Randazzo: April showers brings edible flowers

With spring having arrived early this year, there are beautiful flowers everywhere.
Have you ever wanted to do more with your flowers than just put them in a vase? Marigolds, lavender, roses, pansies, and even weeds like dandelions can be added into recipes for a pop of flavor and color. They can be used fresh, dried, or even sautéed.
Flowers provide essential nutrients as well as sensory appeal to our dishes. Similar to fruits and vegetables, edible flowers are high in antioxidants as well as an excellent source of minerals. Antioxidants and minerals help prevent chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease.
A few ways to eat flowers include added to salads, topped on cakes, steeped for tea, and frozen in popsicles. It is not recommended to pick your own flowers to eat. Edible flowers safe to eat can be found in the produce section at health food stores and some garden stores.
LAVENDER STRAWBERRY LEMONADE POPSICLES
3 cups water
¼ cup culinary lavender
¼ cup honey
2 cups diced strawberries
Juice of 2 lemons
Boil water in a small pan and steep lavender for 10 minutes.
Strain lavender liquid through two paper coffee filters or a tea strainer, reserving the liquid. To the liquid stir in the honey and lemon juice until dissolved.
Equally distribute diced strawberries in popsicle molds. Spoon the lavender mixture into each mold, leaving a little bit of room at the top of each compartment.
Freeze popsicles for at least seven hours.
To remove the popsicles from the mold, fill the sink with hot water and dunk the frozen part in for about 10 seconds so that they will release easily. I recommend storing the popsicles in a large zipper bag rather than keeping them in the mold.
The LSU AgCenter strives to engage every sense in the learning process with hands-on activities and food tastings included in every lesson of the programs.
Community nutrition programs focus on budget-friendly healthful food choices, increased physical activity, and habits that promote good health. The community nutrition agent and nutrition educator partner with the local school system, senior centers and community members to provide relevant and engaging nutrition education to all ages.
Randazzo is the LSU AgCenter Nutrition Agent for St. Martin and St. Mary parishes. She is an LSU graduate with a degree in food and nutrition science. For information on any nutrition related topics, email jrandazzo@agcenter.lsu.edu or call 337-828-4100
—Recipe adapted from www.saltandlavender.com/lavender-lemonade-popsicles/
Sources:
Edible Flowers — A New Promising Source of Mineral Elements in Human Nutrition by Otakar Rop, Jiri Mlcek, Tunde Jurikova, Jarmila Neugebauerova, and Jindriska Vabkova.
www.eatright.org