Foraging Wild Violets
Spring has sprung! Flowers are blooming and birds are singing. This last winter has felt never ending and for some I know it is still trying to hold on. For those of us though that can lets grab our foraging basket and take a little trip outside to the nature grocery store.
As we walk along I am especially excited to show you a certain flower that is starting to peak their beautiful heads out, just begging to be picked and put to good use. It is the gorgeous tiny violet!
Did you know that violets may be tiny but have huge benefits?!
They:
~Contain the same amount of vitamin c as 3 oranges at just half a cup
~are full of antioxidants
~are anti-inflammatory
~are a blood cleanser
~are great for colds, headache, cough, sore throat, constipation, dry skin, eczema, bug bites, and varicose
You can eat them fresh in salads, infuse vinegars, make syrup, jelly, tea, and use in soups!
Mind blown is all I can say! So with all that in mind let’s pick them, get inside and start using them!
Violet juice Recipe:
2 cups violet flowers
4 cups boiling water
Bring the water and flowers to boil and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Pour flowers and water mix into a jar and allow to steep over night. Strain through a mesh strainer the next day. At this point you can use it to make a thicker syrup with honey for pancakes and waffles or for flavoring lemonade/homemade popcycles!
Violet Jelly Recipe:
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 cups violet juice
1 package Pomonas Pectin (linked below)
1/2-1 cup of honey
Pour 4 cups of juice and 1/4 cup lemon juice into a sauce pan. Your juice at this point should change to a light purple color! Follow the instructions given with the pectin for adding it in.
Once your jelly is mixed, wash your jars and lids in hot water, and put your canner on your stove top with water to start heating up. Fill your jars till there is 1/4” space left. Wipe your rims with vinegar, place your two piece lid on and SREW THAT BABY DOWN! When I say screw it down, I mean tighten that lid so even your extremely strong husband struggles to open it. I’ve never had a jar pop after doing this step but i have had an entire canner load burst, days after i did them, when I barely tightened the lids.
Place your jars in your hot water in the canner making sure there is a little room between jars. Boil for 10 minutes covered (add 1 min more for every 1000 ft above sea level). After 10 minutes place jars on a towel and allow to cool for 24 hours before moving or checking the seal. At some point you should hear lots of “pops”! My favorite sound! When checking seal have your husband undo your tightening job, and assure him the water made it that tight as to not hurt his confidence in his strength. With the ring off your lid should be sucked down to the jar. If it is not place that jar of jelly in the fridge and make sure to use in the next week as to not waste your hard work!
At this point get out your bread and slather up that bad boy with the delicious labors of your hard work!
Enjoy!
