We were talking the other day on our way to a birthday party about how awesome it would be to pick some fresh and wild blackberries (brambles). When we arrived and to our surprise out of the kitchen window there was a huge blackberry bush. I grabbed a bowl and went out to inspect. There were loads of ripe and ready to pick brambles. All the scratches and scrapes were worth it as we gather a massive bowl up. When we got back I made a blackberry and apple gin which will be ready in time for Christmas and a blackberry jam for my kids. I’m not particularly keen on high sugar content jams but I needed to preserve them quickly as they were starting to spoil only after day two after picking. So a high heat recipe was required.
If I were to come across such treasures again I would blend them up immediately into a smoothie when I got back to my kitchen as the nutritional content of blackberries is really high and they contain all sorts of goodies like vitamins A, C, and K, magnesium, potassium, and fiber.
“Vitamin A helps maintain eye health while vitamin C promotes wound healing, keeps gums healthy and helps the body absorb iron. Vitamin K, along with magnesium, are important in promoting bone health. Potassium plays a role in health blood pressure levels. And fiber helps control cholesterol and keeps you regular.” http://www.livestrong.com/article/110325-blackberries-nutrition
If you fancy trying your hand at foraging then check out the book below with a variety of things you can find for free in the wild. Its so satisfying to go out and find something so satisfying in the wild.
Grate two courgettes into a bowl and add 1/2 cup of wholemeal flour, finely diced red pepper and you could also add a tin of sweetcorn. I didn’t have in the cupboard so I skipped this but would probably add it in next time for a little sweetness. Season with salt and pepper and clump into little balls, fry in coconut oil in a non stick pan. Serve with salad. We had these topped with cream (soy cream) spinach sauce (recipe in the sides section) fried mushrooms and chipotle hot sauce! We also had potatoes cooked in cauliflower cream on the side too!
