April at the Co-op

Hello and happy spring! I love the fresh green at this time of year and all the spring herbs and wild weeds. It feels so good to have fresh dandelion greens, violets, nettles, and other favorites in my meals and teas again. I feel frenzied trying to make ferments, weedy vinegars, fresh pestos, and broths at this time of year. Normally, I think of broths as a fall and winter activity, but this year I got a stomach bug and wanted gentle nourishment to soothe my belly.

I had just received the book Better Broths & Healing Tonics by Dr. Kara Fitzgerald and Jill Sheppard. It is filled with great recipes for both carnivores and vegetarians, and I highly recommend it. I cannot say enough about the benefits of broth. You can now purchase several good-quality broths pre-made (Kettle & Fire is my favorite) if you’re not into making your own, but not only is making your own more economical—I love personalizing mine to suit my needs.

During the stomach funk, I added nettles and ginger for extra nutrition and to soothe my belly. Other regular additions that I love include:

• Jujube fruit

• Astragalus root

• Calendula flowers

• Nettles

• Seaweeds

• Mushrooms (shiitake, chaga, reishi, maitake)

• HERBS! (rosemary, thyme, cayenne, etc.)

Broth can be drunk straight as a snack or during illness when you have little appetite. It’s also great for cooking rice, oats, as a soup base, or to sauté veggies. It’s so versatile and dense in nutrition. I usually make it weekly and keep some in both the fridge and freezer for a quick meal. I make chicken and beef broth, but also lots of veggie broths—they’re all flavorful additions to meals.

I also love money-saving kitchen hacks, and it’s so easy to keep a bag of veggie scraps in the freezer. Any veggie scrap—like onion peels, carrot tops, mushroom stems, pepper innards, etc.—can go in and be used for your next broth-making day. When I bake a chicken or turkey, those bones go in as well. I love using ALL of the bird. With grocery prices at a premium, this is a great way to utilize scraps and still end up with great nutrition.

This recipe is adapted from the Better Broths book:

Mushroom Base Broth

• 16 oz fresh mushrooms, coarsely chopped (including stems), or 2 oz dried (shiitakes preferred)

• 1 medium carrot, chopped

• 2 celery stalks, cut

• 1 medium onion, quartered (leave skin on)

• 2–4 cloves garlic, cut, unpeeled

• 1 bay leaf

• 2 tsp salt

• 10 peppercorns

• 8–10 cups water

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• Health Force Myco-Immunity Powder

Put all ingredients (except mushroom powder and thyme) into a large stock pot or slow cooker. I generally use the stovetop method and cook for 4–8 hours. You can also add a splash of apple cider vinegar to help pull minerals out of the herbs and veggies, if desired. In the last 30 minutes or so, add thyme. Strain into mason jars and add mushroom powder—I add about a tablespoon per cup of broth. If consuming as a drinking broth, I add a bit of salt and pepper, a spoonful of ghee, and often a scoop of collagen powder. If you have enough, freeze a jar or two for later.

Another spring love of mine is enjoying fresh teas. Violets, cleavers, dandelions, mints, and nettles are all growing and make wonderful teas to enjoy. You can also put some of these—like violets and dandelions—into your salad bowl, including the flowers. If you are ambitious, here are a couple of recipes:

Dandelion Flower Fritters

• 1½ cups dandelion flowers

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1½ cups cornmeal

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tbsp rosemary or violet flowers

• ¼ cup wild onions (use scallions if unavailable)

• 1 cup grated cheese

• ¼ cup water

Remove the stems and green caps from dandelions. Combine eggs and sour cream and add to flowers. Mix well and add remaining ingredients. Blend together and drop spoonfuls onto a preheated, oiled pan. Brown on both sides. Makes 10–12 fritters.

Nettle Pesto

• 4 cups lightly steamed fresh nettle leaf

• 1 cup olive oil

• ½ cup pine nuts or walnuts

• 6–8 cloves garlic

• ½ cup Parmesan cheese

Blend the oil, nuts, and garlic in a blender or food processor until creamy. Add cheese and nettles and blend until incorporated. Makes 2–3 cups. You can play with the amounts—add more cheese, less garlic, etc., to taste. You can also add more oil if you want this runnier, like a dressing. This is excellent on pasta, as a veggie dip, or on bread or crackers.

The season wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t mention RAMPS! We have some gorgeous ones in produce right now. Get them while you can, as the season comes and goes quickly. Our supplier harvests sustainably, leaving the roots so they regrow. This ensures the plant thrives and that we have ramps for generations to come. I enjoy ramps cut up and added to sandwiches and eggs, and I preserve a lot by making pesto and freezing it. I do remove some of the garlic, as ramps are so flavorful on their own.

We have several spring gardening and foraging items to get you growing:

• Seeds

• Opinel mushroom knives

• Barebones foraging bags and Hori Hori’s (these are the best on the market, in my opinion)

• Pot makers

We are also restocking jars, fermenting vessels, and medicine-making supplies. It’s also time for bug sprays, poison ivy remedies, and suncare items. We carry many—including Badger, Pranarom, Uncle Harry’s, Alba, and some local companies as well. For the makers out there, we have all you need to make your own.

Protective Sun Spray

To a 4 oz spray bottle, add:

• ½ oz aloe juice

• 30 drops each of peppermint and lavender essential oils

• Fill up with distilled water or lavender hydrosol

Shake well and store in the fridge. You have to reapply this and it’s not waterproof, but I use it every year to prevent sunburn while I’m out gardening or enjoying the sun.

Poison Ivy Paste

• 2 oz clay

• 1 drop peppermint essential oil

• Jewelweed lotion (enough to make a paste)

Blend together and apply to poison ivy rashes to cool and soothe.

An update on out-of-stocks:
We currently have many out-of-stocks, especially in the bulk herb section. This time of year, many of last year’s herbs have been depleted, and we are waiting for the new harvest to come in. I imagine, with the increased sales of so many herbs, that it’s challenging to gauge how much to grow or source. Holy basil has been OOS for a while and is expected at the beginning of May. Dandelion root has also been out of stock through several of our vendors—no ETA. Many teas (black and green) are out of stock, likely due to the tariffs. I expect to have a harder time sourcing Chinese herbs and teas, which are mostly grown in China.

I continue to order regularly and hope we get enough to supply the community. We ask for your patience as we navigate the current market and try to stock almost 600 herbs, seasonings, and teas. I will also work to find more locally grown or foraged options as we can—local is key in food security.

On that note, please support your local farmers! Many restaurants have closed since Helene, leaving a gap in many farmers’ sales. Our produce section often sources local produce when available. Farmers’ markets are beginning again, and there may be some CSAs left for the season.

May your spring be filled with flowers, sun, and good food.
Thank you for supporting the Co-op!
—Melissa