Herbal Electuaries

I have a passion for all things herbal. One of my favorite things to make are herbal electuaries. They are a mixture of powdered herbs and honey, that can either be rolled into small balls (called pastilles) or eaten straight off of the spoon. They’re also a great way to get kids to take herbs because the honey masks the flavor of the herbs.

Today I made a combination of slippery elm root powder, marshmallow root powder and cinnamon. I chose slippery elm and marshmallow to sooth my sons sore throat. Both of these herbs are quite soothing to irritated tissue. It is also good for gut tissue (think leaky gut), as well as indigestion and heart burn. Cinnamon mixed with honey is antimicrobial. You can make as little or as many as you’d like. Simply put the powdered herbs into a bowel and add honey until you can form a ball to make “dough” and shape however you’d like.

Typically I roll them but tiny cookie cutters are fun to use as well and a great way to get your kids involved. Sprinkle with marshmallow root or slippery elm powder to take away the stickiness. You can store them in an airtight container or leave them on the counter covered with parchment paper for a few days to allow them to dry, this will make them a bit more like a lozenge. You can use different herbs of your choice and just powder them yourself. A coffee grinder comes in handy for this. Chamomile, lavender, peppermint, ginger, dandelion, marshmallow root, all kinds of culinary herbs, work fantastic. A great relaxing electuary for kids is combining equal parts of chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, and catnip. Helpful with irritability, teething(over the age of one due to honey), sleeplessness, fussiness, tummy aches. Also quite helpful for irritable parents.