HERBS ~ THE SPICE OF LIFE

       

 Foraging and Gathering 

 

      

 

THE HEALING OF THE NATIONS:   

These bible verses are an exciting portrayal of heaven's pantry where all the freshness of foods will come from,  the water that flows from the sanctuary where God himself dwells, those that were hungry will always be supplied from the fruits, trees and those from the ground that grow there.   

Going into the forest is rather daunting to some of us for fear of getting lost or seeing wild animals, but somethings do grow right here in our back yards.  You might find things like cranberries, onions, spruce tips, huckleberries, blueberries, mushroom, yarrow, hazelnuts, morals,  goldenrod,  cat tails and the list could be quite lengthy once you think about it.  

An interesting blog to look thru.... 40 Wild Plants You Can Turn to Flours

Genesis 1:29  

And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.

Even the birch tree is a whole food  as its bark can be used in the same form as can nuts and grains, acorns, millet, buckwheat groats,  to grind down to flours and used in combinations to make palatable dough!!!  Well I have been doing lots of surfing on the internet and you may know lots more than what is written here!!!  but hopefully it sparks your interest to try it all out or start again in your quest for better health or a different source of sustenance when times get hard.      

An amazing blog to spend a lazy afternoon gazing over the pictures and recipes is WonderSmith,  another blog is  Our Food Stories.  Full of commentary, pictures and wholesome recipes.

Below is a copied list of spices, herbs and recipes to collect and have ready for spring and summer gathering.  The season is going to come upon us before we know it!!!    

 

LISTS:

pumpkin, sesame,  sunflower & poppyseed,  hazelnuts, walnuts,  chia seed,  amaranth, flax, sesame

make syrups or vinegars or oils, with elderberry, lilac, roses, 

have tahini on hand

gather rose petals and dehydrate, also parsley, chives - although these can be put in an ice cube tray and frozen

gather beets, raspberries, cranberries, kale, blueberries, to make powders

This next list are the ingredients for some of the spices listed below and as i didn't know what they were,  links are included in the name to give you an idea what they are and used for.....

Spicebush Berry 

Juniper Berry

Sumac Berry

Pine Nuts

Pickled Walnuts with recipe,   but Amazon is faster 

Beet Hummus

Mustard - fresh from seeds

Vegan Cheese - when set,  roll and press in beet powder for the red outer layer, or tomato powder from dyhyrated tomatos that are ground in a coffee grinder

Pinenut Seeded Bread  this link will take you there or here it is also, it uses lots of eggs and cannot leave any out or it will crumble, (like mine did!!!)

Homemade Vital Gluten-free Bread

Ingredients

•  
• 100g buckwheat flakes
• 110g sunflower seeds
• 110g pumpkin seeds
• 110g flaxseeds
• 60g pine nuts
• 60g sesame seeds
  
• 5 eggs (size m/l)
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 100ml olive oil (or rape seed oil, sunflower seed

• 1 tbsp honey

Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F)  top/bottom heat. Butter a loaf pan, then line with baking parchment. Mix all ingredients except the eggs, the olive oil and the honey. stir the eggs thoroughly together with the olive oil and the honey, then stir into the dry ingredients. Fill dough into the loaf pan and bake bread for 60min. Let cool down for 15minutes, before you remove the bread carefully from the loaf pan. Let cool down completely.

 

SEASONINGS TO MAKE FOR THE PANTRY:

 

Hedgerow Spice: 

This blend is intended to substitute for the well-known sweet/warm spices of the season. Whether you’re making pumpkin pie or gingerbread, spiced chutney or cinnamon rolls, this blend can step in with the magic of the forest. Try mixing some of it with sugar to sprinkle on pastries. My local spice blend includes a little juniper, wild fennel, dried young fir needles, spicebush berries, wild carrot seeds, and just a bit of wild ginger. I added some rose petals for a subtle floral hint. Dried candy cap mushrooms add a mouthwatering maple flavor. A pinch of fennel pollen finishes it with a delightful sweetness. This blend is great for adding to recipes but can also be used as a seasoning after baking as well, in the same way one might use cinnamon sugar. (If you plan to use it raw, omit the candycap mushrooms as all mushrooms should be cooked before consuming.) 

 

Riverbank Blend: 

This blend is based on Za’atar, which is a Middle-Eastern spice blend typically made from thyme, sumac, and sesame seeds (plus salt.) It’s traditionally sprinkled onto flatbreads, stirred into dips, and used to season meat or roast vegetable dishes. I love the balance of earthy/nutty sesame, tart sumac, and spicy thyme. Coming up with my own stand-in blend was pretty easy; staghorn sumac grows wild where I live, and I have a good bag of wild bee balm (which tastes just like oregano) saved up from last summer. I’ve substituted pine nuts for the sesame seeds - a different flavor, but one that adds a bit more buttery sweetness to the base of the blend. The Arabic word Za’atar originally described a specific herb that’s apparently a bit like mint, a bit like thyme, and a bit like oregano. This immediately made me think of my mother’s garden, where the mints have cross-pollinated the oreganos to create a hybrid “mintregano” that we never know quite what to do with. It’s perfect in this blend! A little wild mint and thyme round out the flavors.

Za’atar is one of my go-to kitchen spice blends when I am looking to brighten up vegetables, add flavor to breads, or fortify heavier dishes with flavor. Mixed with olive oil, it is a fantastic bread-dipping sauce. This blend, too, can be used in dishes or sprinkled on as a condiment after cooking. 

 

Woodland Seasoning: 

This spice blend is another more savory concotion for adding depth and richness to stews, soups, breads, and more. It gets its base from mushrooms - porcini, chanterelles, shittake, or whatever else I have a surplus of in a glass jar in my cupboard. Added to that are the aromatics: juniper berries, spruce tips, wild bergamot.  Stinging nettle adds earthy greenness, while dried ramps or wild onions give it a savory boost. A little dried lomatium adds a celery-like kick, and yarrow’s aromatic earthiness rounds it all out. This blend is best-suited for recipes that call for spice blends. Cooking allows the mushrooms to release all of their umami goodness! Sometimes I add a bit of miso along with this mixture in recipes for extra umami flavor. 

Coastal Sprinkle: 

This delightful mixture is based on the Japanese ‘Furikake,’ a flavorful seasoning that’s sprinkled on top of rice, cooked vegetables, and more. It typically contains toasted sesame seeds and seaweed, plus dried fish flakes, sugar, and sea salt. Many blends also include monosodium glutamate. I used this as a starting point to develop my own blend. The base of mine are the coastal seaweeds I love so much: dulse, for its almost-meaty depth of flavor. Wakame, for its briny deliciousness (and hit of B12). Nori, for the crisp crunch it adds. Sea lettuce, since it’s such a cheerful bright green. Cracked wild mustard seeds add a bit of heat, reminiscent of wasabi. Poppyseeds add crunch. Pepitas, or raw green pumpkin seeds, are toasted for a rich nutty flavor. The main flavor punch comes from shittake mushrooms that have been dried, re-hydrated and cooked in soy sauce, then dried and powdered again. In Hawaii, Furikake blends are used even more inventively and are often paired with Western foods. I’ve heard rumors of potato chips dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with a pinch of this delicious blend… Keep in mind that this blend is actually treated like a condiment. You probably wouldn’t add it directly to a recipe, but rather sprinkle it over the top of prepared dishes.

 RECIPIES:

Vegan Butter  amazing   as it spreads and tastes like the real thing!!!

Fir Needle Forest Chai Tea ~~  i loved this tea, dehyrating my own orange peel and even without the pine needles was very mild, aromatic and tasted good, if you dont have pine needles you can add a splash of lemon

 

SONG:

TRUST HIS HEART --  click here

 CRAFTS:

Mason Jars are a never ending craft resource and here are some easy ones for the busy lady and below is one that you could do also but with a bit of work and tools and a neighbour who is willing to help!!!

 

 

 In closing there are many links within this page for your references, just a little of my thoughts in a new adventure for me personally and I hope you enjoy your search and hobbies this summer in gathering things together.  i would love to have a note or two on what you do in regard to this subject!!!

PRAYER FOR THE GARDENER:  link

I ask You for Your Blessing, Lord, upon my little plot of land,

may it grow and flourish guided by Your hand.

Thank you for the pleasure, Lord,

 I find here on bended knee,

and in each flower that blossoms as a blessing sent from Thee.

 

 

Happy Summer Ladies!