The Herb Stop Blog

We have so many choices when it comes to beverages, and rooibos tea may be just the one you’ll enjoy the most. Rooibos tea has been getting an amazing amount of press recently. As people begin searching for healthy alternatives to soft drinks, rooibos, with its polyphenols, iron, zinc, fluoride, calcium and magnesium fits the bill. Enjoyed in South Africa for centuries, rooibos was first made available to Westerners by a Russian émigré named Benjamin Ginsberg. He recognized that its beneficial properties and wonderful taste made it an excellent caffeinefree alternative to traditional caffeinated teas. Besides being delicious, smooth, refreshing...

Anti-oxidants are very popular these days, because of their health enhancing and anti-aging benefits. But, what are anti-oxidants? Antioxidants are actually chemicals produced by the body to keep free radicals in check. They achieve this by circulating throughout the body and neutralizing any unpaired electrons they encounter, thereby rendering them inactive. However, if the body is unable to produce enough anti-oxidants to meet the high demands caused by to much stress, pollution, poor dietary choices, as well as electromagnetic fields, free radicals continue to multiply, speeding up the aging process, as well as opening the door to many illnesses. What...

The occasional stress may not be all bad, as long as we are capable of dealing with the situation at hand. It is actually a good force to challenge and motivate us to do things we do not think we are capable of. On the other hand, long-term stress can build up and take a toll on our physical and emotional health. How we adapt to physical, emotional, and environmental stressors determines whether we stay balanced and healthy or fall into disease. With all this said, how can herbs help us deal with everyday stress? Nature has provided us with...

  Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Raw, Vegetarian & Vegan This is a mouth watering dish for breakfast, dessert or anytime!  Beautiful colors for your eyes and delicious flavors for your taste buds! Apricot & Mango Delight 1 Mango, sliced and pit removed 5 Apricots, sliced and pit removed 1 Banana 1/2 cup Cashews, pre-soaked for 2 hours 1 Orange, juiced Blend banana, cashews and orange juice in a food processor, or blender, until smooth and creamy.  Pour into a plate (save a little to drizzle on top) and arrange mango and apricot pieces on top.  Garnish with a little extra sauce and...

  Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, No Fat or Oils I went to the grocery store this afternoon for bananas.  15 minutes later - I apparently had decided to make myself tacos or tostadas for Cinco de Mayo!  All those yummy veggies were staring me down!  As I strolled through the produce department, I remembered that while we were in California we discovered potato tacos.  I had never heard of such a thing, but they were delicious!  My only issue was that the potatoes were reheated with oil - lots of oil.  I put my own little spin on these yummy guys and...

I just came home from an amazing vacation in the beautiful Carlsbad, CA.  While there, I filmed the beautiful sounds of the ocean for 55 seconds!  ENJOY!!!  

  Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, No Fat or Oils I have always been a huge fan of potatoes, but potato salad has never really interested me.  Perhaps it's because it's normally made with mayonnaise  which I have never liked.  While visiting Whole Foods a couple weeks ago, they had a potato salad without mayo or sour cream and I tried some and I was pleasantly surprised.  I decided to make a potato salad without vinegar, mayo, sour cream, fat, etc. that would be yummy and this turned out to be exceptional!!  Mmmm.mmmmmm! Vegan Dill Potato Salad 10-12 small-medium Red Potatoes (adjust...

  Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, 80-10-10 This soup is one of my absolute favorites.  Strawberry soup is cool, sweet, comforting and delicious! You can serve this for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even dessert!  I love adding lots of different fruits to keep the colors and texture interesting.  Simply AMAZING! Strawberry Soup with Fruits 1 - 12 oz bag of Organic Frozen Strawberries - thawed for 20 minutes 1 Tablespoon Coconut Manna (you can substitute this with 1/2 oz of Cashews) 4 Tablespoons Water 1 1/2 inches of a Fresh Vanilla Bean (you can substitute with a little Vanilla Extract) Additional...

Sodium is a necessary mineral and considered to bring youthfulness to the body’s tissues. Sodium is indispensable for healthy digestion, capillaries and arteries, and to help maintain flexibility and mobility in the joints. Without proper sodium, the joints would stiffen and calcify prematurely, and the lining of the stomach would not secrete the necessary enzymes for healthy digestion. Sodium has the ability to dissolve calcium deposits around the joints, arteries, capillaries and muscles, allowing the bloodstream to carry them out of the body. Sodium is crucial for maintaining the health of every cell in the human system. The sun is considered the sodium star, therefore all fruits and vegetables...

Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, High Protein This easy to make black bean burger recipe is incredibly tasty, filling and amazing!  My biggest gripe about black bean burgers is that they don't stay together - half of your burger is on the plate in pieces before you even get to dig in!  I've remedied that issue without adding any grains and they are still mouth watering!  Black beans are incredibly healthy for you - so as long as you're only using a little bit of oil to cook these, you wont have to worry about excessive amounts of fat. Vegan Black...