How to Eat Your Yard! Part One: Lavender

Lavender is often used in spa and aromatherapy products for its relaxing properties. It's edible, too! Take advantage of the lavender in your yard and cook with it.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• For the Walnut Lavender dressing: 1 handful of fresh organic lavender (blooms & stems); 1 ½ cups white vinegar; 2/3 cup chopped walnuts; ¾ cup mild oil (such as grapeseed or canola); 1 clove garlic, c
• For the Lavender Lemonade: 5 cups water; 1 ½ cups sugar; 6-12 stems of fresh organic lavender; 2 ¼ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
• For the Lavender Tea Bread: 2 Tbsp. chopped organic fresh lavender blooms; 3/4 cup milk; 2 c. all purpose flour; 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder; 1/2 tsp. salt; 3/4 cup butter; 1 cup sugar; 2 eggs

1. Walnut Lavender Dressing:
   
   Wash the lavender. Place in a pint jar. Fill the jar with white vinegar and allow it to infuse in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
   
   Blend oil and walnuts into a blender.
   
   Strain lavender from the vinegar, discard the lavender. Add ¼ cup of the infused vinegar to the blender along with the garlic. Blend.
   
   Add salt & sugar to taste.
   
   Reserve additional vinegar in the refrigerator for later use.

2. Lavender Lemonade:
   
   Bring 2-1/2 cups of water to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and add the sugar, stirring until dissolved, to create a simple syrup.
   
   Add the lavender stems and remove the saucepan from the heat. Cover the pot and allow the mixture to cool about 10 minutes. This step allows the lavender to infuse into the syrup.
   
   Remove the lavender from the syrup and strain to remove any small pieces.
   
   Combine the remaining water, lemon juice and lavender syrup and stir well. Serve over crushed ice and garnish with lemons and/or lavender sprigs.

3. Lavender Tea Bread:
   
   Grease a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan or line muffin tins with 24 liners.
   
   Heat milk nearly to boiling and add chopped lavender. Turn off heat and allow the milk and lavender to cool.
   
   Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325 degrees and allow the butter to soften.
   
   Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl.
   
   In another bowl, beat the butter and add sugar. Beat the eggs into the mixture, one at a time.
   
   Add the flour mixture and the lavender mixture and stir together just until combined evenly.
   
   Pour the batter into the loaf pan or spoon into the muffin tins. Bake 50 minutes for the loaf pan and 30 minutes for the muffins.
   
   Allow the lavender bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then gently remove from the pan and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. Garnish with additional lavender.

Tips & Warnings

• Use lavender that you have grown yourself without any use of herbicides or pesticides.
• If you don't have lavender in your back yard, find some at a local farmer's market (again look for organic, un-sprayed lavender) or in some Middle Eastern and Mediterranean specialty grocery stores.