This recipe came from Llewellyn’s Herbal Almanac for the year 2000, page 34 and sounds lovely:
Lemon Balm Muffins
2 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons minced lemon balm
Grease muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray, butter, or oil. Blend together the dry ingredients. In another bowl, whick the eggs until blended. Add applesauce, lemon juice, and minced lemon balm. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix well and drop into muffin tins. BAke at 375 for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm with butter.
If you still have some lemon balm leaves left after making muffins, then it’s time to brew some tea to go with the muffins. You can brew tea from fresh leaves simply by pouring 1 quart of hot (almost boiling) water over a generous handful of fresh, clean lemon balm leaves. Cover and let steep for about 20 minutes, then serve with honey.
You can also dry your lemon balm for use in tea later in the year: pick a large amount of leaves, clean them, and spread out on a large cookie sheet. Preheat your oven to warm, then place the tray of lemon balm in the oven and leave the oven door slightly ajar. Check it every hour or so. After two to three hours, when the leaves are starting to feel crumbly, remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool, crumble the dried leaves into an airtight container. Use a strainer or tea ball to make lemon balm tea anytime.
Lemon balm is said to relieve stress, depression, and melancholy; so next time your best friend starts freaking out over the latest relationship drama, brew her up a cup of lemon balm tea. Throw in a muffin for good measure.
Additionally, if you mix your dried lemon balm with dried spearmint and lavendar and make a spot ‘o’ tea, it is said to calm the stomach and relieve indigestion and gas; might be a good habit to take up after any meal involving beans. A tea of lemon balm with catnip might help relieve menstrual cramps and stress headaches. Tell your significant other about this, instruct him in the proper brewing of a cup, and let him know when the need arises. (As if he’ll need to be told…)
One more idea for lemon balm: make a simple syrup out of lemon balm, sugar, and water (recipe below). Use it as a glaze for shortbread or pound cake, over ice cream, or diluted in club soda for a refreshing alternative to the more caffeine-laden options.
Simple Lemon Balm Syrup
2 cups water
1/2 cup dried lemon balm
2 cups sugar
Bring water to boil; add the lemon balm. Remove from heat and cover. Let steep 20 minutes. Strain out the lemon balm and discard. Place the liquid back on the heat and bring to a boil again. Add the sugar and boil 15 minutes, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a sterilized jar and refrigerate for up to one year.
And now the standard disclaimer: I am not a medical professional or even a professional herbalist, or even close to a professional anything that has to do with herbs or food or medicine or health. None of the information presented here is intended to be medical advice. Consult your doctor about persistent health problems. The owner of this website is not responsible for any actions taken by visitors upon reviewing the information contained herein.
Frankly, I’m sad that a disclaimer is even necessary; but in a world where you can get money for spilling hot coffee on yourself, anything goes.
Image Credit: The County Clerk.
Some really nice sounding recipes there, I’d love to try the muffins. I’ve never grown lemon balm but it sounds easy I’ll have to try it.
Wow, these sound delicious! I’ve got a lemon balm plant in my garden that is HUGE. I’m going to have to try some of these. Its definately an easy plant to grow, and smells so nice!