Cold-Kicker Drink
1 C. water
Zest of one lemon
½ to 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 T. honey
Juice of one lemon
Heat water, lemon zest, ginger and fennel seed until boiling. Turn off heat and let steep for a few minutes. Pour into mug. Stir in honey and lemon juice.
Ginger Turmeric Tea (Tonic)
4 1/2 C. filtered water
1 2 1/2-inch piece ginger root (about 2 T. chopped)
1 2 1/2-inch piece turmeric root (about 1 1/2 T. chopped)
2-3 dashes cayenne pepper
1 lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
4 tsp. local raw honey
In a medium saucepan, combine water, ginger, turmeric and cayenne and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly, leaving the lid on. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain into quart-size glass container. Pour into clean saucepan and reheat. Add lemon juice and honey, stirring until it dissolves. Serve warm or cold. Store in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Nettle & Mint Tea
1 T. dried nettle leaf
1 T. dried mint leaf (any variety)
Steep in glass jar with near boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain and add honey or maple syrup to taste (optional). Enjoy hot or cold.
| Name | Flavor and Use |
| Apple Blossoms | Apple blossoms have a light, floral flavor with both sweet and sour undertones, just like apples! They can be candied like rose petals or used to garnish fruit or citrus dishes. |
| Basil | Basil is found on most spice racks. But it’s also a flowering plant and the flowers are edible. Thai basil is often harvested once it’s fully flowered. The whole flower is edible and carries the distinct savory flavor reminiscent of anise and mint with a touch of pepper. |
| Bee Balm | Bee balm has pretty, round flowers. It tastes similar to oregano and sage together and it is most often included in savory dishes such as salads, vegetable dishes, and herbal butters. It can also be included in herbal tea recipes. |
| Borage | Borage comes in a beautiful form, blue blooms in a star-like pattern. This shape gives it the nickname starflower. It taste sweet with a honey-like zest. It’s great as a garnish on drinks. It’s often an ingredient in desserts or treats. |
| Camellia | Camellias have beautiful, delicate blooms and come in hundreds of species with thousands of hybrids. The flowers are edible while the leaves are a long-standing ingredient in teas. |
| Carnation | Carrie Bradshaw is not a fan of receiving carnations, but the foodie in her might have enjoyed the spiciness their petals offer. They have a flavor that is almost peppery and similar to cloves. |
| Chamomile | Chamomile is most commonly used in teas. Its subtle apple-ish flavor complements other flavors, like mint or citrus. While known in teas, it can also be used in desserts like custards. The petals can also be used in candied form or as dessert ornament. |
| Cherry Blossom | Called sakura in Japan, cherry blossoms have a long history of use in Japanese culture including edible blooms. The Japanese have pickled them in salt and used them as a confectionary. |
| Chives | Chives are a well-known herb with a distinct and popular onion-like flavor. Common chives produce purple flowers and can be used in salads, as garnishes, or to add savory flavor to other dishes. Chinese chives have an even more pronounced garlic-like flavor. |
| Chrysanthemum | Chrysanthemum has a taste that resembles chamomile. It can be used in teas and desserts. It’s also mixed into stir-fry recipes, chop suey, and other traditional Asian dishes. |
| Cilantro | Also known as coriander, cilantro is a very common flowering herb. It has a unique flavor reminiscent of citrus and parsley. It’s used as a spice and as a garnish in many dishes. |
| Coltsfoot | Coltsfoot has many edible uses. Toss it into a salad to brighten it up, use it to make an aromatic herbal tea, or mix the flowers with honey and use it as a natural cough remedy. |
| Cornflowers | Their blooms don’t look like popcorn. These beautiful purplish-blue blossoms have an intriguing flavor profile. They mix a touch of sweetness with a clove-like spicy flavor. They are also a popular food dye with their beautiful bluish-purple color. |
| Cucumber | Cucumber blooms can be used to add a little nutrition with flair to your salad. You can eat them raw or stir fry them. The flower is a pretty yellow color and has a cucumber-floral flavor. |
| Dahlia | Known for their beauty, dahlia flowers are also edible. The celery-like tubers offer additional benefits. The tubers contain potassium, vitamin B, and riboflavin but the flowers make an attractive garnish or colorful addition to dishes. The flowers make a great edible adornment for cakes. |
| Daisy | This colorful flower’s petals can be added to the recipe of any dish to offer a sweet perfume taste. |
| Dame’s Rocket | Dame’s Rocket has eye-catching purple flowers that make an excellent addition for color to salads and other dishes. Their flavor is mild and rather bland so it’s best included as a complementary ingredient. It’s best consumed in small doses as it large amounts might cause nausea. |
| Dandelion | Dandelions are considered a flowering herb. Commonly used in salads, they have a distinctly earthy and nutty flavor with hints of bitterness. Their flavor can balance other sweet ingredients in recipes. |
| Daylily | Despite its name, the day lily is not a member of the family we think of as common lilies (lilium). It has attractive orange blooms and its flavor is grassy and similar to peas. |
| Dill | Dill grows with small clusters of yellow flowers. It’s been cultivated for cooking and herbal use for thousands of years across Eurasia. The flowers are more pungent and flavorful than the leaves. Dill has been used in ayurvedic medicine, as an oil, and as a spice often coupled with fish. |
| Echinacea | Echinacea has a pretty, usually purple, flower in the wild. Its petals have been used traditionally in teas and herbal remedies. It also goes by the name purple coneflower and is cultivated around the world for its herbal benefits. |
| Fennel | All parts of the fennel plant are edible which includes the stalk, bulb, and fronds. Fennel is commonly used in cooking. Usually, recipes use the bulbs which have a celery-like texture and an almost licorice-like flavor. |
| Garden Pea | The common garden pea’s well-known pods grow with white flowers. Pea flowers can be included in anything made with peas. The flowers also carry a grassy, herbal flavor. *Warning:* Do not confuse the common pea with sweet peas (lathyrus odoratus). Sweet peas are poisonous. |
| Gardenia | Gardenia can be eaten raw, boiled, pickled, or preserved in honey. They can be used in tea like jasmine, with a similar flavor profile. They also have been used as a food dye for their yellow coloring. |
| Hibiscus | Its flavor is tart and very cranberry-ish. It’s a tropical flower and its blossoms are bright and beautiful. It’s often used in teas but can play a role in desserts, as a candied treat, a dried garnish, and an ingredient in cakes. |
| Honeysuckle | The flowers, unsurprisingly have a honey-like flavor. Honeysuckle nicely complements soups, salads, desserts, and drinks. *Warning*: ONLY eat the flowers. Do not eat the berries, which are poisonous. It also produces a pleasant aroma. |
| Hops | Hops are famous for their role in brewing beer. They are also a flowering plant. They provide a bittering balance to the sweetness of the yeast in beer. Beer isn’t their only use, however. Custards and sauces often incorporate hops for stabilizing flavor profiles. |
| Lavender | Lavender is in the mint family and has a sweet floral flavor. It’s also used in a wide range of recipes from gourmet entrees to dessert. It gives off a pleasant aroma which adds to its appeal for cooking. |
| Lilac | Often used in salads, lilac carries a lemony sometimes slightly bitter flavor. It’s also a pungent flower. It can also be used in syrups, beverages, and even beer. |
| Mallow | Malva includes over 25 varieties of beautiful flowers. But that floral elegance doesn’t translate into culinary bliss. Mallow has a mild, earthy flavor that is usually sauteed. Historically, it’s also been used as an ingredient in love potions! |
| Marigold | An herb and also traditionally a remedy for strengthening the immune system. Marigold comes in beautiful yellow, orange, and golden colors. Often used as a garnish or a decorative addition to dishes to add a pop of color. |
| Mint | Everyone knows mint’s distinct, sweet flavor. It’s the basis of everything from gourmet recipes to candy canes. The distinct flavor comes from the leaves but the flowers are also edible and make an excellent garnish for all occasions. |
| Nasturtium | Add some nasturtium blooms to add a pop of color and a bite in flavor. They have a spicy, peppery flavor that makes a good addition to a range of dishes. But if you’re cooking with it, make sure to add it at the end of the cooking process so it doesn’t overcook. |
| Orchids | Orchids are typically used for the finishing touches as beautiful garnishes on any meal in need of a pop of color. |
| Oxlip | Oxlip is a mild flavoring that can be used for soups when cooked or to pretty up salads when raw. It can be used in herbal teas or other mixtures. |
| Pansy | Pansy is the common name for hybrid flowers in the viola family. Popular because they come in a wide variety of bright colors, these edible flowers are |
| Peonies | Peonies have the same medicinal value as roses and can help ease sore muscles. |
| Plum Blossom | Plum blossoms are a favorite flower around the world. Their flavor is more complicated with hints of spice, sweetness, and floral tangs. Because of their beauty, these spring blooms can be used for floral confections and desserts of many varieties. They can be used to make frosting or sprinkled on top of puddings. |
| Pumpkin flowers | Field pumpkins are not just for Halloween. They produce pretty flowers that can have a culinary purpose. They are commonly used in Asian cuisines such as Bengali dishes. Their flavor is mildly sweet with earthy undertones. |
| Purslane | Purslane is packed with nutrition. It contains a very high portion of vitamin A, C, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and calcium. It’s also high in antioxidants and omega-3s. It has a slightly sour, salty flavor akin to watercress or spinach. |
| Primrose | Primrose flowers have a range of flavors that span from a mild salad lettuce taste to a more bitter flavor. The flowers can be used as garnishes or even mixed in with the leaves for tea. |
| Red clover | Red clover has a long history as an edible flower and plant. It has a very floral taste when eaten raw but when cooked, it provides a vanilla-ish taste. A healthy flowering plant, it’s a gluten-free ingredient that has a nutritional profile akin to alfalfa sprouts. It contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, and C along with antioxidants, calcium, and potassium. |
| Rose | Flavors from roses will vary based on type, color, and soil conditions. While roses are also medicinal, their flower petals are a staple in many cocktails and dessert dishes. |
| Rosemary | A common spice, rosemary is a flowering shrub native to Mediterranean regions. It has beautiful purple, pink, blue, or white flowers that carry a distinct fragrance. It has a lemony pine-like flavor that complements many dishes. |
| Sage | Sage is a common name for two different types of flowering shrubs. Artemisia is sagebrush and salvia mellifera is black sage. Both can be used as flavoring herbs when cooking. They both have a slightly peppery flavor and are suitable for teas. |
| Strawberry Blossoms | Everyone knows how good the fruit tastes. But, surprise! Strawberry blossoms are also great to include in dishes. Farmed blossoms tend to be pink while wild strawberry blossoms are white. Just be careful where you get the blossoms from though as some farms like to douse them in chemicals. |
| Sunflowers | Sunflowers do produce the beloved sunflower seeds, but their stem can also be steamed and eaten like an artichoke. Not to be confused with a sunchoke! |
| Tansy | Tansy has a long, interesting history as an edible flower. It was used as an insect repellant and also common for Easter pudding. Its nutmeg-cinnamon-like flavor is best used as a flavoring and the flowers can be used in tea. *WARNING* Don’t eat tansy in large amounts, it may upset your tummy. |
| Tulip | You can nibble on some tulips with your own two lips! *WARNING*: Tulips can cause an allergic reaction. If you develop even minor allergic reactions do not eat the petals. Never eat the bulbs! When in doubt, avoid eating the flower. |
| Violet | The beautiful violet flower has a subtle flavor, slightly sweet. The refreshing taste evokes the flavor of springtime. |
Roaring Fire Cider
½ cup cranberries
¼ cup thinly sliced fresh ginger
2 T. thinly sliced turmeric
2 T. peeled, diced fresh horseradish
3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
2 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme
2 dried hot chili peppers
1 tsp. whole black peppercorns
1 small red onion, sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced into wheels
1 orange, thinly sliced into wheels
¼ cup raw honey
3 cups unfiltered apple cider vinegar, enough to fill the jar
1 (32-ounce) canning jar with lid, sanitized in the dishwasher
Layer ingredients into the jar for an attractive presentation, pressing down lightly with a clean stainless spoon. Add enough apple cider vinegar to cover ingredients entirely while leaving ¼-inch clearance at the top. Wipe the mouth of the jar with a damp cloth. Place a square of wax paper over the top, if desired, to prevent the vinegar from corroding the metal lid. Tighten the lid over the paper and infuse for 2 to 3 weeks (or up to 6 weeks) in a cool, dark place. Fine-strain, funnel into a clean bottle and refrigerate.
Turmeric Tonic
This Anti-Inflammatory, Immune-Boosting Turmeric Tonic is packed with antioxidants, nutrients, vitamins, and healthy fats, making it the perfect healthy morning beverage.
1 2†piece peeled turmeric
1 2†piece peeled ginger
½ lemon
3 T. agave syrup (nectar)
Sparkling water (for serving)
Cayenne pepper (for serving)
Pass turmeric, ginger, and lemon (with peel) through a juicer. Stir in agave syrup. (Alternatively, chop turmeric and ginger and purée in a blender with agave syrup, 2 T. fresh lemon juice, and ⅓ C. water; strain.) Serve juice over ice, topped off with sparkling water and sprinkled with cayenne pepper.
Ginger Vinegar
150 gram ginger root
150 gram sugar
1 quart filtered water
Add 2 cups of filtered water to a jar with a tablespoon of sugar and a tablespoon of grated or finely minced ginger. Mix everything together and cover the jar with a cloth, held in place with a rubber band, to keep bugs and dust out. Leave to rest at room temperature for 24 hours. The next day, add in another tablespoon of sugar and another tablespoon of ginger. (You can also add in a little water if you ever see that the mixture is too overrun with ginger.) Once again, mix everything together and cover it with a cloth. Leave it undisturbed for another 24 hours. Repeat the previous step each day until you get an active ginger bug. You can tell that your ginger bug is active and ready when you start to see bubbles forming at the top and a white precipitate falling to the bottom. (This normally takes around 4-8 days.) Overhead view of ginger, sugar and water turning bubbly. (An actively forming ginger bug) Once the ginger bug is ready, you can make sodas with it by mixing it with juice or mixes of water, flavoring, and sugar syrup and doing a second ferment in airtight bottles to build up carbonation. To make vinegar, add the rest of the ginger, sugar, and water and stop feeding the ginger bug. Cover it with a cloth and allow it to ferment for several weeks. Over the next weeks, it will become more acidic and less sweet. It should also begin to form a cellulose mass on the surface. This is the vinegar mother. Once you are happy with the flavor and acidity of the vinegar, filter out the solids and bottle the ginger. It can be stored at room temperature or in the fridge.
Easy Juices for a Beginning Juicer
For Green Goddess Juice:
3 stalks of celery
1/2 large cucumber, cut into quarters
1 medium green apple, cut into eighths
1 medium pear, cut into eighths
For Ginger Zinger Juice:
2 medium apples, cut into eighths
5 carrots (no need to peel)
1/2 inch fresh ginger
1/4 lemon (remove peel to avoid bitterness)
For Tropi-Kale Juice:
1/4 of a fresh pineapple, skin and core removed, and cut into 1†strips
4 kale leaves
1 ripe banana, peeled
For Antioxidant Blast Juice:
2 medium beets, cut into quarters and the greens
1 cup blueberries
1 cup halved, hulled strawberries
For Immune Booster Juice:
2 oranges, quartered (remove peel for less bitterness)
1/4 lemon (remove peel for less bitterness)
1 medium apple, cut into eighths
1/2†fresh ginger
For Not-So-Sour Apple Juice:
2 tart apples, cut into eights
5 kale leaves
For Kale Kickstart Juice:
1 orange, quartered (remove the peel for less bitterness)
1 cup halved and hulled strawberries
2 kale leaves
3 carrots
1 ripe banana
For Cucumber Cooler Juice:
1/4 ripe cantaloupe, seeds removed, cut into chunks (no need to peel)
2 stalks celery
1/2 cucumber, cut into slices
1/4 lemon (remove peel to reduce bitterness)
For All Flavors:
Juice all the ingredients following the instructions for normal juicing in your juicer manual. Drink immediately, or let chill for an hour and then enjoy.
Cinnamon Pear Ginger Water
1 sliced Pear
6 Cinnamon Sticks
Grated Ginger
2 qt. Water
Combine all ingredients, Serve chilled.
Detox Apple Cinnamon Drink
1 Gallon Spring Water
5 Large Apples
6 Cinnamon Sticks
Bring water to a quick boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Core and slice your apples. Add apples and cinnamon sticks to your simmering water. Simmer 15 minutes. Strain water into a Gallon container. Refrigerate
Immune Booster for Winter
2 tomatoes
1 celery stalk
2 cloves garlic
1/2 inch piece of turmeric root
1 small beetroot
1/2 cucumber
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice all of the ingredients, including the garlic, through your juicer. It is recommended to wash your juicer immediately to remove all traces of garlic. Otherwise every juice you make for the next week will have a garlic hint.
1 C. boiling water
1 chamomile tea bag
1/2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
2 peeled ripe mangoes, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 ripe pear, peeled and cored
2 C. fresh orange juice
Pour 1 C. boiling water over tea bag in a small bowl, and steep for 10 minutes. Remove and discard tea bag.
Combine brewed tea, ginger, mangoes, carrots, and pear in a blender; process until smooth. Stir in orange juice. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight. Strain mixture through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a medium bowl, pressing solids with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula to squeeze out juice; discard solids. Pour into a pitcher.
Yield: 4 servings
Serving size: 1 C.
Calories: 128
Fat: 0.5g
Fiber: 2.9g