Spring Greens: Garlic Mustard!

I love spring time and all of the medicinal, nutritious and liver cleansing greens that start popping up in my yard. Pictured here is a pile of Garlic Mustard, Alliaria petiolata, that I picked from my yard a few days ago. It is considered invasive, producing up to 800 seeds per plant and most of my neighbors want it out of their yard as soon as possible. If collected before it flowers it will curb this powerful friend from taking over and I'll have a nice stock of garlic mustard pesto in my freezer. As I learned from Susan Weed the roots make a delicious edible as well as the seeds make a spicy condiment. Here is a link to one of my favorite foraging websites article on Garlic Mustard http://www.eattheweeds.com/garlic-mustard-jack-by-the-hedge-sauce-alone/

Garlic Mustard Pesto

• 3 c garlic mustard greens, chopped and packed. (Pick greens from an unsprayed area and thoroughly wash and dry them)
• 1.5 c walnuts
• 1 tsp- 1tbsp garlic mustard root, sliced
• 1 c fresh basil, chopped and packed
• 6 tbsp virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
• extra garlic to taste (I'm a garlic fanatic so I often add a few more cloves to the mix)

Process ingredients in food processor, take liberties to adjust ingredients to taste and explore flavoring with other medicinal and culinary herbs

Serve over favorite pasta such as:

• 8 cups cooked penne pasta

Hello Folks! Our next class is Sunday April 27th down in Riverside, IA We will be teaching about Spring herbs, dandelion, cleavers, plantain, chickweed, yarrow and nettle. We will also be lecturing on important of spring cleansing: lymphatic and kidney care and hormone balance. Cost of class is $25 with a $5 materials fee. If you are interested email wildroseapothecary@gmail.com for more details

April CSA Share

April showers bring May flowers and we couldn't be happier for it!

Spring Cleanse Elixir

Comfrey, Plantain, Evening Primrose, Violet Leaf, Flowering Skullcap, Lavender, Rosemary, Honey, Blackberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Honey, Agave, Organic Sugar, ALC 40%

Jump into spring with our delicious berry elixir! It's intended to awaken all parts of the body and act as a tonic to our sleepy winter systems. Nutritive and tasty, add to tea, water, juice, or take a spoonful on it's own, 1-3x daily

Deep Forest Salve

Pine resin, Self Heal, Elder Leaf, Olive Oil, Local Beeswax

A wonderful removal/moving salve. Great for splinters, slivers, bug bites, spider bites and any deep old wounds that are taking to long to heal.Pine is great for moving blood thus it works wonders on old yellow or green bruises, and wonderful for sore muscles and topical pain related to bruising or sore muscles. This salve is harder then our typical salves due to the resin +, scrape out some with the flat of your nail and warm between fingers for easier application

Spring Renewal Tea/Tisane

Nettles, Red Clover, Alfalfa, Linden Flower, Hawthorn Berries, Blueberry Leaf, Licorice

This falls into the category of what I call a "green tisane" (A tisane is any tea that does not contain the tea plant. Most of our herbal teas are actually tisanes.) A Green Tisane, is a tisane that is nourishing and full of lots of vitamins and minerals that come from green foods. Nettle, red clover, and alfalfa based teas fall into this category. Nettles are high in iron, calcium and magnesium. Red clover is particularly high in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and vitamin C. Alfalfa is rich in calcium, vitamins A, K, C, and D. Linden flowers have been used in folk medicine to relieve anxiety and insomnia. This tisane is pairs quite nicely with a splash of our Spring Cleanse Elixir!

Osha Tincture

Osha, Honey, ALC 40%

Osha is an intoxicating plant that hails from the high altitudes of the Rocky Mountains. Warming and diffusing, this root has a specific affiliation with the lungs. Works wonders against respiratory infections, and achy sore throats. It's an expectorants to it will draw out congestion in the lungs as well. Take 1/2 dropper to full dropper full 3x day for 5 days, resting for 2 and repeat.

Berry & Green Tea Kombucha

Green Tea, Hibiscus, Raspberry, Blackberry, Chicory, Rose Hips, Orange Peel, Blackberry Leaves, Red Raspberry leaf

Tasty and full of probiotics for healthier gut flora and an important dose of antioxidants for fighting free radicals

Kahlua 

Organic Coffee, Organic Sugar, Vanilla Bean, Cocao Nibs, Rum,

This kahlua is a tasty treat! You can use it in your coffee, to make white russians, or as an ingredient in baking.