Food

Recipe – Edible Flower Salad

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Edible Flowers

It is generally believed that nourishing foods consist of fruits, vegetables, nuts, greens, and proteins. But have you ever considered flowers? They are exquisite extensions of plants, fortifying the pollinating community of birds, bees, and other wildlife. We tend to forget that some flowers are edible, full of vitamins and minerals, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and are a beautiful way to elevate any dish. There are up to a hundred varieties to grace your plate.

It is essential though to correctly identify a flower to deem it safe before ingesting.

Source: forsythfamilymagazine.com/eat-the-flower-its-good-for-you; alayanaturals.com/blogs/news/a-guide-to-edible-flowers

Name Description
Nasturtium These showy flowers have a sweet, peppery tang. The leaves are also edible, delicious in salads while providing a high concentration of vitamin C.
Violet Sweet and aromatic, the blue, purple, white, and yellow flowers—high in vitamins A and C—help alleviate pain, reduce headaches, and sooth coughs due to their mucilage content.
Tulip Rather than eating a stuffed pepper, try a stuffed tulip! The flavor depends upon the color. Red petals are sweet, while white have a slight pepper aftertaste.
Hibiscus The large colorful blossom has properties to boost the immune system, treat inflammation, and prevent cell damage. Often used as an ingredient in teas, it is similar in taste to the pomegranate.
Rose Rose petals have a refreshingly sweet, smooth texture, rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Consider sprinkling the petals on a salad, or use to improve the flavor of water.
Squash blossom These bright yellow and orange flowers are high in vitamins C and A, calcium and iron. Delightful stuffed, baked, or added to soups and salads.

 

Recipe – Edible Flower Salad

Ingredients

5 cups mixed greens

½ sweet onion or 2 small shallots, thinly sliced

4 radishes, sliced

2 Tbs. pine nuts, pistachios, or sunflower seeds

Edible flowers

Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

⅓ cup olive oil

2-3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbs. lemon zest, or to taste

⅛ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. garlic powder or small garlic clove

⅓ cup packed fresh basil

Process

Blend all dressing ingredients until smooth. Arrange salad in a bowl and, just before serving, drizzle with desired amount of dressing and toss. Sprinkle nuts or seeds and flowers over salad. Beautiful and delicious.

Recipe – Watermelon Apple Salsa

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Watermelon

Is watermelon a fruit or a vegetable? Interestingly, it can be considered both. Watermelon is botanically a fruit like the pepper, tomato, and pumpkin, and a vegetable like squash and cucumber. This large, sweet fruit originated from southern Africa.

Did you know? Watermelon is 100% edible.

There are 200-300 varieties of watermelon from different parts of the world. Watermelon has a smooth exterior rind and a juicy, sweet interior flesh. It is most often eaten raw, but can be added to desserts, salads, and beverages, and can be cooked, grilled, or baked.

The seeds have a nutty flavor and can be ground, dried, or roasted. The rind contains fiber and potassium, and is rich in citrulline. You can pickle the rind, use it in a smoothie, and make rind preserves and gazpacho.

Farmers plant seeds or seedlings in a nursery and then transplant them into well-drained rows or raised beds of soil. They are grown in warm, sunny climates. One plant grows into multiple vines, 6 to 8 feet in length. Honeybees are needed to pollinate the yellow blossoms from which the watermelon grow. The melons are ready to harvest in about 90 days.

Watermelons are packed with water and nutrients, have very few calories, and may help lower blood pressure, improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce muscle soreness.

Watermelons are available today with seeds, seedless, and in mini size. Picking the best watermelon is as easy as, “Look, Lift, Turn! Look for a firm watermelon that is free from bruises, cuts or dents; light scratches are all right. A watermelon is 92% water by weight and is therefore very heavy. When turned over, the underside should have a creamy yellow spot from where it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun. Farmers do not recommend thumping, patting, slapping, flicking, or knocking. But if you insist on trying the thump, a ripe watermelon will have a dull, muffled, or hollow sound like a pong; an unripe watermelon will have a metallic, clear ring like a ping.

Sources: watermelon.org/watermelon-101/facts-faqs; onlyfoods.net/types-of-melon; vitacost.com/blog/watermelon-rinds; healthline.com/nutrition/foods/watermelon

 Recipe – Watermelon Apple Salsa

Ingredients

1/2 of a medium-sized watermelon

2 granny smith apples

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. fresh mint

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Zest of 1 lime

1 Tbs. fresh lime juice

A pinch of sea salt

Process

  • Cut the watermelon and apples into 1/4”-thick matchsticks.
  • Chop the mint and cilantro.
  • Zest the lime and squeeze out the juice.
  • Toss all ingredients gently to mix together.
  • Best served chilled and before the apples begin to brown.

Recipe – Creamy Millet Breakfast Porridge

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Millet

Millet is a starchy cereal grain rich in protein, carbohydrates and several vitamins and minerals. While it may look like a seed, millet’s nutritional profile is similar to that of sorghum and other cereals. It is an ancient grain, used both for human consumption as well as livestock and bird feed. There are two categories of millet—major and minor millets—with major being the most popular.

Because of its small size and hardness, it is drought and pest resistant, able to survive in harsh environments and less fertile soil.

Millet is widely consumed in developing countries throughout Africa and Asia, but has gained popularity in the West primarily because it is gluten-free.

Millet offers multiple health benefits:

  • High protein and fiber
  • Rich in antioxidants
  • May help control blood sugar levels
  • May help lower cholesterol

A potential downside is that millet contains anti-nutrients, compounds that block or reduce the body’s absorption of other nutrients and could lead to deficiencies in potassium, calcium, iron, zinc, and magnesium. Millet’s anti-nutrient content can be reduced significantly by soaking it overnight at room temperature, then draining and rinsing it before cooking. However, a person with a balanced diet isn’t likely to experience adverse effects.

Enjoy millet as a breakfast porridge, side dish, salad add-in, and cookie or cake ingredient.

Source: healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-millet

Recipe – Creamy Millet Breakfast Porridge

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked hulled millet

1 cup almond milk (or non-dairy milk of choice)

3 cups water

3Tbs. maple syrup + more to taste

Sliced strawberries, for topping

Chopped almonds, for topping

Process

  • Combine uncooked millet, almond milk, and water in a medium saucepan.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let it simmer for about 20-25 minutes, until millet is cooked and tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
  • Add the maple syrup and mix well for another 30 seconds.
  • Serve topped with sliced strawberries and chopped almonds.

Yield: 2 medium bowls

Recipe – Crockpot Steel Cut Overnite Oats

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The Almond

What is a superfood? There are no set criteria, but the American Heart Association states that the general belief is that superfoods typically

  • are nutrient-rich
  • are beneficial for health on several fronts
  • help promote overall well-being in mind and body

Nuts and seeds, then, are true superfoods because they are full of minerals, high in fiber, a good source of healthy fats, full of protein, contain phyto-nutrients (antioxidants), help prevent chronic disease, help with weight loss, and promote longevity.

The almond, along with their fellow nuts like walnuts and cashews, contain vital vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Almonds specifically help stabilize blood sugar, are alkalizing to the body, and are a source of naturally-derived calcium and magnesium. Cancer studies have shown that they may have anticancer properties, and other health studies have found that the almond can lower blood pressure and the risk of heart diseases and diabetes.

It is a myth that almonds are fattening, as long you don’t eat them in excess (of course, this is a good practice to follow when consuming any food—See The Ministry of Healing, 298). Some say that almonds are the most nutritious of all nuts. Whether that is true or not, they are very beneficial for our health.

For all the above reasons, regular consumption of almonds is recommended. It is also recommended that almonds be soaked overnight before eating them, as this significantly improves their health benefits and digestibility. This is particularly welcome if you have a sensitive gut. However, there is no need to presoak when using a crockpot.

Sources: breastcancerconqueror.com/8-reasons-nuts-seeds-true-superfoords; healthshots.com/healthy-eating/superfoods/almonds-are-best-eaten-soaked-and-peeled-heres-why; timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/diet/Almonds-are-not-fattening; Wikipedia

Recipe – Crockpot Steel Cut Overnite Oats

Ingredients

3 cups steel cut oats

8 cups water

2 cups almond milk

2 large apples, diced

2 Tbs. vegan protein powder

½ cup slivered almonds

2 Tbs. sesame seeds

2 Tbs. flax seed

2 Tbs. chia seed

½ – ¾ cup of raisins

Process

Cook on low setting in crockpot for 8-10 hours. Serve topped with vegan yogurt.

Recipe – Pear Cream

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Pears

About 88% of pears in the U.S. are grown in Washington and Oregon. They grow best in this region due to its volcanic soil, clean mountain water, warm spring days, and cool nights. They are in season and at their best from August-November, but are available most of the year.

While you may be most familiar with Bartletts and Boscs, there are more than 5,000 different varieties grown around the globe. Other top varieties include Anjou, Comice, Starkrimson, and Asian, which is also known as an apple pear.

Pears rank higher than almost any fruit when it comes to dietary fiber, with six grams or 21% of the daily value in just one pear. For the value of fiber, look no further than your gastrointestinal tract and the helpful bacteria that live there. Fiber helps maintain balance, regularity, and reduces the risk of colorectal cancer. Dietary fiber also slows digestion in the upper gastrointestinal tract, leaving one feeling fuller longer, and slows absorption of sugars, reducing sugar spikes and cravings. Soluble fiber in pears also serves as a prebiotic, feeding the good bacteria in your gut.

Antioxidants can help to decrease inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation increases the risk for chronic disease like diabetes and heart disease. Regularly eating fruits like pears can help decrease the risk of chronic disease.

Pears ripen best off the tree, from the inside out. They may be hard, green, and unripe when bought fresh, but when pressing the stem area gives to pressure, it is ripe and ready to eat. Use pears to make delicious crisps, tarts, pies, cobblers, puddings, sauces, dried leathers, jams, and butters.

Sources: gleanersnutritionhub.org/blog/national-pear-month: usapears.org/articles/everything-there-is-to-know-about-pear-nutrition; agmrc.org/commodities-products/fruits/pears

Recipe – Pear Cream

Ingredients

1 cup cashews or Brazil nuts

1-2 tsp. vanilla flavoring

2 15-oz. cans unsweetened pears in own juice or 3 large pears, steamed with 1 cup water until soft

Pinch of salt

Process

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Pour over waffles, pancakes, granola, cooked cereal, etc.

Recipe – Vegan Cheese and Dressing

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Haystacks

Almost 70 years ago, a wonderful dish was created. Similar, in terms of ingredients to a taco salad, haystacks are composed of many ingredients. They are a combination of Fritos, tortilla chips, or rice, cooked beef, beans, or chili, followed by fresh vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes, olives, peppers, and onions, and topped with various condiments such as guacamole, sour cream, ranch dressing, or salsa. All of these ingredients are laid out potluck-style and each individual can build their haystack according to their personal taste.

Haystacks are commonly found in three distinct North American religious subcultures: Seventh-day Adventists, the Amish, and the Mormons.

The Amish haystack has less of a Mexican influence and includes lettuce, chips, meat, and a spaghetti-like sauce, topped with the chopped vegetables and cheese.

The Mormon haystack has a more Asian influence and includes white rice, chicken pieces, cheese, celery, tomatoes, sliced almonds, coconut, chow mein noodles, and pineapple chunks.

Ella May Hartlein is credited with creating the Adventist version in the early 1950s. Adventist haystacks are vegetarian with no beef or other animal meats. If vegan, then other animal by-products such as cheese, ranch dressing, or sour cream are omitted. These items typically are replaced with soy sour cream and soy cheese, or home-made ranch dressing and cheese (see recipes below).

Source: Wikipedia.org/wiki/Haystack

Sabbath is approaching, maybe you should have haystacks

Recipe – Cheese & Dressing for Haystacks

Melty Cheese

2 c. water

1/4 c. raw cashews

1-1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbs. tomato paste

1/8 tsp. turmeric

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

2-3 Tbs. cornstarch

3 Tbs. yeast flakes

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1 Tbs. olive oil

1/2 tsp. onion powder

Blend cashews in small amount of water. Then add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Cook in saucepan over low heat stirring constantly to prevent scorching.

Ranch Dressing

2 c. vegan mayo

1/2 Tbs. basil

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 Tbs. onion powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 scant teaspoon fructose

1/8 tsp. paprika

Blend all ingredients together adding a little water at a time until it reaches desired consistency.

Recipe – Blueberry Apple Fold-Over Pie

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Blueberries

Research reveals that there is a serious amount of interesting evidence to support eating a lot of blueberries—improved memory, reduced depression, prevention of diabetes and the formation of new neurons. There are nutrition scientists who have devoted their careers to studying blueberries.

They have found that rats who ate blueberries for two months showed improvements in working memory, did better than their peers at remembering how to navigate a water maze, became better at balancing on a narrow rod and walking on a rotating rod. And lest these findings be dismissed as a coincidence, researchers found blue anthocyanins—among the plant chemicals widely attributed with health benefits due to antioxidant properties—scattered throughout their cerebellum, cortex, hippocampus, and striatum.

Human studies have shown that blueberries lower blood pressure after eight weeks of daily ingestion and that children do better on cognitive tests after eating blueberries. In small trials, people who drank blueberry juice found a reduction in depressive symptoms, improved blood-sugar levels, and improvements in recalling words. Older adults who ate two cups of blueberries daily reportedly saw cognition and mobility improvements.

If any fruit is deserving of superfruit status, it is the blueberry. They are heroic. www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/11/blueberries/545840/

Recipe – Blueberry Apple Fold-Over Pie

Ingredients

1 cup Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced

¼ cup coconut sugar

1 Tbs. water

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbs. whole wheat pasty flour, or flour of choice

¼ tsp. salt

1 Tbs. plant-based butter or coconut oil

½ tsp. vanilla flavoring

1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

2 pie crusts

2 baking sheets

Process

  • In a saucepan, combine the apple, coconut sugar, water, and lemon juice.
  • Cook over medium heat until bubbly. Cover, lower heat to low, cook 6-8 minutes, stirring often.
  • In a bowl, mix flour, and salt. Stir into apple mixture until it thickens. Remove from heat; add butter or oil and vanilla. Fold blueberries into mixture. Let cool about 10 minutes.
  • Lay one pie crust on a baking sheet, lay the other crust on a second baking sheet.
  • Spoon half of filling onto center of one crust. Fold over pie crust to meet other edge. Press edges with fork tines. Cut a few small slits on top of crust. Repeat with the second crust.
  • Bake at 375° for 25-35 minutes, until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven. Let cool. Cut into desired servings.

Recipe – Lemon Broccoli Pasta Salad

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Lemons

The lemon is a species of small evergreen trees native to Asia, primarily northeast India, northern Myanmar and China, although production had spread to much of the world by the 14th century. We can thank Christopher Columbus for their introduction to the Americas in 1493. By the 19th century, lemons were increasingly planted in Florida and California. As of 2020, top producers were India, Mexico, China, Argentina, Brazil, and Turkey—collectively 65% of global production.

The yellow fruit is used primarily for its juice for both cooking and cleaning. Its sour taste is a result of the level of the citric acid it contains (5% to 6% with a pH of about 2.2).

The lemon is a rich source of vitamin C, 64% of the daily value, which is essential for health. It can:

  • lower the risk of stroke
  • reduce blood pressure
  • help prevent cancer
  • boost the immune system
  • increase iron absorption
  • help prevent certain diseases such as scurvy
  • support heart health
  • prevent kidney stones
  • help control weight
  • improve digestive health

Sources: Wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemon; medicalnewstoday.com/articles/283476#nutrition; healthline.com/nutrition/6-lemon-health-benefits

Recipe – Lemon Broccoli Pasta Salad

Ingredients

1 lb. rotini pasta

1 ½ lbs. broccoli, trimmed and cut in bite-sized pieces

4 packed cups spinach

3 Tbs. vegan butter

Zest and juice of one large lemon

2-3 cloves garlic

1 cup vegan parmesan

Salt to taste

Process

  1. Boil water, add in pasta, turn down heat just a bit, and cook for 5 minutes.
  2. Add in the broccoli, stir, and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes or until the pasta is at your desired doneness.
  3. Drain all of the water and return the pasta/broccoli to the pot. Add in the spinach and lemon zest, stir, and cover the pot. Let sit for 5 minutes or until the spinach has begun to wilt.
  4. While you wait, heat the butter in a small skillet. Once just hot, add in the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Take off of heat.
  5. Stir into the pasta the garlic butter mixture, lemon juice to combine.
  6. Stir in the parmesan cheese until fully mixed in.
  7. Serve and garnish with a bit of extra vegan parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, lemon wedges, and salt if desired.

Recipe – Granola Bites

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Vanilla

Vanilla is a spice derived from orchids, primarly obtained from pods of the Mexican flat-leaved vanilla species. The vanilla orchid must be pollinated in order to produce the fruit from which the vanilla spice is obtained. Although one species of bee, the Eulema, found in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, northern Mexico, and occasionally in the U.S., is known as the orchid bee because it will pollinate the vanilla orchid, the majority of vanilla orchids are hand pollinated by a method discovered by a 12-year-old child in 1841. Growers tried to introduce the orchid bee in Europe, but the little buzzers weren’t interested in helping out.

There are three major species of vanilla; all are found in Mesoamerica. Because the cultivation of the plant is so labor-intensive, it is the second most expensive spice (after saffron) to produce. Nevertheless, it is widely used in baking, perfume production, and aromatherapy.

The fruit of the vanilla orchid is actually a seed capsule containing tiny, black seeds. The seed capsule ultimately ripens, opens at the end, and then dries out. The seeds can be seen as black specks in dishes prepared using whole natural vanilla. Both the pods and the seeds are used in cooking.

Source: Wikipedia

While researching for this article, I discovered that vanilla extract is 35 to 40 percent ethyl alcohol. Interestingly, almond extract is 90% alcohol. All extracts contain alcohol. Alcohol-free vanilla flavoring is available at certain stores or you can substitute an equal measure of maple syrup.

Recipe – Granola Bites

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats

A pinch of salt

A pinch of ground cardamom

A splash of maple syrup

1/4 cup almond butter

1 Tbs. honey (a vegan substitute option is agave syrup)

1/4 cup dried berries, such as cherries, cranberries, or raisins

Process

With a fork, stir together oats, salt, and cardamom in a medium bowl. Stir in maple syrup, almond butter, honey, and dried berries.

Once the mixture is mixed well, use your hands to roll into one-inch balls.

If the mixture is too dry to roll into balls, add a bit more honey or almond butter.

Recipe – Creamy Vegan Banana Pudding

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The Banana

Bananas are one of the most versatile foods available. They come in their own container and can be eaten right out of the peel.

The banana plant, also called a banana tree, is technically regarded as an herb, not a tree, because the stem doesn’t have true woody tissue.

Bananas are the most popular fruit in the world. Over 100 billion bananas are eaten every year. The majority of them are eaten around breakfast time.

Americans eat more bananas than any other fruit, with an average consumption of 26.2 pounds of bananas per person per year. In fact, Americans eat more bananas than both apples and oranges combined.

A cluster of bananas is formally called a hand. A single banana is called a finger.

Fully ripe bananas with dark patches on their yellow skin produce a substance called Tumor Necrosis Factor, which has the ability to combat abnormal cells in your body. The darker the patches it has, the higher will be the immunity enhancement quality. Therefore, the riper the banana, the greater the anti-cancer properties.

Humans share about 50% of their DNA with bananas.

A diet of potassium rich bananas can help beat high blood pressure because bananas speed up the rate at which salt is excreted from the body.

Source: Tonsoffacts.com

Recipe – Creamy Vegan Banana Pudding

Ingredients

Pudding:

2 cups coconut milk or non-dairy milk of choice

1 ripe banana

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/2 cup raw cashews

6 pitted medjool dates

1 tsp. vanilla flavoring

For layering:

Roasted pecans

2 ripe bananas, sliced

Coconut whipped cream

Process

In a blender, combine the pudding ingredients and blend briefly. Leave mixture in the blender for 10-15 minutes to soften the chia seeds and cashews, and then blend again on high until creamy and smooth. Pour into a container and refrigerate until thickened, several hours, or overnight. Layer the pudding into glasses with the pecans, sliced bananas, and coconut whipped cream.