October ferments- unripe backyard apples, (not sure what variety, it’s a very old tree with beautiful tart green apples that have just started developing a blush), sprouting rye berries (fuel for fermentation and flavour), local raw honey, Fig leaf, wild rosehips, allspice berries, Rocky Mountain juniper berries smashed up with the back of a spoon. Sweet, fizzy, tart, can’t wait to crack this one open in a few weeks.. October Rocky Mountain terroir in jar #fermentation #fermentedapples #juniper #eatthewoods #wildharvest #wildfoodlove #microbiome #nourishingtraditions #nourish #seasonaleating #rosehip #fermentationstation #sprouting #rye #regionalgrains #eatwild #homesteading #figtree #apples

Wild Mushroom & Hazelnut Sprouted Rye Sourdough. This deeply nourishing loaf is made of 100% extraction freshly milled sprouted rye grain, soaked (bioavailable) pumpkin, sunflower, oat, flax and sesame seeds, sprouted whole rye berries, and a blend of wild foraged and medicinal mushrooms harvested this past season- golden buttery chanterelles, Porcini, Chicken of the Woods, as well as Reishi and a Chaga broth for hydration. Toasted hazelnuts are something we love in this dense nourishing loaf, which is similar in texture to the Danish Rugbród. I can never wait as long as I’d like for full flavour development, having baked these off much earlier than I’d like though they had an almost 24h of room temperature fermentation, (I would have liked another day or two of fermentation, not for ease of digestion as everything was already sprouted and rye has virtually no gluten protein, but for a deeper more sour flavour- maybe next time 😉). I let them dry like this a bit before freezing the slices, they toast beautifully and are lovely beside a bowl of hot soup on a cold winter afternoon😍 There is so little flour here, it’s mostly seeds held together by a bit of rye flour, and the texture is deeply satisfying. Thanks to my sweet hubby for always capturing with his camera, the image that is in my mind #nourishingtraditions #sproutedgrains #sprouting #bioavailable #medicinalmushroom #reishi #chaga #sourdough #wildsourdough #wildforaging #wildcrafting #inthewoods #nutrition #rugbrød #consciousnutrition #eatwild #wildfoodlove #sproutedbread #porcini #chanterelle #chickenofthewoods #rye #rusticbread #fermentation #fermented

Wild Rose, Hibiscus and Vanilla grass fed marshmallows with foraged Bull kelp. Grass fed gelatin contains so much nourishing goodness for our bones, joints, skin, hair, nails, etc. a rich source of collagen, amino acids and an abundance of other nutrients, gelatin rich foods are a regular part of our nourishment- there’s always a pot of bone broth simmering away! You won’t find things like sugar, tetrasodium triphosphate, artifical colours or cane syrup in our kitchen but my kids do love marshmallows so we make these quite a bit. Simple with just a few ingredients (wildflower honey, grass fed gelatin, and naturally flavoured with fruit or herbal teas) they are easy to make and are a world away from the commercial products- they are thick, airy, soft and puffy little clouds of nourishing goodness. I include wild kelp I harvested on the island last summer for essential minerals as well. In lieu of water I steeped Hansa rose petals and hibiscus into a strong tea both for flavour and a light pink colour. We’ve made all sorts of variations over the years- plain vanilla, strawberry, lemon, Passionfruit, they are fantastic dipped into dark chocolate as well. They don’t last long :-) I love to float one in my coffee for a nourishing cup in the morning. #nourishingtraditions #gelatin #bones #grassfed #consciousnutrition #collagen #guthealth #feedingmyfamily #nourish #wildfoodlove #seaweed #minerals #kelp

Once in a while there is an evening where Art still has leftovers from the bean stew he made last night, the girls had chicken Caesar wraps earlier and I’m left with no particular plan for dinner, leaving me to play with the winter provisions I’ve carefully squirrelled away in my cupboards. Diversity in nourishment is a huge part of meals around here, so the magical treasures we collect in the woods make their way onto our table in some manner every day. Risotto simmered in chicken broth with saffron strands, chestnuts, reconstituted tart wild Oregon grapes and buttery Golden Chanterelles collected only two months ago (but somehow seems like yesterday). Some sort of beastly celery madness has overcome me in recent weeks, and I cannot fulfill my craving of the fresh leaves, crunchy stalks and roots. On the side, a salad of local celery sliced thin, the last of this season’s Honeycrisp apple, cold and shredded, bright celery leaves, toasted almonds- the dressing fermented umeboshi plum, a fuschia quince vinegar (the welcome byproduct of pickled quince), a few drops of maple syrup, almond oil. The vessel, a small and humble butternut squash whose bottom I briefly roasted just enough to soften and caramelized the flesh. #bringthewildhome #wildcrafted #foraging #oregongrape #mahonianervosa #chanterelles #nourishing #nourishment #wholefoods #inthewoods #eatrealfood #fermentation #umeboshi #nourishing #celery #seasonaleating #quince #wildfoodlove #apple #diversity #microbiome #consciousnutrition

by saimaalife ift.tt/27lZkrg

Basmati-Reis mit Chilisauce Aji Minas Gerais, bestreut mit Parmesan-Käse, Kerbel und Blumen Lungenkräuter.

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Wednesday night Fish tacos 🐟 Panko, garlic and smoked paprika crusted Red Snapper, wild foraged watercress, Mango, Lime & Wild Mint salsa, Hibiscus & allspice quick pickled radishes from the garden, creamy roasted red pepper, preserved lemon and roasted garlic yogurt sauce. #weeknightdinner #edibleflowers #wildforaged #watercress #nutrition #taconight #fishtacos #growyourownfood #organicgardening #mint #foraging #kitchengarden #wholefoods #eatflowers #herbs #seasonaleating #snapper #onmytable #gardentotable #wildfood #wildfoodlove #healthymeals #earth #simplemeals #gardening #violas

Wild Mushroom & Hazelnut Sprouted Rye Sourdough. This deeply nourishing loaf is made of 100% extraction freshly milled sprouted rye grain, soaked (bioavailable) pumpkin, sunflower, oat, flax and sesame seeds, sprouted whole rye berries, and a blend of wild foraged and medicinal mushrooms harvested this past season- golden buttery chanterelles, Porcini, Chicken of the Woods, as well as Reishi and a Chaga broth for hydration. Toasted hazelnuts are something we love in this dense nourishing loaf, which is similar in texture to the Danish Rugbród. I can never wait as long as I’d like for full flavour development, having baked these off much earlier than I’d like though they had an almost 24h of room temperature fermentation, (I would have liked another day or two of fermentation, not for ease of digestion as everything was already sprouted and rye has virtually no gluten protein, but for a deeper more sour flavour- maybe next time 😉). I let them dry like this a bit before freezing the slices, they toast beautifully and are lovely beside a bowl of hot soup on a cold winter afternoon😍 There is so little flour here, it’s mostly seeds held together by a bit of rye flour, and the texture is deeply satisfying. Thanks to my sweet hubby for always capturing with his camera, the image that is in my mind #nourishingtraditions #sproutedgrains #sprouting #bioavailable #medicinalmushroom #reishi #chaga #sourdough #wildsourdough #wildforaging #wildcrafting #inthewoods #nutrition #rugbrød #consciousnutrition #eatwild #wildfoodlove #sproutedbread #porcini #chanterelle #chickenofthewoods #rye #rusticbread #fermentation #fermented

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Osso Bucco in a Chaga broth with Rowan Berries and Chanterelles. The shanks were seared with thick cut garlic and leeks from our kitchen garden, and pressure cooked in delicate Chaga mushroom broth (instead of a long and slow braise this time) . Rowan berries are sweeter after frost, a handful of precious dried golden chanterelles. Served with a Za'atar and Vancouver Island Fleur de Sel crusted roasted Celeriac root. Winter on the kitchen table.

#ossobucco #rowanberry #frost #seasonaleating #wildforaging #wildharvest #celeriac #foraging #wildharvest #chanterelles #shanks #grassfedbeef #garlic #leeks #kitchengarden #organicgardening #seasonaleating #wholefoods #growyourownfood #nourishingtraditions #inthewoods #wildcrafting #wildmushrooms #chaga #zaatar #wildfoodlove #pastured #cleaneating #simplicity #broth #wintermeals #okanaganlife

Baskets full of False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum racemosum), one of my favourite early spring delicacies this treasure is in the Asparagus family and is also a cultural food with deep roots in the Doukhobor culture in the Kootenays, where it’s known as Suziki. Make sure you’re not picking the real Solomon’s Seal (if in the shoot stage this isn’t a concern as both are edible as shoots, but the real Solomon’s Seal is no longer edible once the leaves emerge). I absolutely adore these thick spears fermented or pickled, but they are pretty awesome served the way you would asparagus, and I happily crunch on them raw in the woods. They have a fresh, sweet, asparagus aroma at the base, and if they don’t- it’s not the right one! These babies are popping all over the woods and on sunny hillsides in the Okanagan right now and are easy picking I would call them Poor Man’s Asparagus as they are far more abundant in the wild than the always elusive wild asparagus, but that wouldn’t do the amazing flavour the justice it deserves 😊. My kids insist it has a peanut after taste and today I have to say I noticed it as well, unique and intriguing. Slide over for a few more photos #Maianthemumracemosum #dinner #falsesolomonsseal #suziki #wildfood #wildcrafting #eatwild #nourish #earth #foraging #wildforaging #wholefoods #asparagus #wildfoodlove #wildeats #getoutsideandplay #eatwild

An evening stroll, a basketful of wild stinging nettles for pesto, soup, iron rich winter tea, and with eggs for breakfast tomorrow, one of the earliest wild greens we always eagerly await. Urtica dioica is a nutrient powerhouse, containing all essential amino acids, minerals (rich in iron, calcium, magnesium amongst others) as well as Vitamin A, C, K and polyphenols and always a welcome sight in the woods indicating the arrival of Spring. Nettles are anti inflammatory, have potent antioxidant properties and have been used as a nourishing medicinal herb for thousands of years, being one of the most nutrient condensed greens available. We add them to medicinal tea blends to have on hand, and use them blanched in many meals while they are in season. And yes, Nettle sourdough bread is definitely one of the ways in which we incorporate this potent wild green into our nourishment! Grateful for this abundance in the woods this evening ❤️ #earth #nourishingtraditions #nutrition #foraging #wildfood #wildharvest #eattheweeds #antioxidants #aminoacids #polyphenols #anticancer #wholefoods #seasonaleating #sustainableharvest #sourdough #nettles #stingingnettle #urticadioica #plantmedicine #eatyourmedicine #wildgreens #gratitude #nourishing #cleaneating #wildfoodlove #abundance

Zakwas fermenting for Żur, Soured Rye soup. This rye starter is fermenting with a full bulb of garlic, bay leaf, allspice berries and wild foraged Porcini. I couldn’t believe the microbial action after just 12h (I didn’t add my own sourdough starter) and just mixed freshly milled sprouted Rye with water, a process that usually takes a week or more before there is anything significant happening. Woke up this morning to a completely overflowing, light, bubbly very much active starter, much like my own sourdough starter after feeding, did not expect this. Haven’t made Zakwas with freshly milled sprouted grains before and I’m sure the intact living enzymes as well as the microbes on the mushrooms, etc had a lot to do with this. Perhaps also just the wild yeasts in the air from all the fermentation going in in the house too? I’m not sure, but I’ve never seen a reaction this intense so early on! Żur is a deeply flavourful traditional Polish Easter Soup, made on this base of soured Rye, with the addition of white sausage, bacon, wild mushrooms, marjoram, potatoes, etc. In some parts of Poland it is made with soured (fermented) Oats or Barley instead. It is one of our favourite springtime soups #wholefoods #fermentation #żurek #polishfood #zakwas #rye #nourishingtraditions #nutrition #fermentedfoods #sourdoughstarter #wholefoods #microbes #lactobacillus #microbiome #porcini #wildforaged #wildfoodlove #foraging #earth #żurek #wildcrafting

...and just like that, stinging nettles are up! I’ve got a sunny little patch under willow trees where I harvest these treasures.. these here are too small, but there were some bigger greens further along. It is especially important to harvest sustainably if you start early, only take one or two tops from a large patch, take big ones, only cut ⅓ of the plant leaving behind leaves so it continues growing for the rest of the season. In a few weeks they will be quite a bit bigger and easier to harvest, this was just a small taste of Spring greens 😍 #urticadioica #stingingnettle #wholefoods #wildfoodlove #getoutsideandplay #wildharvest #nourishing #foraging #wildfood #foragingforfood #seasonaleating #iron #nutrition #sustainable

Baskets full of False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum racemosum), one of my favourite early spring delicacies this treasure is in the Asparagus family and is also a cultural food with deep roots in the Doukhobor culture in the Kootenays, where it’s known as Suziki. Make sure you’re not picking the real Solomon’s Seal (if in the shoot stage this isn’t a concern as both are edible as shoots, but the real Solomon’s Seal is no longer edible once the leaves emerge). I absolutely adore these thick spears fermented or pickled, but they are pretty awesome served the way you would asparagus, and I happily crunch on them raw in the woods. They have a fresh, sweet, asparagus aroma at the base, and if they don’t- it’s not the right one! These babies are popping all over the woods and on sunny hillsides in the Okanagan right now and are easy picking I would call them Poor Man’s Asparagus as they are far more abundant in the wild than the always elusive wild asparagus, but that wouldn’t do the amazing flavour the justice it deserves 😊. My kids insist it has a peanut after taste and today I have to say I noticed it as well, unique and intriguing. Slide over for a few more photos #Maianthemumracemosum #dinner #falsesolomonsseal #suziki #wildfood #wildcrafting #eatwild #nourish #earth #foraging #wildforaging #wholefoods #asparagus #wildfoodlove #wildeats #getoutsideandplay #eatwild

Wild Sheep Sorrel Soup, Morels from this morning’s hike, happy 6 minute soft jammy eggs, crispy local Kaiser ham, herbs from our kitchen garden. Sorrel soup is a traditional Polish springtime dish, a mostly vegetable based broth, sometimes with the addition of smoked ham hock. I prefer to do a clear vegetable broth, add the sorrel at the end just enough to wilt, purée and serve with sour cream and crispy ham. It is tangy, lemony, tart, the sour cream balancing out the oxalic acid of the sorrel. Homemade Porcini & Morel sea salt worked well here as well. I love using a combination of French sorrel that grows in our garden and wild sheep sorrel. One of my favourite nourishing spring time meals 😊 There is no end in sight for the morels, it’s like they are following me around on every hike Thanks to @kimanaacres for our happy eggs, and @famous.fritz for locally smoked Kaiser ham. #sorrel #sorrelsoup #nourishingtraditions #soup #zupaszczawiowa #seasonaleating #kitchengarden #organicgardening #chives #morels #wildfoodlove #foraging

Coral Tooth Mushroom “crab” cakes. One of the beautiful Hericiums we found on our Sunday afternoon hike, also known as Bear’s Head tooth fungus and by several other names. This mushroom is in the Lion’s Mane family, and has been compared in both flavour and texture to lobster. It carries a lot of moisture so dry sautéing is necessary to remove the moisture for this purpose. After a few minutes in the pan with some crushed pepper, oregano and garlic, it was roughly chopped and added to a mixing bowl along with finely chopped red onion, leeks, green peppers, crumbled goat feta, crushed fresh garlic, grated yam, nutritional yeast, chicken of the woods powder, a tablespoon of flour and an egg to hold it all together. Mixed well, and shaped into patties, each one was rolled in Panko crumbs. In the fridge overnight to allow the flavours to sit, these will be gently pan fried tomorrow and served with a whipped Black Garlic & Preserved Lemon Aioli and a big green salad for dinner #hericium #wildfoodlove #lionsmane #fungi #crabcakes #sulphurshelf #laetiporussulphureus #foraging #eatwild #wildforaging #inthewoods #mycology #nourishing #wholefoods #nutrition #coraltoothfungus #myconerd #bearstooth #wildfood #seasonaleating

Wild Sheep Sorrel Soup, Morels from this morning’s hike, happy 6 minute soft jammy eggs, crispy local Kaiser ham, herbs from our kitchen garden. Sorrel soup is a traditional Polish springtime dish, a mostly vegetable based broth, sometimes with the addition of smoked ham hock. I prefer to do a clear vegetable broth, add the sorrel at the end just enough to wilt, purée and serve with sour cream and crispy ham. It is tangy, lemony, tart, the sour cream balancing out the oxalic acid of the sorrel. Homemade Porcini & Morel sea salt worked well here as well. I love using a combination of French sorrel that grows in our garden and wild sheep sorrel. One of my favourite nourishing spring time meals 😊 There is no end in sight for the morels, it’s like they are following me around on every hike Thanks to @kimanaacres for our happy eggs, and @famous.fritz for locally smoked Kaiser ham. #sorrel #sorrelsoup #nourishingtraditions #soup #zupaszczawiowa #seasonaleating #kitchengarden #organicgardening #chives #morels #wildfoodlove #foraging

While our kids played in the snow with Dad, I was left to wander in the apothecary of the woods, always full of awe of the gifts that are offered to us exactly at the time they are most needed. After the first frost is the best time to pick Rosehips, the cold softening and sweetening them. Rosehips have been used medicinally for thousands of years. They are higher in Vitamin C than an orange, and contain more antioxidants than blueberries. These anti inflammatory and immune boosting gifts of the woods have long been used to treat a variety of conditions. They are known for easing the pain of osteoarthritic joints, as a support for anemia as they contain high iron levels and have long been used to treat respiratory conditions (they were made into an immune boosting vitamin C syrup for children and the elderly during World War II when citrus was unavailable in Europe). They also contain many essential minerals and support skin cell regeneration and prevent skin dryness in the winter thanks to the Vitamin A they contain (many skin care products contain Rosehip oil). These will be dried for winter teas, and also ground into microbiome nourishing botanical flour that is full of flavonoids for my wild foraged sourdough loaves next week. In the kitchen they make beautiful jams, jellies, teas, pies, syrups, ketchup, etc. Take note to avoid cooking Rosehips in aluminum or copper pots as not only does the presence of vitamin C enhance aluminum absorption into the body, but the presence of aluminum also destroys vitamin C. #rosehips #wildforaged #antioxidants #wildfoodlove #frost #inthewoods #herbalism #eatyourmedicine #nourishingtraditions #nutrition #nourish #health #sourdough #botanicalflour #microbiome #sourdoughclub #guthealth #flavonoids #medicinalplants

Hortakopita, the deeply flavourful and intriguing ancestor of (the modern adaptation) Spanakopita. The Greeks, like many ancient cultures, have always been masters of foraging, and Hortakopita (Horta= weeds or wild greens), has been around for thousands of years, a Spring time dish which began with women venturing into the mountain side and gathering fresh wild greens. Some of the most commonly harvested would be Stinging Nettle, Purslane, Sorrel, wild beet greens, wild fennel, Dandelion, wild chervil, parsley, Mediterranean hartwort (a member of the wild carrot family), dill, mint, wild garlic/leek, amaranth, etc depending on what was available and in season regionally. Early versions of this pie were wrapped in Fig leaves ("Phyllo" in Greek is leaf), the use of pastry coming much later, the cultivation of Spinach also began later via Spanish merchants who introduced these easy to grow greens to Greece. As it happens, many of the traditional Greek wild greens also happen to grow here in our Okanagan climate, making it easy to create a similar Hortakopita. This morning I went out to gather stinging nettle, some wild garlic coming up in a corner of my garden, and used beet greens as well as fennel fronds, leeks and parsley. I can't wait until my Sorrel is up in a few weeks to make another more bitter/sour version with dandelion, etc. I wrapped my greens in puff pastry as I'm not a fan of phyllo, and added goat feta, homemade pistachio and hazelnut dukkah on top. Combing through these old recipes, I also found out that in Greece, if you're a vegetarian you are called “Hortofaga" , which literally means "weed eater" and while not a vegetarian, I definitely eat my share of Horta 😊🌱Wild Spring greens for breakfast were not a disappointment #eatwild #stingingnettle #urticadioica #wildgreens #wildharvest #okanaganlife #foraging #wildcrafting #nourishingtraditions #nutrition #getoutsideandplay #breakfast #wildfoodlove #okanaganeats #seasonaleating #inthewoods #earth #gratitude #wildgarlic #alliums #hortakopita #spanakopita #wildforaging #horta #wholefoods #gather #harvest #onmytable #kitchen

A basketful of treasures harvested this morning, one of my favourite spices😍 #sumac #staghornsumac #rhustyphina #spicecupboard #wildfoodlove #foraging #eatwild

Hortakopita, the deeply flavourful and intriguing ancestor of (the modern adaptation) Spanakopita. The Greeks, like many ancient cultures, have always been masters of foraging, and Hortakopita (Horta= weeds or wild greens), has been around for thousands of years, a Spring time dish which began with women venturing into the mountain side and gathering fresh wild greens. Some of the most commonly harvested would be Stinging Nettle, Purslane, Sorrel, wild beet greens, wild fennel, Dandelion, wild chervil, parsley, Mediterranean hartwort (a member of the wild carrot family), dill, mint, wild garlic/leek, amaranth, etc depending on what was available and in season regionally. Early versions of this pie were wrapped in Fig leaves ("Phyllo" in Greek is leaf), the use of pastry coming much later, the cultivation of Spinach also began later via Spanish merchants who introduced these easy to grow greens to Greece. As it happens, many of the traditional Greek wild greens also happen to grow here in our Okanagan climate, making it easy to create a similar Hortakopita. This morning I went out to gather stinging nettle, some wild garlic coming up in a corner of my garden, and used beet greens as well as fennel fronds, leeks and parsley. I can't wait until my Sorrel is up in a few weeks to make another more bitter/sour version with dandelion, etc. I wrapped my greens in puff pastry as I'm not a fan of phyllo, and added goat feta, homemade pistachio and hazelnut dukkah on top. Combing through these old recipes, I also found out that in Greece, if you're a vegetarian you are called “Hortofaga" , which literally means "weed eater" and while not a vegetarian, I definitely eat my share of Horta 😊🌱Wild Spring greens for breakfast were not a disappointment #eatwild #stingingnettle #urticadioica #wildgreens #wildharvest #okanaganlife #foraging #wildcrafting #nourishingtraditions #nutrition #getoutsideandplay #breakfast #wildfoodlove #okanaganeats #seasonaleating #inthewoods #earth #gratitude #wildgarlic #alliums #hortakopita #spanakopita #wildforaging #horta #wholefoods #gather #harvest #onmytable #kitchen

Hortakopita, the deeply flavourful and intriguing ancestor of (the modern adaptation) Spanakopita. The Greeks, like many ancient cultures, have always been masters of foraging, and Hortakopita (Horta= weeds or wild greens), has been around for thousands of years, a Spring time dish which began with women venturing into the mountain side and gathering fresh wild greens. Some of the most commonly harvested would be Stinging Nettle, Purslane, Sorrel, wild beet greens, wild fennel, Dandelion, wild chervil, parsley, Mediterranean hartwort (a member of the wild carrot family), dill, mint, wild garlic/leek, amaranth, etc depending on what was available and in season regionally. Early versions of this pie were wrapped in Fig leaves ("Phyllo" in Greek is leaf), the use of pastry coming much later, the cultivation of Spinach also began later via Spanish merchants who introduced these easy to grow greens to Greece. As it happens, many of the traditional Greek wild greens also happen to grow here in our Okanagan climate, making it easy to create a similar Hortakopita. This morning I went out to gather stinging nettle, some wild garlic coming up in a corner of my garden, and used beet greens as well as fennel fronds, leeks and parsley. I can't wait until my Sorrel is up in a few weeks to make another more bitter/sour version with dandelion, etc. I wrapped my greens in puff pastry as I'm not a fan of phyllo, and added goat feta, homemade pistachio and hazelnut dukkah on top. Combing through these old recipes, I also found out that in Greece, if you're a vegetarian you are called “Hortofaga" , which literally means "weed eater" and while not a vegetarian, I definitely eat my share of Horta 😊🌱Wild Spring greens for breakfast were not a disappointment #eatwild #stingingnettle #urticadioica #wildgreens #wildharvest #okanaganlife #foraging #wildcrafting #nourishingtraditions #nutrition #getoutsideandplay #breakfast #wildfoodlove #okanaganeats #seasonaleating #inthewoods #earth #gratitude #wildgarlic #alliums #hortakopita #spanakopita #wildforaging #horta #wholefoods #gather #harvest #onmytable #kitchen

Hortakopita, the deeply flavourful and intriguing ancestor of (the modern adaptation) Spanakopita. The Greeks, like many ancient cultures, have always been masters of foraging, and Hortakopita (Horta= weeds or wild greens), has been around for thousands of years, a Spring time dish which began with women venturing into the mountain side and gathering fresh wild greens. Some of the most commonly harvested would be Stinging Nettle, Purslane, Sorrel, wild beet greens, wild fennel, Dandelion, wild chervil, parsley, Mediterranean hartwort (a member of the wild carrot family), dill, mint, wild garlic/leek, amaranth, etc depending on what was available and in season regionally. Early versions of this pie were wrapped in Fig leaves ("Phyllo" in Greek is leaf), the use of pastry coming much later, the cultivation of Spinach also began later via Spanish merchants who introduced these easy to grow greens to Greece. As it happens, many of the traditional Greek wild greens also happen to grow here in our Okanagan climate, making it easy to create a similar Hortakopita. This morning I went out to gather stinging nettle, some wild garlic coming up in a corner of my garden, and used beet greens as well as fennel fronds, leeks and parsley. I can't wait until my Sorrel is up in a few weeks to make another more bitter/sour version with dandelion, etc. I wrapped my greens in puff pastry as I'm not a fan of phyllo, and added goat feta, homemade pistachio and hazelnut dukkah on top. Combing through these old recipes, I also found out that in Greece, if you're a vegetarian you are called “Hortofaga" , which literally means "weed eater" and while not a vegetarian, I definitely eat my share of Horta 😊🌱Wild Spring greens for breakfast were not a disappointment #eatwild #stingingnettle #urticadioica #wildgreens #wildharvest #okanaganlife #foraging #wildcrafting #nourishingtraditions #nutrition #getoutsideandplay #breakfast #wildfoodlove #okanaganeats #seasonaleating #inthewoods #earth #gratitude #wildgarlic #alliums #hortakopita #spanakopita #wildforaging #horta #wholefoods #gather #harvest #onmytable #kitchen

Stinging Nettle, Spirulina and Butterfly pea dumplings, a little fun with wild foraged spring greens 😍The pale green dough is made with stinging nettle, the blue with butterfly pea tea and the dark green was spirulina, thanks to Katie the dumpling queen who brought over a rainbow of dough colours to play with! @okanaganwildflower . We made a bunch of different fillings- stinging nettle, hazelnut & feta inspired by Liz (@lizcrainpdx ❤️), Garlic mustard and wild onion with Osso Bucco and Chili, and a Potato, cabbage and Labneh one. Red beet dough was not pictured but also beautiful, as was the deep black activated charcoal Dough. I have a lot to learn about pleating 😊 These hands are used to hammering out Polish pierogi assembly line style but this dough is a bit different to work with, the folds more intricate. We ate far too many “testers” haha and the kids had fun getting creative with all sorts of shapes #dumplings #wildfoodlove #foraging #stingingnettle #urticadioica #wildcrafting #eattherainbow #garlicmustard #eattheweeds #ossobucco #nourishing #nutrition #wildfood #spirulina #butterflypea #seasonaleating #inthewoods #wildharvest #eatthewild #dumplingnight

Hortakopita, the deeply flavourful and intriguing ancestor of (the modern adaptation) Spanakopita. The Greeks, like many ancient cultures, have always been masters of foraging, and Hortakopita (Horta= weeds or wild greens), has been around for thousands of years, a Spring time dish which began with women venturing into the mountain side and gathering fresh wild greens. Some of the most commonly harvested would be Stinging Nettle, Purslane, Sorrel, wild beet greens, wild fennel, Dandelion, wild chervil, parsley, Mediterranean hartwort (a member of the wild carrot family), dill, mint, wild garlic/leek, amaranth, etc depending on what was available and in season regionally. Early versions of this pie were wrapped in Fig leaves ("Phyllo" in Greek is leaf), the use of pastry coming much later, the cultivation of Spinach also began later via Spanish merchants who introduced these easy to grow greens to Greece. As it happens, many of the traditional Greek wild greens also happen to grow here in our Okanagan climate, making it easy to create a similar Hortakopita. This morning I went out to gather stinging nettle, some wild garlic coming up in a corner of my garden, and used beet greens as well as fennel fronds, leeks and parsley. I can't wait until my Sorrel is up in a few weeks to make another more bitter/sour version with dandelion, etc. I wrapped my greens in puff pastry as I'm not a fan of phyllo, and added goat feta, homemade pistachio and hazelnut dukkah on top. Combing through these old recipes, I also found out that in Greece, if you're a vegetarian you are called “Hortofaga" , which literally means "weed eater" and while not a vegetarian, I definitely eat my share of Horta 😊🌱Wild Spring greens for breakfast were not a disappointment #eatwild #stingingnettle #urticadioica #wildgreens #wildharvest #okanaganlife #foraging #wildcrafting #nourishingtraditions #nutrition #getoutsideandplay #breakfast #wildfoodlove #okanaganeats #seasonaleating #inthewoods #earth #gratitude #wildgarlic #alliums #hortakopita #spanakopita #wildforaging #horta #wholefoods #gather #harvest #onmytable #kitchen

Magnolia blossoms pickled with Moroccan Hibiscus and Allspice berries, a delicate, floral pickle reminiscent of young tender ginger root and cardamom. I used the large, deep fuchsia, saucer shaped blossoms for this (magnolia soulangeana) not the star shaped petals pictured though they too are an edible variety (Magnolia stellata). Magnolia blossoms can be eaten raw in salads, as a garnish, etc, or dried and ground into a powder to use as seasoning in baked goods, etc. The leaves can be dried and kept for seasoning as well as they lend intense flavour in cooking similar to Bay leaf. The deeper the colour on the pink spectrum, the more intense the flavour. There is no known toxicity from Magnolia, though some varieties are considered more “edible” (or choice) compared with others, so experiment at your own risk, or do as I did, strolling around my neighbourhood with my husband at midnight sampling different varieties #eatthelandscaping #magnolia #magnoliasoulangeana #magnoliablossom #eattheflowers #okanaganlife #foraging #pickledmagnolia #sushi #nourishingtraditions #treasures #springtime #seasonaleating #wildfoodlove #springflowers #edibleflowers #hibiscus #gifts #floralpickles #pickling #preserving #fermentation #wildedibles #springforage

Hortakopita, the deeply flavourful and intriguing ancestor of (the modern adaptation) Spanakopita. The Greeks, like many ancient cultures, have always been masters of foraging, and Hortakopita (Horta= weeds or wild greens), has been around for thousands of years, a Spring time dish which began with women venturing into the mountain side and gathering fresh wild greens. Some of the most commonly harvested would be Stinging Nettle, Purslane, Sorrel, wild beet greens, wild fennel, Dandelion, wild chervil, parsley, Mediterranean hartwort (a member of the wild carrot family), dill, mint, wild garlic/leek, amaranth, etc depending on what was available and in season regionally. Early versions of this pie were wrapped in Fig leaves ("Phyllo" in Greek is leaf), the use of pastry coming much later, the cultivation of Spinach also began later via Spanish merchants who introduced these easy to grow greens to Greece. As it happens, many of the traditional Greek wild greens also happen to grow here in our Okanagan climate, making it easy to create a similar Hortakopita. This morning I went out to gather stinging nettle, some wild garlic coming up in a corner of my garden, and used beet greens as well as fennel fronds, leeks and parsley. I can't wait until my Sorrel is up in a few weeks to make another more bitter/sour version with dandelion, etc. I wrapped my greens in puff pastry as I'm not a fan of phyllo, and added goat feta, homemade pistachio and hazelnut dukkah on top. Combing through these old recipes, I also found out that in Greece, if you're a vegetarian you are called “Hortofaga" , which literally means "weed eater" and while not a vegetarian, I definitely eat my share of Horta 😊🌱Wild Spring greens for breakfast were not a disappointment #eatwild #stingingnettle #urticadioica #wildgreens #wildharvest #okanaganlife #foraging #wildcrafting #nourishingtraditions #nutrition #getoutsideandplay #breakfast #wildfoodlove #okanaganeats #seasonaleating #inthewoods #earth #gratitude #wildgarlic #alliums #hortakopita #spanakopita #wildforaging #horta #wholefoods #gather #harvest #onmytable #kitchen

Hortakopita, the deeply flavourful and intriguing ancestor of (the modern adaptation) Spanakopita. The Greeks, like many ancient cultures, have always been masters of foraging, and Hortakopita (Horta= weeds or wild greens), has been around for thousands of years, a Spring time dish which began with women venturing into the mountain side and gathering fresh wild greens. Some of the most commonly harvested would be Stinging Nettle, Purslane, Sorrel, wild beet greens, wild fennel, Dandelion, wild chervil, parsley, Mediterranean hartwort (a member of the wild carrot family), dill, mint, wild garlic/leek, amaranth, etc depending on what was available and in season regionally. Early versions of this pie were wrapped in Fig leaves ("Phyllo" in Greek is leaf), the use of pastry coming much later, the cultivation of Spinach also began later via Spanish merchants who introduced these easy to grow greens to Greece. As it happens, many of the traditional Greek wild greens also happen to grow here in our Okanagan climate, making it easy to create a similar Hortakopita. This morning I went out to gather stinging nettle, some wild garlic coming up in a corner of my garden, and used beet greens as well as fennel fronds, leeks and parsley. I can't wait until my Sorrel is up in a few weeks to make another more bitter/sour version with dandelion, etc. I wrapped my greens in puff pastry as I'm not a fan of phyllo, and added goat feta, homemade pistachio and hazelnut dukkah on top. Combing through these old recipes, I also found out that in Greece, if you're a vegetarian you are called “Hortofaga" , which literally means "weed eater" and while not a vegetarian, I definitely eat my share of Horta 😊🌱Wild Spring greens for breakfast were not a disappointment #eatwild #stingingnettle #urticadioica #wildgreens #wildharvest #okanaganlife #foraging #wildcrafting #nourishingtraditions #nutrition #getoutsideandplay #breakfast #wildfoodlove #okanaganeats #seasonaleating #inthewoods #earth #gratitude #wildgarlic #alliums #hortakopita #spanakopita #wildforaging #horta #wholefoods #gather #harvest #onmytable #kitchen

With an aroma reminiscent of honey and a delicate sweetness on the palate, our local Oregon Grape blossoms are blooming and abundant across the valley and full of microbiome nourishing goodness. The roots of this generous plant have many medicinal uses, and the berries later in the year make a lovely jam, chutney, jelly, etc. Consuming wild foods in our daily meals does not have to be mysterious, fancy or unnecessarily complicated (I simply sprinkled these blossoms over our eggs for breakfast). Our microbiome consists of a vast diversity of bacterial cultures, each needing a variety of beneficial microbes to nourish us, thrive and perform optimally. I’ve written at length about how barren the microbial landscape is on conventionally farmed produce, grown in soil depleted of nourishment. Wild foods provide us with an abundance of beneficial microbes to nourish the diverse bacterial communities in our guts, and when they have what they need, we get what we need- our energy levels return to what they should be, our immune response strengthens, and our moods are appropriately regulated (see previous post on mental health and the link to the gut). It doesn’t have to be complicated- sprinkle violets, apple blossoms, forsythia or magnolia blossoms on your salad, ferment the blossoms with your kombucha, sub nettles for spinach in your pasta or grilled cheese, blend some powdered Wild greens into your hummus, include wild herbs in your sourdough, grow microgreens from wild seeds in the winter. Not only does harvesting and consuming wild goodness nourish us in the deepest ways possible, but it is also a gift offered to us, an invitation to connect to the rhythm of the seasons and to the earth around us, something that perhaps we all need more than ever. If you’re not sure where to start, reach out, I’m always happy to chat ❤️ #eatwild #eattheweeds #seasonaleating #oregongrape #microbiome #guthealth #fermentation #wildcrafting #wildforaging #getoutsideandplay #earth #gratitude #wildfoodlove #inthewoods #localeats #wildgreens #eatflowers #edibleflowers #eatyourmedicine #plantmedicine #nourishing #wholefoods #nutrition

Hortakopita, the deeply flavourful and intriguing ancestor of (the modern adaptation) Spanakopita. The Greeks, like many ancient cultures, have always been masters of foraging, and Hortakopita (Horta= weeds or wild greens), has been around for thousands of years, a Spring time dish which began with women venturing into the mountain side and gathering fresh wild greens. Some of the most commonly harvested would be Stinging Nettle, Purslane, Sorrel, wild beet greens, wild fennel, Dandelion, wild chervil, parsley, Mediterranean hartwort (a member of the wild carrot family), dill, mint, wild garlic/leek, amaranth, etc depending on what was available and in season regionally. Early versions of this pie were wrapped in Fig leaves ("Phyllo" in Greek is leaf), the use of pastry coming much later, the cultivation of Spinach also began later via Spanish merchants who introduced these easy to grow greens to Greece. As it happens, many of the traditional Greek wild greens also happen to grow here in our Okanagan climate, making it easy to create a similar Hortakopita. This morning I went out to gather stinging nettle, some wild garlic coming up in a corner of my garden, and used beet greens as well as fennel fronds, leeks and parsley. I can't wait until my Sorrel is up in a few weeks to make another more bitter/sour version with dandelion, etc. I wrapped my greens in puff pastry as I'm not a fan of phyllo, and added goat feta, homemade pistachio and hazelnut dukkah on top. Combing through these old recipes, I also found out that in Greece, if you're a vegetarian you are called “Hortofaga" , which literally means "weed eater" and while not a vegetarian, I definitely eat my share of Horta 😊🌱Wild Spring greens for breakfast were not a disappointment #eatwild #stingingnettle #urticadioica #wildgreens #wildharvest #okanaganlife #foraging #wildcrafting #nourishingtraditions #nutrition #getoutsideandplay #breakfast #wildfoodlove #okanaganeats #seasonaleating #inthewoods #earth #gratitude #wildgarlic #alliums #hortakopita #spanakopita #wildforaging #horta #wholefoods #gather #harvest #onmytable #kitchen

Claytonia Perforliata.. the best surprise when taking the girls out to hunt for Easter Eggs in the woods this morning. My usual harvest is of Claytonia Rubra, a beautiful deep burgundy succulent that is lovely in its own way, but I’ve been looking for this one locally for a while. This Miner’s Lettuce has a gorgeous soft pink underside and is one of my favourites. Still a bit too small to pick, I’ll wait another week and come back to this spot as it makes a beautiful addition to Spring salads 😍 Happy Easter weekend! #wildfoodlove #wildharvest #minerslettuce #claytonia #eatweeds #wildfood #beautifulbritishcolumbia #okanagan #kelownalife #foraging #inthewoods #getoutside #wholefoods #nutrition #nourishingtraditions #nourish #earth #gratitude #claytoniaperfoliata #sustainableharvest

Soured Rye Injera, filled with spiced roasted potatoes, and ghee sautéed tomato, onion, stinging nettle, crumbled paneer, hibiscus and allspice pickled red onions. This afternoon I harvested a small amount of stinging nettle tops, just enough for dinner The soured rye injera has been fermenting for about two weeks now and was quite sour and bubbly, I love Ethiopian food and our local rye makes amazing injera, similar to Teff. Inside, the small cubed potatoes were first roasted with turmeric, cumin, curry, smoked paprika, coriander and garlic before being quick sautéed with the stinging nettles, red onion and tomatoes in a little ghee and fenugreek, topped with mild crumbled paneer cheese, and my favourite Hibiscus & allspice quick pickled red onion. #wildfoodlove #stingingnettle #urticadioica #injera #wholefoods #nourishingtraditions #eatyourmedicine #feedingmyfamily #foraging #wildcrafting #eatwild #wildharvest #fermentedfoods #fermentation #rye #souredrye #regionalgrains #onmytable #foresttotable #seasonaleating #iron #nourish #pickles #quickpickled #homecooking #okanaganlife #kelownaeats #okanaganfood #gratitude

I remember picking up a copy of Euell Gibbon’s “Stalking the Wild Asparagus”- a foraging “classic”, if you will, about 15 years ago, my fascination with his meandering through the woods and his unconstrained experiments with wild foods- the beginning of a slippery slope at the bottom of which I often find myself knee deep in mud cutting cattail stalks, or (much to the chagrin of my husband) shrieking “Pull over now!!” at the suspected sight of a Lobster mushroom on the side of a highway in Northern BC. Many years (and many more books) later my fascination only continues to unravel. One of the best parts of moving to BC, is finally being able to harvest so many wild edibles I had only seen in books while living in Eastern Canada. Claytonia Perfoliata..too stunningly beautiful to even contemplate as a salad. This gorgeous succulent is part of the Purslane family (it’s sometimes called Winter Purslane). Like all purslane, it provides us with a high level of omega 3s, calcium, vitamin C, and acts as an anti inflammatory and blood cleanser. It is as delicious as it is beautiful, a small rosette with spade shaped leaves developing into delicate five petaled flowers that sprout up in the center of each bright green leaf, gently enveloped by the cup it eventually forms. It loves sunny hillsides and feels especially welcome to rise after a wildfire has devoured the woods. The wild offers us diversity in nutrition, much more than the few vegetable varieties that are mass produced on factory farms, sprayed with pesticides, grown in depleted soil. There are thousands of foods that are nourishing for human health that are classified as “weeds” or have become unrecognizable as we rely more and more on industrially processed “foods”. Many of these plants formerly played a significant role in our nutrition, being resilient and adaptable and nutrient dense. I encourage you to get to know them ❤️#claytonia #minerslettuce #seasonaleating #wildforaged #wholefoods #purslane #omega3 #antiinflammatory #foraging #wildharvest #gratitude #beautifulbritishcolumbia #nourishingtraditions #nutrition #nourish #eatrealfood #wildfire #nutrientdense #wildgreens #wildfoodlove

I remember picking up a copy of Euell Gibbon’s “Stalking the Wild Asparagus”- a foraging “classic”, if you will, about 15 years ago, my fascination with his meandering through the woods and his unconstrained experiments with wild foods- the beginning of a slippery slope at the bottom of which I often find myself knee deep in mud cutting cattail stalks, or (much to the chagrin of my husband) shrieking “Pull over now!!” at the suspected sight of a Lobster mushroom on the side of a highway in Northern BC. Many years (and many more books) later my fascination only continues to unravel. One of the best parts of moving to BC, is finally being able to harvest so many wild edibles I had only seen in books while living in Eastern Canada. Claytonia Perfoliata..too stunningly beautiful to even contemplate as a salad. This gorgeous succulent is part of the Purslane family (it’s sometimes called Winter Purslane). Like all purslane, it provides us with a high level of omega 3s, calcium, vitamin C, and acts as an anti inflammatory and blood cleanser. It is as delicious as it is beautiful, a small rosette with spade shaped leaves developing into delicate five petaled flowers that sprout up in the center of each bright green leaf, gently enveloped by the cup it eventually forms. It loves sunny hillsides and feels especially welcome to rise after a wildfire has devoured the woods. The wild offers us diversity in nutrition, much more than the few vegetable varieties that are mass produced on factory farms, sprayed with pesticides, grown in depleted soil. There are thousands of foods that are nourishing for human health that are classified as “weeds” or have become unrecognizable as we rely more and more on industrially processed “foods”. Many of these plants formerly played a significant role in our nutrition, being resilient and adaptable and nutrient dense. I encourage you to get to know them ❤️#claytonia #minerslettuce #seasonaleating #wildforaged #wholefoods #purslane #omega3 #antiinflammatory #foraging #wildharvest #gratitude #beautifulbritishcolumbia #nourishingtraditions #nutrition #nourish #eatrealfood #wildfire #nutrientdense #wildgreens #wildfoodlove

Beach combing in the sand dunes above the spray area this evening I came across a new friend, Sea Arugula/Rocket (Cakile Edentula), a peppery, succulent and pungent member of the brassica family whose edible leaves and fruit as well as pretty flowers add a radish like heat when eaten raw or cooked. Pretty excited about this new breakfast discovery, along with Lathyrus Japonicus (Beach Pea) shoots and flowers (no photos of this one yet as the sun had gone down already). The leaves of the Sea Arugula are lovely, thick and spoon shaped with serrated leaves that sprawl across the dunes 😍 maybe a pesto in the works :-) Fun fact: the seeds float making them easy to distribute #searocket #beachforaging #wildfoodlove #beautifulbritishcolumbia #tofino #westcoastforaging #foraging #wildcrafting #arugula #cakileedentula #wildharvest #nourishing #nutrition #eatyourmedicine #brassica #eattheweeds

When the King of Boletes is on your cutting board ..a slice of my homemade sprouted Einkorn sourdough, toasted, rubbed with a large clove of garlic, a fistful of arugula from the garden, Porcini sautéed with butter, roughly chopped parsley tossed in, piled high on toast. This is the quintessential mushroom of my childhood, the depth of mushroom flavour is incomparable, earthy, meaty and reminiscent of the woods. Michele, you spoil me ❤️ #treasures #kingbolete #porcini #wildfoodlove #wildmushrooms #onmytable #mushroomtoast #simplicity #westcoastforaging #dinner #sourdough #fermentation #sourdoughbread #wholefoods #nourishingtraditions #realbread #slowfood #nourishingfoods #nutrition #naturallyleavened #eatrealfood #fermentedfoods #sproutedbread #sproutedflour #foraging #wildcrafting #wildforaging

Baskets full of False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum racemosum), one of my favourite early spring delicacies this treasure is in the Asparagus family and is also a cultural food with deep roots in the Doukhobor culture in the Kootenays, where it’s known as Suziki. Make sure you’re not picking the real Solomon’s Seal (if in the shoot stage this isn’t a concern as both are edible as shoots, but the real Solomon’s Seal is no longer edible once the leaves emerge). I absolutely adore these thick spears fermented or pickled, but they are pretty awesome served the way you would asparagus, and I happily crunch on them raw in the woods. They have a fresh, sweet, asparagus aroma at the base, and if they don’t- it’s not the right one! These babies are popping all over the woods and on sunny hillsides in the Okanagan right now and are easy picking I would call them Poor Man’s Asparagus as they are far more abundant in the wild than the always elusive wild asparagus, but that wouldn’t do the amazing flavour the justice it deserves 😊. My kids insist it has a peanut after taste and today I have to say I noticed it as well, unique and intriguing. Slide over for a few more photos #Maianthemumracemosum #dinner #falsesolomonsseal #suziki #wildfood #wildcrafting #eatwild #nourish #earth #foraging #wildforaging #wholefoods #asparagus #wildfoodlove #wildeats #getoutsideandplay #eatwild

Wild greens Dumplings. Cold windy nights call for comfort food, and dumplings are like little hugs :) The dough was made with my wild foraged greens powder- chickweed, stinging nettles, dandelion, mallow, burdock, lamb's quarters and watercress. The filling inside- roasted chicken, celery leaf, watercress, some wild oyster mushrooms, softened leeks and sautéed onion. The egg dough recipe was slightly modified from @lizcrainpdx to incorporate the wild greens powder. Steamed and gently dropped into a 16h chicken broth. Next time, I will roll these out slightly thinner and play around with adding sourdough but otherwise they were fun to make with the kids who were given complete creative control and indeed tasted like a soothing little hug #dumplings #dumplingsequallove #wildforaged #wildfoodlove #foraging #vegetablepowder #chickweed #stingingnettle #urticadioica #nourishing #nutrition #comfortfood #wholefoods #madewithlove #mallow #watercress #burdock #lambsquarters #dandelion #inthewoods #getoutside #wildgreens #cleaneating #oystermushrooms

Baskets full of False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum racemosum), one of my favourite early spring delicacies this treasure is in the Asparagus family and is also a cultural food with deep roots in the Doukhobor culture in the Kootenays, where it’s known as Suziki. Make sure you’re not picking the real Solomon’s Seal (if in the shoot stage this isn’t a concern as both are edible as shoots, but the real Solomon’s Seal is no longer edible once the leaves emerge). I absolutely adore these thick spears fermented or pickled, but they are pretty awesome served the way you would asparagus, and I happily crunch on them raw in the woods. They have a fresh, sweet, asparagus aroma at the base, and if they don’t- it’s not the right one! These babies are popping all over the woods and on sunny hillsides in the Okanagan right now and are easy picking I would call them Poor Man’s Asparagus as they are far more abundant in the wild than the always elusive wild asparagus, but that wouldn’t do the amazing flavour the justice it deserves 😊. My kids insist it has a peanut after taste and today I have to say I noticed it as well, unique and intriguing. Slide over for a few more photos #Maianthemumracemosum #dinner #falsesolomonsseal #suziki #wildfood #wildcrafting #eatwild #nourish #earth #foraging #wildforaging #wholefoods #asparagus #wildfoodlove #wildeats #getoutsideandplay #eatwild

A basketful of treasures harvested this morning, one of my favourite spices😍 #sumac #staghornsumac #rhustyphina #spicecupboard #wildfoodlove #foraging #eatwild

Keeping things really simple, really seasonal.. this feels like the Okanagan in the Spring to me. Wild foraged nettle Pappardelle, fresh morel mushrooms that we collected this morning- gently pan fried with thick wedges of garlic and a pat of butter, Oregon grape blossoms which are edible and add a delicate sweet scent

#kelownalife #okanagan #eatlocal #seasonaleating #kelowna #wholefoods #britishcolumbia #okanagan #okanaganvalley #nourishingtraditions #nutrition #wholefoods #wildfood #foraging #wildfoodlove #wildharvest #nettles #pasta #handmadepasta #wildharvest #eatwild #inthewoods #cleaneating

Beach combing in the sand dunes above the spray area this evening I came across a new friend, Sea Arugula/Rocket (Cakile Edentula), a peppery, succulent and pungent member of the brassica family whose edible leaves and fruit as well as pretty flowers add a radish like heat when eaten raw or cooked. Pretty excited about this new breakfast discovery, along with Lathyrus Japonicus (Beach Pea) shoots and flowers (no photos of this one yet as the sun had gone down already). The leaves of the Sea Arugula are lovely, thick and spoon shaped with serrated leaves that sprawl across the dunes 😍 maybe a pesto in the works :-) Fun fact: the seeds float making them easy to distribute #searocket #beachforaging #wildfoodlove #beautifulbritishcolumbia #tofino #westcoastforaging #foraging #wildcrafting #arugula #cakileedentula #wildharvest #nourishing #nutrition #eatyourmedicine #brassica #eattheweeds

Morel & Stinging Nettle Breakfast Tartlets. Steamed nettle leaves, garlic butter sautéed morels, a gently baked egg in the center, chive flowers from the garden, Claytonia greens, on puff pastry. The Claytonia was a total surprise.. I found a reeeally old package of Claytonia seed that must be at least 5 years old, that I remember buying from a local farmer when I was just learning about all the wild foods in the interior and didn’t have a place to harvest wild Claytonia yet. I was looking for other flower seeds a few weeks ago when planting my spring crops and randomly found these seeds in the back of the box. As I tend to do with older seeds, I haphazardly threw them under the grape vines and forgot about it. A couple of weeks ago I noticed unfamiliar sprouts, and this morning after my workout I walked around the garden and found these absolutely gorgeous Claytonia leaves. Completely surprised 😍 They are very different than the wild ones, a cleaner more lettuce like taste, in a very delicate way. So now I have my own cultivated patch in the garden. It never ceases to amaze me how resilient seeds are!! If you haven’t had a chance to look up the international seed bank yet, it’s quite a fascinating project #seasonaleating #morels #morchella #wildforaged #eatwild #wildfoodlove #foragedfood #foraging #nettles #urticadioica #breakfast #puffpastry #wholefoods #freerangeeggs #claytonia #minerslettuce #seeds #wildfood #kitchengarden #herbgarden #chives #organicgarden #resilience #joy #dowhatmakesyouhappy #nutrition #nourishing #planting

Wild greens Dumplings. Cold windy nights call for comfort food, and dumplings are like little hugs :) The dough was made with my wild foraged greens powder- chickweed, stinging nettles, dandelion, mallow, burdock, lamb's quarters and watercress. The filling inside- roasted chicken, celery leaf, watercress, softened leeks, some wild oyster mushrooms and sautéed onion. The egg dough recipe was slightly modified from @lizcrainpdx to incorporate the wild greens powder. Steamed and gently dropped into a 16h chicken broth. Next time, I will roll these out slightly thinner and play around with adding sourdough but otherwise they were fun to make with the kids who were given complete creative control and indeed tasted like a soothing little hug #dumplings #dumplingsequallove #wildforaged #wildfoodlove #foraging #vegetablepowder #chickweed #stingingnettle #urticadioica #nourishing #nutrition #comfortfood #wholefoods #madewithlove #mallow #watercress #burdock #lambsquarters #dandelion #soup #broth #bonebroth #minerals #nourishingtraditions #oystermushrooms

“Horta” = wild foraged greens. Hortopita (the predecessor to the very popular Spanakopita) is one of our favourite Spring meals to make with all the fresh wild greens in the woods. This was a mix of wild foraged stinging nettles that we picked in the forest down the street, chickweed, a large bunch of dill, mint, and butter softened leek greens, some sheep feta as well as a duck egg from my friend Leah’s farm to keep it all together while baked in layers of phyllo. I’d love to one day wander the mountainsides in Greece and explore the Horta that is found growing there throughout the seasons. We share a lot of similar greens- purslane, dandelion greens, wild mints, mallow, etc here but as I’ve learned from observing and harvesting wild plants in various regions over the years, there is much diversity in every plant, stinging nettle at a certain elevation looks and feels very different from stinging nettle in town, growing in a sunny patch at sea level for example. They are similar but there are many differences between them as well. Maybe one day I’ll rent a little old stonehouse on a Greek island and wander the meadows to see what I can find ☺️ Until then, Hortopita with wild Rocky Mountain greens, I’ll take it 😁 #wildfoodlove #stingingnettle #urticadioica #hortopita #whatsonmytable #inthewoods #horta #eatwild #wildharvest #wildforaging #regionalfood #wildgreens #duckeggs

Kopytka, Wild Black Trumpet mushrooms, creamy Burrata, fermented heirloom Boston Squash, smoked sea salt. There were some Rapini Micro greens on top and my daughter came along and decorated it with her kale salad ☺️ #dinner #wildforaging #blacktrumpet #chanterelles #wildfoodlove #onmytable #fermentation #microbiome #kitchengarden #eatwild #squash #fermentedfoods #gnocchi #kopytka #potatoes #organicgarden #growyourownfood #earth #nourish #nourishingtraditions #bostonsquash #heirloomsquash #wildcrafting