Spring is a great time for foraging! Learn what to forage in spring with this list of 20 edible and medicinal plants and fungi. Spring foraging is fun!
It is officially spring when little yellow flowers begin to pop up in the thousands, turning every lawn into a star-studded carpet worthy of applause. Not everyone thinks the same way though. Much has been
Dandelion greens have made their way into the supermarket, but what about the roots? Dandelion roots are both nutritious and edible. They can be foraged in the early spring before the plants send up flower
Let’s get ready to get wild. Did you know that by 2050, it’s estimated that nearly 70 percent of the global population will live in cities? That means urban agriculture, ecosystems and foraging are all worth exploring. Urban foraging, a modern “gathering” rooted in ancestral traditions, is believed to have a plethora o
A delicate floral syrup of a beautiful purple color to give a summery twist to your cocktails, iced teas and coffee drinks or simply to use on top of your morning pancake or waffles.
Are you intrigued with the idea of foraging but intimidated by where to start? Foraging can be safe and a basketful of fun!
Learn all about foraging for elderberries and elderflowers, including identifying, harvesting, look-alikes, and edible and medicinal uses!
A cosy autumnal compote using plums, damsons and blackberries.
These are ten medicinal herbs to forage for in the autumn. Remember to mark wild herb locations in the growing season so they are easy to find after frost.
Foraging for wild foods is a great way to add some flavour to your outdoor adventures
Clover is a widely available edible wild plant with medicinal uses. Here's what to know about identifying and using edible clover.
Pineapple weed, also known as wild chamomile, is easy to forage for. It is a common plant that is edible and had many medicinal benefits!
There's a theory that the tastiest things need the best defenses. If you've ever stepped on or brushed by a bull thistle, you've experienced their robust defense system. What on earth are they hiding behind
Gathering, drying, and using clover is so simple! If you are a beginner at using wild edibles, then learning how to preserve white clover is the place to start! #foraging #foodpreservation #whiteclover #wildedibles #howtoforage #homesteading #eattheyard #eatthelawn
Get the recipe for an easy and delicious homemade elderflower syrup and very pretty elderflower-rose petals ice cubes. See more photos here.
Winter foraging in a cold climate is a great outdoor family self-reliance activity. Here are 65+ wild foods to find - what's missing? Let me know and I may add your suggestions!
Common weeds that are good to eat include purslane, lambsquarter, dandelion, wild amaranth., and plantain. They are edible and delicious.
Wild nuts aren't just for the squirrels, they're an abundant and nutrient-dense wild food that's just waiting for the harvest. Keep an eye out for these delicious wild protein sources and pack them away for winter
This gorgeous, gold-flecked jelly has the delicate flavor of some of spring’s earliest bloomers: forsythia blossoms!
Did you know there are dozens of wild herbs you can forage? Find out the best herbs to find growing wild throughout the year.
Winter is a magical time of year. Nature grows quiet and cozying up to a warm fire is particularly inviting. While falling into a peaceful hibernation routine is normal, it is worthwhile to wrap up in your warmest clothes and venture out into the forest to find the unique fruits of this special season. Despite…
This gorgeous, gold-flecked jelly has the delicate flavor of some of spring’s earliest bloomers: forsythia blossoms!
Spring is a great time for foraging! Learn what to forage in spring with this list of 20 edible and medicinal plants and fungi. Spring foraging is fun!
Did you know there are dozens of wild herbs you can forage? Find out the best herbs to find growing wild throughout the year.
Pine cone jam is made by cooking and cooling immature pine cones gently in a sugar syrup until the cones are tender and chewable.
Publisher: New Society Publishers Pub. Date: 2013-10-01 ISBN: 9781771421386 Format: Digital - 224 pages Size: 6" x 9" (w x h) BISAC: HOUSE & HOME / Sustainable Living
Spruce tips have a bright, citrus flavor that works well in both savory and sweet dishes. Almost all conifer tips are edible, and the only exception is yew trees. Pine and fir tips have their
If you’ve ever felt frustrated trying to choose a reliable field guide to take foraging with you, check out our favorite regional foraging books.
Spring is a great time for foraging! Learn what to forage in spring with this list of 20 edible and medicinal plants and fungi. Spring foraging is fun!
Foraging is a great excuse to get outside and reconnect with nature in the first days of spring. Winter foods are weighing heavy on our stomachs, and it's time for something fresh...and green. Well before
Pine needle soda is a naturally fermented drink with foraged ingredients, also called pine needle sprite. It's light, bright, and refreshing! This recipe makes one 16 oz bottle.
Foraging for edible herbs, as our ancestors did, is not just an interesting activity. It provides you with free food, nutritious and untainted by artificial methods of cultivation. Although it is nearly impossible to find
Eat Wild - and it will transform you I believe the plants that grow wild in their perfect habitat hold an energy that is more powerful than agriculturally grown food. When we consume the wild, the energy of the land releases into our cells and profoundly connects us to the earth in a most natural and healthy way. Eat Wild and see how your body awakens to the land I've been foraging and collecting wild herbs and food for a few years. Eat Wild has grown out of a love to share a little of what I have learned. Foraging and recipe guide to get you on your way. FIRST RULE of foraging: Never pick where the plant isn't in abundance, and don't take more than you'll eat. Printed from an original pen and ink illustration onto FSC certified 100% recycled paper using veg based inks in Bristol UK. A3 (29.7x42cm)
Take the harvest basket out to enjoy the outdoors and early spring foraging for food and medicine to fill the pantry and medicine cabinet.
As the first signs of spring arrive, and winter fades into the rear view mirror, you will likely be busy planting many of the crops that will sustain you for the rest of the year.
Learn how to identify, harvest, and prepare the most delicious, abundant, and nourishing plants around—edible wild weeds and invasives. These wild herbs pack a medicinal punch and make for tasty, sustainable nutrient-dense dishes.
Have you ever had a smell instantly remind you of something? The smell of a freshly dug sassafras root, dirt…
Come learn how to harvest, dry, and use rose hips for tea, jelly, rose hip oil, homemade body care products and more.
Our backyard was overflowing with violets, so I thought I would try this awesome Violet Jelly recipe from Bakers Brigade. Of course I'd heard of Dandelion Jelly, but I hadn't seen a recipe for Violet Jelly before. I was really interested in the "magical color change" this food blogger spoke about. After collecting violets in a jar, you pour boiling water onto them. Then let the jar sit overnight to infuse and create a lovely sapphire blue "tea". When you strain out the flowers and add lemon juice, the dark blue tea turns purple. WOW! Just take a look at Bakers Brigade's cool color changing video or our time-lapse video. A post shared by Alison (@canning_crafts) on Apr 26, 2017 at 6:45am PDT Violet Jelly (makes approximately 4-half pint jars) 1 pint violet flowers (approx. 2 cups) 2 tablespoons lemon juice 4 cups sugar (*see low sugar recipe note below) 3 oz. liquid pectin Collect a mason jar pint full of violet flowers. Pour boiling water into the jar of flowers. Gently press the violets to release any air bubbles. Cover the jar and keep out of the sun for 24 hours. By the next day, the violet “tea” will be sapphire blue. The next day, strain your violets through a colander lined with a coffee filter or paper towel. I also squeeze the flowers to release all the juices. You will need 2 cups of liquid, so you may need to add a little more water to the violet tea. Mix the tea and lemon juice in a large pot. At this point, you will see the dark blue tea turn purple. Oooooh aaahhhh. Magic! Bring the liquid to a boil and continue to boil for one minute. Add sugar and pectin, then bring to a hard boil one more minute. Turn the heat off and skim the top of the jelly if needed. Pour into sterilized mason jars. Makes approximately 4 half pints of jelly. Let cool and store in the fridge. Note: You could process the jars in a water bath to make them shelf stable, however, you would need to collect an awful lot of violets to make processing them worth it in my opinion. I’ve always just gotten enough violets for a few half pint jars at a time. Low-Sugar Recipe: Pomona's Pectin has a low-sugar Violet Jelly recipe. I recently tried this recipe and it tastes great! Pomona's pectin is a 2-part pectin that uses calcium water that allows you to drastically reduce the amount of sugar in jam and jelly recipes. Some Pomona's Pectin recipes reduce the sugar by 50% over a traditional recipe. So if you want to reduce sugar in pectin recipes, this is a good option. Our Cottage Chic Flower oval jar labels fit quilted canning jars, perfect for flower jelly! The resulting jelly is very sweet with a subtle floral taste. And the color is simply amazing! Who knew flowers could taste so good? If you have an abundance of these beautiful purple flowers in your yard, go pick them now! Violets are unlike dandelions, they won't last all season in your yard. Wild violets are typically found May through June in most areas (zones 3 through 9). Shop for Floral Canning Labels to decorate your jam & jelly jars. If you don't want to make jelly, you'll be happy to know there are plenty of other violet recipes to try. Violet Recipes: Sweet Violet Syrup Candied Violets Violet Sugar Violet Jam Violet Jelly Violet Muffins with Violet Sugar Violet Vinegar Violet Salad Violet Leaf Tea Violet Lemonade Recipe The process is pretty simple for violet lemonade. Spend hours collecting tiny violets in a mason jar, steep with hot water, strain out flowers, then add lemon juice. While it's back breaking collecting so many teeny-weeny flowers, it's worth it to witness the "magical" color change. After soaking the flowers overnight, the resulting liquid is a lovely sapphire blue. But once you add lemon juice to the strained solution, it turns purple. Ooooo aaaahhhh. Magic. I tested two batches of violet lemonade. For the first batch, I filled a pint mason jar HALF full of flowers. The second batch had a mason jar packed FULL of violets which resulted in a much darker navy blue color. I used one large fresh squeezed lemon and added several tablespoons of raw sugar. But wait, the color change is NOT magic. It's SCIENCE! You all know I like science. So WHY does the liquid change from blue to purple? It’s a basic acid/base chemical reaction. The anthocyanins (color pigments) in the violets (the base) are reacting to the lower pH from the lemon juice (the acid). oooooo SCIENCE! Violets have always been seen to have medicinal and even mystical properties. In the 10th century tome “Macer’s Herbal”, violets are noted to be powerful to combat “wykked sperytis”. 👻 Part of the mysticism surrounding them comes from their extract turning from dark purple to magenta when combined with lemon juice. Witness the magical & scientific color changing video below. Mwahahaha. Violet Lemonade Ice Cubes Recipe: When life gives you violet lemonade, you should make violet lemonade ice cubes! These tri-colored ice cubes are like a beautiful watercolor painting. It just takes a little patience to make the cubes because you have to freeze them in steps. You’ll need equal parts of blue violet water tincture and violet lemonade. To Make the Violet Lemonade: Add boiling water to a mason jar full of violet flowers. For the darkest blue water, steep overnight in refrigerator. Strain flowers from the blue violet water. Divide the blue violet water into two separate mason jars. Add lemon juice to ONE of the blue mason jars. The blue water will magically turn purple. Watch our color changing video. Oooooh Ahhhhh. Optional: Add a little sugar to the lemonade mix. To Make the Violet Lemonade Ice Cubes: Freeze violet flowers in ice cube trays with a small amount of water, about 1/4 inch. Make sure they are completely frozen before moving on to step 2. Remove ice cube tray from freezer and add about 1/4 inch of violet lemonade. Put in freezer until completely frozen again. Remove tray from freezer and add about 1/4 inch of blue violet water. Put in freezer until completely frozen again. Once the cubes are fully frozen, add them to violet lemonade, water, or other beverages. Violet Infused Vinegar Recipes I tested three different violet infused vinegars. For each, I filled a mason jar half full of violets. Then I filled each jar with a different vinegar. I used plain white vinegar, white rice vinegar, and a white wine vinegar. I added a piece of parchment paper under my metal rings so the vinegar didn't react with the metal. I then stored the jars in a cool dark place for a week. After a week or two, strain the violets from the vinegar. Each vinegar turned a lovely pinkish color from the violets. I'll make salad dressings with these colorful vinegars later this spring. Wild Violet Lemon Cookie Recipe Our Wild Violet Flower Lemon cookies are a real head turner! They are also a fun project for kids to help make. If you have an abundance of wild violet flowers in your yard, give this fun and healthy recipe a try. It will wow your friends and keep your kids busy in the yard. Read our blog post to get the Wild Violet Lemon Cookie recipe. Violet Salad You don't need a "fancy" recipe to eat violets. Besides eating them in jelly, cookies, or vinegar, you can eat the fresh in salads. Fix up any basic salad by topping it off with a sprinkle of fresh violets and a sweet vinaigrette. Nutritional Benefits of Wild Violets: So why eat violets? Well, they have fantastic health benefits much like dandelions. According to The Herbal Academy, violets have been used to treat: coughing and bronchitis colds and sore throats cystitis rheumatic complaints, reduce inflammation eczema psoriasis acne cradle cap for babies and even cancer! Violets have ample Vitamin C and A as well as other vitamins and minerals. Violet leaves are also sold as a supplement. Harvesting Wild Violets: There are 40-50 violet species in the US according to The Herbal Academy. Here's another handy website to help identify violet species. The medicinal properties of most wild violet species are interchangeable. They are NOT to be confused with the African Violet houseplant which will make you sick if eaten. Wild violets are typically found May through June in most areas (zones 3 through 9). Much like foraging for other edibles, be sure to harvest in areas free of pesticides. Avoid flowers in yards where pets may go to the bathroom as well. Harvest flowers and use fresh soon after picking or dry for later use. Our Cottage Chic Flower canning labels look great on any flower jam or jelly jars! Want to know more about eating flowers! Read our Using Dandelions as Food & Medicine blog post. Sign up for our newsletter to get more gardening tips, product updates, & a 10% off coupon on your first order of canning labels in our shop. Follow our Foraged Food & Wild Edibles Recipes Pinterest Board Have you ever made Violet Jelly or other flower recipes? If so, we'd love to hear about your foraging & cooking experiences in the comments blow.
There's a theory that the tastiest things need the best defenses. If you've ever stepped on or brushed by a bull thistle, you've experienced their robust defense system. What on earth are they hiding behind
Plantain has a long history of use as a healing plant, often called nature's band-aid. Here’s everything you need to know about foraging and using plantain!
This time of year always sees a rush of Instagram and blog posts about bluebells and wild garlic. You know what – until I actually started looking for wild garlic I had no idea just how abund…
Commonly mistaken for a weed, purslane is one of the most nutritious vegetables on the planet. Find out how to identify it and use it in 20 delicious recipes! #purslane #verdolagas #foraging
