ROSE PETAL POPSICLES

Can we just talk about how lovely roses are for a minute?

When the wild roses start to bloom in June, I get very excited. Roses are one of my favourite flowers to eat and enjoy in a variety of ways. All season long my daughter and I will harvest rose petals and I smile whenever I find them months later, dried but equally fragrant in the pockets of spring jackets. All roses are edible and easy to recognize, however they vary greatly in flavour according to species from sweet to bitter, from mild to spicy. While store-bought roses might tempt you with their beauty, never eat them as they are likely to be sprayed with chemicals and fragrance, be cautious of heavily fertilized flowers as well, as they can absorb fungicides which can make them unsafe for consumption. Luckily, garden variety roses and wild roses are plentiful. Try a few varieties and notice the difference of fragrance and flavour.

Roses can be used in so many ways and have countless nutritional, cosmetic and medicinal benefits. In Ayurvedic medicine we use opposites to balance. Roses are considered cooling which make them perfect for use during hot summer months, and can help to pacify heat in the body. Excess heat is understood to cause symptoms such as irritability, headaches, inflammation and redness in the skin. I carry around a bottle of homemade rose water to spray on my face which helps to cool me down and uplift my spirits all summer long, a spritz of rosewater always puts a smile on my face.

Nadia has a gift for making beautiful things and this applies to food as well. Today we wanted something cold and cooling, so we decided to make rose petal popsicles!

First, we made a rose honey - you can follow our recipe for lilac honey and substitute the lilacs with rose petals. Then we put a few tablespoons of organic plain full fat Greek yogurt in a blender, sweetened it with our rose honey, added a few fresh rose petals and blended it all up. We poured the mixture into our popsicle moulds and a few hours later, had the most refreshing treat! The popsicles have a subtle but distinct rose flavour - these particular rose petals tasted a little bit like raspberries. 

Ingredients

• plain organic full fat Greek yogurt

• rose honey (follow our recipe for lilac honey here, substitute with rose petals)

• fresh fragrant rose petals

Directions

• place a few tablespoons of yogurt in a blender

• add fresh rose petals

• sweeten with rose honey to taste (always make your popsicle mixture a little sweeter than you would like it to be, as it will taste less sweet once frozen)

• blend until smooth, add whole rose petals if desired

• pour into popsicle moulds and place in freezer until frozen

EDIBLE FLOWERS

What could be more beautiful than a salad made of bright, colourful flowers? Edible flowers are both good for your body and a feast for the eyes. Flowers tend to be high in vitamins such as vitamin C and A, and contain a variety of medicinal properties. Many flowers are great for your skin - giving you a summer glow - and provide antioxidant protection which reduces the visibility of age spots, wrinkles and scars.

Foraging does not need to be limited to the backcountry woods and wilderness. A large portion of our foraged food comes from the city because that is where we live. Foraging in an urban setting can be a wonderful way to get to know your neighbours and create community. Community is an essential buffer against many of the challenges we deal with in today's culture. Isolation is one of the key contributing factors to most mental illness including addiction and depression, and poses a serious health risk to human beings. As a therapist, I encourage clients to foster community in as many ways as they can. Having a strong and diverse community creates a basket that can support us in times of need. It also offers us a way of creating meaning and connection throughout the many seasons of our lives. 

In this video we wandered around the streets of Peterborough and knocked on neighbours’ doors to get permission to harvest some of their plants for this flower salad. These are some of the flowers we included in our salad:

Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis)
All mallow flowers are edible, often referred to as “the green cheeses” because the fruits resemble tiny green cheese wheels. Mallows are used as food all over the world. Marshmallow are particularly high in mucilage and emollient properties which are great for soothing, softening and healing. I was first drawn to this plant when I was pregnant and had an overwhelming feeling that mallow would be a key medicinal plant for me after my baby was born. I later learned that mallow helps to heal and sooth internal and external wounds and irritation.

My friend and herbalist Nicole Cameron brought me a lovely batch of mallow root and flower cookies and a beautiful sitz bath mixture after the birth of my daughter. I went on to use mallow root to help my teething baby’s sore mouth and dry coughs, and I used mallow flowers to soothe my irritated nerves. Ever since, I have had a strong affinity for this plant and use it in as many ways as possible. Here we used both the leaves and flowers for our salad.

Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Calendula is well known for its medicinal properties and is used both externally and internally. It is high in antioxidants such as beta-carotene and makes a wonderful anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antibacterial, and antiviral, among many other things. Calendula can be used externally for skin conditions such as acne and eczema, and used internally it can soothe the gastrointestinal tract in people with conditions such as colitis, Crohn's disease and both gastric and duodenal ulcers.

Pansies (Viola tricolor var. hortensis)
These sweet little flowers are a hybrid of the genus Viola. They have anti-inflammatory, diuretic, and expectorant properties and can be used for pain relief from gout, rheumatism and arthritis, can ease coughs, and have a calming, sedative effect. (A note of caution: this plant can cause vomiting when used in high amounts. Do not use in combination with prescription diuretics or asthma medication).

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum)
A fragrant and spicy flower - akin to a radish, but in flower form - nasturtiums are antibacterial, antibiotic, antifungal, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral, expectorant and diuretic in medicinal action. They can help ward off colds and decrease candida albicans overgrowth in the body.

Bergamot or bee balm (Monarda)
Loved by bees, this is one of Courtney’s daughter’s favourite flowers to eat. Sweet, with a little spice, it gets its name because its flavour is reminiscent of bergamot orange (Citrus bergamia).

Roses (Rosa)
And of course roses. We love roses and use them in our food whenever and wherever we can. See our post on rose petal popsicles. Roses are cooling and calming - as the saying goes, “Roses are good for the skin and good for the soul.” There are so many species and cultivars of roses and the flavours vary from plant to plant - try a few and find your favourite (but never eat store-bought roses as they are usually sprayed with pesticides and fragrance).

In this video, we harvested a basket full of edible flowers. We picked some greens and herbs from our garden and whipped up a simple salad dressing.

Ingredients

• edible flowers (some of the flowers we used include daisy petals, evening primrose, marshmallow, calendula, pansies, nasturtium, bergamot, lavender, daylilies, queen anne's lace, thimbleberry flowers, dame's rocket, and roses)

• garden greens (we used kale, nasturtium leaves, lamb's quarters, wood sorrel and other garden "weeds")

• garden herbs (daisy leaves, plantain, queen anne’s lace, bergamot leaves, marshmallow leaves)

• dressing (olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup and sea salt)

Directions

• gather flowers and garden greens. Inspect them for dirt and bugs - you might want to give them a quick rinse.

• coarsely chop the greens and chop up the herbs a bit more finely

• mix together your dressing ingredients

• toss salad and enjoy!

FORAGED AUTUMN ROLLS

Summer is by far my favourite season. I love everything about it: the warm feeling of sun on my skin, being able to step out of the house wearing just a t-shirt and shorts, and all the fragrant flowers blooming everywhere. That is why, whenever autumn rolls around, I find myself trying to hold on to every ounce of summer that I still can.

Yesterday, while in my garden, I noticed a bunch of early-autumn flowers blooming and decided to make some fresh autumn rolls.

I gathered arugula leaves and flowers, chicory flowers, dahlia petals, nasturtiums, mint and also used some radishes, cucumber, spinach and tamari-marinated organic sprouted tofu. The lovely thing about these rolls is that you can use pretty much anything you find in your garden. The edible flowers added a pretty pop of colour and, for a few minutes, I almost managed to convince myself that it was still summer. I whipped up a quick sauce using organic unsweetened peanut butter, gluten-free tamari, raw wildflower honey, and chili sauce.

Ingredients (rolls)

• rice paper
• arugula leaves and flowers, chicory flowers, dahlia petals, nasturtiums, mint (or any edible herbs and flowers of your choice)
• radishes
• cucumber
• spinach
• organic sprouted tofu (marinated in gluten-free tamari)

Directions

• wash and chop ingredients into desired strips and thin rounds
• soak a single sheet of rice paper in a shallow plate of warm water for about 30 seconds
• remove rice paper and place on a large plate, arrange ingredients in a rectangle in the middle of the sheet
• carefully roll up the rice paper like a burrito, keeping all the ingredients nice and snug

Ingredients (sauce)

• 1 tbsp organic unsweetened peanut butter
• 1 tbsp gluten-free tamari
• 1/2 tbsp raw wildflower honey
• 1/2 tbsp chili sauce

Directions

• mix all ingredients until the sauce is smooth and creamy - feel free to adjust quantities to taste

GOLDENROD

 Helen McCarthy of Living Lightly Peterborough recently married her best friend in a beautiful ceremony in the middle of the forest. What was particularly impressive, was that she managed to organize a stunning, environmentally conscious event, with zero-waste decor. Helen foraged all of her flowers locally in an effort to reduce the environmental and economic impact that weddings typically have. This included vibrant displays of goldenrod strung throughout their venue and a bouquet made of freshly picked goldenrod, Queen Anne’s lace, wheat and lavender. While working on the bride’s hair, Helen’s hair stylist looked at the flowers in alarm and said, “Oh no! I’m allergic to ragweed, I won’t be able to use that!”

Photo by Chris Loh

Many people have a similar reaction to goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) because they mistakenly blame it for allergies which are caused by ragweed (Hymenoclea), a plant that frequently grows nearby. However, it is actually impossible for goldenrod to be the culprit of seasonal allergies, because its pollen is too heavy and sticky to be carried on the wind. Not only that, but goldenrod is actually a potent antidote for allergies. It contains a constituent called quercetin which acts as an antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant.

I love learning the botanical names of plants because they often give you information about the plant itself. The genus name Solidago comes from the Latin words solida meaning “whole” and ago meaning “to make,” so the literal meaning of the name is “to make whole.” There are many species of goldenrod, and all are safe and edible for consumption, however Solidago canadensis is considered the best tasting and most medicinal.

Without knowing a plant very well, there are often many clues which will offer you information about what the plant can be used for. The taste of goldenrod for example is somewhat astringent, a little spicy, and quite bitter. Astringency often has a drying effect (usually caused by tannins), which can aid in drawing together broken skin. Dried and powdered, goldenrod leaves can be used to stop bleeding. Consumed as a strong tea, the aerial tops of goldenrod (including leaves and flowers) can help stop internal hemorrhage and influence menstruation.

Spiciness often indicates antiviral, antimicrobial, antiseptic and antifungal properties and would make me guess the plant is good for infections. Combined with the drying effect, I know that goldenrod is good for colds, flu, candida overgrowth, urinary tract infections, and for healing coughs and drying excess phlegm. Spiciness also often has a numbing effect, which is a good indicator that the plant may be an effective analgesic. Goldenrod can be made into a tea, or infused into a honey, or the flowers can be chewed on to soothe sore throats. It can also aid kidney function and can be used as a diuretic to help with kidney stones.

Generally, bitterness is an indication of the medicinal properties of a plant. Spice and bitter frequently aid in digestion, which means goldenrod can be used for colic and to relieve flatulence. Bitter helps to produce bile and therefore often supports liver function. Typically, when I taste bitter I know to use a plant a bit more sparingly, as a medicine or nutritive tonic rather than as the main portion of my diet. Goldenrod can be a lovely addition to salads or cooked greens, and the edible flowers can be used to adorn cakes in the summertime.

It is always interesting to observe the taste of your foods and think about how the flavours are often indicative of medicinal and nutritional properties. If you pay close attention, you might start to notice the effects. Even the most common foods often affect us in ways we may not have previously noticed.

Like many other “warm” coloured flowers, the yellow colour of the plant suggests that goldenrod likely captures the energy of the sun. Goldenrod flowers can be made into a hydrosol, or the roots can be pounded into a poultice to soothe sore muscles. Taken internally, the quercetin (among other constituents) is known to potentially reduce symptoms of fatigue, anxiety and depression, brightening your day like the sun.

Although goldenrod pollen is not airborne and does not cause hay fever, some people have a contact allergy and may develop a rash with extensive handling of the plant. Caution is also advised when consuming aerial parts of the plant if you have allergies to the Asteraceae family. However this can often be avoided by making a tincture with the root rather than the flowers. 

For this post, we decided to make a goldenrod vinegar. There are a variety of menstruums or solvents used in making herbal medicines and each one has different strengths and weaknesses as it will extract different constituents from the plant. The wonderful thing about an herbal vinegar (also called an acetum) is that it extracts both medicinal and nutritional properties. While a tincture made with alcohol is excellent for extracting medicinal properties and will last longer than a vinegar, the alcohol often destroys the nutrient content of the plant.  

Goldenrod vinegar makes a great nutritive and medicinal tonic which can be used for improving mineral balance, it is great for immune system function, and can help in eliminating flatulence, regulating blood sugar levels and preventing kidney stones.

Ingredients

• aerial tops of goldenrod (including leaves and flowers, ideally before they begin to develop pollen)
• apple cider vinegar

Directions

• fill your jar with coarsely chopped goldenrod leaves and flowers
• fill to the top with apple cider vinegar
• seal the lid tightly and allow the bottle to sit in a cool, dark place for several weeks (make sure to use a plastic or rubber lid or place several layers of plastic between the jar and metal lid, as vinegar erodes metal)

STAGHORN SUMAC

It's that time of year, when the ravines and hillsides are spotted with the brilliant red fruit of the staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina). Also known as the “lemonade tree,” many people avoid this shrub because they think it is poisonous, but it is actually a delicious sour treat and a great local alternative to lemons. Staghorn sumac are most easily identified by their fuzzy red cones or “drupes.” Their common name comes from the fact that the branches resemble the velvety antlers of a young stag. While there is a type of sumac that is poisonous (Toxicodendron vernix), it is easy to distinguish from staghorn sumac because the poisonous berries are smooth and white, and despite sharing a name, they are not closely related. 

The fruit of the staghorn sumac generally begins to ripen in August, turning a rich crimson colour. The best time to harvest is on a dry, sunny day. If harvested after a heavy rainfall, the fruit will not be as flavourful, as much of the malic acid will have washed away. You can test the sumac before harvesting by rubbing your fingers along the furry fruit and licking them - if they taste tart and lemony, then it is a good time to harvest.

It takes a little bit of work to extract the spice from the plant. Although you could pop the seeds directly in your mouth and savour the lemon flavour, they do not have succulent flesh like typical berries, and most people don’t particularly enjoy snacking on the fuzzy seeds. A very simple way to consume sumac is to make a lemonade by steeping the drupes in cool or room-temperature water (hot water will release the bitter tannins) and then straining out the berries and lightly sweetening the flavoured water.

One of our favourite things to make with sumac is za'atar - a traditional Middle Eastern spice mix which often contains thyme, oregano and/or marjoram and toasted sesame seeds. It is commonly eaten with pita that has been dipped in olive oil, or combined with hummus or labneh. We enjoy sprinkling it on roasted vegetables, sliced avocados or fried eggs. Although traditional za’atar is made with Sicilian sumac (Rhus coriaria) which is native to southern Europe, staghorn sumac works too.

We harvested a large batch of sumac, separated them, cleaned them, removed any bugs and brown bits and let them air dry until they were no longer sticky. You could also speed up the process by putting them in a dehydrator (Courtney puts them on a tray and lets them sit in the sun on the rear dash of her car, which acts as an effective dehydrator in a pinch).

These are the whole sumac berries after being sorted, dried and separated from the stems. The next step is to remove the furry red fruit from the seeds.

We put the sumac in a food processor and whipped it up until the spice had separated from the seeds. Then we passed everything through a mesh strainer. This can be a quite time-consuming process.

These are the seeds and sticks that were left behind. I am told there are other uses for these, but we ended up discarding them.

The beautiful, fine, powdery sumac spice. It is bright and lemony - this is what all the hard work was for!

Now, to make the za'atar. There is no single official recipe and no standard ratios. We make ours with thyme and sesame seeds, some like to use more thyme, while others like the sumac to be the more dominant flavour. Through trial and error, the ratio we have come to use is two parts sumac, two parts toasted sesame seeds, one part thyme and salt to taste.

Za'atar can be used on any number of dishes, however we prefer not to cook with it, as heat changes the flavour and destroys the delicious tartness, so we use it as a condiment and sprinkle it on meals after they have been served.

Ingredients

• 2 parts sumac spice
• 2 parts sesame seeds
• 1 part dried thyme
• sea salt

Directions

• toast the sesame seeds over medium heat in a dry skillet just until they begin to turn brown
• grind up the thyme in a mortar and pestle until it begins to break down (but before it becomes a fine powder)
• wait until the sesame seeds have cooled, and then mix all the ingredients together
• salt to taste

NOTE: In rare cases, while staghorn sumac is not poisonous, some people may have an allergic reaction to the plant. Those who are allergic to cashews or pistachios are most likely to react, as they are part of the same family. If you think you might be allergic, you can rub some of the plant on a small patch of skin and wait for about an hour. If a rash appears, then it is best to stay away from this plant. Regardless, it is always a good practice to consume only a small amount when trying a new food for the first time.

YARROW TEA

The botanical name for yarrow is Achillea millefolium. The genus name Achillea comes from an ancient Greek myth about the Trojan hero Achilles. As the story goes, when Achilles was a young boy he was brought to the centaur Chiron who was a teacher and healer, and became a mentor to Achilles. Chiron taught him the ways of the gods and bestowed upon him the plant yarrow, teaching him about its healing properties. Achilles took this knowledge to the battlefield and used it to staunch the bleeding wounds of his soldiers. For this reason, yarrow is also sometimes known as herba militaris, or soldier’s herb.

Its specific name millefolium meaning “thousands of leaves”, refers to the profusion of small feathery, fern-like leaves.

This plant has also historically been used as a divination tool. Chinese cleromancers would use bundles of 50 dried yarrow stalks that were cut uniformly and removed of leaves to cast the I Ching. Although nowadays most people use coins, some diviners still prefer to use the traditional yarrow stalks.

Yarrow’s medicinal properties are characterized as astringent and drying. Because of this, it is a great herb to have in your first aid kit. A simple yarrow poultice can be used as a styptic and antiseptic, to stop bleeding and disinfect small cuts and nosebleeds.

In ancient times, yarrow was associated with witchcraft as it is a very potent healing herb. It can both staunch and stimulate blood flow and is wonderful for women’s reproductive health, as it can be used to both decrease heavy menstrual bleeding and stimulate a delayed menstrual cycle - I have heard it called "master of the blood."

In these photos, we harvested a bunch of yarrow tops - including the leaves and flowers, dried them on elevated wire racks for about two weeks, and made it into a medicinal tea for later use. I have been experimenting with drinking the tea a week before the onset of my cycle, as it is supposed to ease the symptoms. Because yarrow is drying and tends to strip away, we like to follow it up by consuming something with emollient and demulcent qualities such as calendula or mallow. These marshmallows perhaps?

(Yarrow is an emmenagogue and should be avoided during pregnancy. I have also read reports of it being used as a contraceptive, so use only for a short time).

I steeped the dried yarrow in freshly boiled water for about ten minutes before consuming. The tea is fragrant and tastes a bit like a combination of chamomile and something vaguely coniferous - if you are bothered by the bitterness, you can add a little bit of honey.

MARSHMALLOW

Last week, we featured marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) flowers in our post on edible flowers, this week, we used marshmallow root to make some tasty marshmallows!

Though the modern marshmallow mainly consists of sugar and gelatin, marshmallows used to be made with marshmallow root. The plant's genus name Althaea comes from the Greek althein, which means "to heal." Because of the its demulcent and emollient healing properties, the original confection was created for medicinal purposes, to soothe sore throats and calm irritated digestive tracts. The use of marshmallow both medicinally and as a treat can be dated back to Ancient Egypt, where they would make a concoction using sap extracted from the plant and sweetened with honey. Years later, another version of the candy showed up in France made with egg white meringue, called pâte de guimauve.

These marshmallows are infused with marshmallow root and sweetened with local organic unpasteurized honey, so they are not only a delicious treat, but might actually help next time you have an irritated throat, dry cough or an upset stomach.

We included rose petals in our infusion to add a subtle floral flavour, and because roses are a calming complement to mallow and can also be used as a traditional home remedy for sore throats. 

But that doesn't mean I'm going to wait until I have a cold to eat these marshmallows. I just put some in my dandelion "coffee" and they made the most dreamy, fluffy, sweet, marshmallow foam.

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp organic gelatin powder
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 tbsp marshmallow root
• small handful of dried rose petals
• 1 cup organic honey
• 1 tsp rose water
• cornstarch for dusting

Directions

• line your baking dish with parchment paper
• place marshmallow root and rose petals in a small bowl and add hot water. Let sit for 15 minutes, strain and reserve the infused water (make sure it still equals one cup)
• pour 1/2 cup of your infused water into a large bowl or mixer. Add the gelatin and mix quickly to ensure it is evenly incorporated. Let it sit while you continue with the honey syrup. The gelatin mix will solidify
• meanwhile, pour the other half of your infused water and your cup of honey into a medium saucepan
• bring the honey mixture to a boil. Once it boils, stir constantly for about 7-8 minutes - make sure it does not boil over. (If you are using a candy thermometer, remove the pan from the heat as soon as it reaches 240°F, or the soft ball stage)
• use the mixer or handmixer to begin breaking up the gelatin mixture and slowly begin pouring in the honey syrup along the side of the bowl
• once all the syrup is added, turn the mixer to high and whip for about ten minutes until the mixture fluffs up and begins to form gentle peaks
• during the last minute of mixing, add the rose water
• working quickly, pour the marshmallow cream into your lined baking dish and smooth with a greased spatula (or place a layer of cling film on top, and smooth the surface with your hands
• let sit at room temperature for 4-6 hours
• remove cling film - dust a cutting board with corn starch and turn the marshmallow pan onto the cutting board
• slice into individual marshmallow cubes with a greased knife
• dust marshmallows with cornstarch to keep them from sticking