Homemade Lavender Mustard

Around here, summer is still in full swing.  It’s been hot, the garden is starting to produce a lot, and we’ve been enjoying our very full days around the farm.

Recently, we had family visiting for a week and I had a request for mustard.

Uh-oh!  I had the mustard seeds sitting right there ready to make a fresh batch, but this summer grilling essential still had not been made.

I decided it was time, and it’s too bad it took me so long because it’s really very easy.  The hardest part is that you must soak the mustard seeds for two days so in this respect it does require a little advanced planning.

I decided to get a little adventurous and try this lavender mustard recipe by Rosalee de la Foret.

Yum! I’m glad I did.

Here are all the ingredients, most of which I gathered from Mountain Rose Herbs

  • 1/4 cup brown mustard seeds (or you could use only yellow mustard seeds as we did for a milder flavor)
  • 1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 tablespoon lavender flowers (omit or choose a different herb if you desire)
  • 1 teaspoon salt

First, the mustard seeds, apple cider vinegar, and water are mixed in a bowl.  Cover the bowl and let the mixture sit for two days.

After the seeds have softened for two days, place the seed and liquid mixture in a food processor along with the remaining ingredients.

Blend together until you have a mustard paste. Easy!

mustard

This recipe makes about a pint and will keep in the fridge for up to 6 months.

To see Rosalee’s original recipe on Learning Herbs click here.

To purchase ingredients from Mountain Rose Herbs click here.

Shared on Wildcrafting Wednesday.

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Spring Foraging Favorite: Ramp Pesto!

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Although I would like to say that I’ve harvested several times already this year, I missed out on much of ramp season, but just HAD to get out there to make some ramp pesto.

I spotted a huge patch awhile back and finally returned there to harvest some ramps.

In the spirit of the latest consensus about sustainable harvesting, I only took the ramp leaves which are very flavorful indeed. I left the bulbs alone so that they can develop into new plants next year. Overharvesting can very quickly decimate a ramp patch (even one as big as this!), and when you can get away with using just the leaves, why not do that and ensure that this species continues to grace the plates of future generations? Continue reading

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apple spice Continue reading

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Growing these mushrooms was incredibly easy – I cut a hole and soaked the bag holding the spores for 8 hours, and then I gave them just a little water each day.  Within a day or so, I noticed the little bulbous beginnings of the mushrooms and then they grew immensely each day thereafter. Finally, they looked like the right size to eat and so I decided that it was oyster mushroom taco day! Continue reading

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Luckily, the sun was shining so we had one last frolic in the snowy woods with a friend and her little man.  It was a thick snow that clung to the trees and flew off in puffs in the wind.  I have to admit, it was quite lovely although I do think I am ready to move on and embrace spring.  It’s going to be so fun with a little one around!

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We’ve had some strange days of weather recently.  This photo isn’t the best, but in it you can see a rainbow, really dark clouds to the North over the lake, and you can tell that it is 100% sunny behind me by the way the trees are shining with light.  Add to that some lightning and snow all in the same day and you can see what I mean – strange!  But kind of beautiful, really… Continue reading

Happy Mabon! (And a maple-glazed squash recipe)

It’s Mabon, the fall equinox, and I can certainly tell that the days are starting to wind down into longer nights.

Today, the day and night are equal and everything is in balance.  It’s a wonderful time to reflect on the concept of balance in your own life.  What can you do to find peace between the light and dark parts of yourself?  Continue reading

Zucchini-Blueberry Muffins

It is the most wonderful time of year for eating local foods! I just can’t believe how abundant things are at the market and in our garden.  It’s delightful!

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It’s also the time of year when people start wondering – what do I do with all this zucchini?! Luckily, blueberries are also plentiful at this time of year and the combination makes for a delicious and pretty nutritious muffin. Continue reading

Where do your strawberries come from? Plus: How to Freeze

So now that you’ve made a delicious strawberry crumble from your fresh berries, what will you do with all the rest?

Make ‘em last the year!

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Why is it important to do this?  There are a couple of reasons… Continue reading