Cooking with Lavender

Suzette Caplin from the Young Living Lavender Farms says it can add new flavor to our favorite foods.

The following recipes are from The Lavender Cookbook by Sharon Shipley.

Note: The cookbook, lavender honey, lavender essential oil, blue agave, and lavender buds are all available for purchase at the Young Living Lavender Farm Visitors Center or you can call them at 1-800-371-0819 to order.

Grilled Lavender Honey Breast of Chicken

Ingredients:

¾ cup white wine vinegar

¼ cup grated lemon zest

½ cup fresh lemon juice

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup lavender honey

1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender buds, finely ground in a spice grinder

1 ½ teaspoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon sea salt

¼ tablespoon cracked black pepper

8 boneless chicken breasts

Method:

In a large bowl, mix the vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, oil, honey, lavender, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Preheat a grill to medium. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the grill. Cook, turning the chicken every 5 minutes and brushing occasionally with marinade, for 15 minutes, or until no longer pink when tested with a sharp knife. Discard any remaining marinade. Serves 8.

Summer Salad with Lavender Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon dried culinary lavender buds, finely ground in a spice grinder

Method:

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, and lavender. Pour over the salad. Mix lightly.

Lavender Blueberry Banana Bread

Ingredients:

¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender buds, finely ground in a spice grinder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup whole wheat flour

3 large ripe bananas, mashed

1 ¼ cups blueberries

½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan or coat with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift the all-purpose flour, lavender, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Stir in the whole wheat flour. Beat into the butter mixture. Fold in the bananas, blueberries, walnuts, and vanilla. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

Lavender Lemonade

Ingredients:

7 lemons, juiced

2 limes, juiced

14 cups water

1 ½ cups Blue Agave

1 drop lavender essential oil

Method:

Mix all ingredients together and chill. Add more water or Blue Agave, depending on the size and tartness of the fruit.

For more fun ideas using lavender you can read Suzette’s blog “For the Love of Lavender” at www.younglivingfarms.com