redrikki

Lured by the promise of that warm fuzzy feeling and an Amazon gift card, I gave blood today during my lunch hour. Having learned my lesson from last time, I drank all the water for the last two days and ate a bunch of field greens to get my iron up. The last time I tried to donate, my fluids were too low for them to get a good stick and I ended up not being able to donate. Today though, I filled a bag in what was, for me, record time. 8:15 minutes! Go me and my currently slightly dizzy self.

I can't recall if I've mentioned it before, but I am a forager. It's a lot of fun, like a cross between a hike and a scavenger hunt where you get a tasty snack at the end. For getting my iron up, my favorite field green is clover. Unlike most wild greens, it doesn't get bitter as the summer progresses, so it always tastes good. Violet is also pretty nice, but it's a bit slimy when cooked. The other cool thing about clover? You can eat the flowers too. In fact, dry it out and run it through a coffee grinder and you can make flower flour! You can't use it as a substitute for wheat flour since it has no gluten, but it makes a great additive. I use it in pancakes, banana bread, and strawberry-clover muffins. It adds a nice bit of texture and sweetness. I prefer white clover over red which sometimes has a slightly bitter after taste. If you'd like to try it, make sure to a) pick where you know for sure no one is using pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizer and b) wash it thoroughly before drying.