Eating Cacti

     I love cooking and eating unique foods, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that I have tried and fallen completely in love with several preparations of Nopales, or Prickly Pears. Not only can you eat the cactus pads, but you can also eat the fruit, and the whole plant makes some delicious dishes. So I figured I'd share with you a variety of Cactus recipes, these recipes are still Gluten Free and Vegetarian, but some of them do include eggs and dairy.

     Before we get into the recipes, here's a quick video on how to clean the cactus pads so you don't eat one of the spines. Nobody wants to do that.

This lovely woman has a YouTube channel devoted to Meatless Mexican Recipes, I encourage everyone to check her out!

But now that you know how to clean your cactus, on to the recipes!

1.  Cactus goes well with eggs? Who knew? But this is such a great dish! And it's super simple, great for breakfast or brunch. My husband and I love to stuff tortillas with this and make a Mexican Breakfast Burrito as well.

Huevos con Nopales

Ingredients

1 tbsp Olive Oil

4 Green Onions, diced (white and green parts are welcome)

3 Garlic Cloves, smashed and minced

1 cup Nopales, diced (blanch them if you want the goo gone, but this step is optional)

1 small Hot Pepper (Serrano is my go-to, but you can use Jalapeno or Habanero as well), diced

4 Eggs, beaten well

1 small Roma Tomato, diced (optional, but I really like this touch)

¼ cup fresh Cilantro, chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:
     In a skillet, over medium-high heat, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil for about 1 minute. Add in the Nopales and Serrano Pepper (or whatever pepper you choose). The Nopales will start to ooze a bit, keep cooking until that liquid is mostly gone (about 3-4 minutes). Add in the eggs and tomatoes, reduce the heat to low and cook until the eggs are done to your liking. Stir in the cilantro, salt, and pepper and serve warm!



2.  Here is proof that I was born and raised in the South. I swear, if we can eat it, we will find a way to fry it. But this recipe is soooooo good I couldn't leave it out! I use all gluten-free flour (my favorite is Namaste Foods Gluten Free Organic Perfect Flour Blend), but it's also super good with a mixture of corn meal and flour. I also like to use coconut oil to deep fry with, it doesn't break down as much at the higher temperature making it a little bit healthier. This is kind of like frying a grilled cheese, it's great comfort food and pairs well with tomato soup!

Stuffed Nopales

Ingredients

6 Nopal Pads, cleaned and blanched

Oaxacan Cheese (or Mozzarella)

3 Eggs

2 cups Milk

1¼ lb Flour, sifted

Salt and Pepper to taste

Coconut Oil (or whatever oil you want to use for frying)

Instructions:
     For the batter, sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Slowly pour in the milk while wisking. Whisk until mixture is smooth, then add in your eggs one at a time. Once the batter is mixed well and smooth, cover and chill in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
     After cleaning your Nopales, pair them together with close to the same size pads per pair. If needed, trim them to equal sizes and shapes. Use them to make “sandwiches” with the cheese slices by layering one Nopal, then some cheese, then a second Nopal. Secure them with toothpicks.
     In a deep skillet, sauce pan, or deep fryer, place enough oil to cover your Nopal sandwiches (one at a time). Bring the oil to a boil. Dip each sandwich into the batter, making sure to cover them well (optionally, if you're having problems getting the batter to stick you can dredge them in flour first), and place them in the boiling oil. Fry them until they are golden brown. Remove them from the oil and place them on a clean kitchen towel to drain. Try to remove the toothpicks before eating.
     Enjoy them, while hot, with Salsa and/or Guacamole!



3.  Speaking of guacamole. I just LOVE avocados, and any excuse to use them is a good one! So of course I had to make some guacamole with Nopales. This version is a little more work because I grill the Nopal, but if you want to skip that step, you can just blanch them to get rid of some of the goo. I also happen to collect cast iron, so I am lucky enough to have a stove top grill (like this one) that I can use which makes this recipe much easier.

Grilled Cactus Guacamole

Ingredients

1 Nopal Pad, cleaned

2-3 ripe Avocados

Juice and Zest of 1 Lime

2 tbsp Olive Oil

2 Roma Tomatoes, diced

½ a medium Red Onion, diced

1-2 fresh Jalapenos, seeded and diced (or Serrano for a little more heat)

a little less than ¼ cup fresh Cilantro, chopped

Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder to taste

Instructions:
     After cleaning the Nopal, brush it with a little olive oil. Heat up your grill and place the Nopal on the grill to cook. It should take about 20 minutes per side, but if you want a little extra of that grilled taste, you can cook it a little longer. Also, you can toss your peppers on the grill too, before dicing them.
     Cut your avocados in half and scoop them out. Mash them up with the lime juice, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. After grilling your Nopal, and allowing it to cool, dice it up and combine it with all the other ingredients. Mix well. Chill for 15 minutes and serve cold.



4.  What's better on a hot day than indulging in a fruit sorbet? Well, Prickly Pears make a great sorbet. Be sure to use a real ice cream maker (like this one) for this recipe though, if you freeze it and then blend it later, the chunks won't get as smooth and you'll miss out on the awesomeness that is the smooth texture of this sorbet.

Prickly Pear Sorbet

Ingredients

7-8 ripe Prickly Pears

1 cup Water

Juice and Zest of 1 Lemon

Juice and Zest of 1 Lime

½ cup (or a little more) Sugar

Instructions:
     In a small saucepan, over medium-high heat, stir together the water and sugar. Keep stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool. While you're waiting for this, cut the Prickly Pears in half and scoop out the insides, being very careful to avoid the irritating hairs and spines on the outside. Pulse the pulp in a blender for a moment to separate out the seeds. Strain this through a sieve to fully remove those seeds. Once the sugar mixture is cool, add in all the remaining ingredients, including your strained puree. Place this mixture in the fridge for 15 minutes to chill.
     Once the mixture is chilled, set up your ice cream maker and pour in the mixture, following your factory settings. Serve immediately or put in the freezer for later. If you put it in the freezer, take it out of the freezer before serving to let it soften enough to be able to stir it with spatula and bring back the smooth, velvety consistency.



5.  I have been working in the hospitality industry most of my adult life, and a good majority of that work has been behind a bar. I love mixing new drinks and creating amazing cocktails. So when I heard that Nopals could be juiced, I decided that I was going to make it my next cocktail goal to create a Cactus Margarita. Well, I ended up creating 2! The first one is from the cactus pads, the second is using the fruit. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

Nopal Margarita

Ingredients

For the Nopal Lime Mix:

2 Nopal Pads, cleaned and diced

2 cups Water

½ cup Sugar

Juice and Zest of 3 Limes (6 tsp Lime Juice)

For the Margarita:

1.5 oz Tequila of your choice (I prefer to use Silver Tequilas for this recipe, my favorite is Milagro)

.5 oz Triple Sec (or other Orange Liqueur like Cointreau)

2 oz Nopal Lime Mix

Instructions:
     To make the Nopal Lime Mix, combine the Nopal pads, water, and sugar in a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir while boiling until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to steep for 1 hour. When the hour is up, strain out about half of the cactus and put the syrup into a food processor. Add in lime juice and zest, blend until smooth.
     For each margarita, combine 1.5 oz Tequila, .5 oz Triple Sec, and 2 oz of the Nopal Lime Mix. Shake with ice and pour into a glass (optional-rim the glass with salt for a great flavor). If you want to make a batch of frozen margaritas, combine ingredients in a blender with ice and blend away. I make the frozen ones in batches of 4, so that's 6 oz Tequila, 2 oz Triple Sec, and 8 oz of the Mix. I also like to use the Nopal Cactus Pieces (from making the Mix) as a garnish.

Prickly Pear Margarita

Ingredients

For the Prickly Pear Syrup:

1 lb Prickly Pears

Water

1 cup Sugar

Juice and Zest of 1 Lime

For the Margarita:

1.5 oz Tequila of your choice (I prefer to use Silver Tequilas for this recipe, my favorite is Milagro)

.5 oz Triple Sec (or other Orange Liqueur like Cointreau)

.5 oz Prickly Pear Syrup

1.5 oz Lime Juice

Instructions:
     To make the syrup, cut each prickly pear in half and scoop out the insides (be careful of the irritating hairs and spines on the outside of the fruit). Combine the fruit and sugar in a pot. Put just enough water in the pot to cover everything and bring the contents to a boil over medium-high heat, stiring and mashing the fruit as it boils. When the sugar is dissolved, cover and remove from the heat. Allow to steep for 30 minutes, or until it's cool. Add in the zest and lime juice, give it a good stir, then strain out the pulp and seeds.
     For each margarita, combine 1.5 oz Tequila, .5 oz Triple Sec, .5 oz Prickly Pear Syrup, and 1.5 oz of Lime Juice. Shake with ice and pour into a glass (optional-rim the glass with salt or sugar for a great flavor). If you want to make a batch of frozen margaritas, combine ingredients in a blender with ice and blend away. I make the frozen ones in batches of 4, so that's 6 oz Tequila, 2 oz Triple Sec, 2 oz Syrup, and 6 oz of Lime Juice.




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Prickly Pear

     Many of you may not be aware of this, but I love succulents and cacti. I think they are astonishingly beautiful and exceedingly unique. Their ability to store water in their stems/leaves is awesome and super helpful in dry areas and drought. Also, while most of us think of these plants in relation to deserts, not a lot of people are aware that the swampy state of Florida has quite a few native cacti as well. So today I figured that I'd introduce you to our most common native Cactus, the Prickly Pear.

     Opuntia stricta (Prickly Pear) is commonly found all throughout Florida, though mainly found in the coastal grasslands, coastal strands, shell mounds, beach dunes, and coastal hammocks. It is, of course, in the Cactaceae, or Cactus, family. This cactus can get quite tall, but often tops out at around 6.5ft, with erect stems that are branched and covered with spines. Most Prickly Pears tend to sprawl and stay close to the ground, but in Florida they have more of a tendency to grow taller. They often grow in clusters or colonies, but can also be found as individual plants. The pads of this cactus are stems that have evolved to hold water and act like leaves by photosynthesizing. The pads also contain an antifreeze compound that allows this cactus to survive in extremely low to freezing temperatures. They can be 2-7 inches (5-17 centimeters) long and 1.5-5 inches (4-12 centimeters) wide. The spines emerge from the center of small dot-like structures called areoles. Each areole contains glochids (small hair like structures that irritate the skin) and some even contain spines. The flowers emerge from the ends of the pads in early summer. These flowers are yellow and quite large. The fruit of this particular species is reddish purple. Other commonly used species have flowers that have orange, and sometimes even some red, in the center and their fruit can range in colors from a light pinkish red to a deep reddish purple. The flowers are pollinated by insects but they also have a unique feature, their stamens move in response to touch. This is to both encourage cross pollination, aid in self pollination, and to discourage pollen and nectar “robbers” (insects that consume the flower's resources without providing assistance in the pollination process). If you want to read more about this fascinating phenomenon, check out Awkward Botany's post here.

     This plant is a staple food of the indigenous peoples of North America. The pads can be found in some supermarkets and are sold as Nopales or Nopalitos. The pads, fruit, and flowers are all edible and can be eaten raw or cooked, though the areoles and spines should be removed before preparing or consuming. The fruit and pads are also commonly juiced. The juice makes a darn good margarita, but is also commonly given to diabetic patients to help control their blood glucose levels. The fruit is sweet, but not as sweet as other species, particularly the Opuntia ficus-indica. Some Mexican restaurants will serve Prickly Pear or Nopales as appetizers, or scrambled with eggs as a breakfast or brunch item.

Medicinal Uses:

Common Names- Prickly Pear, Nopales, Nopal Cactus, Indian Fig, Cactus Pear, Barbary Fig, and Tuna Fig

Scientific Name- Opuntia spp. Commonly used species include Opuntia stricta (our Florida native), O. ficus-indica, O. megacantha, and O. amychlea. 

Edibility- The pads (Nopales or Nopalitos) are a staple food in indigenous cultures of North America. They are often grilled, sauteed, or even scrambled with eggs, though they are perfectly safe to consume raw as well. The flowers are also edible, as well as the fruits which are often called Cactus Pears. The fruit and pads both have areoles that contain irritating fibers and/or spines, so you should remove these before preparing or consuming. The pads and fruit are also commonly juiced.

Summary of Actions- Appetite depressant, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiulcer, antiviral, cardiotonic, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, and neuro-protective.

Parts Used- Pads, Flowers, and Fruit.

Traditional Native American Uses- Prickly Pear Cactus has been used in Native American cultures for centuries. The heated cactus pads have served as poultices for rheumatism, and the fruit of the plant is consumed as treatment for diarrhea, asthma and gonorrhea. Indigenous people also consume prickly pear to address high blood pressure, gastric acidity, ulcers, fatigue, shortness of breath, prostate enlargement, glaucoma, and liver disorders.

Diabetes- Not only is this cactus high in fiber, which helps to control blood glucose levels. It also contains compounds that take a more active role in balancing out blood sugar. This plant is highly recommended to both prevent diabetes, and help control blood sugar in those who are currently diabetic.

High Cholesterol- The fiber content of this plant helps to control cholesterol levels, prevents buildup in the arteries, and helps keep the circulatory system healthy in general.

Digestion- The high fiber content of Prickly Pear Cactus helps to move food more efficiently in the digestive tract. It also helps to prevent ulcers, and improve digestion by reducing internal inflammation.

Wound and Burn Care- One traditional use of this cactus that is continued today is for wound and burn care. Much like Aloe, Prickly Pear is a great herb to use in the case of burns. It helps take the “sting” out of them while providing a barrier that helps prevent infection. It's also a great herb to help speed the healing of both wounds and burns.

HIV- Prickly Pear extracts are currently being studied for their antiviral properties in relation to certain viruses. One of particular note is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV. Research has been limited thus far, but this plant shows promise to help control this virus and others.

Immune Boosting- Prickly pear is full of vitamin C, just one serving contains 1/3 the recommended daily amount. It's also a very effective anti-inflammatory, which helps to improve immunity as well as general health.

Hangovers- Prickly Pear is a folk remedy for hangovers. I usually don't put much stock in hangover remedies, instead I tend to emphasize the importance of hydration when you set out to drink heavily (and I don't recommend doing this, ever). However, in a Tulane University study published in the June 28, 2004 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers found that volunteers who took a prickly pear extract five hours before consuming five to 7 alcoholic drinks had significantly less nausea, dry mouth and loss of appetite the following day compared to those who took a placebo. (The extract did not prevent hangover-related headaches and dizziness, however.) The researchers suggested that the benefits were related to prickly pear’s strong anti-inflammatory effects.

Cautions, Contraindications, and Warnings- Generally considered safe, practitioners recommend that people gradually add prickly pear cactus to their diets. Both the edible plant and the dietary supplements can cause negative side effects in some people. Nausea, increased stool volume and frequency, mild diarrhea and abdominal fullness are the most common side effects. While they are not the norm, easing prickly pear into the diet can minimize these effects.

     I only included a basic introduction to Prickly Pear. I hope you have gained a new appreciation for this amazing little cactus. If you have any questions or comments please leave them below. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram or updates on my adventures in Nature. Find me on YouTube and check out my videos! Follow me on Instagram (BatLadyHerbailst). I also have a few things up on Teespring, check it out! Also, if you like what I do and want to see more, Become a Patron!

Resources:

Florida Wildflowers A Comprehensive Guide by Walter Kingsley Taylor

The Amazing Cacti- 7 Benefits of Prickly Pear: Wide Open Eats: https://www.wideopeneats.com/the-amazing-cactus-7-prickly-pear-health-benefits/

Cactus, A Medicinal Food: US National Library of Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3550841/

Eastern Prickly Pear: US Forest Service: https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/opuntia_humifusa.shtml

Food As Medicine- Prickly Pear Cactus: American Botanical Council: http://cms.herbalgram.org/heg/volume12/09September/FaMPricklyPear.html?utm_source=hootsuite&ts=1567462532&signature=db4abb75b394ddd68876cf33a41ff96a

Foods Indigenous to the Western Hemisphere- Prickly Pear Cactus: American Indian Health and Diet Project: http://www.aihd.ku.edu/foods/prickly_pear_cactus.html

Medicinal Importance of Prickly Pear Cactus: Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: https://www.longdom.org/proceedings/medicinal-importance-of-prickly-pear-cactus-43375.html

Prickly Pear: Annie's Rmemdy: https://www.anniesremedy.com/opuntia-ficus-indica-prickly-pear.php

Prickly Pear, A Cactus Cure?: Dr. Weil: https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/balanced-living/wellness-therapies/prickly-pear-a-cactus-cure/

Prickly Pear Cactus Plant Benefits: Herb Wisdom: https://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-prickly-pear-cactus.html

What Are the Benefits of Nopal?: Medical News Today: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320293.php