Nettle Pumpernickel Rolls

These nettle caraway pumpernickel rolls are great for spring. 

Spring is allium season (onion, leek, scallion, chive, garlic) and while some modalities such as yogic diets discourage alliums for their stoking of yang energy, alliums can be used to help yang energy increase in coordination with spring’s rising energy. Well known for their ability to regulate blood pressure and cholesterol, dietary alliums gently tune the cardiovascular system. 

Mineral-rich nettle is one of the most concentrated sources of chlorophyll, which supports total cellular functioning, including repair and renewal. Nettle supports the kidneys and urinary system and is a wonderful tonic herb. Energetically, nettle shows us how to run and reset our electrical energy, set and respect boundaries, and ask for permission. 

Caraway seed, Carum carvi, is an aromatic, digestive spice in the carrot family so powerful I will never forget the story I heard at the Northeast Women’s Herbal Conference many years ago. This woman was a cook who made soup out of not much more than caraway for children in the Holocaust. Anecdotally, the children who ate the caraway soup survived better than those who had plain vegetable soup. But what really struck me from this story was how the cook was guided to keep using the caraway and how her bond with caraway informed her belief in life force itself and the potential for survival. Caraway is traditionally used as an expectorant and a carminative, relieving gas, heartburn, poor appetite, and intestinal spasms.

Rye is lower on the glycemic index and has less gluten than wheat, and is rich in fiber, vitamin E, calcium, iron, and potassium. Rye is highly resilient. It can grow in and improve poor quality soils as a winter cover crop. Its deep roots means it is less susceptible to soil erosion and it can compete well with weeds without herbicides. 

They may not be the prettiest food, but they’re so nourishing and delicious they get eaten quickly! Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

starter:

1 package yeast

20 oz/1lb4oz/567g rye flour

2 tablespoons molasses

3 cup warm water

dough:

1 package yeast

1 cup warm water

2 tablespoons molasses

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups whole spelt flour

1/2 cup caraway seed

1 teaspoon ground fennel seed

4 teaspoons sea salt

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee

1 cup nettle leaf powder (measured ground)

1 bunch scallions, washed very well, chopped finely 

Procedure:

1. In an extra large bowl, place warm water, yeast, molasses, rye flour. Mix and leave to sit at least 4 hours or overnight.

2. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine another 1C warm water and yeast. Let sit 5 minutes.

3. Make a well in the starter and add the yeast mixture.

4. Add molasses, vinegar, and olive oil. Stir to mix.

5. Add dry ingredients: cocoa, spelt, caraway, fennel, salt, espresso, nettle. Stir to blend. Add scallions.

6. Stir dough vigorously instead of kneading. Form into a round loaf in the bowl and cover with a cloth.

7. Let rise about four hours.

8. Prepare 4 full size baking trays with parchment paper. Get a small bowl of water ready to use for shaping.

9. Divide dough into 4. Using water to shape instead of flour, spread out each quarter on a cutting board forming a rectangle. Divide each quarter into 16 pieces. Using water, form rolls and place seam side down on parchment lined baking sheets.

10. After all rolls are shaped, let the rolls rest and additional 45 minutes before preheating the oven to 350F.

11. Bake two trays at a time 20 minutes then switch tray positions for another 20 minutes or until rolls are fully cooked.

12. Store in an airtight container or freeze.

Dandelion Lemon Ginger Smoothie

This is a great smoothie year round, and I especially love it in late winter and spring when there’s a longing for greens. Ginger increases circulation to the extremities, waking up hands and feet in colder weather and helping to circulate and cool in warmer weather. Lemon offers vitamin C and its sour flavor helps to balance the strong flavors of ginger and dandelion. Apple adds fiber, sweetness (and maybe more tartness if using Granny Smith apples), and helps add consistent body to the smoothie. Hemp oil adds omega oils (3, 6, GLA), and helps emulsify the smoothie, keeping it one texture. Research suggests consuming hemp oil may aid skin conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, acting as an anti-inflammatory. It will separate some but will also come back together with a good shake.

Dandelion leaf, Taraxacum officinale, is a classic spring food to gently stimulate digestion, liver and lymph as well as:

• is diuretic, contains potassium essential for proper kidney functioning

• has polysaccharides that reduce liver stress and promote bile production

• reduces inflammation 

• has some laxative qualities

• is a tonic for the circulatory and digestive systems and the skin

  Contraindications:

  While consuming dandelion as a food source generally has fewer contraindications than in supplement form, do check with a doctor if you should include dandelion in your diet if you have diabetes, or you’re taking liver medications, diuretics, antibiotics, water pills, or anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs.

Blender note:

This is ideal in a high powered blender like a Vitamix. If you’re using a classic blender, divide ingredients in half and make the smoothie in two rounds, leaving at least a cup free at the top for movement.

Ingredients:

2 inches ginger, washed, sliced (or more to taste). Peel it if using non-organic ginger.

1-2 apples, quartered and cored (a sweeter apple makes a sweeter smoothie; a more tart apple makes a tarter smoothie)

2 large lemons, outer peel cut off 

1/2 bunch medium dandelion leaves, about 1.5 cups chopped and packed

1 T flax oil, hemp oil, or olive oil

Filtered water to fill the blender, leaving a few inches (with a high powered blender) so everything has a chance to move. If using a regular blender, make smoothie in two rounds, leaving at least a cup free for movement in each round.

Instructions:

Put everything in a blender. Blend on high until smoothie is desired consistency. Adjust ingredients to your taste. 

Variations:

• substitute pears for apples

• substitute other dark leafy greens like kale or spinach

• to make it sweeter, add more apple/pear, add a banana, or add honey

Storage: 

Store in glass jars. Pouring the smoothie into pint jars puts daily servings in easy reach. Best consumed within 5 days.

Witch hazel

Witch hazel’s bright exuberant flowers bookend the the darkest part of the year, with Hamamelis vernalis as one of the latest blooming flowers and Hamamelis virginiana as one of the first to bloom in late winter. A visual balm for winter drearies, witch hazel is also an anti-inflammatory topical used for many skin conditions: bites, stings, acne, dermatitis, eczema and hives. As a toner its astringent action is gentle and minimally disruptive to skin’s pH and promotes healthy skin flora. Note that processed witch hazel toner sold in pharmacies has lost the astringent compounds found in witch hazel’s flowers, leaves, twigs, and bark. Witch hazel flower season is almost fleeting as spring approaches. Make a flower preparation now (tincture 2:1, flowers: menstruum) or identify the trees now and make a leaf preparation later. Diluted tincture can be used as toner or tincture can be added to toner blends. See my toner recipe and tips below.

Witch hazel says: stay bright, stay flexible. Spring is not too far away. 

Names: Hamamelis sp:  Vernal witch hazel (H. vernalis) and autumn witch hazel (H. virginiana), both native to North America

Traditional use:

• bark, leaves, twigs and flowers are rich in tannins whose astringent compounds soothe and relieve inflammation of skin and mucous membranes.

• Astringents tighten and tone tissue, and deliver nutrients to the subcutaneous tissue under the skin’s surface. Helps skin maintain healthy pH and skin flora. Stable pH limits bacterial growth on the skin that could lead to acne. May help reduce itching of skin conditions. Reduces skin redness.

• Topical use is most common, and is used for acne, eczema, varicose veins, dermatitis, poion oak, rosacea, hives, hemmoroids, bug bites and stings and postpostum care. It can be used as an astrigent mouthwash in baths, or as a compress or poultices.

• It has styptic and vasoconstrictive qualities, and though internal use has not been studied thoroughly, oral use in Europe to prevent stasis in chronic venous insufficiency is common.

Edible use, medicine making details:

Witch hazel is n a lot of salve and body care recipes. Witch hazel can be used for daily soothing, moisturizing, and cleansing, or for more acute wound care. Kenneth Proefrock’s Liniments, Salves, Oils & Creams: Revisiting The Topical Uses of Botanical Medicines recipe for an anodyne bruise and sore muscle salve that combines witch hazel with ginger and eucalyptus (Plant Healer Magazine #33). Witch hazel is often combined with a demulcent plant, like violet or marshmallow, for balanced action that maintains skin moisture levels necessary for optimal healing.

Plant Spirit Medicine:

flexibility, likes fluidity, often grows near water, has flexible branches, and is a shrub beneath taller trees so its flexibility in directional growth helps it thrive. Bookends the darkest time of the year as one of the latest flowers in the winter and earliest in the spring: brightens the spirit.

Witch Hazel Toner

• To make witch hazel infusion: 1:4 dried plant material (leaves, flowers, bark, twigs):water; 1:2 fresh plant material (flowers would be best): water.

• To 1 C strained witch hazel infusion, add 2 teaspoons alcohol or apple cider vinegar (more perishable, less of a preservative, but also more gentle than alcohol). Shake up.

• Label the jar with the contents and date, and store in the fridge.

• If you like, pour off a 1/2 - 1oz bottle to keep handy in the bathroom, judging the amount on weekly use. Keep a week’s worth at room temp in moderate weather. Adjust storage for seasonal variation.

Or
Make a more stable toner with a longer wait:

• Make a tincture: fresh herb: alcohol, 1:2.

• When the tincture is ready (average minimum is 6 weeks, but for most things I let them sit at least six months) strain it.

• Dilute to desired strength before applying topically. I would start with 2 tablespoons of tincture with water added to make 1 cup for daily care, adjusting amounts to personal preference and the intended use. A toner made for vulnerary care will be stronger than for daily care.

And one other toner option…

is to make a standard decoction and preserve that with alcohol the same way as with the infusion method.

Connecting to witch hazel is a way to ally with flowering energy through the time of fertile darkness. Witch hazel is easy to identify when flowering, so it’s a great time to notice where your local trees are and begin to observe witch hazel throughout the seasons.

Green Blessings from Nourishing Root: Feed Your Whole Self!

Spring Muesli

To celebrate the idea of an abundance of fruit and nuts to welcome the new cycle of growth, I decided to make muesli. It so quick and easy and adaptable to what you like. I used what I happened to have in the house, and it could be as traditional or wild as you like. I used seven add-ins in the traditions of Nowruz, with oats as a base, which is perfect as oats support the skeletal and nervous systems. The amounts here are completely flexible. If you use 2 lbs of oats, with 8-9 cups of add-ins, the recipe will yield approximately 4 quarts. 

Ingredients:

32 oz (2 lbs) rolled oats, about 8 cups

1 cup ground flax

2 cups almonds

1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds

1 1/4 cups raisins

1/3 cup hazelnuts

1 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup sesame seeds

Procedure:

In a very large bowl, mix all the ingredients together, stirring until evenly combined. Check out options below for some variations. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge to lengthen shelf life, or at room temperature. 

Options: 

• Toast nuts and seeds (but not the flax!)

• Soak nuts and larger seeds separately by type, then bake at a low temp oven until they are “dehydrated” and the largest items are not moist in the center. Soaking and dehydrating reduces some fat and increases digestibility by softening and removing nut skins, and breaking down phytic acid which interferes with absorption of minerals like iron, zinc, manganese, magnesium, and calcium.

• Spice it up with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, turmeric/black pepper, or spice of your choice.

• Herb it up with ground: nettles, red clover, roses, and so many more.

• Use it as a easy add-in for all the kitchen sink cookies.

• Make it into granola with a touch of maple syrup, fat of choice, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, baked until dry.

• Use it for individual portions of overnight oats where water or “milk” beverage is added overnight to get some of the benefits of soaking.

Winter Vegetable Curry

When I made this curry, I knew I wanted something warming and though I was excited by my pot of ginger infusion in theory, I wasn’t drinking it, so into the curry it went. Adding herbal infusions to food is a great way to consume herbs besides having them by the glass. Cooking in soups and stews is another type of infusing, but making a separate infusion increases the strength of the herb/spice by letting it steep four to eight hours or longer. 

Ginger is an easy one to start with since it can flow between sweet and savory foods and gets better as it sits (with proper refrigeration). Try using your dried culinary herbs and spices in herbal infusions for cooking in the winter when fresh options are less available. Start with a small amount of infusion, one or two cups, to get a sense of potency, and do taste it before adding to what you’re cooking. The general ratio is 1:4, 1 part dried herbs to 4 parts water. 

Ginger gets things moving as a circulatory. It can be warming in the winter and cooling in the summer. It increases blood flow to the extremities, warming up cold fingers and toes, arms and legs that could use a shake. Ginger can help relieve winter aches and pains through its anti-inflammatory action. It helps ease menstrual cramps, nausea, and stomach aches. In this recipe it helps the digest the many spices. Note that the drying, heating action of the spices is balanced by cooling, moistening coconut oil and milk to make it optimally digestible and enjoyable for a wider range of palates. 

Swap out other vegetables for whatever you have and do cook the denser tougher veggies first, adding more delicate veggies later. Serve with brown rice, or wild rice for extra protein. Add in your protein of choice: beans, tofu, plant-based meat substitutes, chicken, or fish. 

One last thing: read the recipe ahead of time for timing cues so the infusion is ready when it’s time to cook.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients: 

4 inches organic ginger root

2 cups water

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 large onion, large diced

1 large bunch kale, rough chopped

1/2 large head of cauliflower, cut into 2-inch chunks

8 large shiitake mushrooms, sliced, stems chopped

1 cup green beans, trimmed, cut in half

10 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped to a rough mince

2 tablespoons dulse seaweed flakes

2 cans coconut milk

2 tablespoons vindaloo spice blend

1 tablespoon rogan josh spice blend

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons mild curry powder

1 teaspoon fine salt

Ground black pepper to taste

Protein of choice (for example: 1 pound cod or fish, or 1 package tofu, cubed)

Procedure:

1. Eight hours ahead or the day before: make ginger infusion:

Slice four inches washed organic ginger root into 1/2 thick pieces. Cover with 2 cups water, bring to boil, turn down to a simmer.  Let simmer 15 minutes. Cover and let steep. When it’s at room temperature, move to refrigerated storage. After steeping, pour off 1 1/2 cups ginger tea for the curry. Add more water to the ginger root and repeat the process to make more tea to drink at leisure. 

2. Preheat oven to 425F. Wash, cut and prepare all vegetables.

3. In a large roasting pan or other deep pan, approximately 10 x 14 inches, add coconut oil, prepared onion, mushroom, cauliflower, and kale. Stir to mix. Bake for an hour in the middle of the oven. 

4. Remove pan from oven, turn oven down to 350F. 

5. Stir veg in the pan, then add green beans, garlic, dulse, spices, salt and pepper. Stir to mix. 

6. Add coconut milk, ginger infusion, and protein. 

7. Bake for 45 minutes, giving enough time for protein to cook thoroughly and flavors to meld. 

8. Adjust salt to taste.

9. Serve over brown or wild rice. 

Gingerbread Cake

Nourishing Root’s Gingerbread Cake is inspired by Faith Durand’s Dark Molasses Gingerbread Cake. This is a dark gingerbread, almost like a sweeter, darker, better Boston brown bread. I want it in the dark months of winter when the molasses and spices seem to find the crevices that need some sweet spice. If you like dark gingerbreads you know what you’re getting into. I’ve updated the flour and sugar choices, increased the spices, and changed out the espresso for the even mellow of cocoa powder. This is old-fashioned, comforting, eat it as a meal gingerbread cake. I like it plain best, but it’s well complemented by whipped cream (not too sweet!), or heat the cake and serve with ice cream for more contrast. Equally good for breakfast, snack or dessert. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

12 tablespoons butter, 

1 1/2 cups unsulphured blackstrap molasses

1 1/4 cup coconut sugar

3 1/4 cup white spelt flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

4 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cup whole milk

optional: 3/4 cup powdered sugar for garnish

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Grease a 10x14 pan.

3. Place the butter, molasses, and sugar in a 2 qt saucepan. Heat gently, stirring until butter melts and ingredients are combined. Remove from heat and let cool.

4. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, spices, and cocoa.

5. When the butter mixture has cooled, add the vanilla, eggs and milk and whisk to combine.

6. Mix wet and dry, whisking to thoroughly combine.

7. Pour batter into prepared pan.

8. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the center tester is clean.

9. Cool before cutting for a cleaner cut.

10. When cool, top with powdered sugar if desired.

Oatmeal Seed Rolls

This is a recipe based on Fannie Farmer’s classic oatmeal bread. I always return to oatmeal bread. This one is made with sunflower seeds, goat kefir, molasses and spelt flour. If you want to make it vegan, sub olive oil for the butter in the recipe, and instead of kefir, use a half cup of olive oil and add 3 1/2 cups water. The vegan version won’t be quite as smooth and silky but still quite delicious.

It has a wonderfully smooth texture to the dough that is enjoyable to shape. Because I let the oats and seeds and a portion of the flour absorb the liquid overnight, the oats plumped and maintained a moistness through baking that lends a nice crumb. Oats are my go-to for nervous system support.

This recipe is loose, but not to worry, bread is forgiving and you need as much flour as it takes to knead the dough into a non-sticky, silky round. The exact amount of flour always ranges a bit depending on which flour you use and the humidity. 

This is a large batch, perfect for a big family or stashing away in the freezer. Half the recipe if you want a smaller yield. But, they go quickly! 

You will need a very large bowl. I use a standard metal bowl 15 inches in diameter, 5 inches deep. If you don’t already have one and like to bake and cook, you won’t regret it! This size bowl is wide enough so you can knead in the bowl. 

Equipment:

4 large baking trays

Parchment paper

Dough scraper or large knife

Large wooden spoon

Extra large bowl

Ingredients:

Starter:

2 C warm water

1 package yeast

32 oz organic rolled oats 

1 32 oz bottle goat kefir, or yogurt (VN: 1/2 C olive oil+ 3 1/2 C water)

1/2 C molasses (or more to taste for a sweeter tone)

3 C white (or whole) spelt flour (if using whole spelt, you’ll need less overall in the recipe as it absorbs more water, but start with 3 C here)

3 C raw sunflower seeds, or seeds of your choice

Dough:

2 C warm water

2 packages yeast

2 T kosher salt

4 T room-temperature butter, or olive oil

6-8 C (or more to make a silky dough) spelt flour

Procedure: 

To make the starter, mix the water and yeast in a measuring cup or small bowl, and let sit five minutes until foamy. In an extra large bowl, place oats, kefir, and molasses. Add yeast mixture to the oat mixture and stir. Add flour and seeds. Stir to mix. Cover bowl with a cloth and let sit overnight (8-12 hours).

To make the dough, mix the water and yeast in a measuring cup or small bowl, and let sit five minutes until foamy. Once yeast is foamy, add to the starter and stir. Add 3 cups of flour and stir. Then add the salt and butter. Adding the salt at this point helps the salt not interfere with the yeast- too much salt can inhibit yeast growth. Mix with a wooden spoon until the dough is too stiff to stir. Add flour cup by cup, starting to knead the dough until the dough is not sticky, but silky to the touch. Kneading usually takes 5-10 minutes depending on force and speed of kneading. Turn out onto a flat floured surface if kneading in the bowl is troublesome. Cover dough and let sit for at least 2 hours, up to 4 hours. 

To make rolls, divide dough into 4 sections, and then divide each quarter into 16 pieces. Shape the rolls. They can be rolled into balls or cup the dough in your palm and twist and tuck the ends into the bottom center of the roll, creating a taut smooth round top. Place the rolls on parchment lined baking trays, evenly spacing the 16 per tray. After all the rolls are shaped, cover with kitchen towels, and let rise again 30-45  minutes, keeping them in the order they were shaped. 

To bake, after 30 minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 400F. Place rack in the center of the oven. Bake the rolls that were shaped first, one tray at a time. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until the center is not doughy and the bottoms are golden brown. Transfer to cooling racks. 

After the rolls are completely cool, store at room temperature or freeze. 

These are delicious with butter and jam, as mini sandwich bread, and alongside hot soups. Or take them on their own for an easy snack or meal on the go.

Bon appetit!

Winter Warming Spices

At Christmas I make nissu, a Scandinavian enriched, yeasted, spiced braided “coffee” bread with apricots. It’s a family recipe and over the years I’ve updated the ingredients to using better quality ingredients, better quality flours and sugars, and perhaps most crucially, more spice. Winter is a great time to enjoy the sweeter culinary spices, and not just for their nostalgia and taste. Spices, once so important to defining wealth and informing trade, are still gold mines for their value of potential wellness impact, especially given their accessibility of availability and cost. Nissu is not my breakfast smoothie norm but I noticed feeling a mood boost when I started the day with more spice. Let’s look at some of the benefits of these three spices: cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg. 

Note that it’s normal to shift which foods and spices are appealing as the seasons change. In the summer you might like cinnamon tea on its own or as a mixer. In the fall I love hot chai and warm cinnamon spiced apples or oatmeal. In the winter I want a more intense spice experience, or more frequent spice in many forms. In the spring, you might want less spice or different spices, maybe increasing ginger for example, as the growing season begins and the body shifts out of winter. 

Photo by Joanna Dubaj

Cinnamon- Cinnamomum cassia /verum

• Comes from the inner bark of a tropical evergreen tree. The tree grows for a few years then branches low to the ground are harvested for the inner bark.

• What we call cinnamon is cassia. True cinnamon is Cinnamomum verum, is less sweet than cassia. They look similar and are botanically related. True cinnamon is sometimes called Sri Lankan or Ceylon cinnamon. In the U.S. both can be legally sold as cinnamon, though some countries have much stricter regulations.

• Warming

• Balances blood sugar

• Helps kill candida albicans fungus

• Anti-bacterial

• Preservative

• Helps decrease insulin resistance in diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome

• Ayurvedic use for respiratory ailments and to ease muscle spasms

• A circulatory stimulant, causing vasodilation (widening of blood vessels) which temporarily reduces blood pressure.

• Besides being one of the most popular baking spices, try it in porridge, on fruit, mixed with yogurt, in curries, in grain salads.

• Makes a delicious infusion on its own or mixed with other herbal teas for some sweet spice.

• Makes a delicious tincture.

Cardamom- Elettaria cardamomum

• Zingiberaceae family, the ginger family

• Forest dwelling perennial that grows 5-10 feet high, likes partial shade.

• Known as the Queen of Spices, and has more than 25 volatile oils.

• It is a key ingredient in the Indian spice blend garam masala.

• May help relieve asthma, bad breath, blood clots, colic, colon cancer, constipation, diarrhea, disease, high blood pressure, indigestion, sinusitus, stomachache, ulcer.

• It’s used as a tooth cleaner and breath freshener. It’s very popular in coffee in the Middle East. Add to your coffee or tea, fruit desserts, gingerbread, chocolate or vanilla recipes, as part of seasoning for meat, or add to rice or other grains.

• I like to travel with a few of these as quick relief for bad breath and stomach aches.

Nutmeg/mace -Myristica fragrans

• Myristica fragrans is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 50 feet tall. Flowers are small, light yellow and bell-shaped. Fruits are yellow and pear-shaped.

• Nutmeg and mace are the same spice. Nutmeg is the seed. Mace is the dark red, lacy outer coating (aril) on nutmeg.

• Grown in the Maluka Islands in Indonesia and in Grenada in the Caribbean, and India grows a separate variety. Most of what is available in the U.S. comes from the Caribbean.

• Nutmeg is sweet, mace is more tart

• Lowers cholesterol levels

• Protects from UVB rays

• Supports elastin tissue that keeps skin from wrinkling

• Anti-anxiety

• Anti-depressive

• Supports memory

• Aphrodisiac

• Intoxicating in huge amounts

• Favorite uses are in eggnog, custards, quiche, hot rum, mulled wine, other hot beverages, bechamel sauce, creamed vegetables like spinach, squash, pumpkin, pastas

The nissu spiral tree maximizes spice volume.

Beyond Skin Deep

1. Skin Identity

Culturally, youthful smooth skin is idealized, and wrinkled, stretch-marked skin is reviled. Advertisements for ways to fix our skin sink into us as an everyday lotion, promising to soothe our anxiety as well as our skin. With beautiful skin we are told we will be more likeable, attractive, successful. When there’s anything unusual happening with our skin, the unconscious cultural narrative says we are bad, unlikeable, unworthy failures. As a teenager, I had such severe cystic acne that people would come up to me to ask if I had been in a disfiguring accident. Hormonal imbalances were aggravated by diet, social and emotional issues, and a long history of antibiotic use. My doctors offered no answers but plenty of drugs.

For years looking in the mirror, I saw myself through the warped lens of the beauty industry, and I tried to wash my face clean. It was a game changer to consider nourishing my skin, to stop peeling it away with retinol, and to see myself beyond the manufactured illusions of beauty culture and advertising. It would take another ten years, digestive distress, internal searching, and help from my herbal teacher, Robin Rose Bennett, to put me on a pharmaceutical free path. After a few months of taking herbal infusions with my already clean, green diet, my skin improved. I had started a new dynamic with the plants and myself. I was dealing with emotions differently, allowing myself to feel, being more present in my body. Getting off hormonal birth control and syncing my herbal infusions with the cycles of the moon gave me a sense of rhythm and connection with the physical world that allowed me to be more embodied.

2. Skin Detective Work

Herbal practitioners often act as detectives. Symptoms express one way but many times have their cause elsewhere. The skin, our largest organ, is an incredible source of clues. Face reading is an invaluable diagnostic tool.1 Margi Flint’s fabulous book2 offers diagrams and maps linking conditions and organ expression with skin marks, textures, colors, irritations, etc. Flint’s “Observing Indications of Three”3, the idea that to draw a conclusion there must be three different confirming manifestations, is a good guideline for objective witnessing.

With climate crisis environmental change, none escape the web, and the effects show in the skin. With record rain in NYC, I am more easily dehydrated and quicker to retain water. The quality of my skin prompts me to adjust fluid intake, healthy fats, salt, potassium, and diuretics in order to more consciously adapt. For example, despite the wetness, I did not get the water excess brown marks between my fingers that I usually see in spring, because I had increased my consumption of diuretic dandelion root and circulatory ginger root in late winter. Developing the references points within the ecosystem of one’s body begins to develop a language of how to adapt with environmental change, flowing despite stressors.

3. A Few Skin Allies

Tonic Herbs

Tonic herbs in Ayurveda and the Wise Woman tradition nourish tissues and organs and have a building quality. Ayurvedic tonic herbs are mostly polysaccharide-rich plants, neutral or sweet in taste, gentle, nerve soothing, and often demulcent such as licorice, marshmallow, shatavari, slippery elm, Irish moss, Solomon’s seal and flaxseed.4 The Wise Woman definition of tonics is broader, referring both to the way of using the plant, generally for long periods of time without contraindication, and to the nutritive supportive aspect. Wise Woman tonics include many daily nourishers such as oat, plantain, nettle, raspberry, violet, dandelion, burdock, and seaweed.5

Oat, Avena sativa

Oat is a favorite daily tonic, restorative and grounding. Oat builds bones and increases flexibility in the joints.6 It blends well, balancing strong flavors and gently moistening astringents. Consuming oats in food and infusion aids skin health by nourishing with minerals, moistening tissues through demulcent action, and balancing the nervous and endocrine systems.7 Oats ease hemorrhoids, varicose veins, eczema and skin irritations.8 Milky oat tops, best preserved as tincture, are “the greatest nervous system trophorestorative,” and are useful for nervous exhaustion, agitation, oversensitivity, hyperreactivity, and drug withdrawal.9 Oat in Ayurveda is a rasayana, a rejuvenative tonic,10 a cooling nervine and antispasmodic.11 For Avena sativa benefits, use plenty of oats as: food (rolled oats, steel cut oats, oat flour, oat milk), infusion, tincture, bath, scrub, sitz baths, and washes.

Plantain, Plantago major

Sometimes called white man’s foot because plantain grew in places colonizers disturbed, plantain draws, cools and soothes. A few years ago, plantain was my ally for a spider bite on my neck. I took burdock, plantain, and echinacea tinctures to stimulate my immune system and move venom out of my body faster.12 After using a fresh plantain poultice for two days, the redness and swelling stabilized. Within a week there was noticeable reduction of inflammation.

Abundant plantain is often overlooked. It is nature’s band-aid, an effective aid for bruising, wounds, itches, bites, skin irritations, eczema, psoriasis, hemorrhoids, cuts, burns, and rashes.13 The astringent and mucilaginous aspects balance each other, making plantain appropriate for many tissue states. As a urinary system tonic, diuretic, and small intestine nourisher,14 plantain helps digest and eliminate on multiple levels, which in turn supports clarity of the skin. Leaves are used in pot greens and infusions, and seeds are used for fiber and laxative bulk. Robin Rose Bennett says plantain, “uplifts the heart by connecting it with the joy and abundance of simple treasures that are underfoot.”15

Alteratives

Movement is essential for optimal skin. Alteratives are deep movers which create tissue state change via metabolism or elimination.16 Some examples are: burdock, red clover, nettle, dandelion, yellow dock, and poke root.

Burdock Root, Arctium lappa

A member of the sunflower family, bringing the force of water and earth, persistent and stubborn, burdock root gets the job done. Moving water through the body, cooling burdock eases skin diseases, boils, carbuncles, fevers, inflammations, and fluid retention,17 eases abscesses, pimples, acne, chronic rashes, eczema, cysts, infected wounds, burns, itchy skin, leg ulcers, frequent fever blisters and cold sores, herpes outbreaks, tumors.18 Burdock root moves “chemicals, heavy metals, and unwanted by-products of metabolic processes”19 in a way that can create a strong elimination purification effect: gas, diarrhea, increased bowel movements. Taking burdock root in small amounts over a long time is the most gentle and comfortable way for most to use burdock according to my clinical experience. Burdock root contains the nearly 45 percent prebiotic inulin,20 which creates an inviting gut environment for beneficial bacteria to grow. The health of the intestinal and digestive systems supports the health and clarity of the skin. I use burdock root tincture for bites and skin rashes, and the root in infusion, and food: broth, vegetable dishes, vinegar.

Red Clover Blossoms, Trifolium pretense

Red clover is sweet, salty, cool, nutrient- and protein-rich, antispasmodic, expectorant, alterative.21 Alteratives purify blood, help heal sores, boils, and tumors, aid liver processes, have anti-inflammatory and vulnerary properties, and help fight infections and parasites.22 Red clover nourishes the hormones with phytoestrogens,23 helping clear skin inflammations and acne. Red clover is an ally in fighting skin cancer24 and has antitumor properties.25 When used for long term skin stress, red clover helps restore yin fluids.26 Try red clover in tincture, infusion, and food: salads, frittatas, breads, baked goods, nutritive infusion. Contraindications: do not mix with medicine changed by the liver, birth control pills, estrogens,27 or blood thinners like Warfarin since red clover contains blood-thinning coumarins.28

Nervines support and nourish the nervous system, calming, steadying, and reducing anxiety. Gabor Maté draws the connection between the skin and the nervous system having evolved from the ectoderm tissue. Like the membranes of our cells, the body’s membrane – the skin – has an intelligence connected to the nervous system, to sensory perception, to the exchange of substances with the environment, to the response and decision-making so necessary for survival and adaptation.29 Human skin separates individual from environment and allows better response to and communication with the environment, just as within the body, cell membranes serve a parallel function on a micro level. Skin is much more than the outer layer of our individual boundary or the subdermal layers. Skin has important connections to the nervous system, and the overall functioning of the nervous system gives a view into an organism’s adaptability, which can then also show in the skin. Adaptogens for nervous system health that also support the skin are holy basil, astragalus, licorice, schisandra, and shatavari.30 Other skin supporting nervines include St. John’s wort, rose, oat, linden, and lavender.

St John’s Wort, Hypericum perforatum

Also called St. Joan’s wort, this solstice-blooming, yellow-flowered plant with tiny holes in its leaves lets the light through. It is bitter, spicy, warming, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, astringent, vulnery.

As a nervine it was historically used for “nervous griefs,” nerve pain, damage or numbness, seasonal affective disorder, burns, bites, and puncture wounds.31 It is antiviral for herpes and shingles.32 St. John’s wort is always in my travel and kitchen first-aid kit for burns, muscle aches, and wound care. I use St. John’s wort most often as a tincture or external oil, sometimes in infusion blends, and more rarely in food. Note: may make one more photo-sensitive. Check contraindications. Do not use St. John’s wort while taking the birth control pill or SSRIs, as it can cause cross reactions and reduce these prescriptions’ effectiveness.33

Rose, Rosa species

Rose helps the self to accept and surrender. Better self-knowledge makes seeing other perspectives easier, so use rose to stay heart-centered where differing opinions may be expressed. The taste ranges on a spectrum of astringent, spicy, sweet, floral. Rose nourishes the skin and the capillaries below it, increasing circulation.34 Rose’s antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties make rose a good skin ally. Rose nourishes the reproductive systems, and this hormonal balancing aids the skin.35 Nourishing the liver and the circulatory system has beneficial aspects for the skin. Rose can be both warming and cooling, astringent and toning, balancing temperature and moisture levels. Rose is used in many forms: rosewater, hydrosol, tincture, tea, salve, poultice, and in desserts, salads, vinegar, and honey. As a chef, I keep tincture ready for quick burn care.

4. Diet for Nourished Skin

To keep the skin clear, keep the channels of elimination flowing. Help the liver function with ease by reducing exposure to chemicals in food, body care and cleaning products. If it’s good enough to eat, it’s good enough to put on your body. Organic standards are changing, so while organic has in the past represented a better standard of chemical exposure, you should stay educated, and make sure you know from where and what soil your food comes. Get to know your farmers by shopping at farmer’s markets. Grow your own food if you can. Bacterial exposure to dirt is key for a healthy immune system, microbiome, and the skin. The scientific and medical understanding of the beneficial role of bacteria to human health is expanding.36

Know what creates inflammation in your own body: not enough water, quality of water, irritant foods such as dairy, wheat, eggs, gluten, chemical exposure, pollutants, stress, not enough sleep, undigested emotions, bad quality oils, pesticide heavy foods, etc. Note that a skin reaction to irritant foods may be a primary reaction as a direct allergy/intolerance, or a secondary reaction to stagnation in an organ system or a decline in the overall microbiome health. Eat inulin-rich foods like burdock and dandelion roots to feed the good bacteria of the microbiome. Eat fermented and probiotic foods like pickles, sauerkraut,37 beet kvass.38 There can be a range of reactions in the skin, digestion, body and mood that takes patient observation to witness.

Eat enough protein to keep blood sugar levels steady. Eating sugar is a quick way to drain the body of minerals and vitality, which shows up in the skin. Eating a whole foods seasonal diet, rich in greens, beans, vegetables and fruits of many colors, fiber, and good quality fats and proteins will help the functioning of the skin as an organ. Micro-algaes, like spirulina and chlorella, optimize cellular functioning, repair and renewal.39 Chlorella and seaweeds bind heavy metals and provide radiation protection.40 Omega-3 and GLA fatty acid-rich foods, like flax, salmon, fish oil, evening primrose, and sesame seeds, support healthy fat metabolism and the skin.41

Switch out harsh cleaners for vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, small amounts of essential oils, castile soap. Use natural oils for moisturizing and lubrication, like olive, almond, jojoba, sesame, coconut oil, etc. Use clay to draw out skin impurities. Practice gentle dry-skin brushing to stimulate the lymph.

Most of all, develop more awareness through skin. Is it: dry or moist, sensitive or tough, erupting or clear? A witnessing perspective can help one understand the cause of skin changes that may be occurring because of diet, environment, or internal factors. What works now may be different than what used to work and what will work. To more objectively witness oneself and others, through time, physical changes, and human forgetfulness, it’s helpful to take notes.

5. Rewriting the Narrative of the Self, the Skin We’re In

Skin is a vulnerable, strong, adaptable system that allows flow in different directions, helps us find our place in the world, helps us go deep within. Skin is also a language of boundaries: how we are separate beings, and yet, we all relate to the experience of being in this mortal skin. It is important to exfoliate cultural constructs and debris, to see what is under our own skin. Skin is not only a physical diagnostic tool, but  a container for identity and relationship. As a practitioner, I often see stress and held trauma manifest through organ systems, including the skin.

6. Conclusion

One time in the hospital for another question without an answer, I was stunned by my nurse’s glowing skin. When I complimented her, I saw a processing look, one I now recognize of one who has come through something and out the other side. I have no doubt that nurse had her own story of beyond skin-deep transformation. I recognized my transformation one day when I looked in the mirror and saw my own radiant skin. The spiral path to clear skin was messy, non-linear, and included nourishing infusions, eating seasonal whole foods, making lifestyle balance choices, and inviting flow through movement and bodywork.

The lines and wrinkles are moments mapping change, not to be shamefully hidden under foundation, but lifelines to the stories that make us whole. Developing a practice of being receptive to the information our bodies provide is a life-long awareness. The more we practice conversations with our bodies, seeing our bodies, our mini-ecosystems, held within the larger ecosystem, the more we can also embody our unity as living beings on the planet. In understanding our small selves better, it’s easier to see ourselves connected within the whole, one of many in relationship to the sacred web of life.

References

1.      Flint, Margi. The Practicing Herbalist (2010). Marblehead, Massachusetts: EarthSong Press, p.

139.

2.      Flint, Margi. The Practicing Herbalist (2010). Marblehead, Massachusetts: EarthSong Press.

3.      Flint, Margi. The Practicing Herbalist (2010). Marblehead, Massachusetts: EarthSong Press,

 p.127.

4.      Frawley, David & Lad, Vasant (2001). Twin Lakes, Wisconsin: Lotus Press, pp. 71-72.

5.      Weed, Susun (1989). Wise Woman Herbal: Healing Wise. Woodstock, New York: Ash Tree

Publishing.

6.      Bennett, Robin Rose (2014). The Gift of Healing Herbs. Berkeley, California: North Atlantic

Books, p. 173.

7.      Weed, Susun (1989). Wise Woman Herbal: Healing Wise. Woodstock, New York: Ash Tree

Publishing, p. 200.

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York: Ash Tree Publishing, pp.149-150.

9.      Winston, David & Maimes, Steven (2007). Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress

Relief. Rochester, Vermont: Healing Arts Press, p. 209.

10.    Frawley, David & Lad, Vasant (2001). Twin Lakes, Wisconsin: Lotus Press, p. 73.

11.    Frawley, David & Lad, Vasant (2001). Twin Lakes, Wisconsin: Lotus Press, p. 69.

12.    Tierra, Michael (1988). Planetary Herbology. Twin Lakes, Wisconsin: Lotus Press, p. 220.

13.    Edwards, Gail Faith (2000). Opening Our Wild Hearts to the Healing Herbs. Woodstock, New

York: Ash Tree Publishing, p.155.

14.    Tierra, Michael (1988). Planetary Herbology. Twin Lakes, Wisconsin: Lotus Press, p. 220.

15.    Bennett, Robin Rose (2014). The Gift of Healing Herbs. Berkeley, California: North Atlantic

                  Books, p. 282.

16.    Wood, Matthew (2004). Herbalism: Basic Doctrine, Energetics, and Classification. Berkeley,

California: North Atlantic Books, p. 222.

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18.    Weed, Susun (1989). Wise Woman Herbal: Healing Wise. Woodstock, New York: Ash Tree

Publishing, p.96.

19.    Edwards, Gail Faith (2000). Opening Our Wild Hearts to the Healing Herbs. Woodstock, New

York: Ash Tree Publishing, p. 77.

20.    Tierra, Michael (1988). Planetary Herbology. Twin Lakes, Wisconsin: Lotus Press, p. 193.

21.    Edwards, Gail Faith (2000). Opening Our Wild Hearts to the Healing Herbs. Woodstock, New

York: Ash Tree Publishing, p. 157. 

22.    Frawley, David & Lad, Vasant (2001). Twin Lakes, Wisconsin: Lotus Press, p. 49.

23.    Edwards, Gail Faith (2000). Opening Our Wild Hearts to the Healing Herbs. Woodstock, New

York: Ash Tree Publishing, p. 157.

24.    Retrieved from: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-308/red-clover.

25.    Tierra, Michael (1988). Planetary Herbology. Twin Lakes, Wisconsin: Lotus Press, p. 192.

26.    Pitchford, Paul (2002). Healing with Whole Foods. Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books, p.

442.

27.    Retrieved from: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-308/red-clover.

28.    Tierra, Michael (1988). Planetary Herbology. Twin Lakes, Wisconsin: Lotus Press, p. 191.

29.    Maté, Gabor (2003). When the Body Says No: Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection.

Hoboken, New Jersey, John Wiley & Sons, p. 227.

30.    Winston, David & Maimes, Steven (2007). Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress

Relief. Rochester, Vermont: Healing Arts Press, p. 112-113.

31.    Winston, David & Maimes, Steven (2007). Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress

Relief. Rochester, Vermont: Healing Arts Press, p. 219.

32.    Bennett, Robin Rose (2014). The Gift of Healing Herbs. Berkeley, California: North Atlantic

Books, p. 200.

33.    Retrieved from: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-329/st-johns-wort.

34.    Bennett, Robin Rose (2014). The Gift of Healing Herbs. Berkeley, California: North Atlantic

Books, p. 298.

35.    Edwards, Gail Faith (2000). Opening Our Wild Hearts to the Healing Herbs. Woodstock, New

York: Ash Tree Publishing, p. 162.

36.    Retrieved from: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-019-0469-4?fbclid=IwAR3LAuP8VpSeZzp2PExYJ3DPr4pnx3deyml_XTtv9UP_qDmZ0C4mk_Z_Pr0).

Retrieved from: https://edyong.me/i-contain-multitudes.

Retrieved from:

https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/02/11/how-the-dirt-cure-can-make-for-healthier-families.

Retrieved from:

https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/exploring-remote-villages-for-clues-to-the-human-microbiome/.

37.    Katz, Sandor Ellix (2012). The Art of Fermentation. Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing.

38.    Fallon, Sally. Nourishing Traditions (2001). Washington D.C.: New Trends Publishing.

39.    Pitchford, Paul (2002). Healing with Whole Foods. Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books, p.

233.

40.    Pitchford, Paul (2002). Healing with Whole Foods. Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books, p.

232.

41.    Pitchford, Paul (2002). Healing with Whole Foods. Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books, p.

441.

Pumpkin Custard

Every year when Thanksgiving comes around, I want the taste of pumpkin pie without the time consuming process of making pie crust. For the past few years I’ve been making pumpkin custard, a spicier pumpkin pie filling baked without a crust. It’s an easy quick two bowl, mix it up process. Pumpkin custard is delicious on its own or with ice cream, cookies, whipped cream. Try it hot, room temperature or cold. High in fiber, rich in spice, and with minimal sugar, this dessert makes me want to celebrate. This is a dessert for more than Thanksgiving, it’s one to go back to all winter long. Try it with puree of squash or sweet potato too.

Ingredients:

2 -15oz cans pumpkin puree, or 30 oz fresh puree

2 cups coconut sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cloves

4 large eggs

2 cups cold cream, or room temperature coconut milk

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Procedure: 

1. Preheat oven to 425F

2. In a large bowl, place pumpkin puree, coconut sugar, salt, and spices. Mix it up. Taste it now before the eggs are added. The spices should be louder than ideal now as they will be tamed when mixed with fats and cooked.

3. In a medium bowl, place cold cream. Whisk in cornstarch until smooth. If using coconut milk, whisk in cornstarch until smooth. Add eggs and whisk to mix.

4. Add egg mixture to pumpkin mixture and blend well.

5. Divide between 2 8x8 pans.

6. Bake at 425F 15 minutes.

7. Turn heat down to 350F and bake for another 30-40 minutes until the center is firm.

Quince Almond Cake

Quince is a rose family fruit prized for its fragrant, dense, tart flavor. The word “marmalade” originally meant quince jam, stemming from the Portuguese “marmelo”, quince. I wanted to make something other than quince jam because the amount of sugar in most recipes is substantial, so I stewed the fruit with a small amount of sugar and several cinnamon sticks and then topped it with a delicious spelt almond cake. Quinces are a lot of work so making a jam or jelly lengthens the amount of time one can enjoy the fruit of one’s labors, but this cake was worth it with the unique texture of stewed quince in perfect opposition to spelt and almond. The cake would work well with other autumn and winter fruits too- pears, apples, persimmons... On this gray November day quince is like a wave of sunlight on a plate. 

INGREDIENTS: 

CAKE:

• 250 g butter, room temp (2 sticks +2T)

• 1 1/2 cup coconut sugar

• 1 tablespoon almond extract

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 3 eggs

• 1 1/4 cup ground almonds

• 3/4 cup milk, or almond milk

• 2 cups spelt flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

POACHED QUINCES:

• 6 cups cut pieces of quince from fruit that is peeled, cored, cut into quarters and then halves of quarters for about 2-incb pieces

• 2 cups sugar

• 2 cinnamon sticks

EQUIPMENT: 2 -  9x9 pans

PROCEDURE: 

Place prepared quince, cinnamon sticks and sugar in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until slightly pink and tender. Set aside to cool. 

Preheat oven to 350F 

In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and extracts until light. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Stir in ground almonds. Alternate milk and flour, mixing well. Divide the cooked quince between two 9x9 pans. Top each with half the batter. Bake for 45 mins or until a skewer inserted in center of the cake (not the fruit) comes out clean.

Hoisin Beans and Greens

HOISIN BEANS AND GREENS

Hoisin black beans and greens, with scallions, radish tops, tatsoi, and red peppers. Beans and greens are a quick way to a nutritious dinner that is inexpensive and tasty. The sweet and salty sauce is comforting without being overwhelming, and the flavors are a nice break from the autumn palate. Serve with sesame seeds, scallions, and siracha for garnish, brown rice and a side of roasted vegetables. 

Equipment: 1 large 12 inch sauté pan

Ingredients:

Sauce:

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons tamari 

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

optional: siracha to taste

Veggies and Beans:

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 bunch scallions, cut into inch pieces 

1 red peppers, diced

1 bunch tatsoi or bok choy or broccoli, ends trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

1 bunch radish tops, wash these well they can be gritty!, rough chopped

1 can black beans drained and rinsed 

Optional garnishes: toasted sesame seeds, more scallions, siracha or hot sauce

Procedure:

Sauce: mix all ingredients in a liquid measuring cup or bowl. Taste and adjust as preferred.

Veggies and Beans: wash and cut all the veggies and prepare the beans. Heat a large saucepan or wok on medium, add oil, radish tops and tatsoi. When the greens start to darken and soften after a few minutes, stir and add red peppers and scallions. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the beans and the sauce. Cook to heat through, about five minutes. Adjust seasonings. Serve with brown rice, garnishes and roasted veggies.

Roasted radishes, parsnips, and koginut squash before cooking, and after below.

Vegan Spanakopita Spelt Pie

Spanakopita is a Greek phyllo pie traditionally made with spinach and feta, and there’s also hortopita, similar to spanakopita, but with a mix of greens, so get creative with your greens: spinach, arugula, kale, chard, beet greens, mustard greens, dandelion, foraged greens. This vegan version uses an open faced spelt pizza crust as a departure from phyllo, and it’s worth trying this vegan filling wrapped in phyllo too.

 Most recipes cook the greens first, but if using a tender green like spinach, the greens can be salted, left to sit for at least 10 minutes (or longer), then vigorously mix the salted greens, squeezing and agitating to release as much liquid as possible. This can be done with tougher greens, but factor in a slightly longer cooking time to make sure the greens are tender.

Sea salt can be substituted for kosher salt but use slightly less as sea salt is denser and saltier by volume.

Ingredients: 

Crust: 

1 package yeast 

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon coconut sugar

3 1/2 cups whole spelt flour, plus extra 1/2 cup if needed

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the pans, about 3 tablespoons

Filling:

1 pound spinach

Kosher salt for greens, 1 teaspoon or more

1 large bunch parsley

1 large bunch dill

2 leeks or 1 bunch scallions

2 packages soft tofu

1/2 cup olive oil

Crushed black pepper to taste

Equipment: 

2 large mixing bowls, 3 8x8 pans, one large colander, salad spinner

Procedure: 

1. To make the crust, measure the warm water in a large liquid measuring cup. Add the yeast and the sugar. Set aside.

2. Into a large bowl, measure the flour and salt, stirring to combine.

3. After the yeast mixture has sat for about ten minutes, add it to the flour mix. Add the olive oil. Stir to combine.

4. Mix to form a dough, adding more flour as needed to form a smooth ball. Knead until the dough has some give. It should not stick to your hands in pieces but may be moist enough to feel slightly tacky to the touch. Spelt continues to absorb water, so a slighter wetter dough than a wheat crust will help the texture not be too dry later.

5. When the dough is ready, pour a tablespoon of olive oil over the top, covering the whole surface of the dough ball. Cover the top of the bowl with a towel and set aside.

6. For the greens: wash everything, cutting tougher leaves into chiffonade or dice, spinach and delicate greens can be rough chopped. After the greens are cut and washed. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt and mix to agitate. Let sit 10 minutes, then agitate and squeeze to release as much liquid as possible. It’s good practice to taste a tiny bit of the greens to check the saltiness. This will be all the salt in the recipe so it should taste salty but not overwhlemingly so. Imagine what it will be like when the rest of the ingredients are added, and then how it will all be mellowed through baking. If you are concerned that there is too much salt for your palate, now is the time to adjust: rinse the greens again and squeeze out liquid. Put greens in a large bowl.

7. MEP (mise en place- prepare) the parsley, dill,  and scallions or leeks. Wash everything and then chop it finely, adding it to the greens.

8. Mix all the greens together, then add the tofu, black pepper, and olive oil. Combine well. 

9. Prepare 8x8 pans with olive oil on the bottom but not the sides. 

10. Divide the dough into three. Stretch dough like pizza, fitting it into the three pans, shaping the dough to create a crust to the edge of the dish. You may need to let the dough rest for a few minutes to fully stretch into the pans. 

11. Once the crusts are formed, divide the filling bewteen the three pans. Gently press the filling down to even out the top. 

12. Bake at 350F for 75-90 minutes until the bottom crust is firm and lightly browned. The filling should be firm with no jiggle. Pie can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen.