Green tea | fleurbain

Painting from Koehler's Medicinal Plants (1887)

Salvia officinalis

This is a sentimental entry as well as somewhat of a departure from the typical ‘Fleurbain concept’.

In the last few days, I have thought about the folks who have got through to me. These people have been my teachers.

I am overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude for the people in my life who have not seen knowledge and skill as exclusive, a commodity, a rare resource. Instead, they have had the energy and time to teach me. They were able to teach me things I did not even imagine prior to knowing these things. I feel rich in my experience.

I have a positive outlook, most of the time. Other times, I can be stubborn and have my doubts. I think this is a good thing; it means I have a brain and I have an opinion about my reality. In the end, however, I feel lucky when I look back and see that people have stuck it out with me and have helped me adopt new understandings or take on new skills. They helped me out of my mud, the sticky clay fixing me to ‘what I know’, and they did this even when I may have been initially filled with doubt that there was anything new in a particular direction.

These people have confidence and skill. This helps in keeping my attention. They care about people and they are not afraid to share. They are not threatened by others having these skills and information. They want me to know, because they care that I succeed. They also don’t act like they own me just because they taught me something. They are happy to pass it on for the sake of passing it on. I like that. I hope that I can do the same.

Here is a tea that will help you stay alert and ready for new information while you are with your teachers.

Mix together:

1 part green tea (Camellia sinensis promotes a calm mental focus)

1 part peppermint (Mentha x piperita is excellent for nervousness, anxiety, mental fog and lethargy)

1/2 part rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis is a well known memory aid and circulatory stimulant)

1/2 part sage (Salvia officinalis. I occasionally add sage and drink the tea cold when I want to stay cool and alert while under pressure.)

Put one teaspoon of this mixture in a teapot or mason jar. Add two cups of freshly boiled water. Steep for 10 minutes and enjoy.

Tammy Schmidt, Montreal

curly kale

It is such a shame to spend money on tender greens, then take them home and find out that they froze on the way back from the store. After many years of experiencing this, I now use a variety of foods, other than baby salad greens, to get greens in the winter. Here is a short list of ones that I like.

Tough Leaves. Kale is one of my favourites. It can be stir fried, steamed, or made into some of the best chips. Black kale is more tender and can be used in salads. Collards and cabbage are also great. Rapini and Romaine lettuce can often make it home, no problem.

Nutritive Teas such as Nettles. Nettles can also be powdered and mixed with smoothies and food. Matcha green tea is another good option.

Hearty Herbs. I love adding fresh flat leafed parsley to foods. Usually, it makes it home without freezing. Yes, it would be bleak to only rely on dried herbs, but I consider herbs, even if they are dried, to be a source of greens. Herbs preserved in salt are also a source of greens, but obviously they can not be the only source without over doing it on salt.

Seaweed. I love little snippets of seaweed added to all kinds of foods; pizza, salad, soup, rice or other grains. Sometimes I will add bits of Laver, a wild Atlantic Nori, to a trailmix or I will eat it like chips. Alaria, a wild Atlantic Wakame, can be added to salads or soups. Dulse is nice on pizza, mixed with salsa, or in sandwiches. Kelp chips are fun. Kelp can also be added to rice, beans or soups.

Frozen Spinach. At my local grocery store, I can pick-up spinach that is frozen into little individually portioned “spinach pucks.” I quickly thaw out and use these pucks in dishes. I add them to fried shallots and eggs to make a nice plate of green eggs in the morning.

Lactofermented Cabbage and Other Veg. In small portions, this will aid digestion, and it adds a little something extra to a meal. If you are looking for a great book on fermentation, check out Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz. This is an awesome , well researched and easy to follow book on fermentation.

Sprouts. I love sunflower sprouts and I am told that they are really easy to grow. I would like to try sprouting these this winter.

Greens powder. This has got to be my least favourite, but I will take them from time to time. Many people claim to have good results with green powders, especially when they take them on a regular basis.

Tammy Schmidt, Montreal

gratitude

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getting greens in the dead of winter

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