During last year’s Raw Food Solstice Fest I learned about sweet cicely during our wild plant walk near my house. I’d been eating a lot of dandelion, thistle and nettle, and the SWEET taste of Cicely made me an instant fan. Green and sweet?  Sweet!

Since then, I see it all over the woods when I ride my bike. I snack on it. I harvest it to add with fennel bulb and zucchini in a raw soup. I toss it in the Vitamix by the handful with thistles and oranges for a smoothie. My friend Tess from Hailey, ID became an instant fan after the wild plant walk. She wants share this more sophisticated recipe with you:

 Sweet Cicely Pesto

• 1/2 avocado
• 1/2 lemon
• 3 sprigs sweet cicely
• few sprigs parsley
• handful watercress, kale, or whatever greens you have
• 1 Tbs. flax oil
• 1/2-1 green onion

Blend in the food processor and eat with flax crackers or wrap into dandelion leaf wraps.

Here is what Tess has to say about Sweet Cicely:
“There are a few different species called Sweet Cicely. This is ozmorhiza occidentalis (western sweet cicely). A lively herb, with a licorice, anise taste. Grows in wetter sagebrush slopes (higher elevation or north facing) and forested slopes (I found in a douglas fir forest).”

Looking for more inspiration on the free prana-filled nutrients out your back door? We’re not alone! NPR published: Foraging The Weeds For Wild, Healthy Greens. Furthermore, here is a great post from Divine Nourishment with plenty of  Wild Spring Greens plant descriptions and recipes.

If you want to get this inside out… join us June 29-July 1 is my  Raw Food & Yoga Fest in Driggs, Idaho. I’ll be teaching with chef Tanya Alexander. Save your seat and your investment will pay you back as your grocery bill shrinks!

If you’re not local, you can take the Eat Green Challenge with me and Desiree.