spring
healthy spring foods
Dandelion greens!
Dandelion greens!
I love mixing dandelion greens in my salads. They are so good for you too. I use both the leaves and stems.
Dandelion greens are a great springtime healer. The greens are particularly a good liver cleanser as well as a diuretic.
These greens are slightly bitter but mix well with other greens or even wilted and tossed with a stir fry. Dandelion tea is another option. Then of course there's "dandelion wine" :)
Dandelion root extract is being studied for its potential anti cancer properties.
In oriental medicine they associate different organs of the body and elements of the earth with a specific season.
"The liver is ruler over the spring. It is the root of life's ultimate action."
Dandelion root extract is being studied for its potential anti cancer properties.
In oriental medicine they associate different organs of the body and elements of the earth with a specific season.
"The liver is ruler over the spring. It is the root of life's ultimate action."
Chinese folk medicine
"The liver craves sour flavor" Nei Ching
Lemons
Lemon is a perfect liver food and body cleanser.
Something a little unconventional to try
Stanley Burroughs' Master Cleanse
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/10 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 ounces water
If that recipe doesn't suit your taste buds then just try a simple
spring cooler of carbonated mineral water with some fresh lemon or lime juice
key lime pie!
key lime pie!
dessert!!
got to have it sometimes:)
got to have it sometimes:)
Here's the recipe for frozen key lime pie
3 egg whites
1/2 cup lime juice
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
9 inch graham cracker crust
lime zest (optional)
Beat egg whites til stiff
Add lime juice and beat well
Add sweetened condensed milk and beat again until well mixed.
Add a little zest ( about 1/4 tsp.)
Pour mixture in to a 9 inch graham cracker crust and freeze.
Thaw 5-10 min. before slicing.
If you want to make your own crust (probably healthier)
1 cup slivered almonds lightly toasted
2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
mix together, best to use food processor > press in to pie pan and bake 350 degrees for about 12 min.
I had this pie at the Mucky Duck on Captiva Island a couple years ago. The waiter told me the recipe was on the Internet under Willard Scott's key lime pie. I did find it and finally made it a couple weeks ago. It was verry yummy!
Spring cleaning
Eating lighter and less for a few weeks allows your body to rest a little from all the heavy foods eaten during the colder months and thereby helps in cleansing and rejuvenating your cells. Juicing is a great way to do this along with taking the herb milk thistle.
Taking advantage of farmers markets is a great way to eat seasonally. With all the conveniences of getting any kind of food we want any time of the year we can almost forget what's really seasonal. We can get apples from the other side of the planet when they're out of season here. So an apple a day (all year long) may not be the best thing after all!
Eating lighter and less for a few weeks allows your body to rest a little from all the heavy foods eaten during the colder months and thereby helps in cleansing and rejuvenating your cells. Juicing is a great way to do this along with taking the herb milk thistle.
Taking advantage of farmers markets is a great way to eat seasonally. With all the conveniences of getting any kind of food we want any time of the year we can almost forget what's really seasonal. We can get apples from the other side of the planet when they're out of season here. So an apple a day (all year long) may not be the best thing after all!
Eating with the seasons advocates a natural path that helps us heal from within ~~~
the dandelion flower symbolizes persistence and a strong will
native Americans would walk miles to gather these and used them medicinally
spring lettuces from my garden
chives
cherry blossoms and leaves are edible and both are used as food ingredients in Japan
Spring.....mud-luscious.... puddle-wonderful...a time for flowers and gardens and hummingbirds to return!
inspired by nature ♥
native Americans would walk miles to gather these and used them medicinally
Spring.....mud-luscious.... puddle-wonderful...a time for flowers and gardens and hummingbirds to return!
inspired by nature ♥
Love your spring blog post, Debbie! Our dad always ate dandelion greens in the springtime. He would say that they cleansed the blood.
ReplyDeleteI never knew cherry blossoms were edible. I will have to try them!
Mary, in Japan they pickle the cherry blossoms in hot water to make a tea called sakuraya. Another use is in the traditional sweet bun which is filled with bean paste. I would try plum vinegar or plum paste for the pickling. Good luck if you try it!
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