WINTER TO SPRING | RECIPES & WAYS OF NOURISHMENT
The end of Winter is a very special time, where we can feel the energy shifting, the seeds in the earth beginning to stir, moving their life-force upwards. There is a sense of preparation for what is to come. A sense of awakening from winter slumber and beginning to move dormant energy. The energy of Air begins to be felt, slowly, bringing with it some lightness and anticipation for change… Can you feel it?
By observing nature, we can sense that this time seems to be suspended between death and new life. Some trees are still dormant, while others are already forming new buds. And while we may still experience the snow and cold temperatures that keep things in a silent slumber, at the same time we might notice that wild greens are abundantly covering the ground.
In all traditional medicines around the world, weeds and wild plants are key allies for healing. It is no coincidence that this new life emerges right now. It is Nature’s way of preparing us, and all living beings to align with this new season. When we understand and honour our interconnectedness, we realize that Nature is taking care of us. What is currently being offered to us is a gift of nutrition, vitality, and renewal.
The weeds we may find around us at this time of the year are full of life-force. Most, if not all of them also have key healing powers that help us cleanse our livers, flushing out any excess from the Winter and re-building our body for the Spring time. In other words, they help us become re-born, in alignment with the rest of Nature.
Now is a wonderful time to get more familiar with the weeds that grow around you - these wise healers that are right around the corner that want to take care of you. I really recommend observing them during your walks, collecting plants and specimens of leaves and identifying them. What can you find? Some of the most healing (and common) weeds are: Nettles, Cleavers, Clover, Chickweed, Burdock, Dandelion. Knowing what medicine grows around where you live is an extremely gratifying way to feel connected to the whole of life, and an empowering source of self-healing wisdom.
If you cannot find these weeds around you or if for some reason foraging is not your thing, I still recommend getting your hands on some of these healers. You may purchase them in bulk from a trusted apothecary or herbal supplier. I personally always keep a few of these herbs on hand, all year around. Nettle for example, is a herb I always have in my healing pantry. I enjoy it for both its physical healing qualities and for its spirit, which has taught me so much.
Below I am sharing some of my favourite enlivening recipes and remedies for this Winter to Spring transition. Enjoy, and of course, feel free to let me know if you have some recipes of your own that you would like to share!
OVERNIGHT INFUSIONS, JUICES & TONICS
NETTLE OVERNIGHT INFUSION
A handful of dried nettle
A liter of water
Plants that are left to infuse overnight in cold water release a lot of their vitamins, which are usually damaged when making hot infusions. The nutritious nettle is a fantastic herb for overnight infusions. Simply pour the room temperature water over your herbs, let steep overnight, strain the next morning and enjoy throughout the day. Let this be your supercharged infused water.
RITUAL | If you feel called, you may also use this infusion to as a way to connect with the plant. Meditating with single-plant infusions is a wonderful way to feel the spirit of a plant and what she wants to tell you. Simply slow down, feel into this infusion with your senses, defining its quality… and then begin to sense how this plant feels like, in your body. Call her in. Ask her to reveal herself. Introduce yourself to her, as you would with a new friend. Take notes. Do this often… See what comes up. I have communed a lot with Nettle in this way and have felt a strong connection to her wise Spirit.
ENLIVENING WILD GREENS JUICE
One to two large handfuls of freshly foraged, edible weeds
A liter of water
I learned this recipe at the Gaia School of Herbs, and I always turn to it when I need to receive an instant kick of life-force running through my body.
Blend the weeds and water in a high speed blender. Sift juice through a cheesecloth or thin sieve. What you will get is not exactly a juice, but a blended herbal water that holds all of the life force and vitamins the plants have to offer. It is recommended to drink it straight throughout your morning/afternoon, without adding anything else.
HERBAL SPRING TONIC
1 tbsp Burdock root
1 tbsp Dandelion root
1 tbsp Nettles
1 tbsp Dandelion Leaf
1 tbsp Red Clover
Water
A strong infusion combining all the nourishing, purifying weeds. Along with a quart of water in a covered saucepan, bring burdock root and dandelion root to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes. Pour the hot root decoction in a quart jar or teapot with nettles, dandelion leaf, and red clover. Steep and enjoy.
DELICIOUS WILD NETTLE RICE
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
5-6 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
2 spring onions
1/2 bunch dill
250g round grain rice
150g white wine
1L vegetable stock
a big bunch of wild nettles (cut from top sets of leaves)
lemon zest from 2 lemons
lemon juice from 2 lemons
I absolutely LOVE cooking with Nettles. To me, they feel like the ideal, most nutritious replacement for spinach - so one of my favorite ways to use nettles is in greek spanakoryzo (spinach rice), replacing the spinach with these delicious wild greens. This is a nourishing and delicious ancestral recipe which I am so happy to share with you!
Place a pot over high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Coarsely chop the onion, finely chop the garlic, and add them to the pot. Season with salt and pepper, and sauté. Finely chop the white part of the spring onions, the stems of the dill, and add them to the pot. Add the rice and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Deglaze the pot with the wine and let it evaporate. Add the stock in batches and mix constantly, at medium heat, for 13-15 minutes until the rice is boiled and al dente.
Rinse the wild nettles. If you have foraged your nettles from the top sets of leaves, they should be quite tender, meaning you can keep the stalk. If the stalk feels tough, you can remove it. Transfer to the pot of rice and cook for 3-4 minutes.
If there is no moisture left in your pot, add 100 g water, the juice of 2 lemons, and remove from the heat. Finely chop the rest of the dill, the green part of the spring onions, and add them to the pot. Add the lemon zest, the rest of the olive oil, and mix.
Serve with lemon slices, olive oil, pepper, oregano… Sometimes I like to add a little bit of chopped parsley or some feta cheese.
Cooking with wild weeds is a lot of fun! There are many more ways I like to play with them. I have made a seasoning mix once, using dried nettle, salt and roasted sesame - to sprinkle on top of rice and stews. Sometimes when I find tender greens I just like to add them in salads. When I have gone foraging with my village auntie, we have used the wild greens whole, boiling them in salted water, serving them with lemon juice and olive oil - which is a very traditional cretan way of enjoying wild greens. I know they are also used as pie fillings, which I have yet to try.
I must admit, I am still a novice… So I am eager to see if you have any recipes and ideas to share as well! May the wild greens nourish your Winter to Spring transition, dear ones.