Dollar Weed, Pest Plant Turned Culinary Treat

Bet you never thought that dollar weed was edible. This plant is often looked at as more of an invasive pest in Florida yards than something you find on the menu of a restaurant. It is usually grows on the wettest part of your lawn. It likes water.

Dollar weed as seen from above
Copyright 2019 by Helen A. Lockey

Dollar Weed is small plant with only one shiny, very round, scalloped leaf that is about the size of an American silver dollar (hence the name). It's botanical name is Hydrocotyle bonariensis and it is also known as large leaf Pennywort.

Underside of dollar weed with stem growing out of center of
leaf. Copyright 2019 by Helen A. Lockey

It has an unique stem that grows from the center of the leaf down to the ground. In its raw form it is very crisp with a bit of a bitter aftertaste. The stems are a bit more bitter but the leaves. It can eaten raw in salads or cooked.

There are some look alike plants in Florida that have stems growing of the side of the leaf.

And like I said you can find it in practically every south Florida lawn. But before you eat it make sure it has not be sprayed with any chemicals.

If you are unsure seek out a wild food forager to get them to identify the wild version. You can also ask one of the many local farmers growing this plant for area restaurants how much they want for their domesticated dollar weed.

Distillery 031, Small Batch Craft Spirits, South African

Small batch, craft, Distillery 031 of Durban, South Africa, makes delicious vegan alcohol. They are a small-batch craft distillery, said Andrew Rall, owner and founder, during an interview at the 23^rd Annual Americas Food & Beverage Show, Miami Beach, Florida. 

Andrew Rall, owner and founder of Distillery 031,
23rd Annual Americas Food & Beverage Show, Miami Beach,
Florida, Copyright 2019 by Helen A. Lockey

Rall’s fascination with craft spirits began in 2000 with a trip to Scotland and a later trip to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Norway and Brazil where he explored several approaches to distilling. He started a craft distilling as a hobby 2007 at his home. The decision to grow his hobby into a distillery was energized by the craft distillery movement in South Africa. He wanted his spirits to reflect the eclectic style of Durban and so kept his process small-batch. In 2015, he started selling to the public.

He uses locally sourced ingredients in his alcohol like fresh harvested and pressed sugar cane juice, cascara (coffee cherries), African Rosehip, African Baobab, Madagascar Vanilla beans, Naartjie, and Rooibos.

Distillery 031 of South Africa, from left to right:
Agua Zulu Cachaca, 031 Vodka, 23 Americas Food & Beverage Show,
Miami Beach, Fla. Copyright 2019 by Helen A. Lockey

His 031 Vodka is made in a Swedish style way, unfiltered so it has a bit of flavor. It is distilled 10 times from molasses produced from locally grown sugar cane. The final alcohol is ultra smooth, and is as pure as it can be with the just the body of the alcohol, both the head (ethanol) and the tail (acetone) are discarded. It is has refreshing, slightly sweet citrus zest flavor, and is 43 percent Alcohol by Volume. 

Distillery 031 from left to right: Ancestors Absinthe,
Heart of Gold Vanilla & Baobab Liqueur, Heart of Darkness
Coffee Liqueur, 23 Americas Food & Beverage Show,
Miami Beach, Fla., Copyright 2019 by Helen A. Lockey

Distillery 031 uses their hand crafted, ten times distilled, Vodka as a base for their Heart Of Gold Liqueur. This spirit is delightfully sweet and creamy, infused with African Baobab fruit and Madagascar vanilla bean in the bottle. It has a creamy mouth feel simulating a dairy base but its all vegan, according to Rall.

They also make Brazilian-Portuguese style Cachaca called Agua Zulu, D'Urban Dry Gin, D'Urban Barrel Aged Gin, D'Urban Scarlet Gin, Heart of Stone Naartjie & Rooibus Liqueur, Ancestors Absinthe, Heart of Darkness Coffee Liqueur, Brandy, and Tonic.

Distillery 031, named after the area code in their part of Durban, was at the 23rd Americas Food and Beverage Show to find a distributor for the Florida market. They hope to be available for sales in 2020, first on the Internet and then Brick and Mortar stores. But for right now if you want to taste their craft spirits you will have to travel to South Africa. 

Plant-Based Seafood Options, More Than Seaweed

Plant-based seafood includes more selections than just seaweed. It can contain deliciously imaginative dishes like scallops, lobsta rolls, fish and chips, and smoked salmon. It's easy to make faux seafood from soy protein but the dishes listed below are made from more challenging ingredients like mushrooms, hearts of palm, banana flowers and carrots.

Plant-based scallops made with King Oyster Mushroom stems,
served at Full Bloom Gourmet Vegan Cuisine, Miami Beach, Fla.,
Copyright 2019 by Helen A. Lockey

I have come across two versions of scallops made with mushrooms but the best version so far has been with seared King oyster mushroom stems cooked by Full Bloom Gourmet Vegan Cuisine on Miami Beach, Florida. Their mushroom scallops had the right texture of real shellfish scallops, with a bit of bounce and a tender center. The flavor was pretty close too, which was surprising considering what they were made of.

Plant-based Lobsta Roll made with heart of palm, mayonnaise
and spice, Vegan Fine Foods, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Copyright 2019 by Helen A. Lockey

Another plant-based seafood dish I tasted was a spicy Lobsta Roll created by Vegan Fine Foods grocery store. It was made with hearts of palm, mayonnaise, red onions, celery and dill, on a hoagie roll. Executive Chef Jonny Nobones said he tried making it fishier by brining it in dulse (seaweed) but it came out too salty. I suggested he call it Florida lobster roll because it was made with hearts of palm which up until recently were sourced from Florida cabbage palm trees.

Plant-based deep fried fish made with brined banana flowers,
and served with chips and coleslaw, Oh My Cod Seafood Co.,
Space Coast Veg Fest, Copyright 2018 by Helen A. Lockey

The plant-based fish and chips dish I came across was at the Space Coast Veg fest last year. It was created by Oh My Cod Seafood Co. They were very inventive, making their fish out of battered, deep fried banana flower blossoms. These came with a side of chips and coleslaw. Oh My Cod had brined the banana blossoms in seaweed and they were delicious, soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside.

Plant-based Smoked Salmon on bagels with cream cheese,
Created by Full Bloom Gourmet Vegan Cuisine, Miami Beach, Fla.,
Copyright 2019 by Helen A. Lockey

And finally the most unusual plant-based seafood dish I have eaten recently was Smoked Salmon on bagels with cream cheese.  Full Bloom Gourmet Vegan Cuisine in Miami Beach, Florida, created it. The smoked salmon was made with smoked carrots, and the cheese was made from cashew. The first bite of the carrot salmon was the best, unfortunely after that the smoked flavor became too strong for me. It was a shame, I really wanted to like it because it looked so good.

So the next time you go looking for a plant-based seafood, remember to think outside the box, and go try some of these deliciously exotic selections.

South Florida Wild Food Forage

Palm Beach County, Fla.—Wild foraged foods can be tasty. And they can be fun to find. You don’t have to go  deep into a dark wood to find these edibles because many of them are ornamental plants used for landscaping South Florida gardens. So instead of spraying chemicals on them, pick then and have them for your next meal. I'm just going to introduce you to three easy to find edibles. 

Dollarweed underside, South Florida
Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

The first and most abundant wild edible is Dollar Weed (Hydrocotyle spp.)  a.k.a Pennywort. It is a very short, green plant that grows in abundance on lawns that get a lot of water and nutrients. The edible leaves are about the size of a silver dollar and the main stem grows from the center of the leaf. They grow year round and can be eaten fresh (without cooking). 

Firebush berries, South Florida.
Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

Firebush (Hamelia patens) is a popular Florida native butterfly and hummingbird attraction plant, which is often used for hedges. It produces and orange to red colored clustered flowers that when pollinated produce edible waxy, dark purple to black colored berries that grow in clusters. The berries have an unpleasant bitter aftertaste if eaten raw. They are better cooked and are often used to make jellies and chutneys. They grow year round. 

Cabbage Palm Tree edible seeds, South Florida
Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

Cabbage Palm Tree (Sabal palmetto) is a very common Florida native plant species that grow anywhere from 40-90 feet in height. When they are young the berries, that grow in clusters, on stems near the heart of the tree, are edible. They are black with crunchy outer shell, soft dry interior and big seed. The berries of have a taste that is a cross between dates and instant hot chocolate powered with a bitter aftertaste (from the skin). They are in season late October to November.

With any wild food you want to be 100 percent sure you know what you are eating. Correct plant identification is very important, as many Florida plants require cooking before eating them. 

Take a very little bite and wait at least an hour before consuming more. This way if it is poisonous, or you are allergic to it, the effects will be minimal. If you don't experience any adverse reactions, then take another bite.

Also be mindful of the wild plants you find. You want to be able to source the wild edible again in the future and if you pull them up with their roots of take every plant you find there will be nothing left. 

Hopefully this post will give you some edibles to enjoy on your next trip through the woods or your backyard.  

Tropical Fruit Rum Parfait: Florida Style

Summertime is tropical fruit season in Florida. It is also rum season. So to honor both, I created a tropical fruit rum parfait using locally sourced Florida fruit and Florida silver rum.

Florida sourced tropical fruit rum parfait with Copper Bottom Silver Rum,
Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

My usual rum of choice is aged but recently I got to try Copper Bottom Craft Distillery's Silver Rum, and loved it. I used this in my parfait because it had a lovely smooth taste that was not too sugary.

Copper Bottom Craft Distillery is located in Holly Hill (near Daytona Beach,) Florida.

I bought Florida grown ripe jackfruit (golden color) and yellow pineapple from Caribbean Plants And Produce fruit stand on western Okeechobee Boulevard. They sell fruit and produce from a lot of local growers in Loxahatchee, Florida.

I picked the green stevia leaves from my garden.

The ice cream was a frozen confection made out of almond milk, and was store bought.


PARFAIT MAKING:

Put two scoops of ice cream in a wide lipped parfait glass or old fashioned champagne glass

Then put a handful (about 1/2 cup) of chopped pineapple on top of the ice cream

Then place a handful (about 1/2 cup) of shredded, ripe, jackfruit on top of the pineapple pieces

Garnish with three stevia or mint leaves

Then drizzle about 1-ounce (or to taste) silver rum over everything.


ENJOY.

Açai Bowls, Superfood Fun In Fla.

Açai bowls are a delicious way to eat your superfoods. These bowls are put together from a base of frozen, ground, purple Brazilian Açai berries. There are usually staple ingredients like strawberries, bananas, blueberries, shredded coconut, honey, and granola.  And from there the ingredients vary a lot from any type of berry (goji, mulberry, raspberry...etc.), to any type of fruit (dragonfruit, mango, kiwi fruit...etc), to dark chocolate, and even to avocados. Here are just three of the more outstanding bowls I have eaten in South Florida.

Off-menu açaí crafted at Vegan Fine Foods,
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.,
Copyright 2019 by Helen A. Lockey

Vegan Fine Foods has one of the largest açaí bowls that can be ordered, off-menu, from Chef Jonny. They can cost $18 each or more and can easily feed two-three people. The one Chef Jonny made for me contained frozen açaí, red and white dragon fruit, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, goji berries, dark chocolate, dried mulberries, chocolate chips, mango, shredded coconut, buried granola, and an edible orchid flower.

Açaí bowl from Perk Coffee House, Tequesta, Fla.
Copyright 2018 by Helen A Lockey

Perk Coffee House was the first place I ate an açaí bowl, back in July 2018. Their bowl contained blueberries, strawberries, grated coconut, frozen açaí, pineapple, hemp seeds, flax seeds, bananas, honey, and granola ($8.00). I paid $1.50 extra for some almond butter. 

Ital Bowls Foodtruck açaí bowl, Stuart, Fla.,
Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

Ital Bowls Food truck, in Stuart, was the most recent location that I tried an açaí bowl. Their, "The Ital Bowl," had an unexpected ingredient--fresh avocado. It also contained organic frozen açaí,   bananas, blueberries, kiwi fruit, honey, granola, and vegan protein powder ($10). I replaced the honey with agave syrup ($0.50 more), added shredded coconut ($0.75 more) and goji berries ($1.00 more).

Superfoods help slow down the affects of aging. And so Açaí bowls are basically a healthy, adult form, of an ice cream sundae with limitless combinations.

Aquafaba, Vegan Egg White Alternative

Aquafaba water allows vegan bakers to make crispy meringues without eggs. Aquafaba is the briny discard water found in cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans). But it can also come from the cooked discard water of other dried beans (pulses). Chickpeas are preferred because they have a milder flavor than other beans. 

Vanilla aquafaba meringues, baked by Inika Foods Llc., Delray Beach, Fla.
Copyright 2018 by Helen A Lockey

The protein properties of the pulses lend themselves to complex dessert styles that usually use egg whites. As they can be whipped, with a bit of cream of tarter, into something that looks like soft peaked whisked egg whites. 

To make handheld meringues you just need to add organic granulated sugar and vanilla before baking, and resting the finished meringues in the unopened over for one hour. And voila, you have a crispy, airy, gooey in the center (if you are lucky) vanilla vegan meringue.  

If the canned aquafaba water is too salty, you can always cook up some presoaked (soaked overnight and then cooked in a fresh volume of water) chickpeas and use that discard water in your recipes. 

The generally accepted portion rule is that 3 Tablespoons of aquafaba equals one egg white.

There are many recipes on the Internet. All of the vanilla meringues have just the four ingredients above. Where the recipes differ is the temperature of the oven and the baking time. Some say use a 200F (100C) oven for two hours (www.thelazyveganbaker.com) while others say use a 250F (121C) over for 45 minutes (www.lovingitvegan.com) .

Vegan meringues have to be treated exactly like egg meringues in hot humid climates. If they are left out of their airtight container for too long they will become sticky.

And if you decide all of this is just too hard to make, then check out the vegan meringues at Inika Foods Llc., in Delray Beach, Florida. Their meringues are airy, crispy and gooey in the middle.

Stop And Smell The Flowers And Take A Taste Too

The famous expression is, “Stop and smell the roses.” Well these days more and more people and especially chefs are stopping and eating the roses and other flowers. It is surprising how many flowers are edible. There are the more known varieties like lavender (for tea), nasturtiums (for salads), violets (candied for cakes), hibiscus (tea, wine) and orange blossoms (for syrups). 

Spicy, very edible, nasturtiums
Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

Flowers hold the beginnings of life. Their nectar draws in insects that help pollinate the flower, which then leads to the growth of some type of fruit. The flowers are often full of scent that can be experienced either in the fresh form, or candied, or fermented, or frozen. 

Yellow mustard flowers and pods
Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

Some lesser known, yet still very delicious are in the brassica family (cabbage). Here broccoli and cauliflower stand out because they are simply unopened flower buds. Mustards are another part of this family and often produce fiery tasting, yellow blossoms and spicy seedpods. 

Florida hops flower on the vine
Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

The there are roses, not all are edible. There are also orchids, and again not all are edible. Citrus flowers are edible. Start fruit (carambola) flowers are edible. Papaya flowers are edible. If you are a fan of beer, the hops that went in to sanitize and flavor your beer are flowers too.

One rule of thumb with eating all flowers: know where they are from. Make sure if they are bought or foraged that they have not been sprayed with any chemicals. And if you are unsure how your body will react, just take a very tiny bite, wait one hour, and if you are not sick, eat some more.

And remember you can stop and smell the roses (flowers) but it’s also wonderful to stop and nibble them.

Matcha 3 Ways: Eat, Drink, And Be Merry

Matcha is a bright green, high-antioxidant, Japanese, powdered green tea. 

It is traditionally used in tea ceremonies. It is grown under shade three weeks before harvest to increase its flavor, vitamins and antioxidants. Then all the stems and veins are removed from the leaves, by hand, and it is then ground into a fine powder.

Healing Butterfly's Matcha Butter Cookies, Palm Beach, Fla.,
Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

Matcha's claimed health benefits are increased mental clarity, appetite suppression, cholesterol lowering, relaxation (with L-theanine), and increased energy without the jitters of coffee. 

There are two grades of matcha powder: culinary ($10 per ounce or less) and ceremonial ($96 per ounce or more). 

The unsweetened flavor can take a bit of getting used to. So if you aren’t sure, consider going to your local healthy restaurant/coffee shop/food truck and ordering something that includes matcha. Then you can eat, drink and be merry without breaking the bank on something you might not love.

Here are some South Florida suggestions.

 

BunkHouse Coffee Bar's 7-layer MatchaChocolate Cake,
Jensen Beach, Fla.
Copyright 2019 by HelenA. Lockey

Eat a slice of a 7-layer chocolate, matcha cake ($6) at BunkHouse Coffee Bar in Jensen Beach, FL.

Healing Butterfly's Matcha Latte, Palm Beach,
Fla., Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

Drink an organic matcha latte with almond milk and maple syrup like the one that Healing Butterfly™ served at Localecopia last year. They sell matcha products online on their website or at Amazon.

Or you can go to Perk Coffee House (in Tequesta) and get their Energy Latte ($5.00) made with matcha, meringa and reishi.

Vintage Pops Matcha Mint frozen pop, Hollywood, Fla.,
Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

Be Merry with a Mint Matcha frozen dessert pop ($3) with Vintage Pops in Hollywood, made with organic peppermint oil, and coconut milk. You find where they are through their Facebook page, twitter, or Instagram account.

If you are feeling adventurous buy some matcha at your local grocery store or online. Bring some water to just under a boil (boiling water will make it bitter), and whisk (to stop it from being lumpy) some powdered (better than tea bags) matcha into the water. Steep for a minute or so, and enjoy straight or with your favorite sweetener.

Delicious Florida Vegetarian Pizza Locations

Vegetarian pizza no longer means cheese pizza with vegetables. Chefs, especially ones at vegetarian and vegan restaurants, are pushing the boundaries on recipes by including such things as broccolini, kimchi, spinach, edible flowers, bee pollen, and macadamia ricotta (not all on the same pizza, yet).

Flower Garden Pizza, Ground Floor Farm, Stuart, Fla.,
Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

The new gourmet styles of vegetarian pizza are delicious and good for you. Here are just a few of the scrumptious gourmet pizzas available in South Florida.

PBK pizza with peanut butter, Ground Floor Farm, Stuart, Fla.
Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

Ground Floor Farm, an urban farm in downtown Stuart, might be a bit of an unexpected for a place to buy gourmet, hand-crafted pizza. But their cafe has a pizza oven, and they have been honing their skills for the past two years in specialty pizzas that feature ingredients from their farm.

Some of their ingredients include a sourdough cultured crust, edible flowers, farm eggs, cultured cream, herbs, red wine vinegar, vegetables, and kimchi.

Their Flower Garden ($16) pizza includes herb pesto, mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic, greens, honey, red wine vinegar, bee pollen, pistachios, and edible flowers. Their surprisingly delicious PBK ($15) pizza includes peanut butter, kimchi, honey, scallions, and black sesame seeds.

California Veggie pizza with cauliflower crust, Gluten-free,
California Pizza Kitchen
Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

A delicious surprise, vegetarian pizza can also be found at California Pizza Kitchen. It's called the California Veggie ($17.89) and it can be made with a cauliflower crust. It comes with broccolini, smoky eggplant slices, Cremini mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted corn, red onions, and mozzarella cheese.

Artichoke, spinach, basil, garlic, vegan cheese pizza,
Nombucket Vegan Foods, Lake Park, Fla.,
Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

Nombucket Vegan Foods located in vegan food cooperative kitchen in Lake Park puts out a mouth-watering pizza using vegan cheese. It contains onions, minced garlic, basil, spinach, artichokes, tomato paste, broccoli, olive oil and vegan cheese. A slice costs $6.

Biancoverde pizza with macadamia ricotta, Christopher's Kitchen,
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

Christopher's Kitchen, a vegetarian/vegan restaurant in Palm Beach Gardens has some  delectable hand crafted pizzas. The Biancoverde ($18.95), pictured above, contains macadamia ricotta, red onions, garlic, roasted cherry tomatoes, dates, thyme, oregano, fresh arugula and chili flakes.

I hope these gourmet pizzas have opened your mind (and wetted your appetite) to the possibilities in the vegetarian pizza scene of South Florida.


Ground Floor Farm, 100 SE Martin Luther King Junior Blvd., Stuart, FL (772) 600-4230
Nombucket Vegan Foods, 1408 N Killian Drive, Lake Park, FL
Christopher's Kitchen, 4783 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens, FL (561) 318-6191
California Pizza Kitchen, multiple locations.

SHROOMS--Crispy Mushroom Snacks & More

Looking for a healthy crispy snack this year? Then look no further than SHROOMS™ Crispy Mushroom Snacks made with North American-grown mushrooms. These snacks are the brainchild of two mushroom growing farms-- South Mill Mushrooms , and Champ's Mushrooms™  (they combined companies, January 2018). "We are getting into a new line of snacks, which is our SHROOMS™ line," said Jeff Schrett, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for South Mill Mushrooms, during an interview at Produce Marketing Association's (PMA) Fresh Summit, last year in Orlando, Florida.

SHROOMS™ Crispy Mushroom snacks at the Produce Marketing Association's
Fresh Summit, Orlando, Fla.
Copyright 2018 by Helen A Lockey

"Mushrooms are definitely on trend right now and we found the millennial audience is really looking for a healthy snack. They like to graze through the day and were looking for people to fill their needs. So the folks that are camping, biking, sailing, and canoeing...this is a snack that they can bring with them and it is very fulfilling. It's a family friendly, wholesome snack, and it's good for you," said Schrett.

And not only are the SHROOMS™ crispy mushrooms good for you but they are also good for the environment because everything is grown indoors with compost made by the mushroom farmers, according to Schrett. "We actually make our own compost...and we also give back at the end process. A lot of our used compost gets recycled and sent back out for folks to use in gardens and things like that," said Schrett.

SHROOMS™ Portobella Mushroom Jerky,
Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit,
Orlando, Fla.
Copyright 2018 by Helen A. Lockey

South Mill Mushrooms started growing oyster mushrooms over 80-years ago, and now they grow other types of mushrooms along with the oysters, including Cremini, Button, Portabella, Maitake, Enoke and Shiitake. Champ's Mushrooms™ started growing conventional and organic mushrooms over 15-years ago.

Both farms now grow over 100 million pounds of fresh mushrooms a year. "We grow all the mushrooms, everything that is going to be used in our snack line, clusters, bars etcetera everything is made from our own fresh mushrooms," Schrett said.

The SHROOMS™ snack line includes crisps, bars and jerky. All are non-GMO. Of the snacks available for sale, online at the moment, some are vegan, some are plant-based, and some are vegetarian. You can purchase them through their website (for large orders) or through Amazon (for smaller orders).

There are future mushroom jerky lines called SHROOM™ SPLITS on their website www.itsamushroom.com that include other ingredients.

One last detail, everything on the SHROOMS™ line is shelf stable for a year. "We don't anticipate that anyone is going to keep it on the shelf, in the cabinet for a year. It's going to be a snack package, one of those you can't put down," said Schrett.