Oh, Those Edible Flowers!

It is nearing the end of July and my gardens are brightly blooming with flowers, happily swaying in the warm summer breeze. On this perfect Maine summer day, I was reminded of my gardening intention for this season-edible flowers! (It has been many years since I've focused in this area.)

 I was inspired to get back into this practice by a young woman my son loves. After spending a spring afternoon together, painting a palate for garden decor, she inquired about a few of the flowers in the tea garden. I explained that I use Calendula for tea and to infuse in oil for making balms, soaps, etc, but that you could also eat it in a salad. We talked about the different kinds of flowers that you could eat and from that moment I felt that tingle to grow a variety to show her how pretty and healthy an edible flower salad could be. 

                                                                              

After the dew had dried off, I grabbed my basket and harvested Bee Balm, Calendula, Lemon Balm, and Nasturtium. Cleaning off the flowers and removing unwanted parts, I tossed together a beautiful salad.

                                                                             

                                                                                

                                                                          

Recipe:

1 cup of Nasturtium leaves, sliced into ribbons

1 handful Nasturtium flowers

2 large Bee Balm flowers (use petals)

2 small Calendula flowers (use petals)

1 large sprig Lemon Balm, slice leaves into ribbons

* I used Fiore's Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar for dressing.

The Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar  enhances the sweetness of the Lemon Balm, pairing well with the peppery flavor of the Nasturtium. The mild floral undertone of the Calendula and Bee Balm brings the stunning visual and flavors all together!

Nasturtiums are rich in vitamin C,  have strong antibiotic and antimicrobial properties. Fiona McKay noted in her blog "They are naturally antibiotic and the leaves, if eaten one per hour, at the onset of a sore throat, can drastically reduce the severity of the infection."

I would like to thank my source of inspiration for bringing me back to this! I hope this can inspire others to experiment with different types of edible flowers and grow, grow, grow your way into wellness!

Almond Cherry Pudding Pie; a healthly twist on a traditional dessert

Cherries! Oh, those sweet-tart little red stone berries are in season. Our tree has treated us to a bountiful crop this season.

A few weeks ago,  I was having company and wanted to use dessert as an opportunity to work on my health coaching skills. I browsed the internet looking for a healthy alternative to the traditional pudding pie, with hopes of using the berries from our yard once I perfected a recipe that I liked.  My search lead me to different recipes for almond milk chia pudding. I combined two of the ones I thought sounded good and then scouted my yard to see what berries would be a good match with almonds-CHERRIES. (Cherries and almond are a marriage that enhance each other's flavors.) Mine were not ripe at the time so I picked up a couple of bags at the local market.

Once I had a no sugar, no diary, low fat alternative to pudding, I needed a healthier substitution for the crust. ALMONDS. Almonds to enhance the almond milk pudding and flavor of cherries.

I really loved the almond pie shell. In the future, I will experiment with adding cinnamon and almond flour to the recipe. Most of my guests were delighted with the new spin on a traditional dessert, sparking conversation about the ingredients and non-sugar sweetener substitutes. (A health coach's dream come true!)  I had fun making this and it has inspired me to look for other healthy alternative ways to update old traditional treats!

Combine almond milk, honey, vanilla, and chia seeds in a bowl; set aside to thicken/set.

While your pudding is setting place almonds in a food processor and blend to a fine crumble.

 Prepare pie pan with coconut oil.

 Add raw honey to almond crumble, stirring until a dough ball forms, adding extra honey as needed.

 Divide dough according to pan portions. Press dough into pan, shaping as needed. Bake in a preheated 400* oven until pie shell is golden brown. Approximately 10 minutes.

 Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes. Carefully remove pie shell from pan, using a butter knife to loosen edges as needed. Let shells cool completely and prepare other ingredients for assembling the pie.

 Layer cherries and pudding into pie shell. Top with whole cherries, mint, and carob nibs.

 Enjoy!

                                                                             Recipe
Pudding:
1 cup of Almond Milk (I use homemade)
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/4 cup of Chia Seeds
2 Tbsp Raw Honey

Berries:
2 cups pitted, halved cherries plus whole berries for garnish.

Pie Shell:
1 cup Raw Almonds
1-3 Tbsp Raw Honey

Garnish:
Fresh mint
Cacao Nibs