Sometimes, I forget that a lot of folks still do 'stuff' on Friday nights. I usually am at home writing or reading, but it's nice to know that people are still out doing what people everywhere do at the beginning of a weekend. Staying up a little later than usual, relishing a few days off, connecting with friends and talking about their week, or just blowing off a 'little steam'.
Last night, a few guests dropped by. It was nice to see them. It provided a break from the monotony of the rain and fog that we've had for the past ten days. I had some good beer in the 'fridge and a fire in the woodstove and it was a very nice evening.
I had planned on having buffalo burgers for dinner, but started worrying that I hadn't thawed enough burger to feed a crowd, so went into 'presto-chango' mode. I added eggs, breadcrubs and herbs to the burger and put them into a sauce made from home made peach jam, sort of like a swedish meatball dish.
I brought up onions from the cellar, sauteed them, threw in a couple of handfuls of chickweed, blended that with eggs, cheese and milk and poured it into a phylo crust that I had in the freezer. (I hate to waste the phylo dough, so I used the rest of the package as a 'top crust'.)
Sliced some elk salami, farmers cheese and some home made herb crackers that I had made on Thursday.
And a homemade no-bake cheesecake thingy with blackberries I had picked last summer, in a pine nut crust.
I think it was one of the best 'on the fly' dinners I have ever made! And there is not a crumb of leftovers today!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
What Sort of a Blog is This, Anyway?
Huh. This is really turning out to be an herb blog, no? I didn’t intend for it to be. It is suppose to be a blog about caring for a loved one, while living on farm. Why then, is there so much about herbs?
Taking care of a parent is stressful. If you’ve done it, you know what I mean. Although it is an opportunity that I treasure, there are times when I want to pull my hair out. No, really. My mother has dementia coupled with a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Which means that dishes must be stacked in a particular order, coffee cups must be filled in a certain sequence and light bulbs must be rotated so that they all ‘wear evenly’. There’s more, but I don’t want to bore you.
Don’t get me wrong. She has her adorable moments. She gave me a head of broccoli for Christmas. And she lined up all the dogs and gave them lectures on personal hygiene the other day, addressing them as ‘people’.
But I found that the stress was ‘killing me’. Quite literally. My blood pressure was up, my muscles were tense and I really couldn’t get much relief. I tried meditation, exercise, ‘getting out’. But nothing really helped. And then I realized that I had the answer all along.
My family has always been ‘herby’. As a child, I was the recipient of mustard plasters and comfrey tea. My mother told me about soap plant and miner's lettuce when I was four years old. I cooked wild foods for my kids as nature lessons. I’ve always made herb teas, grown gardens and ‘listened to the plants’. So why not see if there was something there that could help with my tension?
And I did. Frankly, my little ‘brew’ was a lifesaver. It’s safer than any pill and cheaper. But my success made me look deeper into the herb world. I have sort of a…er….’lot’ of science in my background. I won’t say it’s easy to sift through all the nonsense about herbs, but it does make it easier to actually look at the compounds that they contain and deduce an expected result.
And it’s fun too. Wintertime on a farm can be pretty…quiet. Well, ok, it does have its moments. Like the bear that came through last fall or living without power for two days during a windstorm. But on the whole, I’m left with a whole lotta research time.
So, that’s why the blog is so ‘herby’. Don’t worry. As spring arrives, it’ll get more ‘farmy’.
Taking care of a parent is stressful. If you’ve done it, you know what I mean. Although it is an opportunity that I treasure, there are times when I want to pull my hair out. No, really. My mother has dementia coupled with a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Which means that dishes must be stacked in a particular order, coffee cups must be filled in a certain sequence and light bulbs must be rotated so that they all ‘wear evenly’. There’s more, but I don’t want to bore you.
Don’t get me wrong. She has her adorable moments. She gave me a head of broccoli for Christmas. And she lined up all the dogs and gave them lectures on personal hygiene the other day, addressing them as ‘people’.
But I found that the stress was ‘killing me’. Quite literally. My blood pressure was up, my muscles were tense and I really couldn’t get much relief. I tried meditation, exercise, ‘getting out’. But nothing really helped. And then I realized that I had the answer all along.
My family has always been ‘herby’. As a child, I was the recipient of mustard plasters and comfrey tea. My mother told me about soap plant and miner's lettuce when I was four years old. I cooked wild foods for my kids as nature lessons. I’ve always made herb teas, grown gardens and ‘listened to the plants’. So why not see if there was something there that could help with my tension?
And I did. Frankly, my little ‘brew’ was a lifesaver. It’s safer than any pill and cheaper. But my success made me look deeper into the herb world. I have sort of a…er….’lot’ of science in my background. I won’t say it’s easy to sift through all the nonsense about herbs, but it does make it easier to actually look at the compounds that they contain and deduce an expected result.
And it’s fun too. Wintertime on a farm can be pretty…quiet. Well, ok, it does have its moments. Like the bear that came through last fall or living without power for two days during a windstorm. But on the whole, I’m left with a whole lotta research time.
So, that’s why the blog is so ‘herby’. Don’t worry. As spring arrives, it’ll get more ‘farmy’.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Dreaming, Plotting, Scheming...
It's blowing hard outside. Really hard. The door has flown off my greenhouse, and the rain is pouring in parallel to the sky. I had planned a walk today to look for ground ivy, but thought I better be prudent and stay inside.
So, instead, I'm sitting here by the fire with a cup of linden tea and a lap full of seed catalogs. As a kid, I would spend hours pouring over the 'Sears and Roebuck' catalog. Today, it's the seed catalogs that hold my attention. I can get lost for hours, plotting and re-plotting my garden. Scheming on how I many new types of plants I can fit in.
It's really a lovely way to spend a rainy afternoon.
As I make my list of 'must haves' I'll make it includes cayenne pepper seeds. Peppers have become an important part of my 'medicine cabinet'.
Cayenne makes a wonderful oil for sore muscles, and a great base for balms. I don't find that it irritates my skin like many of the other capsaicin creams that are available at the store. But do make sure you don't get it in your eyes!
Cayenne Infused oil
Blend 5 tablespoons powdered cayenne with 2 cups of olive oil. Since the pepper 'hotness' will vary between plants, you may adjust to your own preferences. Place in a warm sunny window for 30 days. Strain mixture and rebottle. I mix it with comfry and goldenrod for a sore muscle balm. Other folks that I've talked to add turmeric powder as well.
Yes, I've missed my walk today, but I am so thankful for the rain. The ground is thirsty for it. The trees are thirsty for it. And I'm enjoying an afternoon respite.
I hope you get one too.
So, instead, I'm sitting here by the fire with a cup of linden tea and a lap full of seed catalogs. As a kid, I would spend hours pouring over the 'Sears and Roebuck' catalog. Today, it's the seed catalogs that hold my attention. I can get lost for hours, plotting and re-plotting my garden. Scheming on how I many new types of plants I can fit in.
It's really a lovely way to spend a rainy afternoon.
As I make my list of 'must haves' I'll make it includes cayenne pepper seeds. Peppers have become an important part of my 'medicine cabinet'.
Cayenne makes a wonderful oil for sore muscles, and a great base for balms. I don't find that it irritates my skin like many of the other capsaicin creams that are available at the store. But do make sure you don't get it in your eyes!
Cayenne Infused oil
Blend 5 tablespoons powdered cayenne with 2 cups of olive oil. Since the pepper 'hotness' will vary between plants, you may adjust to your own preferences. Place in a warm sunny window for 30 days. Strain mixture and rebottle. I mix it with comfry and goldenrod for a sore muscle balm. Other folks that I've talked to add turmeric powder as well.
Yes, I've missed my walk today, but I am so thankful for the rain. The ground is thirsty for it. The trees are thirsty for it. And I'm enjoying an afternoon respite.
I hope you get one too.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Shrinking Violet? Hardly.
After yesterday' violet sugar recipe, people wrote asking me for the recipes of other things that I had mentioned. So here they are. Some are my mother's original recipes, but some I've modernized...
Violet Jelly
2 cups fresh violets
2 cups boiling water
Juice of one lemon
1 pack pectin OR 3 oz bottle of Certo (Certo makes a clearer, prettier jelly, but it’s more expensive.)
4 cups sugar
Place the violets blossoms in a glass jar and cover them with the boiling water. Put a lid on the jar, and set aside for anywhere between 2-24 hours, depending on your schedule. The water will turn to an aqua blue. Strain and discard the spent flowers. Add the lemon juice and the mix will change to a pretty pink. (After you do this a time or two, you can sort of judge how much lemon juice to add to get a color that ‘suits’ you.) Stir in pectin, and bring to a boil. Add sugar, bring to a boil again, and boil vigorously for one minute. Skim if necessary. Pour into sterile jars and seal. Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups jelly.
Violet Syrup
4 cups Violets
2 cups Boiling water
6 cups Sugar
1 Lemon, juiced
2 cups Water
Place violet flowers in a mason jar and pour boiling water over them. Let sit 24 hours. Strain liquid into a bowl (not aluminum!) squeezing out all the goodness from the flowers.
Place sugar, lemon juice and water in a saucepan and boil into a very thick syrup, near the candy stage. Add violet water and bring to a rolling boil. Boil 10 minutes or until thickened. Pour into sterile bottles.
Allow to cool, then seal and refrigerate. Serve with club soda or as pancake topping, or brush on baked goods.
Blue Violet Herbal Syrup Recipe for respiratory ailments
1 ¼ oz of dried Blue Violet Leaf (Viola odorata)
1 ¼ quarts of distilled water
3 quarts of honey (roughly)
Place the Blue Violet Leaf in a stainless steel or glass pan and cover with 1 ¼ quarts of water. Let it sit overnight. In the morning place the pan on the stove and simmer for 15 minutes, then strain. Measure strained liquid. Take that measurement and add 3 times the amount of honey to the liquid. Heat gently until the liquid and honey incorporate, then pour into sterilized jars and cap. Label and store in a cool place. This has a shelf life of 1 year.
Once a jar is opened for use refrigerate it.
Candied Violets (Or Lilacs or Rose Petals or Rosemary or Lavender…)
There are a couple of ways to do this. If your concerned about salmonella from eggs, you can use one of those meringue powders that they sell. We eat them, use them to decorate cakes and candies and whatever else I can think of.
Recipe #1
1 c sugar + extra ( I use caster sugar, also known as Bakers sugar)
1/2 c water
Fresh violet blossoms
Combine 1 c of sugar plus the water in a saucepan and boil until syrup spins a thread.
Cool to room temperature.
Using tweezers, dip blossoms into syrup and shake off excess syrup.
Dip into granulated sugar.
Place on wax paper and dry thoroughly before using.
Recipe #2
Preheat oven to 150 degrees. You are not cooking the flowers, only drying the sugar coating.
Lightly beat an egg white until just foamy. You don’t want peaks. Dip each flower into the egg white to coat. You can use tweezers . Dip into caster sugar. Place on wax paper atop a wire cooling rack. Place in your extremely low heated oven with the door slightly open Once they dry in the oven, store in an airtight container. Placed in jars in layers separated by waxed paper, they’ll keep for several months.
Recipe #3 (This is the most tedious, but produces the best results…)
1 large egg white
1/3 cup water
superfine (caster) sugar
violets on the stem
Lightly beat together the egg white and water
Put the sugar into a bowl. Working with 1 violet at a time, dip the violet into the egg white mixture, then sprinkle sugar over all the flower, even between the petals. It‘s important that you get the whole surface covered, since sugar is what’s preserving the flower. I‘ve used tweezers, paintbrushes and scissors for all of this and they all get gummed up quickly, requiring a rinse. Lay flower on waxed paper to dry. Allow violets to completely dry at room temperature for several days before storing in airtight containers.
Violet Jelly
2 cups fresh violets
2 cups boiling water
Juice of one lemon
1 pack pectin OR 3 oz bottle of Certo (Certo makes a clearer, prettier jelly, but it’s more expensive.)
4 cups sugar
Place the violets blossoms in a glass jar and cover them with the boiling water. Put a lid on the jar, and set aside for anywhere between 2-24 hours, depending on your schedule. The water will turn to an aqua blue. Strain and discard the spent flowers. Add the lemon juice and the mix will change to a pretty pink. (After you do this a time or two, you can sort of judge how much lemon juice to add to get a color that ‘suits’ you.) Stir in pectin, and bring to a boil. Add sugar, bring to a boil again, and boil vigorously for one minute. Skim if necessary. Pour into sterile jars and seal. Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups jelly.
Violet Syrup
4 cups Violets
2 cups Boiling water
6 cups Sugar
1 Lemon, juiced
2 cups Water
Place violet flowers in a mason jar and pour boiling water over them. Let sit 24 hours. Strain liquid into a bowl (not aluminum!) squeezing out all the goodness from the flowers.
Place sugar, lemon juice and water in a saucepan and boil into a very thick syrup, near the candy stage. Add violet water and bring to a rolling boil. Boil 10 minutes or until thickened. Pour into sterile bottles.
Allow to cool, then seal and refrigerate. Serve with club soda or as pancake topping, or brush on baked goods.
Blue Violet Herbal Syrup Recipe for respiratory ailments
1 ¼ oz of dried Blue Violet Leaf (Viola odorata)
1 ¼ quarts of distilled water
3 quarts of honey (roughly)
Place the Blue Violet Leaf in a stainless steel or glass pan and cover with 1 ¼ quarts of water. Let it sit overnight. In the morning place the pan on the stove and simmer for 15 minutes, then strain. Measure strained liquid. Take that measurement and add 3 times the amount of honey to the liquid. Heat gently until the liquid and honey incorporate, then pour into sterilized jars and cap. Label and store in a cool place. This has a shelf life of 1 year.
Once a jar is opened for use refrigerate it.
Candied Violets (Or Lilacs or Rose Petals or Rosemary or Lavender…)
There are a couple of ways to do this. If your concerned about salmonella from eggs, you can use one of those meringue powders that they sell. We eat them, use them to decorate cakes and candies and whatever else I can think of.
Recipe #1
1 c sugar + extra ( I use caster sugar, also known as Bakers sugar)
1/2 c water
Fresh violet blossoms
Combine 1 c of sugar plus the water in a saucepan and boil until syrup spins a thread.
Cool to room temperature.
Using tweezers, dip blossoms into syrup and shake off excess syrup.
Dip into granulated sugar.
Place on wax paper and dry thoroughly before using.
Recipe #2
Preheat oven to 150 degrees. You are not cooking the flowers, only drying the sugar coating.
Lightly beat an egg white until just foamy. You don’t want peaks. Dip each flower into the egg white to coat. You can use tweezers . Dip into caster sugar. Place on wax paper atop a wire cooling rack. Place in your extremely low heated oven with the door slightly open Once they dry in the oven, store in an airtight container. Placed in jars in layers separated by waxed paper, they’ll keep for several months.
Recipe #3 (This is the most tedious, but produces the best results…)
1 large egg white
1/3 cup water
superfine (caster) sugar
violets on the stem
Lightly beat together the egg white and water
Put the sugar into a bowl. Working with 1 violet at a time, dip the violet into the egg white mixture, then sprinkle sugar over all the flower, even between the petals. It‘s important that you get the whole surface covered, since sugar is what’s preserving the flower. I‘ve used tweezers, paintbrushes and scissors for all of this and they all get gummed up quickly, requiring a rinse. Lay flower on waxed paper to dry. Allow violets to completely dry at room temperature for several days before storing in airtight containers.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
All Things Violet...
Down in a green and shady bed
A modest violet grew;
Its stalk was bent, it hung its head,
As if to hide from view.
And yet it was a lovely flower,
Its colors bright and fair!
It might have graced a rosy bower,
Instead of hiding there.
Yet there it was content to bloom,
In modest tints arrayed;
And there diffused its sweet perfume,
Within the silent shade.
Then let me to the valley go,
This pretty flower to see,
That I may also learn to grow
In sweet humility.
---Jane Taylor.
I thought I better get out for a good walk before the next storm hits here. It’s a gloomy day, with damp gusts of wind pushing the low clouds my head. But my somber mood lifted quickly when I spotted several Viola sp. peeking through last fall’s duff.
If there is any plant that sings of spring to me, it’s the sweet little violet. There is not another herb that reminds me of my childhood as much as those demure blooms. As a toddler, my mother made candy and spun a lovely violet sugar from them. On special occasions, she also perfumed me with violet cologne. Nowadays, my mother suffers from dementia and with her illness comes a raging sweet tooth. So the tables are turned. I make the violet candy, she sneaks them out of the jar and I pretend not to notice.
Violets are a cooling herbs with bitter qualities. The plant contains methyl-salicylic acid and violutoside, falconoid, violaxathin and derivatives, anthocyanins and coumarins, as well as mucilage, tannins and triterpene saponins. There are many species of Viola in the US and the genus includes pansies, violas and violets. All are edible and interchangeable however, excessive intake of V. oderata can cause nausea and individuals that are sensitive to saponins may develop diarrhea with long term use. Modern herbalists have used violets as a mild pain reliever, for respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis and congestion, different types of cancer, eczema and a host of other ailments which require anti-inflammatory actions. Because it’s been used successfully for detoxifying the lymph system, it may function to help modulate the immune system as well.
The young leaves are delicious added raw to salads, and are another of nature’s vitamin ’powerhouses’. A bit added to balms and salves, helps with dry, itchy skin. I use them in a syrup for sore throats. They can be added to vinegars, and violet jelly is a sublime experience. The flowers also have high levels Vitamin C and have a delicate sweet flavor.
Whether you decide to make violet candy, jelly or sugar, the recipes are about the easist to come out of the kitchen and require few ingredients
Here is a very simple recipe from my childhood.
Violet Sugar
Sugar infused with the delicate aroma of violets has a special place in my kitchen. Teas, frostings, baked goods. I love them all.
1/2 C Viola sp flowers, washed and allowed to dry.
1 C white sugar
Layer ½ inch of sugar into a jar. Place a single layer of violets on top. Repeat till gone. Let sit for two weeks. Use just about anywhere you’d use regular sugar.
A modest violet grew;
Its stalk was bent, it hung its head,
As if to hide from view.
And yet it was a lovely flower,
Its colors bright and fair!
It might have graced a rosy bower,
Instead of hiding there.
Yet there it was content to bloom,
In modest tints arrayed;
And there diffused its sweet perfume,
Within the silent shade.
Then let me to the valley go,
This pretty flower to see,
That I may also learn to grow
In sweet humility.
---Jane Taylor.
I thought I better get out for a good walk before the next storm hits here. It’s a gloomy day, with damp gusts of wind pushing the low clouds my head. But my somber mood lifted quickly when I spotted several Viola sp. peeking through last fall’s duff.
If there is any plant that sings of spring to me, it’s the sweet little violet. There is not another herb that reminds me of my childhood as much as those demure blooms. As a toddler, my mother made candy and spun a lovely violet sugar from them. On special occasions, she also perfumed me with violet cologne. Nowadays, my mother suffers from dementia and with her illness comes a raging sweet tooth. So the tables are turned. I make the violet candy, she sneaks them out of the jar and I pretend not to notice.
Violets are a cooling herbs with bitter qualities. The plant contains methyl-salicylic acid and violutoside, falconoid, violaxathin and derivatives, anthocyanins and coumarins, as well as mucilage, tannins and triterpene saponins. There are many species of Viola in the US and the genus includes pansies, violas and violets. All are edible and interchangeable however, excessive intake of V. oderata can cause nausea and individuals that are sensitive to saponins may develop diarrhea with long term use. Modern herbalists have used violets as a mild pain reliever, for respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis and congestion, different types of cancer, eczema and a host of other ailments which require anti-inflammatory actions. Because it’s been used successfully for detoxifying the lymph system, it may function to help modulate the immune system as well.
The young leaves are delicious added raw to salads, and are another of nature’s vitamin ’powerhouses’. A bit added to balms and salves, helps with dry, itchy skin. I use them in a syrup for sore throats. They can be added to vinegars, and violet jelly is a sublime experience. The flowers also have high levels Vitamin C and have a delicate sweet flavor.
Whether you decide to make violet candy, jelly or sugar, the recipes are about the easist to come out of the kitchen and require few ingredients
Here is a very simple recipe from my childhood.
Violet Sugar
Sugar infused with the delicate aroma of violets has a special place in my kitchen. Teas, frostings, baked goods. I love them all.
1/2 C Viola sp flowers, washed and allowed to dry.
1 C white sugar
Layer ½ inch of sugar into a jar. Place a single layer of violets on top. Repeat till gone. Let sit for two weeks. Use just about anywhere you’d use regular sugar.
2010 Traditions in Western Herbalism
One of the heroines of modern herbalism is sending out a call for help. If you cannot afford to attend the conference, this might be a way to make it there. Keep in mind, because you are working, you may miss some of the lectures...but still, this is an amazing opportunity!
This is from Kiva's website:
Call For Help with Conference Sponsor/Vendor Outreach
Free registration, acknowledgment & unending thanks offered to volunteers
doing outreach to potential event sponsors, vendors & practitioners and any amount of help welcomed from anyone who is willing to send a sponsor or vendor invite and application to any business or nonprofits you personally know of.
The TWHC is getting huge amounts of buzz on the internet, participants are already arranging rides here from as far away as New England and Canada, and we received so many requests to speak that we filled all the spots the first week. There will be a deep ecological and conservation element, with the help of United Plant Savers. The website has been upgraded, a special blog built just for conference announcements, a first batch of flyers and brochure went out, and more are in the works. And finally, Mt. Rose Herbs and LearningHerbs.com made the first good sized sponsor donations. That said, we have a number of tables/spaces to fill, and we could use more financial sponsors to ensure the event’s success.
There are 3 essential elements to this work:
-researching related businesses, nonprofits and health practitioners in NM
-Sending materials email, or snail mail when necessary
-making followup calls to be sure they got the material, encouraging them to commit
We could especially use more help contacting places BETWEEN NOW AND FEB 1ST , the deadline for Sponsors to be included on the first 1,000 20″ posters, in the first 1,000 revised color trifold brochures, and in our Sponsor Drive Director, Rosalee’s slide show video due to be made available through YouTube and through herbal and healing portals.
And those of you who understandably can’t commit to filling a Volunteer Position in this way,
we would still welcome your help sending out to any business, nonprofits and health practitioners you know:
a) TWHC Sponsor Invite
b) TWHC Sponsor Application
c) TWHC Vendor Invite
d) TWHC Vendor Application
You can click on any of the above to download them, the send them yourself and let us know you contacted. Or alternately, simply send us the contact name and email and phone, and we will get ahold of them ourselves. Please try to think of what business, healers, educators and advocacy groups you know of that might value an opportunity to be involved with this conference and promoted as its essential supporter.
Thank you ever so much! As with all of this work, it is only accomplished with the help of you, the larger Animá tribe.
This is from Kiva's website:
Call For Help with Conference Sponsor/Vendor Outreach
Free registration, acknowledgment & unending thanks offered to volunteers
doing outreach to potential event sponsors, vendors & practitioners and any amount of help welcomed from anyone who is willing to send a sponsor or vendor invite and application to any business or nonprofits you personally know of.
The TWHC is getting huge amounts of buzz on the internet, participants are already arranging rides here from as far away as New England and Canada, and we received so many requests to speak that we filled all the spots the first week. There will be a deep ecological and conservation element, with the help of United Plant Savers. The website has been upgraded, a special blog built just for conference announcements, a first batch of flyers and brochure went out, and more are in the works. And finally, Mt. Rose Herbs and LearningHerbs.com made the first good sized sponsor donations. That said, we have a number of tables/spaces to fill, and we could use more financial sponsors to ensure the event’s success.
There are 3 essential elements to this work:
-researching related businesses, nonprofits and health practitioners in NM
-Sending materials email, or snail mail when necessary
-making followup calls to be sure they got the material, encouraging them to commit
We could especially use more help contacting places BETWEEN NOW AND FEB 1ST , the deadline for Sponsors to be included on the first 1,000 20″ posters, in the first 1,000 revised color trifold brochures, and in our Sponsor Drive Director, Rosalee’s slide show video due to be made available through YouTube and through herbal and healing portals.
And those of you who understandably can’t commit to filling a Volunteer Position in this way,
we would still welcome your help sending out to any business, nonprofits and health practitioners you know:
a) TWHC Sponsor Invite
b) TWHC Sponsor Application
c) TWHC Vendor Invite
d) TWHC Vendor Application
You can click on any of the above to download them, the send them yourself and let us know you contacted. Or alternately, simply send us the contact name and email and phone, and we will get ahold of them ourselves. Please try to think of what business, healers, educators and advocacy groups you know of that might value an opportunity to be involved with this conference and promoted as its essential supporter.
Thank you ever so much! As with all of this work, it is only accomplished with the help of you, the larger Animá tribe.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Cattail Pasta, Great with Lentil Lasagna or any sauce...
I’ve been seeing Euell Gibbons mentioned a lot lately. He really was a pioneer. No, he didn't 'invent' eating wild, but he did publish and 'live the life' and took a lot of heat for it. I remember back about 30 years ago, reading his books for the first time. I was mesmerized. It was the first time that I felt someone else understood my some of my interests. How to make food from the wild that tasted good and had appeal. I was young and very poor and ‘free’ food was a necessity. I remember the ‘knitting needles’ left on the plate after eating cattails. (lol) You needed a lot of butter!
So, in a salute to old Mr. Gibbons, here is my recipe for cattail pasta. I especially like it in a lentil lasagna, but it’s equally good with your favorite sauce. If you already have a favorite pasta recipe, try cutting the flour in half and adding cattail pollen. You may have to experiment to find the best ratio, but it’s worth it.
Pasta is easy to make and economical. If you have a pasta cutter, good on you, but I just cut mine into shapes using a knife.
To make one pound of pasta, you need 1 cups of unbleached flour, 1 cup of cattail pollen 3 large eggs, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Place the flour on a table in a mound and make a well in the center. Put the eggs and salt into the well. Mix the eggs together with a fork without disturbing the flour. (This is not as tricky as it sounds…)
Using a fork, gently incorporate the flour into the egg mixture a little at a time.
Once you have incorporated all of the flour together with the egg using a fork, use your fingertips to blend the mixture together well.
After the wet and dry ingredients have been combined, form a ball. If the dough seems to dry, add a little more egg mixture. If the mixture is too wet and sticks to your fingers, rub your hands with flour.
Knead the pasta dough for about 7 minutes until the dough is smooth.
Divide the dough into 3 equal sized portions. Cover the dough balls with a towel or bowl and let rest for 15 minutes.
If your using a pasta machine, put it to work.
If you don't have a pasta machine, a rolling pin will work just fine. Roll each ball about 1/16th inch thick, or as thin as you can.
Fold the rolled dough into a square. Cut the open end of the square a quarter inch at a time, into what ever width you choose. Skinny for ‘sketti. Wide for lasagna noodles.
Immediately after cutting the dough, hang the pasta on a dowel or other object (a clothes drying rack works great). You can also lay the pasta flat on a towel, but it is more likely to stick together.
The pasta can be used right away or will keep up to a week.
Enjoy!
Heather
So, in a salute to old Mr. Gibbons, here is my recipe for cattail pasta. I especially like it in a lentil lasagna, but it’s equally good with your favorite sauce. If you already have a favorite pasta recipe, try cutting the flour in half and adding cattail pollen. You may have to experiment to find the best ratio, but it’s worth it.
Pasta is easy to make and economical. If you have a pasta cutter, good on you, but I just cut mine into shapes using a knife.
To make one pound of pasta, you need 1 cups of unbleached flour, 1 cup of cattail pollen 3 large eggs, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Place the flour on a table in a mound and make a well in the center. Put the eggs and salt into the well. Mix the eggs together with a fork without disturbing the flour. (This is not as tricky as it sounds…)
Using a fork, gently incorporate the flour into the egg mixture a little at a time.
Once you have incorporated all of the flour together with the egg using a fork, use your fingertips to blend the mixture together well.
After the wet and dry ingredients have been combined, form a ball. If the dough seems to dry, add a little more egg mixture. If the mixture is too wet and sticks to your fingers, rub your hands with flour.
Knead the pasta dough for about 7 minutes until the dough is smooth.
Divide the dough into 3 equal sized portions. Cover the dough balls with a towel or bowl and let rest for 15 minutes.
If your using a pasta machine, put it to work.
If you don't have a pasta machine, a rolling pin will work just fine. Roll each ball about 1/16th inch thick, or as thin as you can.
Fold the rolled dough into a square. Cut the open end of the square a quarter inch at a time, into what ever width you choose. Skinny for ‘sketti. Wide for lasagna noodles.
Immediately after cutting the dough, hang the pasta on a dowel or other object (a clothes drying rack works great). You can also lay the pasta flat on a towel, but it is more likely to stick together.
The pasta can be used right away or will keep up to a week.
Enjoy!
Heather
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Herbalist, Heal Thyself...
Information is the source of power. It’s an old idiom, but not untrue. I study, I read, I talk to professionals. I take classes (sigh, yes still). I try to read the physiology journals, even a few of the psychiatry journals and manage to keep up with any really big changes in thought in the cellular molecular fields. I have a pretty good background in chemistry and pharmacy. And I’m on several herb lists to see how other people are using their herbs (at least anecdotally), to glean new information about contraindications, applications, methods, etc.
And recently I’m seeing a trend which disturbs me.
The modern Herbalist’s biggest problem isn’t the giant pharmaceutical companies. It’s not Doctors or Western Medicine.
The modern Herbalists biggest problem is themselves.
Please know that I’m not talking about the housewife that brews up a tincture of Echinacea to fight off a winter cold. Or the Mom that doses her kids with her grandmother’s recipe for elderberry elixir. These women truly are the ‘medicine women’ of our time. Armed with a little knowledge, they march off to war every day, keeping their families healthy, asking questions, and looking for healthy alternatives. These are the people that look to the experts for advice, for help, for a path.
I am talking about those among of us that consider themselves things like ‘Master Herbalist’, ‘Expert’ and ‘Professional’.
They are attending schools (and paying darn good money, I might add) to learn. The programs vary from 6 weeks to several years. The goal should be at the very least, to gather a good solid foundation for what you will need to build a lifetime of study on. You should leave school overwhelmed and frightened at how much you still don’t know but need to learn to become a ‘good’ Herbalist. Because right now, it seems that many of you are in that ‘a little bit of information is dangerous’ stage. What you have been given is the basics. Not unlike the MD that has gone through his course work and now must do a residency. However, the MD is under closely watched supervision. His diagnoses are checked by an older, more experienced Doctor. Most modern Herbalists don’t have that resource. It is a very lucky person that gets to act as an apprentice to an older, wiser healer. However, most (I hope) are at least being given the tools that they need to master the problems that they will find in their patients.
Once they leave their classes, do they understand how to discern what the compounds actually are in the plants that make them effective for job? Do they know how those compounds actually react once they are in the body? Do they understand blood, the different types of anemia and the actual immune response itself?
Do Herbalists know that compounds formed in the digestive track that work to signal other pathways to begin? Or that a hormone may not just start off as the primary hormone, that there are a series of changes it must for through to become…say, estrogen? Do they have any idea of how a cell actually works? The chemical responses, the gates, the channels, the endothelial barriers?
And you might say, ‘Well, the old medicine woman didn’t need to know all that.’ Yes, you are correct. Her knowledge was passed down from generations of women before her. (Most of which has been lost btw). We work off old myths, trial and error and hearsay. There are very few legitimate, unbiased studies with herbs going on. Yes, yes, a few. But honestly, from a scientific point of view an awful lot of them are junk.
This is the 21st century. We need to catch up. Some of you barely know how food is actually digested. Here’s an example: Most folk know the hazards of eating too much fat and it’s effects and on your blood, but do you understand what it does to the endocrine system?
So Herbalists. You have a good start. You have the foundation, the tools and now the world should be your oyster. Don’t screw it up by thinking you know it all. Have a little humility. You don’t know it all, in fact there are people that never went to an ‘herb school’ that know far more about healing than you do. Give some respect to that old grandmother that uses alcohol instead of the ‘trendy’ tea tree oil to cure that toenail fungus. Ask questions. Ask questions. Ask questions. Ask questions about the patient‘s history. Ask questions about their emotional history. Don’t just start throwing remedies out there. Ask questions of those more experienced than you. Ask pharmacists questions. But don’t stop there. Research those answers. Then build off that information.
You may think I’m being silly. You may think that I’m over-reacting. But here are just a few things that ‘Master Herbalists’ have said to me in the last week. Seriously.
-‘What’s a beta-blocker?’ This same herbalist suggested that a person use Ginkgo and Hawthorne to lower blood pressure without asking if they were on any sort of blood pressure medication.
-‘I have no idea why chickweed works, it just does’. Um, excuse me? OK, even if you weren’t taught this in school, you should have left with the tools to be able to understand why it works, research and come back with something other than ‘I don‘t know‘. You are supposed to be an expert.
-“Wait a minute’; let me see what my books say.’ Michael Moore stressed strongly (and I’m paraphrasing here): ‘Know 15 herbs that are in your area…really well’. That statement is as elegant as any mathematical equation.
-“A couple of the books in my library suggest using an alcohol/water solution instead of pure alcohol, but do not give a ratio. I've only read of using water with the alcohol as it was not included in class nor do any of the other herbalists I know use it.”`-Seriously? I’m not suggesting that anyone who is making their own tinctures for their family actually go to the trouble of figuring out the calculations, but I am expecting that someone who calls them self an ‘expert’ should at least understand WHY it is or was, done.
-‘I’m not really good with those botanical names‘- I really can’t even address this one.
'Wikepedia says...'-Oh, please.
Another peeve? In several weeks of chatting with these experts not a single one has mentioned a tonic. Not a single one has addressed incorporating medicinal herbs as part of a healthy diet and as a preventative to illness. No one speaks of exercise. No one talks about the whole plant, simply the tincture. Has this gone out fashion? Is preventative health any less important to an herbalist than it is for any other health professional? Is it the romance of reaching onto a dark and dusty shelf and pulling out a bottle of ‘magic’ tincture that appeals to them? I would suggest a change of course to pharmacy school in that case, with the added benefit of making tons more money than you ever will as an Herbalist.
I’m not suggesting that the herbalist need eight years of intensive schooling (although why should they be any different than a ‘traditional Doctor’? Lives still depend on them…).
Learning physiology, cellular biology, endocrinology doesn’t mean whole semesters in the classroom. Many of the body's systems use ‘similar patterns of behavior’. I’m not seeing that these students leave their studies with any sort of a grasp of holistic healing. What they are learning, is how to put out fires. We need to understand the process of balance, equilibrium, and homeostasis in order to understand both illness and wellness.
One modern Herbalist that I see doing this well, is Kiva Rose Harden. She ‘understands’ the medicine and the plant and the body systems. And she understands the most elusive parts as well. People. Indeed, her intuitiveness is eerie sometimes. I enjoy reading of her work understanding and working with old plants in new ways. She makes sense to the ’medical and common sense’ part of me. I suggest you take a look at her blogs to see how a brilliant, grounded and exceptionally gifted healer and herbalist works. She doesn’t know that I am writing about her or that I’m plugging her work. Indeed, I get the impression she would probably blush if she did. She is modest, humble and perhaps one of the greatest healers in America today.
Visit her at:
http://bearmedicineherbals.com/
And recently I’m seeing a trend which disturbs me.
The modern Herbalist’s biggest problem isn’t the giant pharmaceutical companies. It’s not Doctors or Western Medicine.
The modern Herbalists biggest problem is themselves.
Please know that I’m not talking about the housewife that brews up a tincture of Echinacea to fight off a winter cold. Or the Mom that doses her kids with her grandmother’s recipe for elderberry elixir. These women truly are the ‘medicine women’ of our time. Armed with a little knowledge, they march off to war every day, keeping their families healthy, asking questions, and looking for healthy alternatives. These are the people that look to the experts for advice, for help, for a path.
I am talking about those among of us that consider themselves things like ‘Master Herbalist’, ‘Expert’ and ‘Professional’.
They are attending schools (and paying darn good money, I might add) to learn. The programs vary from 6 weeks to several years. The goal should be at the very least, to gather a good solid foundation for what you will need to build a lifetime of study on. You should leave school overwhelmed and frightened at how much you still don’t know but need to learn to become a ‘good’ Herbalist. Because right now, it seems that many of you are in that ‘a little bit of information is dangerous’ stage. What you have been given is the basics. Not unlike the MD that has gone through his course work and now must do a residency. However, the MD is under closely watched supervision. His diagnoses are checked by an older, more experienced Doctor. Most modern Herbalists don’t have that resource. It is a very lucky person that gets to act as an apprentice to an older, wiser healer. However, most (I hope) are at least being given the tools that they need to master the problems that they will find in their patients.
Once they leave their classes, do they understand how to discern what the compounds actually are in the plants that make them effective for job? Do they know how those compounds actually react once they are in the body? Do they understand blood, the different types of anemia and the actual immune response itself?
Do Herbalists know that compounds formed in the digestive track that work to signal other pathways to begin? Or that a hormone may not just start off as the primary hormone, that there are a series of changes it must for through to become…say, estrogen? Do they have any idea of how a cell actually works? The chemical responses, the gates, the channels, the endothelial barriers?
And you might say, ‘Well, the old medicine woman didn’t need to know all that.’ Yes, you are correct. Her knowledge was passed down from generations of women before her. (Most of which has been lost btw). We work off old myths, trial and error and hearsay. There are very few legitimate, unbiased studies with herbs going on. Yes, yes, a few. But honestly, from a scientific point of view an awful lot of them are junk.
This is the 21st century. We need to catch up. Some of you barely know how food is actually digested. Here’s an example: Most folk know the hazards of eating too much fat and it’s effects and on your blood, but do you understand what it does to the endocrine system?
So Herbalists. You have a good start. You have the foundation, the tools and now the world should be your oyster. Don’t screw it up by thinking you know it all. Have a little humility. You don’t know it all, in fact there are people that never went to an ‘herb school’ that know far more about healing than you do. Give some respect to that old grandmother that uses alcohol instead of the ‘trendy’ tea tree oil to cure that toenail fungus. Ask questions. Ask questions. Ask questions. Ask questions about the patient‘s history. Ask questions about their emotional history. Don’t just start throwing remedies out there. Ask questions of those more experienced than you. Ask pharmacists questions. But don’t stop there. Research those answers. Then build off that information.
You may think I’m being silly. You may think that I’m over-reacting. But here are just a few things that ‘Master Herbalists’ have said to me in the last week. Seriously.
-‘What’s a beta-blocker?’ This same herbalist suggested that a person use Ginkgo and Hawthorne to lower blood pressure without asking if they were on any sort of blood pressure medication.
-‘I have no idea why chickweed works, it just does’. Um, excuse me? OK, even if you weren’t taught this in school, you should have left with the tools to be able to understand why it works, research and come back with something other than ‘I don‘t know‘. You are supposed to be an expert.
-“Wait a minute’; let me see what my books say.’ Michael Moore stressed strongly (and I’m paraphrasing here): ‘Know 15 herbs that are in your area…really well’. That statement is as elegant as any mathematical equation.
-“A couple of the books in my library suggest using an alcohol/water solution instead of pure alcohol, but do not give a ratio. I've only read of using water with the alcohol as it was not included in class nor do any of the other herbalists I know use it.”`-Seriously? I’m not suggesting that anyone who is making their own tinctures for their family actually go to the trouble of figuring out the calculations, but I am expecting that someone who calls them self an ‘expert’ should at least understand WHY it is or was, done.
-‘I’m not really good with those botanical names‘- I really can’t even address this one.
'Wikepedia says...'-Oh, please.
Another peeve? In several weeks of chatting with these experts not a single one has mentioned a tonic. Not a single one has addressed incorporating medicinal herbs as part of a healthy diet and as a preventative to illness. No one speaks of exercise. No one talks about the whole plant, simply the tincture. Has this gone out fashion? Is preventative health any less important to an herbalist than it is for any other health professional? Is it the romance of reaching onto a dark and dusty shelf and pulling out a bottle of ‘magic’ tincture that appeals to them? I would suggest a change of course to pharmacy school in that case, with the added benefit of making tons more money than you ever will as an Herbalist.
I’m not suggesting that the herbalist need eight years of intensive schooling (although why should they be any different than a ‘traditional Doctor’? Lives still depend on them…).
Learning physiology, cellular biology, endocrinology doesn’t mean whole semesters in the classroom. Many of the body's systems use ‘similar patterns of behavior’. I’m not seeing that these students leave their studies with any sort of a grasp of holistic healing. What they are learning, is how to put out fires. We need to understand the process of balance, equilibrium, and homeostasis in order to understand both illness and wellness.
One modern Herbalist that I see doing this well, is Kiva Rose Harden. She ‘understands’ the medicine and the plant and the body systems. And she understands the most elusive parts as well. People. Indeed, her intuitiveness is eerie sometimes. I enjoy reading of her work understanding and working with old plants in new ways. She makes sense to the ’medical and common sense’ part of me. I suggest you take a look at her blogs to see how a brilliant, grounded and exceptionally gifted healer and herbalist works. She doesn’t know that I am writing about her or that I’m plugging her work. Indeed, I get the impression she would probably blush if she did. She is modest, humble and perhaps one of the greatest healers in America today.
Visit her at:
http://bearmedicineherbals.com/
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Sorrel-Onion Pie
So my mind wanders…imagine that.
Remeber those little yellow flowered plants we used to love to chew on when we were kids? Our face would screw up from the tartness, but we had to do it. Well, somehow, a conversation about those sour little sorrels we used to pick out of the woods as kids…turned into this:
I've found that we herb loving people tend to get to caught up in tinctures.
Don't get me wrong, I make a few myself, particularly for those herbs that I just `hate' the taste of (Valerian being one…). However, I much prefer eating and working with the fresh, whole plant, if possible. Part of being healthy is the `emotional factor'. Taking pride in what you have gathered and grown, sitting and partaking a meal (hopefully with friends and loved ones), sipping a bit of a home made fruit brandy after. These things fill us with a sense of `well being` and helps drop the level of stress hormones such as cortisol. Finding joy in our daily lives would be a big step toward maintaining a balanced homeostasis and prevent the need to `fix' it after the fact.
Additionally, the whole fresh plant offers us so much more than just the few compounds that are dissolved by the solvents of alcohol and water. I often wonder what we are missing when we add a dropper full of tincture to water? What lovely bit of magic wasn't released in my glass mason jar and instead ended up in my compost heap?
I often find wild sorrel when I'm out and about in the spring. There are also a variety or two tucked into many peoples herb gardens. The name `sorrel' covers several species, some of which are true sorrels, but some are not. In my neck of the woods it's Rumex hastulatus , but your area may have an Oxalis species (or two) that people refer to as sorrel. All `sorrels' have oxalic acid. Very simply put, oxalic acid binds with calcium and can cause irreversible damage in the kidneys. There is also evidence that large amounts can interfere with some liver function. As in all things, use with moderation. But it's lemony taste is hard to resist, especially after a winter filled with canned vegetables.
And so, off to the woods I go. Honestly, most of what I find never makes it home. It's my snack, my lunch, my pick me up, my afternoon tea. But once in awhile, I share (wink). This tart is one of my families favorites.
When you start cooking , don't become alarmed at the appearance of the sauted sorrel. I promise, the ending will be happy.
I love it with goat cheese, but feel free to substitute any strong flavored cheese. And don't get hung up on exact amounts.
Onion Sorrel Tart
Ingredients:
2 large sweet onions
4 Tbs butter
2 cps sorrel (de-stemmed and coarsely chopped)
A couple of handfuls of crumbled goat cheese. Or whatever cheese you have,
shredded.
2 eggs
1 cup heavy cream or whole milk or skim milk or whatever it is that you use.
1 partially prebaked pie shell
pepper to taste
Directions:
Thinly slice onions and sauté in 3 Tbs butter until soft. (Someone once
suggested that I should let the onions caramelize, but frankly I'm too
impatient.) Sauté sorrel in 1 Tbs melted butter until they turn a grayish green
(not long, a few minutes at the most). Combine eggs and cream in a large bowl,
add a handful of cheese, the sorrel and the onions. Season with pepper.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the bottom of the tart shell and pour filling
in. Bake at 375 F for 35-45 mins., or until tart is set.
Remeber those little yellow flowered plants we used to love to chew on when we were kids? Our face would screw up from the tartness, but we had to do it. Well, somehow, a conversation about those sour little sorrels we used to pick out of the woods as kids…turned into this:
I've found that we herb loving people tend to get to caught up in tinctures.
Don't get me wrong, I make a few myself, particularly for those herbs that I just `hate' the taste of (Valerian being one…). However, I much prefer eating and working with the fresh, whole plant, if possible. Part of being healthy is the `emotional factor'. Taking pride in what you have gathered and grown, sitting and partaking a meal (hopefully with friends and loved ones), sipping a bit of a home made fruit brandy after. These things fill us with a sense of `well being` and helps drop the level of stress hormones such as cortisol. Finding joy in our daily lives would be a big step toward maintaining a balanced homeostasis and prevent the need to `fix' it after the fact.
Additionally, the whole fresh plant offers us so much more than just the few compounds that are dissolved by the solvents of alcohol and water. I often wonder what we are missing when we add a dropper full of tincture to water? What lovely bit of magic wasn't released in my glass mason jar and instead ended up in my compost heap?
I often find wild sorrel when I'm out and about in the spring. There are also a variety or two tucked into many peoples herb gardens. The name `sorrel' covers several species, some of which are true sorrels, but some are not. In my neck of the woods it's Rumex hastulatus , but your area may have an Oxalis species (or two) that people refer to as sorrel. All `sorrels' have oxalic acid. Very simply put, oxalic acid binds with calcium and can cause irreversible damage in the kidneys. There is also evidence that large amounts can interfere with some liver function. As in all things, use with moderation. But it's lemony taste is hard to resist, especially after a winter filled with canned vegetables.
And so, off to the woods I go. Honestly, most of what I find never makes it home. It's my snack, my lunch, my pick me up, my afternoon tea. But once in awhile, I share (wink). This tart is one of my families favorites.
When you start cooking , don't become alarmed at the appearance of the sauted sorrel. I promise, the ending will be happy.
I love it with goat cheese, but feel free to substitute any strong flavored cheese. And don't get hung up on exact amounts.
Onion Sorrel Tart
Ingredients:
2 large sweet onions
4 Tbs butter
2 cps sorrel (de-stemmed and coarsely chopped)
A couple of handfuls of crumbled goat cheese. Or whatever cheese you have,
shredded.
2 eggs
1 cup heavy cream or whole milk or skim milk or whatever it is that you use.
1 partially prebaked pie shell
pepper to taste
Directions:
Thinly slice onions and sauté in 3 Tbs butter until soft. (Someone once
suggested that I should let the onions caramelize, but frankly I'm too
impatient.) Sauté sorrel in 1 Tbs melted butter until they turn a grayish green
(not long, a few minutes at the most). Combine eggs and cream in a large bowl,
add a handful of cheese, the sorrel and the onions. Season with pepper.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the bottom of the tart shell and pour filling
in. Bake at 375 F for 35-45 mins., or until tart is set.
Chick-Chick-Chickweed
After spending so many years living in Montana, becoming a semi-exile in California has been painful in many ways. The traffic, the crime, the air quality, combined with the last two weeks of interminable fog has me thinking that shoveling a bit of snow wasn't so bad.
OK, let's not take this bit of homesickness too far.
However, one of the things that I have become quite fond of is the opportunity to gather spring greens almost year round here. While many in my family are eating canned vegetables, I'm out picking wild green things. Granted, home canned vegggies are no comparison to those cans you get at the grocery store...but still, they're just not fresh. They don't have the same texture, the same smell and certainly not the same taste.
Today, I had a bit of cabin fever and was rattling about in the woods that are just outside my door. I came across a beautiful chickweed bed (Stellaria media), soft and bright green, inviting me to sit for awhile. It's not blooming quite yet, but the growth was luxuriant and perfect for greens.
It also makes a lovely spring tonic, a fabulous treatment for conjunctivitis (although I still prefer chamomile) and has a number of anti-inflammatory properties. Some folks say it makes a good bug repellent, but I've not had much success with that. Oh, and my 'keets love it.
I am not partial to any sort of 'boiled green'. I think it's a texture thing. So I'll almost always use greens in a baked dish, or hidden in some other way to disguise the soft texture. Chickweed is a powerhouse of vitamins but the levels (and flavor) drop drastically when dried. Chickweed is one of those herbs to use and enjoy fresh.
I also use chickweed in several salves. Two of the compounds found in it are Genistein and Gamma-linolenic-acid. Genistein works as an antioxident to help counteract the effects of free radicals in tissues. It also protects against pro-inflammatory factor-induced vascular endothelial barrier dysfunction and inhibits leukocyte-endothelium interaction, thereby modulating vascular inflammation. GLA is also has anti-inflammatory properties lacking some of the common side of other anti-inflammatories. Are your eyes glazed over yet? Just remember that it's a cooling soothing herb, good for sore muscles and itchy skin.
Many of my friends are hesitant to try wild foods. This dish usually surprises them. Every one makes their own version of chickweed pesto, but here's mine.
CHICKWEED PESTO
In a blender or food processer, blend to a smooth paste: 2 cloves of garlic, 1/2 cup of pine nuts, walnuts or whatever nut you like, 2 packed cups fresh chickweed, 1 cup basil (optional) 1/2 cup parsley, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese and salt to taste. Serve over hot pasta or your favorite startchy 'stuff'.
Easy-peasey.
OK, let's not take this bit of homesickness too far.
However, one of the things that I have become quite fond of is the opportunity to gather spring greens almost year round here. While many in my family are eating canned vegetables, I'm out picking wild green things. Granted, home canned vegggies are no comparison to those cans you get at the grocery store...but still, they're just not fresh. They don't have the same texture, the same smell and certainly not the same taste.
Today, I had a bit of cabin fever and was rattling about in the woods that are just outside my door. I came across a beautiful chickweed bed (Stellaria media), soft and bright green, inviting me to sit for awhile. It's not blooming quite yet, but the growth was luxuriant and perfect for greens.
It also makes a lovely spring tonic, a fabulous treatment for conjunctivitis (although I still prefer chamomile) and has a number of anti-inflammatory properties. Some folks say it makes a good bug repellent, but I've not had much success with that. Oh, and my 'keets love it.
I am not partial to any sort of 'boiled green'. I think it's a texture thing. So I'll almost always use greens in a baked dish, or hidden in some other way to disguise the soft texture. Chickweed is a powerhouse of vitamins but the levels (and flavor) drop drastically when dried. Chickweed is one of those herbs to use and enjoy fresh.
I also use chickweed in several salves. Two of the compounds found in it are Genistein and Gamma-linolenic-acid. Genistein works as an antioxident to help counteract the effects of free radicals in tissues. It also protects against pro-inflammatory factor-induced vascular endothelial barrier dysfunction and inhibits leukocyte-endothelium interaction, thereby modulating vascular inflammation. GLA is also has anti-inflammatory properties lacking some of the common side of other anti-inflammatories. Are your eyes glazed over yet? Just remember that it's a cooling soothing herb, good for sore muscles and itchy skin.
Many of my friends are hesitant to try wild foods. This dish usually surprises them. Every one makes their own version of chickweed pesto, but here's mine.
CHICKWEED PESTO
In a blender or food processer, blend to a smooth paste: 2 cloves of garlic, 1/2 cup of pine nuts, walnuts or whatever nut you like, 2 packed cups fresh chickweed, 1 cup basil (optional) 1/2 cup parsley, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese and salt to taste. Serve over hot pasta or your favorite startchy 'stuff'.
Easy-peasey.
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