Tag: recipe

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Spruce Sprout Pesto

Something I discovered about Finns is their history of using every part of a tree for medicine, food, shelter, clothing, shoes, dishes, hats, the list goes on & on. For example, I learned from Finns that the young spruce sprouts are edible, and they taste delicious! Fortunately Spruce grows in my yard so I made Spruce Sprout Pesto again this year. The taste is vibrant & fresh and so welcome after months of cold weather!
Recipe Spruce Pesto: 1 cup Spruce Sprouts, a few Basil leaves, 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts, 1/3 cup nutritional yeast, 1/8 cup olive oil, juice of 1/4 lemon, couple pinches sea salt. Blend all ingredients in a blender. Add a little more olive oil or water to make it creamier and easier to blend. Keep refrigerated and eat within a week. But this tastes so delicious it will probably be gone within a couple days! I spread Spruce Bud Pesto on rye bread or dip chips or veggies in it.

Enjoy! ..

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Dandelion Bud Capers

I did the thing: Dandelion Bud Capers. Been seeing them on instajam and since my yard is full of dandelions I decided to give them a try. They actually taste really good! No bitterness and kinda pickle-y tasting. If you have dandelions, I suggest you do the thing too. Dandelion benefits your liver and Spring is the perfect season to support your livers ability to detox and cleanse after a long winter of eating heavy rich foods. Also dandelion capers are naturally fermented and fermentated foods benefit your gut as they help replenish friendly bacteria in your intestines. Dandelion capers are quite healthy and easy to make. When picking dandelion buds, of course you only want to pick dandelions that have not been sprayed with pesticides or chemicals and only harvest from dandelions that grow in a clean area. If you look down in the center of the rosette of dandelion leaves then you will see small round dandelion buds about the size of a hazelnut. They also taste nice just eating them raw. If you would like to make dandelion capers, here is one easy recipe that I adapted from The Elliott Homestead: 2 cups dandelion buds (remove the bottom little frills (phyllaries) and stems, 2 cloves chopped garlic, 3 juniper berries, 3/4 TBSP salt mixed into 1 cup water. Rinse buds in cold water then put into a clean jar. Add garlic & juniper berries. Cover buds with enough salt water to completely submerge buds. They will float so put a piece of plastic wrap over the jar then slowly push down another jar into the first jar. This jar will push down the buds so they stay underwater. Make sure the buds always stay under water. Let this sit on the counter for 5-7 days so it can ferment. Then its ready to eat after 5-7 days. Keep refrigerated. You can add capers to salads, stir-fries, as a side condiment or even eat them as snacks. Enjoy!

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Pine & Gooseberry Oxymel

Pine needle Gooseberry Oxymel. The taste is quite Delicious! I was wanting to make an oxymel with Pine because Pine is so high in vitamin C & grows abundantly here in Finland. I decided to try adding some yellow gooseberries that grew in my yard and had frozen from last year. The sour sweet taste of the gooseberries pairs excellently with the taste of Pine. And since gooseberries are anti-inflammatory, Pine is high in Vitamin C, and oxymels are an ancient remedy for respiratory ailments, this makes sense now in the age of Corona.

Recipe: 2 cups yellow gooseberries, 1/2 cup fresh Pine needles, 2 tsp Angelica leaf, 2 cups apple cider vinegar, 1 1/4 cup honey. Mix in a clean jar and put in refrigerator for 2 weeks. Do not use a metal lid on the jar because vinegar and metal lids will react. I use a glass jar with a rubber seal & glass lid. Shake daily. Strain and pour into a nice bottle. Keep refrigerated. I add this to pretty much anything I eat, lately I’ve been adding it to goatpipe salads and stirfry nettles. You can also take a teaspoon 3x a day as a respiratory tonic. Enjoy!

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Pine, Angelica, Juniper Massage Oil

Pine, Angelica, Juniper massage oil. I’ve been experimenting with Pine lately and getting to know him. When walking through a finnish Pine forest the trees are so well, Yang. They grow straight up so tall towards the light. And lots of light shines through the pine forest, and the light effect is so warm reflecting off the orange-red pine trunks. And the energy of pine is warming to the body, and dare I say supplementing, to the Yang as well. Since moving to Finland I have noticed that the constant cold climate has been very draining to this Yang energy within me, hence my attraction to Pine. In this oil I paired Pine with 2 other local Finnish warming herbs: Angelica root and Juniper berry. Juniper berry has an invigorating effect and has traditionally been used in arthritis formulas for cold damp types of osteoarthritis. Angelica root also has warming & blood invigorating properties and has a history of use for menstrual cramps due to coldness in the uterus. These 3 herbs combined together have a super warming & blood invigorating effect when applied topically. And the scent reminds me of sauna pine tar, which I love. I apply the oil to my back over the kidneys when my back is sore and to my abdomen when my belly feels cold & sluggish. It feels so nice and warming…. Recipe: fill a 1 Liter jar with fresh pine branches & needles. I gather pine that has fallen to the ground recently and still has a fresh green color in the needles. Then add 1 TBSP dried angelica root and 1 TBSP dried juniper berries. Then fill the jar with oil. (I used sunflower oil but you can use any oil.) Then cover with a paper towel and rubber band. Let sit in a warm place for 6 weeks. Stir every day or so and try to keep the pine branches down under the surface of the oil. Then strain into a bottle. Label and enjoy your warming invigorating pine tar scented massage oil! .. Note: not recommended for pregnant women.

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Sea Buckthorn Aronia Berry Ginger Thyme Spruce Oxymel

Sea Buckthorn, Aronia Berry, Ginger, Thyme, Spruce Oxymel. This was an experiment that turned out tasting pretty good. Tangy, Pungent, Savory, Sweet. I wanted to work with Sea Buckthorn because I read they have the highest nutrient content of all wild berries, especially high in vitamin C, E and essential fatty acids. But their taste is so sour! They need to be mixed with other flavors to mellow out their intensity. So I mixed 1 cup smashed Sea Buckthorn berries with 1 cup smashed Aronia berries, thumb sized fresh ginger sliced, 1/2 cup dried thyme, 2 cups apple cider vinegar, 1 and 1/2 cups spruce sprout infused honey. Mix together and let sit in refrigerator 2 weeks. Shake daily. Strain. Pour into clean bottles and keep refrigerated. I use oxymels as food and pour on top of vegetables or whatever food I’m eating to give the food some extra exciting flavors. And oxymels have the added benefit of supporting respiratory health and have been used since the times of ancient Greece for congestion, cough & bronchitis. You can take a teaspoon several times a day and evening for mild respiratory symptoms or just use as a tangy food seasoning. Enjoy!

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Finnish Forest Tonic Soup

Finnish Forest Tonic Soup… I wanted to make a Finnish version of the Chinese tonic soups I eat during cold months and this turns out really well! When choosing ingredients for the soup, I wanted to stick with local herbs that have a ‘tonic’ or fortifying and strengthening quality. There are Nettle seeds to tonify kidneys, Chaga & Forest Mushrooms to tonify immune system, Roseroot is an adaptogen tonic, Oatstraw tonifies Qi Blood Essence & Yang, Red Clover is also classified as an adaptogen by many herbalists and is a phytoestrogen, Bilberries nourish liver yin & eyes, Iceland Moss also moistens & nourishes liver Yin and tonifies digestive Qi, Chicory Root nourishes liver Blood & Liver Yin, Yellow Dock Root nourishes Blood. I also added Garlic & Chives to warm and expel wind cold, Lovage to add warmth, Juniper Berry for warmth and to expel Wind Damp Cold, Carrot & Celery & Chicken & Goatpipe for added nutrition and Pine Needles for vitamin C and flavor. I referred to Peter Holmes book Energetics of Western Herbs to research many of the energetic properties. The soup is cooked in a crockpot or on a very low heat for several hours. The base of the soup is skinless chicken with bones plus water which forms a nourishing bone broth as it cooks over time. This soup is one of many things I try to do to feel healthy during these long dry cold Finnish winters. And I will soon be offering packets of dried Finnish Tonic Soup for anyone interested in giving this Finnish Tonic Soup a try!

Some Finnish Tonic Herbs
Warming & Tonifying
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Nourishing Seaweed Milk

Seaweed milk. Seaweeds are yin nourishing, moistening, nutritive & cooling. Moistens dryness & cools inflammation. I’ve added cinnamon, ginger & cardamom to warm it up a bit. And a pinch of fennel & licorice for added flavor. I used oat milk because its much less damp than cows milk. These seaweed milks are traditional beverages in many parts of the world. The seaweed I used is Irish Moss (Chondrus crispus) and this recipe is based off a Jamaican recipe I learned while living in Florida. The recipe is very similar to Irish Moss drink recipes from Ireland too. Irish Moss looks like the branches inside of lungs, and has traditionally been used to heal lung disorders such as bronchitis & tuberculosis. Irish Moss drinks moisten a dry cough and have also traditionally been used to heal an inflamed or ulcerated digestive system. According to Chinese Medicine, autumn is the season of the Lungs and Large Intestine. And since Irish Moss drinks moisten and sooth both Lungs and Intestines, I think this is a great beverage for Autumn especially. But this drink is nourishing for any season that you are feeling dry. However do add warming herbs such as cinnamon or ginger to balance the cooling effect of the seaweed. Traditionally these seaweed beverages have some warming spice added. Also, Irish Moss drinks are so nourishing that they have traditionally been given to elderly folks or those recouvering from prolonged illness who are still weak, as well as children who have lost weight due to illness and need to put weight back on.

Here is the recipe I used: 10-14 grams Irish Moss soaked in water 20 minutes, drain. Place in pot 10-14grams soaked Irish Moss plus 1 cup water plus some warming spice such as cinnamon and bring to a boil. Then simmer 20 minutes. Let sit until it is cooled to room temperature. It forms a “jelly”. Then add 1 TBSP “jelly” to 2 cups oatmilk and blend in blender. If you want you can add half a teaspoon of vanilla extract or a teaspoon of honey. Traditionally honey is added. Keep extra jelly stored in the refrigerator and use within 1-2 weeks. Yum. Salty Sweet!

Irish moss Gel
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Lavender Butterfly Peaflower Custard

Lavender Butterfly Peaflower Custard. Lavender & Butterfly Peaflower are both calming herbs that clear the mind. Lavendula angustifolia is “the broom of the brain” as she clears out mental clutter, and is a warming relaxing nervine. And Butterfly Peaflower, Clitoria ternata, also has many safe traditional uses as food & medicine in SE Asia. Also this flower turns food beautiful colors from blues to pinks & purples. I was gifted these flowers by a Vietnamese friend. But I noticed they also sell these flowers in Ruohonjuuri in Helsinki. The scent taste & effect of this custard is absolutely divine. Recipe adapted from one of my favorite herb books Alchemy of Herbs by Rosalee De Laforet. Recipe ingredients: 2 cups whole milk (I substituted 1 cup coconut milk with 1 cup heavy coconut cream.) 1 TBSP dried lavender flowers, 4 eggs, 1/3 cup honey, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla bean powder, 1 tsp organic orange extract. Plus I added 1/2 tsp butterfly pea flower powder. Directions: add lavender flowers to milk and simmer medium low heat for 10 minutes until milk starts to bubble. Turn off heat and let infuse for 10 minutes. Strain and add butterfly pea flower powder. Stir until dissolved. Let milk cool for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). Mix all other ingredients together. Slowly add milk to ingredients, stirring constantly. Fill dish with custard, and place this dish inside of another dish filled with hot water. Make sure that there is enough hot water that the hot water reaches halfway up the side of the custard dish. Place both dishes together in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. The custard is done when it has a slight jiggle and the top shows some hints of darkness. Remove from oven. Let cool and then store in refrigerator overnight. Serve cold. Enjoy!

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Fire Cider

Fire Cider. My first year in Finland I had the flu 3 times! But this 2nd year I haven’t gotten sick at all, and I think its mostly because I stopped eating dairy during cold months and I drink shots of Fire Cider if I start feeling cold. If you’ve never made Fire Cider, try it, its delicious! Its warming to the digestive system and stimulates your immune system by making you sweat. This is great for early stages of cold trying to enter your body. When digestion is weak & cold your body produces Dampness which can lead to mucous and runny nose. Dairy is cold and damp, so further weakens a weak digestive fire. This is why avoiding dairy and drinking Fire Cider helps someone like me (tendency to feel cold with weak digestion) during cold months. If you are someone who has a hot firey constitution then Fire Cider might be too warming for you. There are many variations on recipes but here is the recipe I use: 1/2 cup fresh ginger root, 1/2 cup fresh horseradish, 1 onion, 12 garlic cloves, 1 fresh lemon juiced, 2 TBSP dried rosemary, 1 TBSP tumeric powder, apple cider vinegar. Let sit one month in refrigerator and shake daily. Strain and add honey to taste. YUM.

Ingredients for Fire Cider
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Burdock Leaf Poultice

Wooly Burdock/ Burdock, Seittitakiainen/ Isotakiainen (Finnish), Arctium tomentosun/Arctium lappa (Latin), Gobo (Japanese), Niu Bang Zi (Chinese for burdock seed) … Every part of this plant is medicinal. I first discovered Gobo at age 19 when I lived in Japan and a sweet japanese woman named Yuko taught me to cook the Gobo root with carrots, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and black sesame seeds.This is a traditional Japanese dish called Kinpira. Later while studying herbs I learned that the root contains alot of inulin which feeds the good bacteria in our intestines. I also learned that the root is very useful to treat chronic skin problems and helps the kidneys, liver and gallbladder remove waste from the body. The root tastes somewhat sweet and is energetically cooling. And then when studying Chinese Medicine I learned that the fruit (Niu Bang Zi) is clears heat toxins and disperses heat from the exterior surface of the body and is so useful for treating painful sore inflamed throat. The cold slippery quality of the fruit also treats constipation that is due to heat accumulating in the intestines. I can testify that this plants works very well when used in these ways! Recently I have been inspired to work with burdock leaves as a poultice for pain. I read of this practice from herbslist Susun Weed. You place fresh burdock leaves in vinegar. I roll the leaves up so they fit better into the jar. Fill the jar with vinegar. To use the leaves as a poultice you remove a leaf from the jar and heat it up in the oven. When nice and warm you apply it to the area of the body where there is pain. Back pain, knee pain, elbow pain, joint pain. Leave on until it cools to room temperature and then apply another warm leaf. Do this for at least 20-30 minutes. You can do this a few times a day for several days. After using the poultice you can also apply an herbal pain relieving salve. Since burdock grows abundantly where people live, its definitely worth learning more about this amazing plant!