Seeking Joyful Simplicity

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Simple Food

Blackberry Season and Five Easy Recipes

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Blackberries are a sweet summer berry and endlessly versatile. Learning to enjoy seasonal foods, we have found freezing fresh blackberries to be a wonderful way to preserve the freshness of summer to enjoy all year long. Let me share five easy and delicious blackberry recipes including a gluten-free blackberry oat bar, wild berry buckle (coffe-cake like), vanilla lavender blackberry jam, blackberry mead, and blackberry cobbler.

 

Blackberries are a sweet summer berry and endlessly versatile. Learning to enjoy seasonal foods, we have found freezing fresh blackberries to be a wonderful way to preserve the freshness of summer to enjoy all year long. Freezing fresh seasonal blackberries is really very simple, and I want to share five easy and delicious blackberry recipes including a gluten-free blackberry oat bar, wild berry buckle (coffe-cake like), vanilla lavender blackberry jam, blackberry mead, and blackberry cobbler.

 

Blackberries are a sweet summer berry and endlessly versatile. Learning to enjoy seasonal foods, we have found freezing fresh blackberries to be a wonderful way to preserve the freshness of summer to enjoy all year long. Let me share five easy and delicious blackberry recipes including a gluten-free blackberry oat bar, wild berry buckle (coffe-cake like), vanilla lavender blackberry jam, blackberry mead, and blackberry cobbler.

 

Cicada songs greeted us as we arrived at Hill Top Berry Farm and Winery. This is our favorite spot for berry picking, just a few miles from home. They don’t spray, and they use the berries grown on the farm to flavor their wines and honey meads. I love blackberry season and have five easy blackberry recipes to share.

Freezing Blackberries

Most of the berries we pick go into the freezer, and the memory of today will warm us as we enjoy blackberry goodness during the cold of winter.

Freezing blackberries is super easy. Freezing them on cookie sheets first makes them easier to remove from the bags. Simply rinse, drain, and spread over a cookie sheet and place in the freezer. Once the berries are frozen, pop them into freezer bags.

Five Blackberry Recipes

There are so many ways to enjoy blackberries, and as we moved through the fields picking berries, my mind wandered to recipes. I couldn’t quite decide what I wanted to make first…a simple blackberry cobbler, blackberry oat bars, blackberry jam?

Although most of the berries were frozen for later, I was excited to make something yummy. I ended up making one of Carl’s favorites – Blackberry Oat Bars. This is a simple recipe and we frequently substitute whatever seasonal fruits are available. I prefer to make mine gluten-free by substituting almond flour.

Blackberry Oat Bars

Blackberries are a sweet summer berry and endlessly versatile. Learning to enjoy seasonal foods, we have found freezing fresh blackberries to be a wonderful way to preserve the freshness of summer to enjoy all year long. Let me share five easy and delicious blackberry recipes including a gluten-free blackberry oat bar, wild berry buckle (coffe-cake like), vanilla lavender blackberry jam, blackberry mead, and blackberry cobbler.

 

Easy to print PDF Blackberry Oat Bars Recipe

Filling
1/2 cup Blackberry jam
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blackberries
Crust
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
4 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup flour (wheat or almond flour)
1/2 -3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cup oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup coconut oil (melted)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Oil an 8×8 glass baking dish

For the Filling:
In a small bowl, mix the jam and the berries

For the Crust:
In a small bowl, combine the ground flax seeds with water.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
Stir in the oats and the walnuts.
Add the oil, vanilla, and flax to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.

Assemble the Bars:
Press half the crust mixture into the pan.
Spoon the filling over the crust.
Cover the filling with the second half of the crust mixture, pressing down firmly.
Bake for 30 – 35 minutes.
Allow to cool completely before slicing into squares. We like to keep ours in the refrigerator. It’s great served cold or warm, and is wonderful warmed with ice-cream on the side.

I asked some of the bloggers in my network for their favorite blackberry recipes, and they all sound great! Here are more ways to enjoy blackberries:

The Free Range Life loves to use her wild blackberries in a Blackberry Buckle. What is “Buckle”, you ask? She describes it like this – “A buckle is more like a coffee cake- it has a cake batter that is mixed heavily with berries and then a bit of crumb topping on the top.” Sounds great to me!

Wild Berry Buckle Recipe

One Acre Vintage Home has a lovely Vanilla Lavender Blackberry Jam

Pixie’s Pocket Shares a great Recipe for One Gallon of Blackberry Mead

Better Hens and Gardens offers her recipe for fresh Blackberry Cobbler

Do you have a favorite blackberry recipe? Let us know!

 

~Michelle

 

 

Best Foods to Grow to Save Money When You Don’t Have a lot of Time

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Many of us want to grow our own food because we enjoy eating homegrown and we want to reduce our food budget. But we also don’t have a lot of time or energy for keeping up with a large garden, plus the harvesting, canning, and preserving. This is a simple list of the best foods to grow to save money when you don’t have a lot of time.

This is a simple list of the best foods to grow to save money when you don't have a lot of time. Easy to grow, long lasting, and easy storage.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase by clicking on these links, I receive a small compensation, at no additional cost to you. I participate in the Amazon Services Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

 

Baskets bursting with fresh garden abundance. Nourishing meals made with home-grown foods. Pantries stocked with canned home goodness. Watching the sun set from the front porch, sipping a glass of iced mint tea, picked fresh from the herb bed.

 

This is a simple list of the best foods to grow to save money when you don't have a lot of time. Easy to grow, long lasting, and easy storage.

The reality is, of course, all of this takes time, sweat, and a whole lot of work. Blisters, bug bites, and sunburns can just as easily be a part of this reality. Bean beetles, slugs, rabbit, deer, and other pests often enjoy more of the garden abundance than we do. Despite our never-ending efforts, the weeds overrun the garden. And there are often as many disappointments as rewards to gardening.

Gardening in Less Time and The Best Foods to Grow to Save Money

How do we accomplish the goals of growing more of our food, saving money, and eating healthy on a budget?

There are a lot of reasons for wanting to grow more of our food. For me, it is about enjoying healthy food grown without chemicals, being more self-sufficient, saving money, and the wonderful sense of satisfaction that comes with enjoying home-grown meals and a well-stocked pantry.

But how do we balance our desire for home-grown food with the limitations on our time and energy? This is the challenge, isn’t it? I struggle to find the time and energy for growing more of our food and saving money, while trying to avoid homestead burn out. (I share my strategies for avoiding homestead burnout here.)

Gardening to Save Money on Food

Through trial and error, research and reading, this is my list of recommended foods to consider if gardening to save money is your goal, even when you don’t have a lot of time. Of course, everyone’s priorities are different, and you may have some foods you simply can’t do without, and others you don’t want to bother with. Choose those that work best for you.

This is a list of low-maintenance, easy to grow foods that will save you money at the grocery store.

  • Lettuce
  • Chard
  • Garlic
  • Winter Squash
  • Culinary Herbs

I might also add tomatoes to the list, since they can be quite expensive in the winter months. If you choose a determinate variety of tomato, they will ripen all at once, making for a shorter harvest time, and you can process them in one large batch.

I freeze bags of sliced tomatoes to use in soups, stews, and other recipes. Freezing is quick and easy. Of course, canning tomatoes – whole, sliced, or as sauces is a way to preserve and store long-term.

Lettuce

Lettuce is easy to grow, takes up little space, and matures quickly. Lettuce grows well from direct-seeding, allowing you to avoid the time of starting seeds and transplanting. Lettuce can easily be grown in containers, and keeping them in shade during the hottest part of the summer will help you enjoy your lettuce all season long.

My favorite variety for hardiness and long-lasting production is the Prizeleaf Lettuce variety. Gorgeous bright green leaves with ruffled edges in deep bronze, it has a crisp texture with a sweet taste. Slow to bolt, offering a longer harvest time.

Swiss Chard

Chard is my favorite for saving time and money. Heirloom organic Swiss chard seeds are inexpensive and the chard provides me with fresh greens from spring right into the fall.

Varieties of chard, including rainbow and Swiss, are incredibly easy to grow, and chard is both cold and heat resistance. The seeds can be directly sowed, and with good mulching, require little care. Of all the greens, chard seems to be the least susceptible to pests.

 

This is a simple list of the best foods to grow to save money when you don't have a lot of time. Easy to grow, long lasting, and easy storage.

 

Chard can be used in a variety of ways, both raw and cooked, and can be frozen in freezer bags without blanching, saving you both time and money.

Uses for chard include – add to salads for color and taste, fresh or frozen added to smoothies,  chopped leaves fresh (or frozen) can be tossed into soups and stews, stir-fried, steamed, and much more.

Garlic

This is a simple list of the best foods to grow to save money when you don't have a lot of time. Easy to grow, long lasting, and easy storage.

Garlic is an incredibly low-maintenance crop to grow, and a small space can yield enough garlic to last you throughout the year. Garlic is typically planted in the fall and grown over the winter, which makes good use of garden space.

Once planted and mulched, garlic requires little care. The most time-consuming part is the harvest and curing stages. But it is well worth the effort to enjoy the flavor and health benefits of garlic year-round.

There are a lot of choices when it comes to garlic, and they differ greatly in flavor and bulb size. I prefer the Music Variety of Hardneck Garlic. The bulbs are large and the flavor crisp, but not over-bearing.

Winter Squash

This is a simple list of the best foods to grow to save money when you don't have a lot of time. Easy to grow, long lasting, and easy storage.

 

Winter squash are a favorite among gardeners because they’re easy to grow, don’t require weeding once established, and most importantly, they store well through the winter to provide a valued vegetable for eating all winter and spring.

The runners need a lot of room to spread, but you can also use vertical garden space with trellis and fencing.

My favorite winter squash is the butternut squash because it is so easy to grow, highly resistant to pests, stores extremely well in your cupboard or pantry, and is so very versatile in the ways you can enjoy it.

Tomato butternut soup is a great way to combine end of summer tomatoes with your winter squash.

Culinary Herbs

This is a simple list of the best foods to grow to save money when you don't have a lot of time. Easy to grow, long lasting, and easy storage.

 

Culinary herbs add flavor and nutrition, and a small amount goes a long way. But fresh culinary herbs can be quite expensive to purchase. Growing your own in containers or garden beds is a wonderful way to enjoy the flavor of fresh herbs without spending a lot.

Many culinary herbs offer medicinal benefits. You can learn more about the best herbs to grow in Starting a Medicinal Herb Garden – 5 Herbs to Grow in Containers and Gardens.

Summary

There are many more foods I could add to this list, but this is simply a way to get you started thinking about the best foods to grow to save money when you don’t have a lot of time.

In addition to growing food you love and saving money, it’s important to consider what grows best where you live and take into consideration your soil, space, sun exposure, and the pests you may encounter in your garden.

And of course everyone has favorites – sometimes the extra effort is worth the pleasure of growing food you love.

Wishing you all the best in your gardens
~ Michelle

Further Resources:

Grow a Good Life – 9 Food Crops to Grow for Storage

Eartheasy blog – 6 Most Cost-effective Vegetables to Grow

Morel Mushrooms and 5 Mouthwatering Recipes

5 Mouthwatering Morel Mushroom Recipes

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This is a guest post presented by Craig Scott at Everything Backyard

If you enjoy gardening and mushrooms, Everything Backyard has a Complete Guide on How to Grow Morel Mushrooms. You can read it HERE.

And growing your own mushrooms is a great addition to your garden, especially if you don’t have a lot of time. You can read more about the Best Foods to Grow When You Don’t Have a lot of Time.

Easy and delicious morel mushroom recipes - try these 5 mouthwatering morel mushroom recipes.

Mouthwatering Morel Mushroom Recipes

Spring showers bring more than flowers! That’s right, we’re entering into Morrel mushroom season. Based on the climate of your location, you will start to see these mushrooms sprout up in early to mid-spring when the ground begins to warm. Since your local farmer’s markets and grocers will soon have this delicacy on their shelves, here are some recipes to prepare you for the arrival of Morrel mushrooms.

Simply Buttery

Morels have a unique earthy texture and taste. Instead of covering up this uniqueness, highlight it by making it the centerpiece of the dish.

What You’ll Need:

  • 3 to 4 medium-sized Morel mushrooms
  • 1 TBS butter
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1 quarter cup of chopped onion
  • a pinch of salt and pepper

Simply chops 3 to 4 medium-sized Morrel mushrooms into strips. Then, over low heat sauté the mushrooms in 1 TBS of butter with 1 clove of minced garlic and 1 quarter cup of onion to achieve this recipe. Once the mushrooms are tender, add a pinch of salt and pepper. Serve the mushrooms warm as a main or side dish. Pair the mushrooms with a crusty baguette if serving as a main course dish.

Easy and delicious morel mushroom recipes - try these 5 mouthwatering morel mushroom recipes.

French Onion Wine Sauce

This dish is inspired by the flavors of traditional French onion soup. You’ll need a bottle of your favorite dry white wine, thyme, and a few other simple ingredients.

What You’ll Need:

  • 5 to 6 medium Morel mushrooms
  • 1 tsp butter or olive oil
  • 1/2 cup of finely chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 sprig of thyme
  • a pinch of salt and pepper

To begin, chop 5 to 6 medium Morrel mushrooms into chunks and sauté lightly over medium heat in 1 tsp of butter or olive oil. Add in 1/2 cup of onions to the pan as you sauté the mushrooms. Next, pour in 1/2 a cup of wine and add 1 sprig of thyme. Adjust the heat to low and then allow the wine to simmer down and thicken.

Both the onions and mushrooms absorb the aromas of the wine and thyme, capturing the heartiness of French onion soup. Finish this dish by topping it with chives, salt, and pepper.

Creamy Soup

If you love creamy mushroom soups then this recipe is sure to win over your taste buds. In addition to 1lb Morel mushrooms, everything you’ll need to make this dish is listed below. Grab a stock pot and fill it with 3 cups of your favorite stock (vegetable, chicken, or beef). Bring the broth to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and then add the following ingredients:

  • 1 tsp butter or olive oil
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 chopped leek
  • 4 small chopped red potatoes
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • salt and pepper to taste

Allow these ingredients to simmer for 30 minutes as the liquid reduces. Then, add 1lb of Morel mushrooms and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish this dish with fresh parsley and serve warm.

Mediterranean Pasta

For this dish, you want to get the freshest basil and tomatoes you can find. The amount of flavor in these two ingredients can make or break the recipe.

What You’ll Need:

  • 8oz of handmade noodles
  • 1/2lb Morel mushrooms
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • 2 sprigs of sweet basil
  • 1 cup of sweet cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste

Begin by boiling 8-oz of your favorite handmade noodles. Set the noodles aside when finished cooking. As you’re boiling the noodles, sauté a 1/2lb of Morel mushrooms in 3 cloves of minced garlic and 1 TBS olive oil. Once the mushrooms are tender, combine cooked noodles, sweet cherry tomatoes, basil, and 1 TBS olive oil into the pan. Continue to cook the pasta for 3 to 5 minutes before removing from the heat and topping with parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.

Flaky Tart

This mushroom pastry is a perfect brunch, lunch, or even dinner dish. Its flaky, yet buttery texture compliments the earthiness of the meaty Morels.

What You’ll Need:

  • 10 sheets of phyllo dough
  • 1/2 lb. of Morrel mushrooms
  • 2 TBS butter
  • 8 oz of goat cheese
  • 8 oz of spinach
  • salt and pepper to taste

First, grease the baking sheet and then layer the phyllo dough while brushing melted butter onto each layer. Top the phyllo dough with diced Morels, chopped spinach, goat cheese, salt, and pepper. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees until golden brown, around 25-30 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before serving. This dish can be served with a homemade cranberry sauce for a sweet yet tangy kick.

About the author:

Craig Scott at Everything Backyard 

Outside of writing for EverythingBackyard I love to spend all the time I can outdoors and find every excuse to leave my house. I write about everything from backyard DIY projects to gardening. If you can’t get a hold of me I am probably on a trail or a boat.

 

Strawberry and Rhubarb Recipe – Strawberry Rhubarb with Mint

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Strawberry and rhubarb recipe – what a lovely combination – red, ripe strawberries, tart rhubarb, and mint. This makes a great topping for oatmeal, yogurt, ice-cream, cake, or as part of a strawberry-rhubarb cobbler or crisp.

Strawberries and rhubarb signal the start of summer season, and using strawberry and rhubarb recipes can be a wonderful way to celebrate and create your own seasonal traditions around food.

 

Strawberry and rhubarb recipe - what a lovely combination - red, ripe strawberries, tart rhubarb, and mint. This makes a great topping for oatmeal, yogurt, ice-cream, cake, or as part of a strawberry-rhubarb cobbler or crisp.

 

Strawberry and Rhubarb with Mint

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups rhubarb stems sliced into 1/2 inch cuts (remove the leaves!)
  • 2 – 3 cups sliced strawberries
  • 1/2 – 1 cup water
  • 1/2 – 1 cup sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon spearmint chopped

Directions:

  1. Combine the rhubarb, sugar, and water in a pan. Cook down until the rhubarb starts to fall apart.
  2. Next, add the strawberries and cook 5 minutes more.
  3. Add the mint and cook a few minutes longer.

Top your favorite cake, ice-cream, yogurt, granola, or turn it into a rhubarb cobbler.

 

Strawberry and rhubarb recipe - what a lovely combination - red, ripe strawberries, tart rhubarb, and mint. This makes a great topping for oatmeal, yogurt, ice-cream, cake, or as part of a strawberry-rhubarb cobbler or crisp.

 

 

Ideas for other Strawberry and Rhubarb Recipes

Strawberry rhubarb cobbler

Strawberry Rhubarb Maple Crisp

Rhubarb Fruit Leather

 

Want to try a unique summer slaw recipe? Try combing sweet apples with crunchy fresh fennel, cider vinegar, and molasses for a unique slaw – Sweet and Crunchy Fennel Apple Slaw.

Nettle Recipe – Nettle Quiche

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Nettle has been used as food, medicine, and fiber for hundreds of years, and this humble weed is incredibly nutrient-dense with a lot to offer. The flavor of nettle is similar to spinach, making it wonderfully versatile. Nettle quiche is a great way to enjoy the flavor and nutrients of nettle.

Wild Nettle

I first became acquainted with nettle on a hike in the mountains of Virginia. Brushing against the leaves created a slight burning/itching sensation, but the discomfort didn’t last long. The nettle plant – Urtica dioica, is often called stinging nettle because the leaves and stems have tiny fibers that cause a stinging, tingling, or slight burning sensation when they come into contact with the skin. (Heating and drying nettle leaves inactivates the stinging compounds.)

But don’t let this deter you from enjoying nettle as food! Nettle is amazing plant with much to offer us, and is often considered a “Super Food”, providing important benefits for our health.

 

Making quiche with wild herbs! This nettle recipe is delicious. Nettle quiche is a great source of iron, vitamins, and minerals, and is a delicious and nutritious substitute for kale and spinach.

 

Traditional Uses of Nettle

Nettle has long been valued as food and medicine. Today, nettle is frequently used to treat:

  • Adrenal fatigue
  • Painful muscles and joints
  • Eczema
  • Arthritis
  • Gout
  • Urinary problems due to enlarged prostate
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Kidney disease
  • Hay fever
  • Anemia

You can learn more about the benefits of using nettle in 4 Herbal Remedies for Stress.

Herbalists frequently recommend nettle as part of a daily nourishing herbal infusion, using dried leaves steeped in water for several hours. But there are so many great nettle recipes, and nettle quiche is just one way to enjoy this amazing plant.

 

Making quiche with wild herbs! This nettle recipe is delicious. Nettle quiche is a great source of iron, vitamins, and minerals, and is a delicious and nutritious substitute for kale and spinach.

Finding Nettle

Nettle frequently grows in woodlands and particularly along rivers and streams, although I sometimes see nettle growing in meadows.

To make life easier, I brought several plants home (wearing long sleeves and gloves), and planted them in pots. They did well, and supplied me with fresh leaves all summer long. Now I enjoy a patch of nettle I planted beneath a tree in my yard. My goal is to grow enough to have fresh, frozen, and dried leaves throughout the year.

If you are interested in growing your own medicinal herbs, I highly recommend nettle for its many benefits.

Cooking with Nettle – Nettle as Food

Nettle is similar in flavor to spinach, and can be used in most any recipe calling for greens. Heating nettle leaf inactivates the sting, and nettle leaves can be enjoyed in soups, stews, omelets, as pesto (steamed first), in breads, lasagna, and quiche.

Nutritional Benefits of Nettle

Many of our wild herbs are far more nutritious than the vegetables we buy at the grocery store. Nettle is a surprisingly good source of iron, protein, and minerals.

  • Highest plant source of iron
  • Calcium
  • Potassium
  • Vitamins A and C
  • Alpha-linolenic acid , an important omega -3 fatty acid

 

Making quiche with wild herbs! This nettle recipe is delicious. Nettle quiche is a great source of iron, vitamins, and minerals, and is a delicious and nutritious substitute for kale and spinach.

 

Nettle Quiche

Nettle quiche is a simple way to enjoy the nutrition of nettle. I prefer a crustless quiche, and combined my nettle with broccoli and cheese, but of course, the versatility of a quiche means an endless variety of choices for filling ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup steamed nettle, chopped
  • 1 cup of steamed broccoli, chopped
  • 1 small to medium clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 cup shredded cheese of your choice
  • 6 eggs
  • 1/3 cup milk or cream
  • 1-2 tablespoons corn starch or flour
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Steam your nettle – 1-2 minutes, until wilted, then chop.
  3. Steam the broccoli and chop.
  4. Combine the nettle, broccoli, and garlic and place in a greased pie plate.
  5.  Sprinkle cheese over the filling ingredients.
  6. Combine the eggs, cream, corn starch, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl, whisking together.
  7. Pour the egg/cream mixture over the vegetables and cheese, pressing down with a spoon to completely coat the vegetable filling.
  8. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes. The quiche is done when the center is set. This is great served with soup.

 

Making quiche with wild herbs! This nettle recipe is delicious. Nettle quiche is a great source of iron, vitamins, and minerals, and is a delicious and nutritious substitute for kale and spinach.

 

Making quiche with wild herbs! This nettle recipe is delicious. Nettle quiche is a great source of iron, vitamins, and minerals, and is a delicious and nutritious substitute for kale and spinach.

 

There are so many ways to enjoy the wild foods around us. The Herbal Academy Blog has a lovely article with more nettle recipes including Nettle Soup, Nettle Oat Cakes, and Nettle Leaf Shortbread.

~ Michelle

How to Make Violet Syrup

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Violets are blooming, announcing the arrival of spring! But violets are more than just a pretty flower. The leaves and flowers are tasty, nutritious, and a traditional remedy for conditions like dry cough, bronchitis, asthma, and skin conditions like eczema.

Herbal syrups are a fun way to enjoy medicinal herbs, and violet syrup is an elegant way to enjoy the wonderful sweet violet. I think you will enjoy this simple violet syrup recipe, and I encourage you to give it a try.

 

Sweet violets (Viola odorata) are powerhouse flowers that offer an abundance of health benefits. There are a lot of reasons to enjoy the health benefits of violets and learning how to make violet syrup is a delightfully simple and tasty way to enjoy these lovely flowers.

 

 

 

Violet recipe and how to make violet syrup

 

The Health Benefits of Violets

Sweet violets (Viola odorata) are powerhouse flowers that offer an abundance of health benefits. They are mineral-rich, contain essential oils, tannins, anti-inflammatory salicylates, and antioxidant-rich flavonoids.

Violets are traditionally used to help relieve lung conditions such as: dry cough, bronchitis, asthma, whooping cough, as well as treating dry skin conditions like eczema.

There are a lot of reasons to enjoy the health benefits of violets and learning how to make violet syrup is a delightfully simple and tasty way to enjoy these lovely flowers.

Foraging Wild Violets

Sweet violets are woodland plants and are usually found in damp, shady areas, but they can tolerate full sun as well. We have wild violets growing in our open field, our garden, and along the edges of our woods.

Despite their delicate appearance, they are surprisingly hardy plants! They arrive in early spring, and are frequently found in patches.

Violets are a low-growing plant with five petals on a leafless stalk. The leaves form a basal rosette and have toothed edges.

Sweet violets (Viola odorata) are powerhouse flowers that offer an abundance of health benefits. There are a lot of reasons to enjoy the health benefits of violets and learning how to make violet syrup is a delightfully simple and tasty way to enjoy these lovely flowers.

 

Sometimes we enjoy fresh violets on our spring foraged salad.

How to Make Violet Syrup

  • Pick your violets. Some leaves are OK, but remove the stems.
  • Place your violets in a glass jar and add just enough boiling water to cover all the flowers.
  • The water will turn into this incredibly beautiful blue-green.
  • Let the violets sit in the water overnight.
  • Strain off the flowers, pressing out the water from the petals.
  • Gently reheat your violet water, but avoid boiling. Add 2 cups of sugar for each 1 cup of violet water, and stir until dissolved.
  • If you want a deep violet color, add a few drops of lemon juice, one drop at a time.
  • Bottle and enjoy!
  • The syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for 6 months.

 

Sweet violets (Viola odorata) are powerhouse flowers that offer an abundance of health benefits. There are a lot of reasons to enjoy the health benefits of violets and learning how to make violet syrup is a delightfully simple and tasty way to enjoy these lovely flowers.

 

Sweet violets (Viola odorata) are powerhouse flowers that offer an abundance of health benefits. There are a lot of reasons to enjoy the health benefits of violets and learning how to make violet syrup is a delightfully simple and tasty way to enjoy these lovely flowers.

 

How to Use Violet Syrup

There are so many delightful ways to use your violet syrup!

  • Drizzle over pancakes and french toast
  • Serve over a scoop of vanilla ice-cream
  • Add to cocktails and cordials for lovely color, flavor, and health benefits
  • Stir into your favorite herbal tea
  • Add to lemonade
  • Combine with sparkling water
  • Serve with yogurt

I hope you find time to enjoy a little spring in your days. Violet syrup is super-easy and such a treat!

~Michelle

A few References:

  • Natural Salicyclates: Food, Functions, and Disease Prevention – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21879102
  • Flavonoids in Food and Their Health Benefits – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15678717
  • Colleen at GrowForageCookFerment has a lovely article on Foraging for Wild Violets.

 

Want to learn more about the wonderful world of herbal remedies? The Herbal Academy offers courses for all levels. Their courses are an organized and systematic way to learn about herbal remedies and they provide plenty of recipes and hands-on activities.

Herbalist Courses for all levels