Flower Power Salad
Since moving to Frederick in August, I’ve been having such a great time identifying and using native herbs. But many of these plants are probably ignored by most people, thought to be weeds. This hobby of mine is formally known as wildcrafting. Wildcrafting is the harvesting of plants or herbs from the “wild” but sometimes these plants are right outside your front door. Or down the street at Baker Park. While it’s relatively easy to get into, wildcrafting does have some ethical and logistical considerations that are involved, so it’s important to do some research before you start foraging for food.
Trifolium pratense aka Red Clover
One herb that has recently started blooming is Trifolium pratense, more commonly known as red clover. Trifolium is a great herb for women because of the phytoestrogens it contains, which balance your estrogen levels naturally. For that reason, it has been used for menopausal symptoms as well as mild cramping with clots or irregular menses. Trifolium is also an antioxidant and is commonly used in herbal formulas for cancer. It is generally regarded as a safe herb, however it is unclear of its effects on estrogen-positive cancers and high-dose or regular consumption is not recommended in women that are pregnant or breast-feeding.
Flower Power Salad
I’ve started throwing Trifolium into my salads to give it some extra color and antioxidant power. Trifolium flowers are slightly sweet in flavor so they are a great addition to any salad. To give this salad an extra health boost, I threw in some broccoli as well. Broccoli (another flower that we just don’t let bloom) contains compounds which help your liver with detoxification, an important biochemical process involved with women’s health issues.
Ingredients
- dark leafy greens
- broccoli, chopped
- red clovers
- balsamic vinegar
- olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Mix dark leafy greens, broccoli, and red clover in a bowl. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper, and enjoy!
As we head into Summer, warmer days make salads a great meal. Just throw some protein on top (nuts, fish, seeds, beans, chicken, etc) for a light yet filling meal. And salads are a fantastic way to guarantee you get more veggies into your day-to-day routine. What’s your favorite salad combination?
