lemon balm recipes

Lemon Balm ( Melissa officinalis) Magickal uses:

Lemon Balm is used in spells to bring Animal healing, compassion, endings, fertility, happiness, healing, longevity, love, mental, prosperity, psychic, release, success,and youth.

Balm was planted by ones front door to drive away evil spirits. It was also used to draw bees to the hive. Lemon Balm was a very Works well in amulets for good luck, and metal clarity. Lemon balm burning in as an offering on you altar greatly enhances your state of meditation. Soak in wine for 3 hours, remove and serve wine to friends and loved ones. A sacred Herb to the temple of Diana, used medicinally by the Greeks 2,000 years ago. .

CULINARY:

Fresh leaves can be added to salad or used in egg dishes and can be used to make sauces for fish, poultry and pork. Dried or fresh the whole plant is used to make cool refreshing drinks or warm relaxing teas.

Breakfast tea:

2 tsp. chopped leaves added to 1 cup boiling water steep 5 to 10 min. strain add honey and, or lemon.

Cold highnooner:

2 tbsp. per cup of cold water, let stand for 6 to 8 hours. Strain, add ice peppermint sprig and sweeten to taste.

HONEY AND LEMON BALM TEA BISCUITS
1 c Butter
1 c Honey
3 Eggs
3 c Flour
3 ts Baking powder
1 tb Milk
2 ts Lemon juice -OR- lemon flavoring
4 Sprigs fresh lemon balm -- chopped

Thoroughly cream the butter and honey. Add eggs and beat well. Add the dry ingredients, then the milk, flavoring, and lemon balm. Drop by spoonfuls on an ungreased baking sheet and bake 8 to 10 minutes at 375 F.

Valentino

2 oz unsalted butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 generous Tbsp strawberry preserves or orange marmalade
1 tsp orange zest
1 Tbsp Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur or fresh orange juice
3 Tbsp chopped fresh lemon balm
Fresh strawberries for optional garnish
Fresh lemon balm sprigs for optional garnish

Blend the butter and cream cheese with a fork. Mix in the other ingredients. Best made a day in advance for flavors to mingle; chill overnight and serve at room temperature. Keeps for a week. Use as a dip or serve as a spread. (The Herb Garden Cookbook)

Crab Soup with Lemon Balm and Coconut Milk

1 large steamed crab, such as Dungeness or blue
½ inch piece ginger, peeled
12 large lemon balm sprigs
3 shallots, 2 chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbsp Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce
1 tsp dried shrimp paste or ½ tsp anchovy paste
1 14-oz can unsweetened coconut milk
1 green Thai or serrano chili
1 red Thai or serrano chili
zest of ½ lime
juice of 1 lime, or to taste.

Scrub the crab well, then crack the shells and remove the meat, keeping it in large pieces. Set the meat aside. Break the shells into small pieces with a mallet or the blunt side of a chefs knife. Place the broken shells in a food processor with 1 cup water and process for about 1 minute. Scrape the shells and liquid into a noncorrodible pan and add 4 cups water. If you are using pre-shelled crab meat, place 4 cups chicken stock in a noncorrodible pan. Slice the ginger about 1/8 inch thick and add to the shells and water or to the stock. Bruise six lemon balm sprigs and add them to the pan along with the chopped shallots and garlic. Simmer the broth for 15 minutes, skimming occasionally. Strain the broth into a clean noncorrodible pan. Stir the coconut milk very well and add half of it to the broth. Remove the leaves from the remaining lemon balm and shred them. Cut the remaining shallot in a fine dice. Stem the chilis and slice them in thin diagonal pieces. Remove the seeds if desired. Add the lemon balm, shallot, chilis, and lime zest to the broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the crab meat and lime juice and heat through. Serve hot. (Herbs in the Kitchen)

Lemon Balm Chicken

4 boned chicken breasts
2 Tbsp dry sherry
¾ cup shredded cheese (Swiss or another white cheese)
½ cup light cream
4 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp chopped lemon balm

Salt/pepper

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Melt butter and fry chicken 5-7 minutes. Place chicken in glass baking dish. Add sherry and lemon balm and cream into the pan of hot butter. Stir and simmer over low heat. Pour liquid over chicken. Top with cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes in 350o oven in covered dish. Serve with sauce over angel hair pasta. (The Herbal Connection CollectionVolume 1)

Lemon Balm-Spearmint Pesto

2 cups fresh lemon balm and spearmint leaves
½ cup olive oil
½ cup garlic cloves

Chop and blend all ingredients together. This blend can be stored frozen for 2-3 months in an airtight container. Ideal to use as a fresh summer sauce on fish. (Herb Mixtures & Spicy Blends)

Berry Balm Crunch

16 oz blackberries, raspberries or blueberries
2 Tbsp lemon juice
4 Tbsp finely chopped fresh lemon balm
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
5 Tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp cinnamon

sprigs of fresh lemon balm for garnish

Combine berries, lemon juice, and lemon balm. Spread in an 8-inch square baking pan. Mix sugar and next 4 ingredients. Sprinkle over berries. Bake at 375o for 30 minutes or until crisp and brown. Serve warm with ice cream and garnish. (Todays Herbal Kitchen)

Lemon Balm Cornucopia Cookies with Minted Berries and Lemon Balm Custard

3 cups strawberries cut into fourths
3 Tbsp sugar
1 ½ Tbsp Grand Marnier
1 Tbsp minced fresh mint
¼ cup sugar
2 Tbsp melted unsalted butter
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 Tbsp minced fresh lemon balm
1 large egg white, at room temperature
¼ cup flour
6 large egg yolks
6 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp whipping cream
4 ½ Tbsp fresh lemon juice
6 Tbsp whipping cream
1 Tbsp minced fresh lemon balm

Sprinkle strawberries with 3 tablespoons sugar, Grand Marnier and mint in large bowl; stir gently. Chill for 2-4 hours. Process ¼ cup sugar, butter, lemon peel and 1 tablespoon lemon balm in food processor until fluffy. Add egg white. Process for 2-4 seconds. Pour mixture into bowl; stir in flour. Spoon 1 tablespoon batter onto buttered baking sheet. Spread into a 5-inch circle. Repeat, having 2 circles on baking sheet at a time. Bake at 325 degrees for 12 minutes or until pale golden color. Loosen each cookie from baking sheet quickly; fold into cornucopia shape. Cool on wire rack. Repeat process until all batter is used. May prepare a day in advance and store in a single layer in an airtight container. Whisk egg yolks, 6 tablespoons sugar, 3 tablespoons whipping cream and lemon juice in double boiler. Cook over simmering water for 5 minutes or until mixture is thickened and no longer separates, stirring constantly. Pour into bowl to cool; press waxed paper on top to prevent skin from forming on custard. Beat 6 tablespoons whipping cream in mixer bowl until soft peaks form. Fold in 1 tablespoon lemon balm. Fold mixture into cooled custard. Fill cornucopia cookies with custard, allowing some custard to spill out onto dessert plate. Drain strawberries; spoon over custard. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Lemon Balm Cheesecake

2 c flour
1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt
1 c butter or margarine
1 egg yolk

Combine in food processor and process about 1 minute, until well blended. Flatten on waxed paper and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Filling:

8 oz cream cheese
½ c sugar
3 c lemon balm leaves, loosely packed, large stems removed
2-3 drops lemon extract (optional)
1 egg
1 tsp lemon rind

Cut cream cheese into chunks, put all ingredients into food processor. Pulse a few times, then process for about 2 minutes until smooth and well blended. Remove pastry from refrigerator and roll out on floured waxed paper until about 1/8 inch thick. Cut 4 circles with knife and lift each circle into a muffin tin. Press down lightly to make circle fit tin. Spoon in cheese filling about 2/3 of the way full. Makes about 15 small cheese cakes. Bake at 250 degrees, 20 minutes. Dont over bake.

Tropical Smoothie with Mint and Lemon Balm

1 medium banana, peeled and slices
1 medium mango, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 medium papaya, peeled, seeded, and chopped
3 cups skim milk
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
¼ cup fresh lemon balm leaves
2 Tbsp honey.

Combine all ingredients in a blender, puree, and serve immediately. Garnish with sprigs of fresh mint or lemon balm, if desired.

Lemon Balm was dedicated to the goddess Diana, and used medicinally by the Greeks some 2,000 years ago. In the Middles Ages lemon balm was used to soothe tension, to dress wounds, and as a cure for toothache, skin eruptions, mad dog bites, crooked necks, and sickness during pregnancy. It was even said to prevent baldness. As a medicinal plant, lemon balm has traditionally been employed against bronchial inflammation, earache, fever, flatulence, headaches, high blood pressure, influenza, mood disorders, palpitations, toothache and vomiting. A tea made from Lemon balm leaves is said to soothe menstrual cramps and helps relieve PMS.

The herb is used for nervous agitation, sleeping problems, functional gastrointestinal complaints, menstrual cramps and urinary spasms.

It is thought that the volatile oils in lemon balm contain chemicals that relax muscles, particularly in the bladder, stomach, and uterus, thereby relieving cramps, gas, and nausea.

ESCOP (European Scientific Cooperative On Phytotherapy) lists its internal use for tenseness, restlessness, irritability, and symptomatic treatment of digestive disorders, such as minor spasms; externally, for herpes labialis (ESCOP, 1997).
Recent evidence suggests that lemon balm has a depressant or sedative action on the central nervous systems of laboratory mice. The German Standard License for lemon balm tea approves it for nervous disorders of sleep and of the gastrointestinal tract, and to stimulate the appetite (Wichtl and Bisset, 1994).

Grave's Disease
Lemon balm may block some of the activity of thyroid hormone in the body. Therefore, it has been used in the past to treat Grave's disease, an auto-immune condition in which the thyroid gland produces excess thyroid hormone. Although laboratory and animal studies show that lemon balm may help decrease thyroid in the body, no human studies have yet been conducted for this possible use.

Mental Clarity, Concentration and Relaxation
Lemon balm is widely used to treat anxiety and insomnia in Europe. It reduces anxiety and stress and eases sleep disorders. Recently it produced an unexpected result in a research study: it greatly increased the ability to concentrate and perform word and picture tasks.

Helpful for Homework?
In a study of lemon balm at Northumbria Univeristy in England students were tested for weeks while using either Lemon balm or a placebo. The students did significantly better on the tests after taking Lemon balm and continued to post improved scores for up to six hours after taking the herb. The students taking Lemon balm were noted to be calmer and less stressed during the tests. (From Prevention Magazine Sept. 2004)

Herpes and Anti-viral Properties
Research has shown that the plant contains polyphenols, it can help significantly in the treatment of cold sores and combat the herpes simplex virus, shingles as well as other viral afflictions. Studies have shown a significant reduction in the duration and severity of herpes. Researchers also noted a "tremendous reduction" in the frequency of recurrence.

When applied to cold sores or genital sores caused by the herpes simplex virus, creams or ointments containing lemon balm have speeded healing. The infections did not spread as much and individuals using topical lemon balm also reported more relief from symptoms such as itching and redness. At least part of this effect is due to antiviral properties of caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid, which are contained in lemon balm.
In one study on 115 patients, a proprietary preparation of lemon balm extract in a lip balm showed efficacy in treating lip sores associated with the herpes simplex virus (Wöbling and Leonhardt,1994).

Insomnia/Anxiety
Several studies have used Lemon balm, and Lemon balm/Valerian combinations to treat stress, anxiety and insomnia. The studies have shown improved sleep patterns and reduced stress and anxiety. In one study a Lemon balm/Valerian combination was found to be as effective as the prescription drug Halcion.
Lemon balm is approved for "nervous sleeping disorders" and "functional gastrointestinal complaints" by Commission E of the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices. Commission E is the German governmental agency that evaluates the safety and effectiveness of herbal products. The United States does not have a comparable agency to evaluate herbal products.

Thyroid and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Lemon balm is used in Europe for treating thyroid problems and has shown an ability to regulate thyroid hormone production. This ability, along with the herbs anti-viral characteristics have made the herb useful in the treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Alzheimer's and Dementia
Lemon balm contains volatile (essential) oils ,including citronellal and citrals A and B, which are known to have sedative properties. In both animal and human studies, lemon balm taken by mouth has had calming effects. In larger doses, it may promote sleep. In one study, researchers found that using lemon balm also improved memory and lengthened attention span in individuals suffering from Alzheimer's disease. This effect may be due to its content of antioxidants, which are thought to protect body cells from damage caused by a chemical process called oxidation.
Another small but interesting study used lemon balm, aromatherapeutically to calm overexcited individuals suffering from dementia. Dementia is an increasing deficiency in thought processes caused by brain damage such as from a stroke or disease such as Alzheimer's disease.