our monthly newsletter! We have raw recipes, information about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and overall wellness information. Thank you!

www.BirchCenter.com