Forage & Gather : Springtime Tonics
“I am the breeze that nurtures all things green. I encourage blossoms to flourish with ripening fruits. I am led by the spirit to feed the purest streams. I am the rain coming from the dew that causes the grasses to laugh with the joy of life.”
Hildegard of Bingen
Ah, as the world awakens to the gentle embrace of spring, I find myself drawn to the verdant landscapes and the promise of renewal that each day brings. Here in Northeast Ohio, the earth is slowly shedding its winter coat, and I too feel a bone deep stirring within my soul. It was a winter of hibernation, of cozy evenings spent by the hearth, but now, as the days grow longer and the air grows warmer, I’m finding it hard to ignore the urge to emerge from my cocoon and embrace the world once more.
Everywhere I look, signs of life are beginning to surface. The horses in the pasture are shedding their winter coats, and the air is filled with the sweet scent of freshly cut grass. In my garden, the first tender shoots of green are pushing through the soil, a testament to the resilience of nature and the promise of new beginnings. It's a time of growth and renewal, of shedding the old and embracing the new. Everywhere I look, I see stray wisps of hay and grass being carried away by the birds who are busily building their nests. The beautifully established patch of Lily of the Valley quietly tucked away in the side yard has begun to poke through the falling leaves. I can't wait to pick bouquets of them to place in the little crystal vase of my mother’s that sits on my desk!
With the first rays of springtime warmth come loads of garden catalogs and plenty of inspiration to get out into the yard to begin to plant. My raspberries are beginning to bud, and so are my roses. Every day gives me a thrilling new glimpse of something green that wintered over in my herb boxes and raised beds, and true to form, I've gained about five extra winter pounds that need to disappear!
It seems that I fight this same five pounds every year, and this winter was no different. Here in Ohio, the winters are cold and gray, and there's just not much to do but eat and sleep. Luckily for me, springtime is the best time of year for a cleanse because all of the best things for you to eat to wake up a body that's carrying just a little extra winter padding are available in our gardens starting right about now!
Springtime tonics are among the easiest and most effective cleansing foods, and I'm pretty sure that Mother Nature makes them that way on purpose because traditional winter foods, although delicious and very satiating, can pack on the pounds. So springtime, with its sumptuous feast of watercress, dandelions, asparagus, wild ramps, stinging nettles, violet leaves, fiddlehead ferns, and chickweed, can be just what this farm girl orders to cleanse her blood and create an abundance of energy. Each of these wild foods has a very distinct medicinal use, and combined to make delicious juices and salads, will restore anybody that's suffered a bit too much with the winter blues!
Wild food is all around you; you just have to look for it. When I still lived on our farm, we had a beautiful artesian spring that must have been the original water source for our century-old home. I loved it because it was a beautiful and magical place, nestled deep in the woods by the barn and down a wee hill, and every spring, the first thing that would begin to grow would be the wonderful patch of peppery watercress that loved the fresh running water. I loved it down by that little spring. I "planted" big clusters of crystals of all sorts among the trees down there and one day took Alex and all of the neighbor kids down to the spring to show them what I'd found. They were teenagers before they actually figured it out, but they still talk about the "crystal forest" with the same twinkling smiles and peals of laughter that they had when they were very young.
Watercress is a perfect spring tonic because it stimulates your digestion and really gives a boost to your tired blood. My mother always made little sandwiches with watercress, thinly sliced breast of chicken, and a little mayo, and they were absolutely delicious and perfect for teatime. I love to make watercress soup, and the easiest way to do it is to bring about four cups of very good chicken broth to a simmer and add a can of coconut milk. You could also do this with heavy cream or half and half, but because I use this as a cleansing soup, I'll go without the dairy with the exception of about one teaspoon of salted butter that I'll stir in near the end. Bring it all to a simmer, salt and pepper it, and add a couple of tablespoons of minced shallot. Let it all simmer for about five minutes, whisking continuously, and then add about three cups of watercress leaves.
Whisk them in and reduce the heat, letting them wilt and infuse the soup with their rich and peppery wild flavor. Take the whole thing off the stove and put it into the pitcher of a blender or a Vitamix, give it a couple of turns, garnish it with a few toasted almonds, and serve. It will be delightfully green, and you will begin to feel your blood wake up after the first few spoonfuls! You can use the same base for a soup of fresh asparagus, but be careful of eating too much asparagus if you have issues with your kidneys or suffer from gout. As absolutely delicious as it is, fresh asparagus is very high in purines and can contribute to a rise in uric acid levels in the blood, one of the primary causes of gout.
One of my favorite springtime rituals is gathering stinging nettles, those prickly little wonders that pack a powerful punch when it comes to cleansing the blood and invigorating the body.
Stinging nettles are a true powerhouse of nutrition, rich in vitamins and minerals that support overall health and well-being. They are thought to be anti inflammatory and very useful in supporting relief from arthritis pain. They're also incredibly versatile, lending their unique flavor to everything from soups and salads to teas and tinctures. I love to incorporate them into my springtime rituals, adding a handful of fresh nettles to my daily smoothie or brewing a nourishing tea to sip on throughout the day. Be sure when you are gathering fresh nettles to do it with gloves and always blanch them in boiling water before you use them to remove the notorious sting if you’re going to use them to cook with.
But my favorite way to enjoy stinging nettles is in a simple herbal tincture. It's easy to make, requiring just a few simple ingredients and a bit of patience. Here's how I do it:
Ingredients:
2 cups of fresh stinging nettle leaves
1 pint high-proof alcohol (such as vodka or brandy)
Instructions:
Begin by harvesting fresh stinging nettle leaves from your garden or a nearby wild patch. Be sure to wear gloves to protect yourself from their sting!
Rinse the nettle leaves {with gloves on!) thoroughly under cold water to remove any dirt or debris.
Place the clean nettle leaves in a clean glass jar and cover them with the alcohol, ensuring that they are completely submerged.
Seal the jar tightly and store it in a cool, dark place for at least 4-6 weeks, shaking it gently every few days to help extract the medicinal properties of the nettles.
After the steeping period is complete, strain the tincture through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove the solid plant material, then transfer the liquid to a clean glass bottle for storage.
Your stinging nettle tincture is now ready to use! Simply add a few drops to a glass of water, juice or tea for a potent dose of springtime energy and vitality.
A salad of dandelion leaves is deliciously bitter and has a wonderful diuretic quality that can be used if you are feeling a bit bloated. Fresh young sweet violet leaves are a wonderful addition in a salad for any woman who suffers from fibroid pain in the breasts, and the tiny leaves of the friendly little chickweed plant are wonderful to eat and will help keep all of your most intimate parts slippery, moist, and cool!
And then there are the ramps or the wild leeks, as they’re known in certain parts of the Appalachians. Ramps are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which can help improve overall wellbeing. There are acres of ramps in the woods that I ride in, and every spring I saddle up and ride out to collect some. There is no more exquisite smell in the woods at this time of year than the perfume of the moist soil and the wild scent of the onions. They can be eaten raw if you dare with fresh butter and salt or minced and mixed with butter and chevre and then slathered under the skin of a chicken and put into the oven to roast. Ramps are very stimulating and are thought to promote energy and passion. Enjoy one raw and you'll know what I mean because they definitely stoke the fires inside however make sure that you're enjoying them with someone you love as they are very pungent, almost like eating a clove of raw garlic!
One of my favorite things to do with them is to make a wonderful Bloody Mary for a Sunday brunch. Just take some organic tomato or V8 type juice, add some sriracha hot sauce to taste, a teaspoon of good horseradish, a tablespoon of minced wild ramp, salt and pepper, and gin or vodka! Stir, pour over ice, and add a couple of slices of crispy bacon and one wild ramp for a gorgeous spring garnish!
So why not embrace the spirit of spring and embark on your own journey of renewal and rejuvenation? With a little help from Mother Nature and a touch of herbal magic, you'll be feeling refreshed and revitalized in no time. Here's to embracing the beauty of the season and nourishing our bodies and souls from the inside out. Cheers to springtime and all the blessings it brings!
As with any herbal remedy, it's important to remember that these wild foods can interact with certain medications and may not be suitable for everyone. As always, I encourage you to consult with your healthcare provider before experimenting with herbal remedies, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or concerns.