Banana Lassi

Ingredients:

• 150 g ice cube, crushed well
• 150 ml ice water
• 150 g natural yoghurt
• 2 very ripe banana, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1-2 teaspoon honey (optional)
• 1 pod crushed cardamom

Blend all of the above ingredients together in a blender. Served chilled and garnish with a slice of banana.

Mango Lassi

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup fresh mango
• 1 cup crushed ice
• 3 table spoons sugar/honey

Blend all of ingredients. Add a little water if the consistency is too thick. Keep refrigerated. Serve chilled. Garnish with a sprig of mint. Makes 4 servings.

Rose Water Lassi

Ingredients:

• Yogurt 500g
• Cream 50g
• Sugar 150g
• Rose essence 3 drops
• Lemon/fruit (optional)
• Ice cubes 100g

Mix yogurt, ice cubes, sugar in a bowl and blend to a fine paste.

In a tall glass, add yogurt mix, sprinkle rose essence and chill.

Serve with cream.

Jasminum Officinale

Ingredients:

• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 cups jasminum officinale flowers
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 liter water

Simmer everything togther for 15 minutes. Strain and cool. Bottle the syrup. Use one spoon in chilled water, or stir into hot water.

*Said to soothe anxiety

Pink Rosemary

Rosemary can be used for acne/problem skin as an astringent/tonic after cleansing.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of flowering rosemary sprigs
• 1.5 liters water

Boil water, add the rosemary and cover for 15 minutes. Allow to cool and apply with cotton to the face.

Hair restoration

• 3 cups rosemary leaves and flowers

• 2 liters water

Same steps as above. Strain & refrigerate. Apply to scalp after shampooing.

Gardenia

I must say, I stopped by Lowes and Home Depot the other day, and was stuck in the gardening section sniffing them. I honestly did not want to part with them! In Indonesia tea is often made of the plentiful Gardenias. So to make Gardenia tea….

Ingredients:

• 2 cups gardenia petals and leaves
• 4 cups water
• honey (to taste)

Boil the water in a pot/kettle.  Add the gardenia petals and leaves. Cover and allow to steep for 5-15 minutes.

Serve warm, and sweeten with honey.

*From Edible and Medicinal Flowers by Margaret Roberts, I also read that this tea can lower fevers, helps heart palpitations, lowers high blood pressure, and eases stress and anxiety.

Gardenia Milkshake

Ingredients:

• 1 glass milk
• 1 ripe banana
• 6 gardenia petal
• 1 well beaten egg white (optional)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Blend all ingredients except cinnamon.  Pour into a glass, and sprinkle cinnamon.

γλυκό τριαντάφυλλο

Glyko Triantafyllo

In Greek: γλυκό τριαντάφυλλο, pronounced ghlee-KOH tree-ahn-DA-feeloh

Materials:

• Medium pot
• Sterile jars

Ingredients:

• Rose petals (2 cups)
• Sugar (2 cups)
• Water (1.5 cups)
• Juice of 2 lemons

Wash petals thoroughly.

Transfer petals to a pot with 1/2 the sugar and 1/2 the water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add remaining water and sugar, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and boil until the syrup thickens to the stage where it coats the back of a spoon (approx. 20 min). Skim off any foam that rises to the top.

Add lemon juice and continue to boil for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

When mixture reaches room temperature, store in sterilized jar.

*Article from about.com slightly modified. Would probably go very well on toast with tea!

Materials:

• 1 large stockpot with lid
• 1 small brick/flat stone/ ramekin (ceramic bowl)
• 1 shallow soup bowl

Ingredients:

• Rose petals (2-3 quarts)
• Water
• Ice cubes

Place brick in center of stockpot, and place the petals around it. Place soup bowl on top of the brick. Pour just enough water to cover petals. Cover stockpot with inverted lid to seal. Bring the water and rose petals to a boil. Fill lid with ice. Lower heat to simmer.

Simmer the mixture 3 to 4 hours, depending on the amount. As the mixture boils, the heat rises and hits the cold lid, causing it to condense and drip down into the shallow soup bowl. Replace ice as needed as it melts.

When done, the soup bowl will contain the rose water and have a layer of rose oil that is the essential oil. The oil may be separated from the water.

Pt. II: Triple Rose Water

Materials:

• Jar w/lid
• Sterile bottle

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups rose petals
• 3 cups rose water
• 6 drops rose essential oil
• 1 tsp. pure witch hazel
• 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar (optional)

Pour all rose petals into jar. Add ACV. Add the rose water. Add the rose essential oil. Seal lid. Store in cool, dark place. Allow to steep for 3 weeks. Afterwards, open the jar, strain the mixture into a bottle. Add the witch hazel to preserve longer.

*Note: I used various sources, and tweaked it to make it easier and more concentrated. Rose petals can even be substituted with an herb, such as rosemary, or you could probably even add it in there along with the petals.  Just add your own creativity, and do some research on what’s good for your skin.