Wildcrafted Soups

     Guess what, it's Winter in Florida! Those few days a year where it's actually chilly. This means that the soup is on!

     I love soup and this time of year is great for harvesting a number of our local edibles. So I figured I'd share some of my favorite wild edible soups with you guys today. As usual, these recipes are vegetarian and vegan friendly as well as gluten free. If you want to add in some meat or dairy, be my guest and let me know what you think in the comments!

     Just be very careful when harvesting your wild edibles.  A few good rules to remember is to harvest only 100 feet (or more) from roadways to avoid contamination from road run-off.  Make sure to harvest only in areas that are not treated with herbicides and/or pesticides.  Also be careful to not harvest from waste areas (many of these plants have a tendency to take in the harmful chemicals and minerals from these areas).  Make sure that you thoroughly wash these plants before using them to avoid bacterial contamination, this is also important if you are harvesting plants that grow shorter than a dog's leg.  I also follow the Native American harvesting tradition of only harvesting ¼ of the plants you encounter.  You leave ¼ for the animals to eat, ¼ for the next wildcrafter/forager who comes along, and ¼ to grow and continue the population.  And the most important rule of all, be 100% sure of what you are harvesting.  If you are 99.99% sure, do not harvest.  There are a great number of look-alikes that can be toxic, so please please be sure of your plant before consuming it.

The Soups On!:

Wild Herbs and Rice Soup

(6 Servings)

4 tablespoons Olive Oil

½ medium Onion, chopped

1 large rib of Celery, chopped

2 Garlic Cloves, smashed and chopped

3 cups Vegetable Broth (or bone broth)

2 cups Water

2/3 cup uncooked Wild Rice (or a blend), rinsed and drained

1 cup Almond Milk (or milk/substitute of your choice)

½ teaspoon Black Pepper

½ teaspoon dried Thyme

¼ teaspoon Salt

2 cups Wild Herbs, chopped

Instructions:
In a large pot, on medium-high heat, add in the olive oil. Give it a minute to warm up then add the onion, celery, and garlic. Cook until everything is just softened (about 10 minutes). Stir in the vegetable broth, water, and rice. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and allow the rice to cook as long as the package recommends (wild rice usually takes about 45 min or more), but don't drain it when done. Stir in the remaining ingredients, cover and allow to simmer for an additional 20 minutes. Check your seasoning, add more if needed. Serve warm!

“Cream” of Wild Greens Soup

(6 Servings)

4 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 medium Onion, diced

1 clove Garlic, smashed and diced

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon Gluten Free Flour

4 cups Vegetable Stock

2 pounds Wild Greens

½ cup Silken Tofu (about 8 oz)

Salt and White Pepper to taste

Instructions:
In a medium sauce pan, over medium heat, combine olive oil, onion, and garlic. Cook until the onion is transparent (about 5 minutes). Add in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 more minute (the flour should not take on any color). Slowly drizzle in stock, whisking constantly to avoid clumps. Once all the stock is incorporated, bring mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, whisking occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a large pot on high heat, bring a good amount of water to a boil. Sprinkle in a few tablespoons of salt. Prepare an ice water bath in a large mixing bowl (this will help keep the greens looking bright and vibrant). Blanch your wild greens by submerging them in the salted, boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove from the boiling water and submerge them in the ice bath until ready to blend.

Squeeze all the liquid out of your greens as you put them in the blender, a little bit at a time, with the sauce you've had simmering. I usually do this in about 2 batches. Blend the mixtures together. Once these are blended, add in a bit of the tofu, with a little salt and white pepper, and continue to blend until smooth. Once blended, pour through a sieve into a clean pot. Warm it up to just under boiling (if you boil it the color will get all muddy) and serve warm!

Potato, Betony, and Leek Soup

(6 Servings)

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

4 large Leeks, white and light green parts only, roughly chopped

3 cloves Garlic, smashed

1 pound Potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped into ½ inch pieces

1 pound Florida Betony tubers, cleaned and chopped

7 cups Vegetable Broth

1 cup Wild Greens, chopped well

1 teaspoon Salt

¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

Instructions:
In a large saucepan, on medium-high heat, combine first 5 ingredients. Sautee until they are nice and tender. Add in the vegetable broth and simmer for about 20 minutes. Puree the mixture using an immersion blender, or puree in batches with a food processor. Put back on the heat and add in the remaining ingredients. Cook for an additional 20 minutes. Serve warm!

Cauliflower and Kudzu Soup

(6 Servings)

1 head Cauliflower

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 small Onion, diced

1 clove Garlic, smashed

1 pound Kudzu Root, washed and diced

4 cups Vegetable Stock

2 cups Water

1 cup Almond Milk (or milk/substitute of choice)

2 cups Wild Herbs or Spinach, shredded

1 ½ cups Kudzu Leaves, shredded

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:
Prepare the head of cauliflower, cutting it into florets and dicing up the stalk. In a large pot, on medium-high heat, sautee the onion and garlic in olive oil until just transparent. Add in cauliflower and kudzu root. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add in stock and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes. Puree mixture with an immersion blender, or blend in batches in a food processor. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer for an additional 20 minutes. Serve warm!

Quinoa, Lentil, and Mushroom Soup

(6 Servings)

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 large Onion, chopped

2 Carrots, peeled and chopped

2 Celery Ribs, chopped (feel free to throw in the greens too)

3 Garlic cloves, smashed and chopped

8 oz Mushrooms (crimini are a good choice, but you can use any mushroom really), chopped

4 cups Vegetable Stock

2 cups Water

¾ cup dried Lentils

2 cups Wild Herbs, chopped

½ cup Quinoa, toasted

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:
In a large stock pot, on medium-high heat, combine olive oil, onion, celery, and carrot. Cook until onion is just translucent. Add in the garlic and mushrooms and cook for about 5 more minutes. Pour in the vegetable broth, water, and lentils, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 1 hour. Add in remaining ingredients, cover and cook for an additional 20 minutes, or until the quinoa is fully cooked. Serve warm!

Wild Plants to experiment with:  

Stinging Nettle Urtica dioica- This herb is notorious for it's sting.  If you encounter it in it's raw form you'll know exactly why.  However, once cooked or dried, nettles loose their sting and can be quite tasty, not to mention nutritious.  Nutritionally, it's a great source of vitamins A, C, and D as well as iron, calcium, and magnesium.  Medicinally, nettles are used to treat hay fever and similar allergies throughout the world.  Because of the sting, this is one green you definitely want to blanch or dry before using in recipes.

Spanish Needle Bidens Alba- Spanish Needle is one of the most under-appreciated plants in North America.  It's also one of the most prolific.  Everywhere you look, especially here in Central Florida, you can find it.  The young leaves and flowers are edible, but the whole plant is used medicinally.  For most recipes, you really want to blanch the leaves first, but this step is not necessary when using them in a soup.  Nutritionally, bidens leaves are very similar to spinach and packed with lots of vitamins and minerals.  Medicinally, they are very useful for upper respiratory conditions. 

Purslane Portulaca oleracea- One of the most nutritionally jam packed green on earth, Purslane contains more omega 3 fatty acids than any other plant known.  It's also full of vitamins A, B, C, and E, beta carotene, magnesium, calcium, folate, lithium, iron, and protein.  You can use the leaves and stems for any of the above recipes.  It's also a powerhouse of medicinal benefits. 

Red Clover Trifolium pratense- As a member of the legume (bean) family, Red Clover leaves have a slight bean flavor.  The flowers are even more tasty and are supposedly the most tasty of any of the clover flowers.  Nutritionally, red clover is full of nutrients including vitamins A, B, and C, zinc, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium.  Medicinally, red clover is one of the best herbs for women as it helps to balance the female hormones.  It's also a great aid in helping to prevent cancers of all types. 

Peppergrass Lepidium virginicum- Peppergrass is very prolific here in Central Florida, and quite peppery in taste, almost like a very mild horseradish.  The seeds can be used to flavor foods like pepper, the root can be used similarly to horseradish, but the leaves are delicious raw.  Nutritionally, the leaves are a good source of vitamins A and C.  Medicinally, this plant is great for the kidneys and has been used, traditionally, to treat asthma.  This is one of the few plants that actually have no known dangerous look-alikes. 

Chickweed Stellaria media- Usually one of the earliest spring greens that show up in the eastern portion of the United States, Chickweed is a great choice for a pot herb.  Nutritionally, it's full of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and quite a few other nutrients.  Medicinally, this is one of the most amazing little herbs for your lymphatic system.  You can use the leaves, flowers, and stems in these recipes. 

Drymary Drymaria cordata- This Chickweed look-alike does not taste like it's cousin. Chickweed has a mild corn flavor. Drymary's leaves and young shoots are edible and can be quite tasty if prepared as a pot herb. There is some question about toxicity in large quantities, so parboil it and discard the water before you use it in these recipes, just to be on the safe side.

Dollarweed Hydrocotyle bonariensis- Also known as Pennywort, Dollarweed tastes like carrot tops, or a bit like celery.  It's a common weed in Florida that drives most lawn-owners crazy.  Not only does it like lawns, but it also really loves to get it's feet wet, which means that you'll find it at the edges of rivers, streams, and lakes.  You can also find it marshy areas.  You can eat it raw, but you can also pickle/ferment it to  make a “kraut” similar to sauerkraut.  Dollarweed is often confused for Gotu Kola, which is a close cousin and has similar medicinal and nutritional benefits.  Nutritionally, dollarweed is a decent source of minerals as well as B vitamins.  Medicinally they are great for lowering blood pressure.  Use only the leaves for these recipes.

Gotu Kola Centella asiatica- Gotu Kola is quite a bit more bitter than it's cousin Dollarweed. But it's also packed full of more benefits as a result. A few Asian cultures believe that if you eat one of these leaves a day, you will live forever. While they may not contain the secret of immortality, they are amazingly beneficial for almost every age-related issue. You can consume the leaves raw or cooked, though I do recommend using them sparingly because of the bitterness.

Pine Pinus spp.- The needles and nuts from pine trees can be a great addition to quite a few recipes. While the needles have a distinct flavor and may not lend themselves to a lot of recipes, pine nuts are amazingly mild and can be quite pleasantly added to just about everything. Also, pine needles tend to be sharp and wiry, so if you're going to use them in these recipes, you might want to cook them and then discard the needles  before you serve the food. Pine needles are loaded down with vitamin C and many other helpful vitamins and minerals. I like to include them in soups during cold and flu season, or when I start feeling a bit under the weather.

Kudzu Pueraria lobata- Introduced in the 1800's to provide additional foraging for livestock as well as to for erosion control, Kudzu has taken over in many areas of the US. However it's a great plant to eat and it has a number of medicinal benefits. Kudzu leaves, flowers, blossoms, vine tips and roots are edible. This plant produces fragrant blossoms which you can make into jelly, syrup and candy. You can cook the root, which contains starch and can be used as a coating in deep fried foods, or for thickening soups and sauces. Flowers can be tossed on a salad, cooked or pickled. Stems and young leaves can be consumed raw or cooked. This pesky vine is a staple food in both Japan and China. It's packed full of antioxidants, helps calm down an upset stomach, and may even help treat alcoholism. Throw a couple blossoms or leaves in any soup recipe above, or add in some of the root like you would potatoes.

Wild Grape Vitis riparia- Wild Grape, Fox Grape (Vitis labrusca), and a number of other grapes found out in the wild, are both edible and medicinal. The leaves are what I commonly eat, and they taste grape-like, unlike the toxic look-a-likes that can be found in some areas. You can eat the grapes themselves, but many of our native vines don't produce them on a regular basis and they tend to be quite small. You can eat the fruit and leaves raw as well as cooked. One of my favorite preparations is the Middle Eastern or Greek Dolmas (or stuffed grape leaves), but I have also been known to scoop up some hummus in the raw leaves from time to time. Medicinally speaking, grape leaves are amazingly astringent and anti-inflammatory. They help prevent and treat diarrhea, heavy menstrual bleeding, uterine hemorrhage, hepatitis, stomach aches, rheumatism, and edema.

Nasturtium Tropaeolum spp.- This herb may not be native to Florida, and may not be found in the wild, but my mother got me addicted to growing these tasty treats as a young girl.  She used the excuse that for every flower I picked, two more would bloom, but I think it had more to do with the fact that we both loved to eat them in our salads.  The whole plant is edible, and nasturtium flowers are one of the most recognizable, edible flowers on the market in America.  The whole plant tastes peppery and you can use the flowers and leaves fairly interchangeably, but you can also pickle the seeds to add a little pop to your salads.  There is only one warning associated with eating this plant, and it's a common one.  Nasturtiums contain oxalic acid which can cause health issues when consumed in abundance.  For that to happen, you'd need to eat several pounds of the leaves in one sitting, but the warning is there none-the-less.  Nutritionally, nasturtium leaves and flowers are packed full of vitamin C and iron.  Medicinally, nasturtium leaves are antibiotic, and this property is strongest just before the plant blooms.  I use both the flowers and leaves for these recipes. 

Watercress Nasturtium officinale- Watercress is a green that has been eaten by humans for our entire history, and one of the oldest to be cultivated.  You can still find it in quite a few grocery stores today.  Nutritionally, it is loaded with vitamins A and C, and contains significant amounts of iron, calcium, and folic acid.  Medicinally it is loaded down with benefits as well.  The vikings considered it THE food to eat in the spring because it helped to flush the body of all the built up chemicals that come from existing solely on meat throughout the harsh winters.  Just avoid eating too much of this tasty green during pregnancy. 

Florida Betony Stachys floridana- Locally, this is often seen as a horrible weed, only to be eradicated in most lawns and gardens. However, I love them. This is one of the herbs that I harvest most for both medicinal uses and food. Now, most people think the leaves taste a bit much like medicine, but a few of them in the pot can add quite a few medicinal benefits. However, the tastiest part is the root, well really the tuber. They look like fat white worms or grubs. But they're crunchy and taste like a mild radish. I love to pickle them, cook them with a little olive oil, or even eat them raw. They make a great addition to any of the above recipes, just clean them, chop them, and add them in like you would a potato.

Wood Sorrel Oxalis spp.- This is a plant that can be found everywhere in the world, except at the North and South poles.  There are around 850 different species and they are all edible.  Oxalis leaves taste a little sour, reminiscent of a very, very mild rhubarb.  You can eat every part of this plant, but I do need to caution you about over-eating it.  Oxalis contains oxalic acid which can cause health issues when consumed in abundance.  For that to happen, you'd need to eat several pounds of the leaves in one sitting, but the warning is there none-the-less.  Nutritionally, oxalis is high in vitamin C, iron, and zinc.  Medicinally it's great for reducing fever, increasing appetite, and it happens to be a diuretic.  For these recipes, I use the leaves, but the tubers are eaten all throughout Eastern Europe and South America.
   
     I hope you enjoy making (and eating) these soups!  If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below!

Resources:
For more information on weeds and herbs that you can eat, check out these awesome websites!


Eat The Weeds!: http://www.eattheweeds.com/
Edible Wild Food: http://www.ediblewildfood.com/
Wild Edible: https://www.wildedible.com/

Nourishing Infusions

     If you look at enough herbal information you may notice a few things. First off, herbs aren't just for one specific ailment, they can work for a wide variety of problems when extracted in the correct medium (vinegar, alcohol, oil, or water) and taken in the correct manner. But what I want to really focus on, right now, is the vitamin and mineral content present in those same herbs.

     Quite a few herbs are also superfoods, and if they're not officially classified as such, they should be. Most herbs are packed full of vitamins and minerals, many of which are hard to come by in the grocery store. But how do you get the full benefit of these nutrients? A typical herbal tea, brewed for flavor more than effect, is only steeped for 5-10 minutes and contains relatively little plant matter. This isn't going to bring a powerhouse of nutrients to the table. Herbal infusions, brewed for a specific effect, are steeped for 30-45 minutes and may contain a few more nutrients, but more often still are lacking in those. Modern science tells us that vitamins and minerals take a longer time to extract than the more effect specific volatile oils and flavors of the typical teas and infusions previously mentioned. So that leaves us looking for an infusion that takes much longer and requires much more plant matter. Enter, nourishing infusions.

     Nourishing infusions take about 6-8 hours to steep, this helps to extract the nutrients that we're looking for. Particularly the minerals, as they are the slowest to extract. An average cup of nettle tea, steeped for 5-10 minutes with only 1 teaspoon of dried nettle leaf, contains around 5-10 mg of calcium where a cup of nettle infusion, steeped for 6 hours containing much more of the leaf, can contain up to 500 mg of calcium. Not to mention all of the other vitamins and minerals contained in nettle leaves. This shows just how much more nourishing of an infusion a nourishing infusion can be.

     Now that we know how long to steep our nourishing infusion, let's chat about how much of it we need, and how much of the herb we need to make it. Most herbalists recommend drinking about 5 quarts of various nourishing infusions a week. I try to go above and beyond, and drink a quart a day, but often end up missing the mark and getting a little over a pint a day (I have a tendency to leave my infusion at home when I have things to do in the mornings...oops), which comes out to about 3 ½ + quarts a week. When I recommend people start out with nourishing infusions, I tend to recommend starting with a pint a day, and working their way up to a quart (which is 2 pints). When you're brewing this infusion a pint at a time, use ½ cup of herb(s) in your container (I use mason jars because the measurements are on the sides) and fill it up with boiling water, close it and let it sit on the counter overnight. If you are feeling like you want to go for the gusto, for each quart I use 1 cup of herb(s). When I'm good and don't forget my infusion, I make a pint at a time. I brew one pint before I go to bed at night, then I brew a second pint when I wake up. This way I have 2 pints of infusion throughout the day, and I can add more variety to my daily routine (I'll often opt to use different herbs with each brewing).

     So what herbs are good to use for nourishing infusions? Realistically, you can use any herb listed as nourishing, as a tonic, or as a nutritive. However, keep in mind that the flavor of some herbs changes drastically over time. Chamomile, for instance, is very sweet when steeped for only 10 minutes. However, when left for 20 minutes or longer, it gets very bitter. The whole point of these infusions is to get more vitamins and minerals into your diet, so you don't want to create a blend that you won't actually drink, because it tastes overly bitter, or just odd. You can also sweeten these infusions, though most sweeteners may take away from some of the benefit, as long as you're getting those nutrients into your system you're doing good. I have some of my favorite blends listed for you below, but I want to introduce you to some great nutritive herbs and give you some tips on making your own blends.

The Herbs:

Nettle Urtica dioica- This herb is well known to be packed full of minerals and great for people suffering from allergies. It is also a diuretic, so you may experience dry eyes or frequent bathroom trips when taking larger amounts of this herb. Try adding some marshmallow leaves (or roots) or licorice to your nettle infusion to help reduce those effects.

Oatstraw and Milky Oats Avena sativa- Yes, this is the same plant that oatmeal comes from. Which means that it's super loaded down with healthy nutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium, and a wide variety of vitamins and other nutrients. Oatstraw works better over time, and milky oats work better in the short term, to help sooth the nerves and relieve symptoms of fatigue. Oats help to nourish the whole body and is especially good for people who seem to be chronically burnt out.

Red Raspberry Rubus spp.- High in vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium, and potassium. Red raspberry is especially good for females, as it works to balance female hormones, and tone the female reproductive system. It's beneficial for women during all stages of their lives and reproductive cycles, but especially helpful preparing for pregnancy and during pregnancy.

Red Clover Trifolium pratense- Another feminine herb, red clover is also packed full of nutrition. It increases fertility in both men and women, but works especially well for women who have problems conceiving. It's also great for improving the memory and preventing cancer growth.

Hawthorne Crataegus spp.- This herb is best known for it's support of the heart, but it's also super packed full of nutrients. The berries are also super tasty. You can use leaves or berries for the nourishing infusions and both help to support the physical heart as well as the emotional one.

Alfalfa Medicago sativa- This herb is best known for it's sprouts, which have been consumed, in health food, for decades now. It's well known to be high in vitamins, especially A, C, E, and K4. It's also packed full of minerals such as calcium, iron, potassium, and phosphorous. However, adding alfalfa to your infusion is an easy way to boost your vitamin and mineral intake.

Comfrey Symphytum officinalis- This herb strengthens and heals bones, skin, ligaments, tendons, and the mucosa (mucus covered surfaces of the body). The infusion is high in protein, minerals, and most vitamins. It's also contains compounds needed for an excellent short term memory.

Spanish Needle Bidens spp.- A local herb, Spanish needle is considered a weed for many a gardener, and a buffet for many a local bee. It's so nutritious that the “founding fathers” of America thought to grow it as a cash crop, instead of spinach. However, they decided to go with spinach instead, because it was so abundant in the wild. The flowers make for a pretty tea, but all aerial parts can be used for a nourishing infusion.

Peppermint Mentha piperita- Mints are all so wonderful, and you can really choose whichever you want for your infusion. Each one has a slightly different flavor and overall effect, but they're all super nutritious and have many of the same qualities that make it great for immune boosting, stomach problems, and allergies.

Lemon Balm Melissa officinalis- This herb is calming and relaxing, helping to relieve anxiety and depression. It also adds a pleasant, lemony, flavor to the infusion. Lemon balm is nourishing and balancing for the nervous system.

Tulsi Ocimum tenuiflorum- Also known as Holy Basil, this herb is an all around favorite of mine. It helps to lower cortisol (the stress hormone) and helps to calm an overexcited nervous system. It's also super tasty and mixes well with just about every other herb out there.

Catnip Nepeta cataria- Not just for cats, Catnip helps to calm down anxiety in humans. It's actions are very mild and can be used with children, it may even help keep nightmares at bay. In the Middle Ages, catnip was believed to help prevent insanity in humans. However it is super nutritious and can be eaten raw or made into a nourishing infusion to add a boost of vitamins to your diet.

Moringa Moringa oleifera- This plant has recently gained a reputation as a superfood. And a well earned reputation at that. It's not only packed full of healthy vitamins and minerals, but also amino acids and protein. Adding moringa to your nourishing infusion can help boost your vitamin and mineral intake dramatically.

Marshmallow Althaea officinalis- This is one of my favorite herbs. The most common parts used are the leaves and roots. I tend to prefer the roots. It's naturally sweet, soothing, and packed full of healthy nutrients. This herb helps to bring moisture to drying blends as well. I tend to add marshmallow to quite a few nettle blends. Steep it either hot or cold, however, if you want to take the most advantage of it's moistening properties, let it steep in a cold infusion.

Violet Viola spp.- Such a pretty little flower, violet is also a great powerhouse of nutrition. The leaves and flowers are both useful in many ways. It's great for the heart, but it's also very soothing for the spirit. The leaves are high in vitamin C, but the flowers hold their own appeal as well. One bonus of using the flowers is that they add a beautiful shade of purple to your infusion. Like marshmallow, you can steep it either hot or cold, but to take the most advantage of it's moistening properties, steep it in a cold infusion.

     Now any of these herbs can be used singly (and herbalist Susan Weed recommends just that), but quite often I blend them to improve flavor, or to tailor them to specific needs (a great woman's nutritive blend involves red clover, red raspberry, and nettle). Adding in some flavorful herbs not listed here can also be good. Quite a few nutritive blends I've stumbled upon elsewhere include cinnamon, cardamom, or ginger. Just make sure you are familiar with the herbs you are using, and if you have any questions, feel free to contact your friendly neighborhood herbalist for more information and safety concerns. Herbs are great powerhouses of nutrients, but they're also potent medicines and should be used with respect.

The Blends:

Lovely Lady

This tea is wonderful for ladies going through every stage of life. It helps balance female hormones, increases fertility, improves the chances of implantation, and helps prepare both mother and unborn infant for labor. It's super high in folate (which is necessary for both female and infant health) and iron. This tea is my go-to for just about every woman I talk to, as well as myself, and the only feedback I've had is positive. One lady even believes this tea to be the main reason her first labor was relatively fast and easy. Sometimes I vary it a little by doubling the nettle leaf and alternating the red clover and red raspberry. Drinking red clover every day for one week and red raspberry for the next. And for the last trimester of a pregnancy I usually recommend leaving out the red clover and doubling the red raspberry. I'll also increase the peppermint when morning sickness is especially rough, or when plagued by nausea for some other reason.

Lovely Lady Tea

1 part Nettle Leaf

1 part Red Clover

1 part Red Raspberry Leaf

½ part Lemon Balm (or Peppermint)

Vitali-Tea

This blend is a good, all around, multivitamin blend. It's great for everyone in the whole family and packed full of nutrients.

Daily Vitali-Tea

1 part Nettle Leaf

1 part Moringa Leaf

1 part Alfalfa

½ part Oatstraw

½ part Peppermint

Stress Free

This blend is not just full of nutrients, but all the herbs are considered to be adaptogens as well. They help us to adapt to daily stress, and help to bring us into balance. This helps to reduce our anxiety levels (something every American needs) and improve our outlook. This blend also includes hawthorne, which helps to strengthen the heart, and catnip, which Medieval cultures believed could prevent insanity.

Stress Free Nutrient Tea

1 part Hawthorne Berry and/or Leaf

1 part Nettle Leaf

½ part Tulsi

½ part Lemon Balm

½ part Catnip

Cold Brew

This blend is made up of herbs that work best when brewed without heat. Marshmallow, violet, and milky oats all contain compounds that break down fast when exposed to warmer temperatures. Because they work best cold, they may take longer to brew, so I give them 8-10 hours instead of 6-8. This blend works especially well for people who have problems with heartburn and GERD.

Cold Brew Nutrients

(should steep 8-10 hours)

1 part Marshmallow Root

1 part Violet Flower

1 part Violet Leaf

1 part Milky Oats

In any of these recipes, feel free to change the ingredients around. Play with different herbs, but play smart. Herbs are wonderful allies in our search for better health, but they can also be potent. Use them with respect but have fun, play around, and let me know what you think below!

Resources:

Difference in Tea vs. Infusion: Bulk Herb Store: https://www.bulkherbstore.com/blog/tea-vs-infusion-whats-the-difference/

How to Incorporate Nourishing Herbal Infusions into Your Diet: Bulk Herb Store: https://www.bulkherbstore.com/blog/how-to-incorporate-nourishing-herbal-infusions-into-your-diet/

How to Make Nourishing Herbal Infusions: Mountain Rose Herbs: https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/how-to-make-nourishing-herbal-infusions

How to Make Nourishing Herbal Infusions: Susan Weed: http://www.susunweed.com/How_to_make_Infusions.htm

Nourishing Herbal Infusions the Wise Woman Way: Nourishing Herbal Infusions: http://nourishingherbalinfusions.com/

Nourishing Infusions: Fresh Cup: https://www.freshcup.com/nourishing-infusions/

Wild Herb Pesto

     As many of you may know, I am very much an advocate for wildcrafting and using herbs as both food and medicine. One of my favorite ways to incorporate wild greens into my diet is with pesto. Pesto is such a great sauce/spread. I use it on sandwiches, in pasta dishes, and even mix it with hummus or sour cream to make a tasty dip for vegetables and chips. Even better, pesto is so easy to make. All you absolutely need are greens and olive oil. You can leave out the cheese if you are vegan, or the nuts if you have an allergy. It's great!

     Just be very careful when harvesting your wild greens. A few good rules to remember is to harvest only 100 feet (or more) from roadways to avoid contamination from road run-off. Make sure to harvest only in areas that are not treated with herbicides and/or pesticides. Also be careful to not harvest from waste areas (many of these plants have a tendency to take in the harmful chemicals and minerals from these areas). Make sure that you thoroughly wash these plants before using them to avoid bacterial contamination, this is also important if you are harvesting plants that grow shorter than a dog's leg. I also follow the Native American harvesting tradition of only harvesting ¼ of the plants you encounter. You leave ¼ for the animals to eat, ¼ for the next wildcrafter/forager who comes along, and ¼ to grow and continue the population. And the most important rule of all, be 100% sure of what you are harvesting. If you are 99.99% sure, do not harvest. There are a great number of look-alikes that can be toxic, so please please be sure of your plant before consuming it.

Wild Herb Pesto

2 cups Herb (or herbs) of your choice

2 cloves garlic

¼ cup pine nuts (or cashews)

2/3 cups extra virgin olive oil

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Combine herbs, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Add in 1/3 cup of the olive oil and process until smooth. Stir in remaining olive oil, cheese, and seasonings. Enjoy!

*For more of a traditional pesto flavor, use 1 cup of basil and 1 cup of wild herbs. I also like to use tulsi (holy basil) occasionally for an added health boost.

*Feel free to play with the amount of olive oil you use for different textures and flavor.

10 Herbs to experiment with:

• Stinging Nettle Urtica dioica is notorious for it's sting. If you encounter it in it's raw form you'll know exactly why. However, once cooked or dried, nettles loose their sting and can be quite tasty, not to mention nutritious. Nutritionally, it's a great source of vitamins A, C, and D as well as iron, calcium, and magnesium. Medicinally, nettles are used to treat hay fever and similar allergies throughout the world. Because of the sting, this is one green you definitely want to blanch or dry before using in recipes.

• Spanish Needle Bidens Alba is one of the most under-appreciated plants in North America. It's also one of the most prolific. Everywhere you look, especially here in Central Florida, you can find it. The young leaves and flowers are edible, but the whole plant is used medicinally. If you are using the leaves for pesto, you really want to blanch them first. Nutritionally, bidens leaves are very similar to spinach and packed with lots of vitamins and minerals. Medicinally, they are very useful for upper respiratory conditions. For more information on how bidens is used medicinally, you can find a previous post of mine here.

• Purslane Portulaca oleracea is the most nutritionally jam packed green on earth. It contains more omega 3 fatty acids than any other plant known. It's also full of vitamins A, B, C, and E, beta carotene, magnesium, calcium, folate, lithium, iron, and protein. It's also a powerhouse of medicinal benefits. For more information on how purslane is used medicinally, you can find a previous post of mine here. You can use the leaves and stems for the pesto.

• Red Clover Trifolium pratense is in the legume (bean) family and the leaves have a slight bean flavor. The flowers are even more tasty and are supposedly the most tasty of any of the clover flowers (I haven't personally tried all of them yet, but so far it's winning for me). Nutritionally, red clover is full of nutrients including vitamins A, B, and C, zinc, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium. Medicinally, red clover is one of the best herbs for women as it helps to balance the female hormones. It's also a great aid in helping to prevent cancers of all types.

• Peppergrass Lepidium virginicum is quite peppery in taste, almost like a very mild horseradish. The seeds can be used to flavor foods like pepper, the root can be used similarly to horseradish, but the leaves are delicious raw. Nutritionally, the leaves are a good source of vitamins A and C. Medicinally, this plant is great for the kidneys and has been used, traditionally, to treat asthma. This is one of the few plants that actually have no known dangerous look-alikes.

• Chickweed Stellaria media is one of the earliest spring greens that show up in the eastern portion of the United States. Nutritionally, it's full of calcium, magnesium, potassiom, and quite a few other nutrients. Medicinally, this is one of the most amazing little herbs for your lymphatic system. You can use the leaves, flowers, and stems in this recipe.

• Dollarweed Hydrocotyle bonariensis (also known as pennywort) tastes like carrot tops, or a bit like celery. It's a common weed in Florida that drives most lawn-owners crazy. Not only does it like lawns, but it also really loves to get it's feet wet, which means that you'll find it at the edges of rivers, streams, and lakes. You can also find it marshy areas. You can eat it raw, but you can also pickle/ferment it to make a “kraut” similar to sauerkraut. Dollarweed is often confused for Gotu Kola, which is a close cousin and has similar medicinal and nutritional benefits. Nutritionally, dollarweed is a decent source of minerals as well as B vitamins. Medicinally they are great for lowering blood pressure. Use only the leaves for this recipe.

• Nasturtium Tropaeolum spp.may not be native to Florida, and may not be found in the wild, but my mother got me addicted to growing these tasty treats as a young girl. She used the excuse that for every flower I picked, two more would bloom, but I think it had more to do with the fact that we both loved to eat them in our salads. The whole plant is edible, and nasturtium flowers are one of the most recognizable, edible flowers on the market in America. The whole plant tastes peppery and you can use the flowers and leaves fairly interchangeably, but you can also pickle the seeds to add a little pop to your salads. There is only one warning associated with eating this plant, and it's a common one. Nasturtiums contain oxalic acid which can cause health issues when consumed in abundance. For that to happen, you'd need to eat several pounds of the leaves in one sitting, but the warning is there none-the-less. Nutritionally, nasturtium leaves and flowers are packed full of vitamin C and iron. Medicinally, nasturtium leaves are antibiotic, and this property is strongest just before the plant blooms. I use both the flowers and leaves for this recipe.

• Watercress Nasturtium officinale has been eaten by humans for our entire history, and one of the oldest to be cultivated. You can still find it in quite a few grocery stores today. Nutritionally, it is loaded with vitamins A and C, and contains significant amounts of iron, calcium, and folic acid. Medicinally it is loaded down with benefits as well. The vikings considered it THE food to eat in the spring because it helped to flush the body of all the built up chemicals that come from existing solely on meat throughout the harsh winters. Just avoid this tasty green during pregnancy.

• Wood Sorrel Oxalis spp. can be found everywhere in the world, except at the North and South poles. There are around 850 different species and they are all edible. Oxalis leaves taste a little sour, reminiscent of a very, very mild rhubarb. You can eat every part of this plant, but I do need to caution you about over-eating it. Oxalis contains oxalic acid which can cause health issues when consumed in abundance. For that to happen, you'd need to eat several pounds of the leaves in one sitting, but the warning is there none-the-less. Nutritionally, oxalis is high in vitamin C, iron, and zinc. Medicinally it's great for reducing fever, increasing appetite, and it happens to be a diuretic. For this recipe, I use the leaves, but the tubers are eaten all throughout Eastern Europe and South America.

I hope you enjoy making this pesto and have fun gathering your herbs! If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below!

Resources:

(if you can't tell, I'm a Green Deane fan)

Eat the Weeds : Chickweed Chic : http://www.eattheweeds.com/chickweed-connoisseurs-2/comment-page-1/

Eat the Weeds : Oxalis How to Drown Your Sorrels : http://www.eattheweeds.com/oxalis-how-to-drown-your-sorrels/

Eat the Weeds : Nasturtiums Natures Nose Nabber : http://www.eattheweeds.com/nasturtiums-natures-nose-nabber/

Eat the Weeds : Pennyworts Making Sense : http://www.eattheweeds.com/a-pennywort-for-your-thoughts-2/

Eat the Weeds : Peppergrass Potent Pipsqueak : http://www.eattheweeds.com/peppergrass-potent-pipsqueak/

Eat the Weeds : Purslane Any Portulaca in a Storm : http://www.eattheweeds.com/purslane-omega-3-fatty-weed/

Eat the Weeds : Spanish Needle Pitchfork Weed : http://www.eattheweeds.com/spanish-needles-pitchfork-weed/

Eat the Weeds : Stinging Nettles : http://www.eattheweeds.com/urtica-chamaedryoides-nettle-knowledge-2/

Kansas City Star : Not Just Pretty : http://www.kansascity.com/living/liv-columns-blogs/chow-town/article326554/Not-just-pretty-edible-flowers-pack-nutritional-punch.html

Mom Prepares : Red Clover and Edible Plant that Packs a Punch : http://momprepares.com/red-clover-an-edible-plant-that-packs-a-punch/

Plant Care Today : Backyard Weeds You Can Eat : https://plantcaretoday.com/backyard-weeds-you-can-eat-with-health-benefits.html