All Around the Parkberry Bush: Fresh Mulberry Cobbler

Back in 2010, I wrote a post singing the praises of mulberries (abundant in the Mid-Atlantic this time of year), after discovering a perfect foraging spot in a nearby park. In the post, I included a recipe for mulberry pie, which is just one of many great ways to use these berries.

Since then, mulberry picking has become an annual tradition for us, and besides pies, I have made sauces and syrups. This year, I thought I would try some quick and easy, and decided on a simple cobbler.

The berries were in various stages of ripeness, so we picked about 3 cups of deep red/purple mulberries, and may go back for another batch in a couple of weeks. We avoided the white unripe ones. Wildman Steve Brill warns that unripe berries, uncooked young leaves, and mature leaves are toxic and mildly hallucinogenic and cause terrible headaches and upset stomachs.

When foraging, it is also important to make sure that anything you eat hasn’t been sprayed with toxic chemicals. The park where we harvested these berries is in a pesticide-free buffer zone since it is within a 2-mile radius around a school.

To make the cobbler, I adapted Southern Forager‘s Totally Awesome Mulberry Cobbler recipe by using dairy substitutes, but you can use regular milk and butter instead of the almond milk and Earth Balance. I also added some vanilla extract and fresh lemon to give it some zest. Mulberries are tasty, but lack acidity, so the lemon adds a nice balance to the sweetness of the berries.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Earth Balance vegetable spread
1 ½ cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup organic cane sugar

2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder
2 cups of mulberries (you can leave the stems on, as they will soften during cooking)

Juice and grated rind of 1/2 lemon

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 325°F. Put the Earth Balance in an 8″x8″ baking pan and place in the oven until the spread is melted. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients. Mix in almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla until smooth. Toss the berries with the lemon juice and grated peel, and spread over bottom of baking pan. Pour the batter into the baking pan over the berries. Bake 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!

Wildman Steve Brill offers a vegan mulberry crumble recipe, which calls for mint. I found this recipe after I had made my cobbler, but will keep it in mind for the next batch of mulberries we harvest.

 

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How to Make An Herbal Vinegar Hair Rinse

One of my most popular offerings is my natural shampoo bars. My customers love them because they are gentle, effective and don’t strip the oils from their hair, so no conditioner is required. But, depending on the hardness of their water, some of my customers find it helpful to do a vinegar rinse once per month to keep their hair its shiniest.

No matter what type of shampoo you use, vinegar rinses are helpful in restoring your hair’s pH balance. They are also great for oily hair, itchy scalp, dandruff, dull hair, and other scalp conditions. You can easily make your own vinegar rinse, and the addition of dried herbs allows you to customize it to the needs of your particular hair.

To make your own herbal vinegar rinse, mix 4 tablespoons of dried organic herbs with 8 ounces of organic apple cider vinegar.

For light hair, you can use a blend of 2 tablespoons organic rose petals and 2 tablespoons dried organic chamomile.

For dark hair, you can use a mixture of 2 tablespoons dried organic nettle and 2 tablespoons dried organic lavender.

Place your herbs and vinegar in a clean glass jar, cap tightly. Label the jar with your herbs and the date. Allow to infuse for 6 weeks in a cool dark place, shaking the jar daily.

After 6 weeks, strain out the herbs and pour your herbal vinegar into a sterilized glass jar with a plastic cap (vinegar can erode metal over time). The infused vinegar will keep for at least a year if stored properly in a cool and dry place.

To use, mix 1-4 tablespoons of your herbal vinegar with 1 cup of water. Pour this mixture over clean hair, working into scalp. Allow to sit for 2 minutes, then rinse with clean water. Or, you can leave it in and allow hair to dry. Enjoy your happy, shiny hair!

This can also be used as a facial toner. Simply apply to clean skin with a cotton ball or cotton cosmetic pad. Because this formula is alcohol-free and non-drying, you don’t need to rinse it off.

 

How to Make All-Natural Insect Repellant

Summer is in full-swing and the bugs are out in full force! Some of my readers have requested a recipe for an all-natural insect repellant, so I developed formula made with essential oils that works well and smells good, too!

Different essential oils repel different insects, so I used a blend of different oils to cover a wide spectrum of pests. For my recipe, I used cedar, citronella, clove, lavender, peppermint and rosemary with castor oil (which repels mosquitoes) in a witch hazel base.

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces distilled water
• 3 ounces witch hazel
• 3.5 teaspoons of essential oils
• 1 teaspoon glycerine (optional)

Combine well and pour into clean spray bottles.

Shake well before each use as the water and oils will separate. Spray onto your skin or clothing, avoiding your eye area, covering as much area as possible. Wash with soap and warm water to remove once you are back indoors. Store in a cool, dark place.

You can vary the recipe by using different essential oils, as long you keep the ratio of no more than 1 part essential oils to 10-20 parts carrier. Here are some of the best essential oils for repelling insects, along with the insects they repel:

• cedar oil (fleas)
• cinnamon oil (mosquitoes)
• citronella oil (mosquitoes and biting flies)
• clove oil (mosquitoes)
• eucalyptus oil (mosquitoes, ticks, and lice)
• geranium oil (ticks and lice)
• lavender oil (ticks)
• lemongrass oil (ticks)
• orange oil (fleas)
• peppermint oil (fleas)
• rosemary oil (mosquitoes)

You can use any combination of the above listed essential oils. And instead of witch hazel and water, you can use olive oil, vodka or straight witch hazel without water.

NOTE: If you are pregnant or nursing, do not apply an insect repellent, natural or otherwise, without consulting your physician

This little nymph recently hitched a ride home on my leg from a hike in the woods. If only I had some of my homemade bug repellant with me, he wouldn’t have had a chance!

NOTE: If you are looking for all-natural pesticide recipes, this post on housekeeping.org has a comprehensive collection, including our neem-based recipe.

Minted Lemonade: Recipe for a Perfect Summer Drink

In my opinion, two of the quintessential flavors of summer are lemon and mint. And when combined, they create a harmonious flavor combination that is bright and sunny. One of my favorite summer recipes is homemade lemonade, a tasty tonic. Lemons provide us with healthful amounts of Vitamin C and potassium. And mint is, among many other things, uplifting, breath-freshening and soothing for the digestive system.

Homemade minted lemonade is simple to make, requiring just 4 ingredients! Here’s my recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 cup filtered water
• 1 cup organic evaporated cane sugar
• 2 cups freshly squeezed, strained lemon juice
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• 4 cups of filtered water

Combine the sugar and 1 cup of water in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool.

Place the lemon juice in a large pitcher with the mint leaves (you can crush some of the leaves to release a bit more mint flavor).

Add the remaining water to the lemon and mint, then sweeten to taste with the simple syrup. Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the flavors to blend.

Enjoy!

In My Herb Garden: A Visual Diary

Sage (Salvia officinalis)

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)

Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis)

Peppermint (Mentha piperita)

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Rue (Ruta graveolens)

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum)

Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea)

Oregano (Origanum vulgare)

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Vegan Chocolate Tapioca Pudding

If you are looking for a rich, deeply chocolate dessert, this recipe is delicious, satisfies chocolate cravings and it’s vegan and gluten-free! I adapted this recipe from one that came on a box of the organic granulated tapioca.

Ingredients:
2 cups organic coconut milk
1/4 cup organic fair trade cocoa powder
2 tablespoons granulated organic tapioca
2 tablespoons maple syrup (more if you like your desserts sweeter)

Heat the coconut milk and tapioca in a saucepan over medium low heat, stirring frequently. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the tapioca has become clear, and the whole mixture thickens. Add cocoa and stir until well-blended. Remove from heat, and blend in the maple syrup. Pour into a heat proof bowl and refrigerate. Serve chilled.

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How to Make Minted Pea Soup

This is my favorite time of year at the Farmers Market – both English peas and strawberries are in season, both of which make excellent cold soups. Last year, I posted a recipe for my cold strawberry soup, and this year I thought I would share my minted pea soup recipe.

So, on Saturday, we headed to our local Farmers Market. Despite a very late start (we arrived there about 15 minutes before it closed!), I managed to snag the last three quarts of English peas. There were actually four quarts left, but a woman with a baby in a stroller arrived just after me and asked if she could have the fourth one. I didn’t have the heart to say no!

Once home, I shelled the peas, which yielded almost exactly 2 cups.

I sautéed the peas with ½ cup of diced white onions and 2 tablespoons of fresh mint from my garden. It took about 15 minutes for them to look tender.

I then added 3 cups of vegetable broth (my favorite is organic “unchicken” which has a nice full flavor, but you can use any vegetable broth, chicken broth or water) and let it simmer for another 15 minutes.

After letting the soup cool in the refrigerator for about an hour, I blended it until smooth. I served it with a dollop of whole milk yogurt, garnished with a few leaves of fresh mint. Mmmmmm. Tastes like Spring!

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How to Make Cold Strawberry Soup

This morning I made a trip to my local farmers market. I was happy to see that, even though it’s a bit late in the season for them, the strawberries were still available in abundance. I picked out two pints of these perfect looking berries, and decided that I would make my seasonal strawberry specialty — cold strawberry soup.

I started by washing the strawberries, then hulling and quartering them, saving a few to eat while I made the soup. 

I added 1/2 cup of organic whole milk yogurt, 1/2 cup of organic cane sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. I then set the blender to the lowest setting, and blended the mixture for about 3 minutes, until it looked completely smooth. The yogurt adds a nice bit of tartness to the soup, but if you prefer, you can substitute it with milk or half and half. Also, I found that 1/2 cup of sugar was a bit on the sweet side — I think this is because the strawberries were so incredibly sweet on their own. If you are using grocery store strawberries, this amount of sugar should be fine, but feel free to adjust it to your own palate.

Once the mixture was completely blended, I stirred in 1/4 cup of Prosecco. You can leave this out, or you can use any type of white wine, champagne, cava or sparkling wine that you have on hand.

Chill mixture in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Serve with a sprig of fresh mint for garnish, and enjoy! It’s best if eaten within 24 hours. This recipe makes 4 servings, or 2 very generous ones!

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