WhitbyJet
Well-Known Member
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- 1,597
Its soon time to collect elderberries, you can make your own flu/cold remedy to fight infections/shorten the duration of a cold, boost the immune system in preparation for autumn/winter.
My family have used elderberries ever since I can remember, suddenly they are coming into fashion, you probably have seen ads for Sambucol (nothing more than elderberry extract and quite pricey to boot).
Elderberries are highly regarded by herbalists for their ability to ward off and treat colds and 'flu. They have anti-catarrhal and anti-inflammatory properties.
Elderberries have as much as 5 times the amount of anthocyanins as blueberries! They even score better than cranberries for antioxidants. This has given them the status of 'superfood'.
http://voices.yahoo.com/the-health-bene ... 97922.html
http://www.101healthyrecipes.com/health ... ts-101.php
A few things to watch out:
***It's really important only to pick ripe (purple-black) elderberries. You can tell they're ripe because the fruits will be hanging downwards and plump, rather than being above the branch and hard. Avoid green and green-purple berries as these are unripe and contain traces of cyanide, which can cause vomiting and diarrohea.***
Pick the berries on their twig. Leave the job of taking the berries off the stalks until you're home.
Remove berries from the stalk, easiest way is by running the stalk through the tines of a fork. Place berries in a sieve and rinse well, freeze in portions, ready for use.
My family used to make elderberry syrup, jamm and jelly, but since becoming diabetic this is a no-no for me, but this is what I do with my elderberries:
Place berries in a pan, add a small amount of water, cinnamon and cloves (ground), vanilla, pinch of sea salt, splash of Jamaican rum if liked and simmer until berries are soft, takes about 20-30 minutes or so, you want them to be a little bit mushy, add a little cornflour or blancmange powder and sweetener to taste, simmer for a couple more minutes, take off the heat, stir in a knob of butter, leave to cool; best eaten at room temperature or chilled. If you are not quite as low carb as I am you can add plum halves or apple or pear slices and simmer along with the berries.
Eat with yogurt, cream, German quark, as topping for low carb porridge (<< 2tbsp ground almond, 1 tbsp each of coconut flour, ground linseed, oat bran) or low carb ice cream (check out smidge's ice cream emporium).
Pic: Elderberries with mascarpone cheese
Good health to all
Hope I dont come across as being bossy or offensive.
My family have used elderberries ever since I can remember, suddenly they are coming into fashion, you probably have seen ads for Sambucol (nothing more than elderberry extract and quite pricey to boot).
Elderberries are highly regarded by herbalists for their ability to ward off and treat colds and 'flu. They have anti-catarrhal and anti-inflammatory properties.
Elderberries have as much as 5 times the amount of anthocyanins as blueberries! They even score better than cranberries for antioxidants. This has given them the status of 'superfood'.
http://voices.yahoo.com/the-health-bene ... 97922.html
http://www.101healthyrecipes.com/health ... ts-101.php
A few things to watch out:
***It's really important only to pick ripe (purple-black) elderberries. You can tell they're ripe because the fruits will be hanging downwards and plump, rather than being above the branch and hard. Avoid green and green-purple berries as these are unripe and contain traces of cyanide, which can cause vomiting and diarrohea.***
Pick the berries on their twig. Leave the job of taking the berries off the stalks until you're home.
Remove berries from the stalk, easiest way is by running the stalk through the tines of a fork. Place berries in a sieve and rinse well, freeze in portions, ready for use.
My family used to make elderberry syrup, jamm and jelly, but since becoming diabetic this is a no-no for me, but this is what I do with my elderberries:
Place berries in a pan, add a small amount of water, cinnamon and cloves (ground), vanilla, pinch of sea salt, splash of Jamaican rum if liked and simmer until berries are soft, takes about 20-30 minutes or so, you want them to be a little bit mushy, add a little cornflour or blancmange powder and sweetener to taste, simmer for a couple more minutes, take off the heat, stir in a knob of butter, leave to cool; best eaten at room temperature or chilled. If you are not quite as low carb as I am you can add plum halves or apple or pear slices and simmer along with the berries.
Eat with yogurt, cream, German quark, as topping for low carb porridge (<< 2tbsp ground almond, 1 tbsp each of coconut flour, ground linseed, oat bran) or low carb ice cream (check out smidge's ice cream emporium).
Pic: Elderberries with mascarpone cheese
Good health to all
Hope I dont come across as being bossy or offensive.
