Oil infusions

 I make most of my own oil infusions for my salves and such. Everything from dandelion and comfrey to rose hip and yarrow. Infusing oils is an excellent way to harness the nutritive and healing value of herbs. I primarily work with food grade ingredients to keep the nourishing value of the oils and herbs. They tend to be stripped away with cosmetic grade products. Doing it this way allows the same infused oil that I’d use for a salve or body oil, to also be used as the base oil for my vinaigrettes, marinades and cooking oils! Health does start from the inside and I do love it when things are multipurpose! A proper infused herb oil requires the oils to be heated and the herbs to be steeped, like you would tea. It is the warming process that allows the nutrients of the herbs to release into the oil. There are several methods of doing this, but the one I like to use takes roughly a week. It's a rather soothing and fascinating process for me to watch the oils slowly take on the colours of the herbs. It is not labour intensive, but it does require a bit of time and patience. You can do this by using a hot water bath, placing your jars in a sunny window, or the quick method, heating your oil infusion on the stove for a couple of hours. When it comes to the oils you can use any of your cooking oils. Avocado, coconut, olive oil, sesame, a blend of a couple of different ones, the choice is yours. When you are done infusing, you strain out the herbs and store in a cool dark place, then you can use it for any of your dressing and marinade recipes. I like to take infused dandelion, bladderwrack or ginger oil as my base for recipes, then I mix in my kitchen herbs and other ingredients and voila!  Now you have a nutrient power house dressing or marinade. You can mix and match your oils and herbs and really play! The combinations are endless and let’s face it, you can’t beat the taste of homemade!