SEASONAL & FORAGED

GLUTEN & DAIRY-FREE

DESSERTS 

The

MEDICINE
CIRCLE
Eating The Beauty Way

TARA LANICH-LABRIE
 Introduction

I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.

-Mary Oliver

The Medicine Circle is a passion project with its roots deep in the soil of nearly two decades of growing
food and medicine, sharing food in community, tending the land with reverence, and foraging & growing
plants.

I​ have experienced the immeasurable healing power of food & medicine plants, and it is my great joy to
share what I have learned from connecting to the living medicine all around us. After many years of
struggling to "figure out" a lifetime of chronic illness in the Western medical system, I turned to the
natural world. This led me on a path to studying to be a naturalist, becoming an organic farmer, a
teacher, and a culinary herbalist, while always incorporating what I learned back into the love of
cooking and sharing food.

I believe Beauty is part of our inherently creative existence; it is one of the gifts of being alive in this
world, from the heady scent of flowers blooming before becoming the sweetest fruit, to the taste of salt
water on your lips after a swim in the sea, to that first inhale of a pine forest as you walk a trail. In every
human culture on Earth, there is immeasurable beauty, whether through celebratory food, art, clothing,
song, ritual, decoration, or writing.

If you don't immediately recognize a food in this book, don't worry! I will offer suggestions for
substitutions, share about looking for or learning some of the wild or native local plants (often
weeds/invasives in the backyard), and checking with local farmers markets whenever possible is a great
way to connect to the grown plants in your area. I always recommend a good foraging and plant
identification book that is specific to your area. I carry a small one in a pack with me, and will double-
check with more comprehensive books at home depending on what I find.

Please remember to harvest plants honorably, ensuring they are not endangered, are not sprayed with
pesticides, and that there are plenty left to repopulate themselves and feed bees and other pollinators.
Never take more than you will need. Always be sure you have identified the plants you are harvesting
correctly!

May this book provide inspiration and encouragement to enjoy the magic of every season. Whenever we
create food for ourselves or our loved ones, it is an offering to all that we come from and all that we are
growing; it is a link that joins us on the path to healing both ourselves and the world around us.

From my Heart & Kitchen to Yours,

Tara Lanich-LaBrie

 
 Notes on Dessert
I love dessert, and I believe it is an essential part of health and healing. For many years, I struggled
with chronic illness, and I believed sugar was making me sick. When I was in my teens, eating refined
sugar or packaged foods was part of my daily existence. I became very sick in my late teens and early
20s. In an effort to heal my system, I ate no sugar (including alcohol) at all for a full year, and tried
every possible food approach I could find. Although some things changed for the better, the chronic
issues stayed the same. I had always deeply loved food, and I felt there was a key I was missing.

After several years of different "healing" diets, I began to lament food prep and I was uninspired by
what I was eating. I came to a breaking point in a Brooklyn apartment, lost in a sea of complicated
Macrobiotic food preparation rules and never feeling fully satiated. I broke down and made an
over-the-top feast of Italian food, stopping at 3 different bodegas (little food shops) in Brooklyn to
find exactly what I had been dreaming of eating for months. I finished it off with a homemade
indulgent dessert.

This moment changed everything. I didn't start eating pasta and tiramisu everyday, but I realized
that for me, and for many of the people I knew and worked with, healing was not exclusive of
pleasure and the sweetness of life. In fact, healing was not possible unless all of these things could
be embraced at once.

I began growing food and herbal medicine, tearing up my very small lawn in Denver to make way
for a food jungle, composed of stacked tires filled with potatoesand cabbage and little beds of
salad greens and culinary herbs. Eventually, I moved into organic farming in New Mexico, foraging
wild plants and mushrooms, and learning ancestral methods of food preparation and preservation;
now sharing what I have learned with this community that spans the world.

There is always a balance! I believe every one of us can find our way to health, and it may not be a
quick fix, but it is possible. I think the heart of healing and living fully lies in the embrace of beauty
and connection to the natural world, whether we live in a city or the rural countryside. Nature is the
great healer, the great equalizer.

Every recipe in here is a seasonal offering, led by what plants are growing, both wild and tended.
This book is for everyone interested in Beauty, in the plants growing around us, whether you live in
New York City or the Irish countryside, in seasonal tended and foraged foods, and in healthy ways
to indulge in the incredible sweetness this life has to offer.

My hope is that you find inspiration here and enjoy yourself along the way!
 Table of Contents
Spring
Page 7-8: Violet & Plum Blossom Flan (df, gf, ef)
Page 9: Walk in the Garden Cookies (df, gf, ef)
Page 10-11: Double Chocolate Meyer Lemon & Cardamom Donuts (df, gf, ef)
Page 12: Chocolate Icing for Donuts (df, gf, ef)
Page 13-14: Nettle Moon Roll-Out Cookies (df, gf, ef)
Page 15: Spruce Tip Syrup & Popsicles (df, gf, ef)

Summer
Page 17: Rose Petal Syrup (df, gf)
Page 18: Black Sesame Mylk for Popsicles (df, gf, ef)
Page 19-20: Rose & Chocolate Chai Popsicles w/Black Sesame Mylk (df, gf, ef)
Page 21-24: Nettle & Lilac Flower Ice Cream Sandwiches (df, gf, ef)
Page 25-26: Hollyhock & Cherry Clafloutis (df & gf)
Page 27: Chocolate & Rose Coconut Whip Cream (df, gf, ef)
Page 28: Chokecherry & Lemonade Sumac Sorbet (df, gf, ef)

Fall
Page 30-31: Nettle Donuts with Marigolds & Nettle Seeds (df, gf)
Page 32: Beet-Painted Apple Slices (gf, df, ef)
Page 33: Roasted Pumpkin Gelato (df, gf, ef)
Page 34: Double Chocolate Yellow Dock Seed Cookies (gf, df, ef)
Page 35: Double Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches (gf, df, ef)
Page 36-38: Pecan Streusel Pumpkin Pie (gf, df)
Page 39-41: Dark Moon Samhain Apple & Rosehip Handpies (gf, df)

Winter
Page 43-45: Nettle Bundt Cakes with Tulsi Cremé (gf, df)
Page 46-49: Double Chocolate Cupcakes w/Rose Hip & Spruce Cremé Patisserié & Ganache (df, ef, gf)
Page 50-52: Skillet Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Icing (gf, df)
Page 53: Maple & Red Chili Pecans (df, gf, ef)
Page 54: Blood Orange Curd (df, gf, ef)
Page 55: Hawthorne & Rose Drinking Chocolate (df, gf, ef)

KEY:
df = Dairy-Free
gf = Gluten-Free (may also be grain-free)
ef = Egg-Free
 Ingredient Sources:

Maple Butter: Shady Grove Organic Maple Butter (available in grocery stores & online)

Native Forest Coconut Milk-Simple or Trader Joe's Coconut Milk - both of these brands contain no gums
or additives, and Native Forest is also organic.

Blanched Almond Flour- Nuts.com (bulk organic options), Honeyville.com, Vitamin Cottage/Natural
Grocers

Hazelnut Flour: Nuts.com, Bob's Red Mill, or you can grind your own hazelnuts in a blender.

Bulk Herbs: Zackwoodsherbs.com & Mountainroseherbs.com - they have a huge selection of organic
herbs including nettles, rose hips, and dried edible flowers.

Butterfly Pea Flowers & Powders: I grow the ones I use, but they are also available on Amazon and from
Rishi Tea (organic options).

Chloroxygen: A chlorophyll concentrate mainly derived from nettles-I purchase in a local store but it is
available online. I buy the liquid form and it lasts months.
 Spring

Page 7-8: Violet & Plum Blossom Flan (df, gf, ef)
Page 9: Walk in the Garden Cookies (df, gf, ef)
Page 10-11: Double Chocolate Meyer Lemon & Cardamom Donuts (df, gf, ef)
Page 12: Chocolate Icing for Donuts (df, gf, ef)
Page 13-14: Nettle Moon Roll-Out Cookies (df, gf, ef)
Page 15: Spruce Tip Syrup & Popsicles (df, gf, ef)
Violet & Plum Blossom Flan
Flan is a dessert that can take on the fragrant spell of flowers and hold it in flavor and scent. This flan is
both egg and dairy free without any refined sugar, and yet it holds the texture and flavor of a traditional
egg flan, with the addition of sweet violets and a caramel-like syrup. If you can't find fresh flowers,
substitute dry! You can use any edible flowers you'd like, whether they are dried or not.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 Cup Full Fat Coconut Milk
2 Tablespoons Honey
1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 Cup Violet Flowers or Wild Plum Blossoms or combination of the two.
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Agar Agar Powder
1 Tablespoon Arrowroot Powder (scant/minus 1/4 Teaspoon)

Topping/Sauce:
1/8 Cup Coconut Sugar
4 Tablespoons Water
1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
pinch of sea salt
Violet Flower Flan
continued

Preparations:

You will need ramekins or silicon molds for this recipe. I used shallow, 3 inch wide "mini cake"
silicone molds that I had on hand. If you use ramekins you may need to slide a sharp knife around
the rim to release them when serving.
First prepare the sauce in a skillet on the stove: Add all the topping ingredients to the skillet, and
whisk them continuously until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is bubbling well. Turn off the
heat and pour even amounts into each of the ramekins or silicone molds you are using. This recipe
makes a little less than 1 1/2 cups of flan so approximately three 4 oz ramekins, or six 2 ounce
molds.
In a medium saucepan, heat the coconut milk to just a bowl, and turn it off. Add the flowers and stir
them into the milk. Cover and let the coconut milk and flowers infuse. Leave them in the refrigerator
for an hour or so to infuse. Or prepare the night before and let them infuse overnight.
Strain the flowers through a mesh sieve and press with the back of a spoon to squeeze them out
completely. Add the coconut milk to a small saucepan.
Begin to warm the coconut milk over low heat and remove a few tablespoons into a small cup or
dish. Stir the arrowroot powder into the small cup of coconut milk so it becomes a liquid.
Now add the honey, salt and vanilla extract to the coconut milk in the saucepan.
Once the honey is dissolved, whisk the milk as you add the agar agar powder. Continue whisking and
heat for a minute or two until it dissolves and begins to thicken.
While whisking quickly, add the arrowroot slurry and turn off the heat as soon as it begins to thicken
more-it will be quick!
Evenly pour the mixture on top of the sauce in each ramekin or mold. Allow it to totally solidify in the
refrigerator for 3-5 hours. Turn them over onto a plate and enjoy!
Walk-in-the-Garden Cookies
I set out to create a cookie without eggs, dairy, gluten or refined sugar and it came together as this soft
yet crunchy, slightly caramelized treat, with loads of flowers mixed into the batter. This is a simple
recipe that despite the lack of allergens, tastes so light and delicious. I was dreaming of Italian cookies
I used to get in Chicago that almost had a carmalized flavor and this is what came to be. This batch has
violas and pansies in it, a perfect light edition that adds phytonutrients, color and beauty to the mix.

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups gluten free oat flour (or gf flour
mix)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons solid coconut oil*
2/3 cup coconut sugar
1 1/3 modified chia egg (4 teaspoons chia
or ground flax + 4 tablespoons water,
whisked together, set for 15 mins)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add-In Ingredients: edible flowers- 1/4-
1/2 Cup

Preparations:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda and
salt and set them aside.
In another medium bowl, add solid coconut oil and coconut sugar to a large mixing bowl. Using a
pastry cutter or fork, cut the sugar into the solid oil—this will take a few minutes. Cut until only small
coconut oil clumps remain and the texture looks crumbly and wet.
Add the rest of the wet ingredients including the chia egg and vanilla extract. Stir until they are fully
incorporated.
Using a hand mixer or a large spoon, gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients bowl.
Mix until well-incorporated and a solid dough forms. Don’t worry about the small clumps of solid
coconut oil—this is expected.
Fold in the flowers.
Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, keeping the cookies well-
spaced.
Bake 8-12 minutes. Mine took 8 minutes, but my oven can be a little hot and I am at a higher
altitude. Move the cookies to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before eating.
Chocolate Meyer Lemon & Cardamom Donuts
I have been working to create a donut for everyone who can't have eggs, and I have been craving a
double chocolate donut with warm spice. These donuts incorporate a rich toasted (and healthy) addition
of amaranth, and the addition of cardamom and lemon round out the flavor. Substitute wherever you
need to with this recipe-use oat flour in place of the amaranth and regualr lemon or orange rind in place
of meyer lemons.

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup fine grind Blue or Yellow Cornmeal
1 Cup Amaranth, lightly toasted in a skillet and then ground very fine to a flour (can substitute oat
flour here or just regular amaranth flour)
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
1/2 Cup Tapioca Flour
1/4 Cup Coconut Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt & a sprinkle of salt to finish
1/2 Cup Avocado Oil
1 1/4 Cup Coconut Milk
1 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cardamom
Full Grated Rind of a Meyer Lemon
1/3 Cup Maple Syrup
1/2 Cup Coconut Sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons Ground Flaxseed and 6 TBSPs water to make "eggs"
Chocolate Meyer Lemon & Cardamom Donuts

Preparations:
I used a Wappa brand silicone donut mold that holds 9 donuts each.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease the donut mold with coconut oil and place it on a cookie sheet.
In a large bowl, combine the flours, cornmeal, baking powder, cocoa powder, coconut sugar,
cardamom, and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. Whisk to mix them together.
If you have amaranth flour that is not ground, just add it in and don't worry about toasting!
In a small bowl, combine the coconut milk and baking soda and stir. Then mix in the apple cider
vinegar and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Prepare the flax "eggs" and set aside for at least 5-10 minutes.
Stir the avocado oil, coconut milk mixture, flax eggs, and maple syrup into the dry ingredients.
Add the grated rind of lemon (use any kind of lemon you have available!)
Once the batter is fully mixed, spoon into the donut molds, filling them about 3/4 of the way full.
Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes, until they are mostly firm and a toothpick comes out clean.
Once the donut are cool, dress in the chocolate sauce (recipe just below) and sprinkle with salt, rose
petals. I added small slices of dried citrus for a tart crunch.
Chocolate Glaze for the Donuts

Ingredients:
1 Cup 100% Dark Chocolate pieces or disks (cut up chocolate bars will work also)
3/4 Cup Honey
5 Tablespoons Coconut Cream (top of the can of full-fat coconut milk)
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt

Preparations:

In a large skillet on the stove, heat the honey over low heat, stirring frequently.
As it gets hot, add the chocolate pieces or disks and turn off the heat, stirring rapidly to incorporate the
chocolate.
Once the chocolate is melted completely, stir in the coconut cream, vanilla extract and sea salt.
Pour into bowl, and use a spoon to pour over each donut.
Add toppings and enjoy!
Nettle moon Roll-Out Cookies
In this season of abundance, we are surrounded by plants that feel like guardians, protectors and
boundary holders, which is perfect for this time in the world. Nettles are my favorite wild plant—when
asked what I’d want if I was on a deserted island, the answer will always be nettles. These cookies came
through on a new moon, inspired by the deep, rich colors of nettles and the verdant Spring.

Ingredients:
Cookies
2.5 Cups of Blanched Almond Flour
1/4 Cup Tapioca Flour
2 Cups Packed Nettle Leaves(no stems), Well Blended or try 1 tablespoon dried & powdered nettles
(you can also try leaving them out if you need a delicious cookie!)
1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil, Melted
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
3/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
Optional: 2 Dropperfuls of Liquid Chlorophyll (made from nettles)- I have a brand called
'Chloroxygen' that I use to deepen the green color and flavor.

Icing:
6 Tablespoons Maple Butter
2 Tablespoons Butterfly Pea Powder
1/8 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Nettle moon Roll-Out Cookies Preparation:

Preparations:
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl-flours, salt, & baking soda
Mix the vanilla, melted coconut oil and maple syrup in another smaller bowl.
Blend the Nettles well in a food processor or blender.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, and then fold in the blended nettles.
Once everything is mixed well, form a ball or tube of the dough and wrap it in parchment or wax
paper and place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Remove from the refrigerator and have 2 parchment-lined cookie pans ready. Use 2 additional pieces
of parchment paper about 1/2 the size of the baking pans and place the dough in between them. Roll
the dough out to about 1/2 inch and use cookie cutters or a mason jar lid to cut out shapes of the
moon.
Place each cookie on a lined cookie sheet-they won’t spread much at all! Work quickly so the dough
stays as cold as possible before going into the oven.
Bake at 350F/180C for about 7-10 minutes, checking to see if they are becoming golden
underneath and on lightly on the top. Let them cool completely and then prepare the topping.
Topping — this is my go-to frosting and I order a lot of maple butter online to keep up my supply. If
you can’t find maple butter a thick honey will work too. It may be slightly thinner in consistency.
Mix the topping ingredients in a small bowl, and use a butter knife to apply to the top of cookies.
Spruce Tip Syrup & Popsicles
I love the citrus flavor of spruce and fir tips and look forward to collecting the emergent glowing green
tips in the spring and summer months, but winter & fall collecting will also work. Foraging for spruce and
fir is wonderful way to connect with the trees and landscape where you are in the world. Pine would also
work for these, but make sure you are not harvesting yew, as it is poisonous.
Aside from being extremely delicious, spruce & fir syrups are packed with Vitamin C and are excellent for
colds and congestion. I never remove too many tips from any single tree, as this is the new growth. When
harvesting in the winter or fall, the tips will not be as bright green, but they still contain high amounts of
Vitamin C and other pathogen-fighting properties.

Ingredients:
2 Cups Honey (or organic Sugar)
2 Cups Water
2 Cups Spruce or Fir Tips
For Popsicles I use a dropperful
of "Chloroxygen"-a concentrate of
chlorophyll made from nettles (totally
optional)

Preparations:
I do not generally use sugar except to make alcoholic brews (the yeast eats it) and the honey is a

strong flavor.
I love honey for its medicinal properties and lack of processing, but I also believe in everything in

moderation. Sugar will show off the flavor of the spruce or fir tips more than the honey.

Warm the honey and water to a boil and turn off the heat. Add the bright green tips and cover with a
heavy lid for 8-24 hours (overnight). Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a glass jar, seal, and use

liberally!

Keep refrigerated for up to a month (maybe longer) or try freezing into popsicles, ice cubes or small
jars for winter use!

If you are making into popsicles, use about 2 large tablespoons of the spruce syrup per popsicle mold,

and a squeeze of lemon!

 Summer

Page 17: Rose Petal Syrup (df, gf)

Page 18: Black Sesame Mylk for Popsicles (df, gf, ef)
Page 19-20: Rose & Chocolate Chai Popsicles w/Black Sesame Mylk (df, gf, ef)
Page 21-24: Nettle & Lilac Flower Ice Cream Sandwiches (df, gf, ef)
Page 25-26: Hollyhock & Cherry Clafloutis (df & gf)
Page 27: Chocolate & Rose Coconut Whip Cream (df, gf, ef)
Page 28: Chokecherry & Lemonade Sumac Sorbet (df, gf, ef)
Rose Petal Syrup
Wild Roses are forever one of my favorite heart plants, both on the physical and energetic level, so I love
to add in wild roses whenever possible. If you do not have wild rose, search for the most fragrant and
organic petals you can find or purchase them from a trusted source.

Ingredients:
1 Cup Rose Petals (wild roses or a fragrant & unsprayed rose)
1/2 Cup Honey or Organic Cane Sugar (this is really the only time I use actual sugar but it allows for
the full flavor of the roses to come through & honey will also work but can be a bit strong for roses)

Preparations:

Collect your rose petals and leave the bud behind so the rose hip can still form!
Combine the water and sugar in a large pot and heat until the sugar is dissolved and it comes to a
boil. I almost never use sugar, but this will allow the color & flavor to shine through from the roses.
Sometimes with a strong honey, the subtle flavor notes can get lost, but rose honey syrup is also
delicious and you can easily substitute it in the this recipe in equal measure.
Turn off the heat and immediately add the rose petals, stirring well..
Let them sit overnight like a tea, and then reheat in the morning to a near boil. Turn off and strain
into a glass jar.
Black Sesame Mylk for Popsicles
Black sesame seeds are an amazing member of the Pedaliaceae family, coming from the herb Sesamum
indium. This is one of the oldest cultivated plants on earth, and contains an incredible amount of essential
vitamins and minerals, including a huge source of calcium. In just 2 Tablespoons of black sesame seeds,
you get 14% of your daily value of calcium. As a comparison, a cup of cow's milk is about 25% of your daily
value of calcium. So, I highly recommend adding this delicious seed into your regular meals. Black sesame
seeds are also packed with B vitamins, zinc, manganese, iron, magnesium and copper; all of which
support our immune system.

Ingredients:
1/3 Cup Organic Black Sesame Seeds (you can use white sesame too-very similar nutrition content
and easy to find; possibly less expensive)
4 1/2 Cups or 1 Liter of Water
1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Tablespoon Coconut Sugar (or sweetener of your choice/leave unsweetened)
Optional Ingredients: Cinnamon, Cardamom, Nutmeg; just a pinch/to taste

Preparations:

Blend in a high speed blender for 1 minute, until the seeds are completely blended
Strain through a sieve or cheesecloth into a glass jar and save in the refrigerator.
Rose & Chocolate Chai Popsicles w/Black Sesame Mylk
These popsicles are layered with wild rose syrup & coconut milk, frozen for a couple hours to make the first
layer, and then a blend of Masala Chai w/black sesame mylk & dark cocoa powder is added for the second
layer. This became the most loved popsicle in my home over the summer with the light sweetness & spice
of chai, and the tonic cooling properties of the rose.

Ingredients:
1-2 Cups Sesame Mylk (or milk of your choosing)
1-2 Heaping Tablespoons of dark cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon Chai Tea Mix
2 Tablespoons Coconut Sugar or sweetener of your choice (try w/stevia or monk fruit for very low
glycemic load, but use only a small amount and taste it!)
Sprinkle of sea salt
I used 1 Tablespoon Rose Syrup & 1 Tablespoon Coconut Milk for each popsicle
A pitted dark cherry for each popsicle, if you are using spoons & forks instead of the popsicle sticks-
no waste!

Preparations:
In a small saucepan, heat the sesame mylk or milk of your choice on low-medium heat. Choose an
amount that will work for your popsicle molds. If you don't have popsicle molds, you can use ice cube
trays.
Add the cocoa powder, salt, & sweetener, and whisk it in until dissolved. Taste a little bit and add
sweetener as needed. Dissolve any additional sweetener you add.
Turn off the heat.
Now add 1-2 tablespoons of the chai tea blend. You could also use 2 tea bags and let them steep for
5 minutes. Strain the mixture, and place in a covered jar in the refrigerator.
Rose & Chocolate Chai Popsicles w/Black Sesame Mylk
Continued

Preparations:

For the first layer in each popsicle, mix 1 tablespoon rose syrup and 1 teaspoon coconut milk, and
add some of the reserved rose petals. Pour in the bottom of the popsicle mold.
Using smaller spoons and forks or popsicle sticks, place in the mold fork or spoon "head" in. Add a
dark pitted cherry and slide it over the handle towards the center of the popsicle. This will help
secure the spoon or fork and it's like a delicious surprise in the middle!
Freeze for 1-2 hours or until it is solid.
Remove from the freezer and pour in the chocolate and chai sesame mylk mix.
Freeze for an additional hour or so, until frozen through.
Nettle & Lilac Ice Cream Sandwiches
Nettle Cookies

I have a great love of both Nettles and Lilacs; it was an inevitable pairing that was woven into my
daydreams as Spring gave over to Summer. Each plant in these ice cream sandwiches brings different
magic and medicine, flavor and color, and essential compounds that add to the overall dessert. I added
the softness of Rose to round the "sting" of the nettles and butterfly pea flower for it's way of evoking the
sea in a brilliant blue.
I served these to a class centered on deepening connections to the plants, and many reported a
transcendent experience, maybe even a flight to the fairy realms. So, create and eat with the knowing
that you may be taken on an adventure of whimsical proportions.
I double this recipe to make approximately 32 cookies or 16 sandwiches, but the originla will make 8
total.

Ingredients:
2.5 Cups of Blanched Almond Flour
1/4 Cup Tapioca Flour
2 Cups Packed Nettle Leaves, Well Blended
3-6 Tablespoons Rose Petals, dried plus
additional for sprinkling on top of each cookie
1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil, Melted
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
3/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
Optional: 2 Dropperfuls of Liquid Chlorophyll
(made from nettles)- I have a brand called
'Chloroxygen' that I use to deepen the green
color and flavor.

Preparations:
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl-flours, salt, & baking soda.
Mix the vanilla, melted coconut oil and maple syrup in another smaller bowl.
Blend the Nettles well in a food processor or blender.
[Most everyone is fine with nettles, but I have heard of some folks reacting to them, so please take
caution if you've never eaten them-try a small bite first, etc. BUT also don't worry-these are ancient
plants and we have been using them for ever as food and medicine.]
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, and then fold in the blended nettles and rose petals.
Nettle & Lilac Ice Cream Sandwiches
Nettle Cookies Continued

Once everything is mixed well, form a ball or tube of the dough and wrap it in parchment or wax paper
and place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Remove from the refrigerator and have 2 parchment-lined cookie pans ready. Use your hands to take
off about 2 Tablespoons of dough and form a sphere, flattening with your palm once it is on the cookie
sheet. They don't spread very much while baking so they can be fairly close together.
Sprinkle more rose petals on top of each cookie and lightly press them into the dough.
Bake at 350F for about 10 minutes, checking to see if they are becoming golden underneath and on
lightly on the top.
Remove from the oven and let them cool completely. Once they are cool, place them all in the freezer to
prepare them for ice cream...this will help keep them solid and easier to work with when you are putting
in the ice cream.

Before & After Baking Nettle Cookies

Lilac Ice Cream
This is a divinely creamy and floral treat that is the perfect center for the Nettle Cookies from the previous
post. I divided them because they can be 2 entirely separate treats, although I made them with the intent
of being married in ice cream sandwich bliss.
Lilacs are a link to something rooted deep inside; they seem to soothe all the rough edges in a fragrant
embrace, yet, they are extremely hardy and resilient, surviving in nearly inhospitable cold places, only to
bloom with ease when the times comes. A metaphor for many of us?
I believe ice cream is one of the best ways to convey love and joy, playfulness but also flavor; so many
things I come across end up in this form...
One thing to note about lilacs is that they do not like to be steeped or infused for days, but rather a quick
infusion of 4-6 hours, or overnight is all that's required. I like to do 2-3 infusions but it is not at all
necessary! The essence of the lilac is more what is gathered here than the flavor itself.

Ingredients:
1 Can of Full Fat Coconut Milk
1 Cup Lilac Flowers, no stems
3 Teaspoons Butterfly Pea Flower, powdered
(this is for color & phytonutrients, so optional,
but adds so much to the Beauty)
1/2 Cup Honey scant 1 Tablespoon
Pinch of Sea Salt
1 1/2 Cups of Cashews, soaked overnight
3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
Lilac Ice Cream Continued
Preparations:
Blend the can of coconut milk with the butterfly pea powder, and blend even if you dont have the
butterfly pea powder-this will make for a creamier consistency.
Pour the milk into a large mason jar or tupperware container and add the lilac flowers.
Stir and seal the jar, placing in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, and at most 24 hours.
Soak the cashews overnight, and strain them completely. Place in a blender.
In a double-boiler or in a large metal bowl that can sit on a smaller pan of bowling water, pour the
lilacs and coconut milk(after infusing through the night).
Warm them just until they can be thoroughly squeezed and strained through a fine mesh sieve.
Pour the lilac infused milk into the blender with the cashews and add the honey, salt, & melted
coconut oil. Blend on high, until completely creamy.
Taste and add salt or more honey if needed.
Pour into an ice cream maker and set it to spinning.

Freeze the cookies in advance so they hold together well and are ready to keep the ice cream in a cool
embrace.
Let the Lilac ice cream get warmer, so it's easier to spread--not melted, just creamier.
Use a butter knife to apply the ice cream to the cookies.
Warm it in hot water to run it around the edges if you want it to look amazingly perfect, but honestly
no one will notice because they will be distracted by the magnificence of what you are handing them...
Once they are made, put them back into the freezer to harden them again-approximately one hour.
Hollyhock & Cherry Clafloutis w/Whip Cream
The first thing I made when I moved to an apartment just before my 18th birthday was a recipe from Julia
Child called Cherry Clafoutis. It seemed so simple & straightforward, but I had never pitted cherries and
somehow managed to completely ruin it (it’s an incredibly simple recipe). I never made it again, until last
week when we got several pounds of local cherries and all I could think about was making this treat!
This is a very different version from the Julia Child French classic, as I’ve created it without grains or
refined sugar, and added hollyhocks & dragonfruit powder to emphasize the color and beauty of this brief
season. The coloring is totally optional and does not hold well in baking, but it looks beautiful in the
interim and adds to the overall nutrition.

Ingredients:
1 Cup Coconut Milk-Full Fat
1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil, melted
1/8 Cup Maple Syrup
1/8 Cup Honey
1 Tablespoon Coconut Flour
2 Tablespoons Tapioca Flour/Starch
1/2 Cup Almond Flour
4 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1.5 Tablespoons Pitaya Powder (optional)
2 Cups Dark Cherries, pitted
1/2 Cup Hollyhocks, cut with a sharp knife just above the green base of the flower, so just the petals
1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Hollyhock & Cherry Clafloutis w/Whip Cream

Preparations:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius.
In a food processor or blender, add the coconut milk, eggs, flours, vanilla, salt, oil, and pitaya powder
and blend for just a few minutes until everything is well combined.
Grease a 9 inch skillet or pie pan well, and add the pitted cherries in a single layer across the bottom
of the pan.
Pour the batter over the top of the cherries.
Now take the hollyhock flowers and place them in the batter around the skillet.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, checking after 35 minutes for doneness. Serve with coconut whip cream!
Chocolate & Rose Coconut Whip Cream
This is a versatile and delicious dairy-free addition to any dessert, and can be made without any
sweetener. Coconut milk is lightly sweet on its own and is a great balance with treats. Adding a little
rose and cocoa powder gives this treat an extra bit of magic.

Ingredients:
1 Can of Full Fat Coconut Milk
1 Teaspoon Dried and Powdered Rose Petals
Optional: 1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Tapioca Flour

Preparations
You will need to refrigerate the coconut milk for 6-8 hours or overnight. This will not work in a
freezer!
I have done this with only Simple Brand Coconut Milk because that's what I had, but I have done it
with other brands with good success, so try it with what you have available!
Scoop the creamy part of the coconut milk out-it ends up being about 1/2 Cup depending on the
brand.
Using a mixer or hand mixer, whisk with 1 teaspoon powdered and dried rose petals and about 1/2
teaspoon tapioca flour.
You only need the tapioca flour if it doesn't begin to form soft peaks!
Scoop out onto your tart and enjoy!
If you want it to be sweeter, I think only a powdered sugar would work as liquid sweetener would
make it too watery.. I love whipping cream without any sweetness and this is a perfect substitue for
dairy whip cream.
Chokecherry Sorbet w/Lemonade Sumac
As soon as I found chokecherries, all I could think of was making a sorbet with another fruit I have been
finding in large quantities, the Lemonade Sumac Berry. If you do not have chokecherries or lemonade
sumac berries, this can be made with regular (pitted) cherries or raspberries and substitute lemon juice
for the sumac berries . If you make it with a sweeter fruit, add a teaspoon or two more of lemon juice to
balance the sweetness. Chokecherries are extremely tart, so if you use a sweeter fruit, I would cut down
the amount of honey you add to the mix. Taste the sorbet before freezing and add more lemon juice or
honey, to taste.

Ingredients:
4 Cups Chokecherries
4 Cups Water
1/2 Cup Honey
1-2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice (add 2
Tablespoons if you don't have sumac
berries)
2 Tablespoons Lemonade Sumac
Berries
Optional: 4 Tablespoons Lemon Balm
(my daughter loves to add this in, but
it isn't necessary)

Preparations:
Add the chokecherries and water to a large saucepan and heat over medium heat.
Add the lemonade berries, honey and lemon juice and stir well.
Bring to a simmer and stir for about 10-15 minutes.
Turn off the heat and strain through a sieve into a large bowl, pressing with the back of a large spoon
to get all the juices out.
Let the liquid cool completely before adding to an ice cream maker. If you don't have an ice cream
maker, place the bowl in the freezer and mix every 10-15 minutes until it's frozen.
 Fall

Page 30-31: Nettle Donuts with Marigolds & Nettle Seeds (df, gf)
Page 32: Beet-Painted Apple Slices (gf, df, ef)
Page 33: Roasted Pumpkin Gelato (df, gf, ef)
Page 34: Double Chocolate Yellow Dock Seed Cookies (gf, df, ef)
Page 35: Double Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches (gf, df, ef)
Page 36-38: Pecan Streusel Pumpkin Pie (gf, df)
Page 39-41: Dark Moon Samhain Apple & Rosehip Handpies (gf, df)
Nettle Donuts with Marigolds
These donuts are satisfying on many levels, containing two favorite ingredients: nettles and oats. Nettles
and oats are plants I am often drawn to, with most of my ancestors hailing from Ireland, Scotland and

Wales. I have been fascinated with nettles since I was a child, and oats are a staple food in my home.
Both are highly medicinal plants in their own rite. I wanted these donuts to have all the color and

vibrance of this season we are entering, so they are topped off with marigolds, an amazing edible flower
used from India to Mexico in ritual and practice. 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups Blanched Almond Flour
1 Cup Oat Flour
1/4 Cup Coconut Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1 Cup Blanched Fresh Nettles or 2 Tablespoons Powdered Dry Nettles
4 Eggs, Whipped
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil (melted & measured)
1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
1/2 Cup Coconut Milk
Frosting:
8 oz. Maple Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Coconut Cream
2 Tablespoons Butterfly Pea Flower Powder
Marigold Petals
Nettle Seeds
Nettle Donuts with Marigolds, Preparation

Preparations:
Preheat the oven to 350F
Remove the leaves from the nettles using gloves and blanch the nettles in a medium saucepan of
boiling water, about 2 minutes. Place in very cold or ice water to stop them from cooking.
Drain and lightly squeeze out the nettles & blend them well in a food processor. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together with a whisk, eliminating any clumps with your
fingers.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix the wet ingredients together and then add the coconut oil in a slow
stream, whisking the whole time.
Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well. Stir in the nettles and mix well.
Lightly grease the donut mold with coconut oil. Spoon the batter evenly into a 9 donut silicone mold.
Bake for 25-35 minutes, depending on your oven and altitude, timing may vary!
Remove the donuts by flipping them onto a cooling rack, or let them cool completely in the mold.
To make the frosting, add the maple butter to a small bowl and mix the butterfly pea flower powder
into the maple butter.
Optional: Spoon about half of the mixture into another small bowl and add about 1/2 teaspoon
coconut cream and mix well! This will make a ligther color blue that you can swirl on top.
Sprinkle on marigold petals and nettle seeds or other edible flowers to decorate the top!
 Beet & Honey Painted Apple Slices

Ingredients:
2-3 Firm Apples cut very thin horizontally
1-2 Tablespoons Beet Juice-I used both
golden & red beet juice separated
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Tablespoon Melted Coconut Oil

Preparations:
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Slice the apples as thin as possible in rounds-horizontally. I use a mandolin to get them extra thin.
Place them on a plate and, using the beet juice and a watercolor paintbrush, paint around the outside
abd inside of the slices.
Let this soak in for just a few minutes.
Paint them with a small brushing of melted coconut oil, and lay them on the cookie sheet.
Bake them for about 5 minutes and flip them over. Place them back in the oven for another 5 minutes.
Optional: Remove and paint honey on one half of the slices (they do fold up and get a bit crinkled)
Roasted Pumpkin Gelato
Gelato is a rich and creamy treat that is usually made with cream and milk, but this version is made with
just a few dairy-free ingredients. This gelato tastes just like the Fall harvest, and it is made with the
nutrient dense pumpkin, meaning it is super high in all the beneficial vitamins and minerals, like Vitamin A
& C, and lacks anything that would be considered "bad" for you. This ice cream goes great sandwiched
between the dark chocolate cookies below!

Ingredients:
3 Cups Whole Roasted Pumpkin or Smooth Squash (or use canned)
1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
3 Tablespoons Coconut Sugar
2/3 Cups Coconut Milk
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
2 Tablespoons Brandy (optional) Add Vanilla Extract instead-1 Tablespoon!
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon

Preparations:
First, roast a whole pumpkin or sweet winter squash--my favorites to use are Koginut and Blue
Hubbard. Preheat the oven to 375F, and poke several holes in the pumpkin with a sharp knife. Bake
the pumpkin or squash on a cookie sheet for about 1 hour, depending on the size. Check for doneness
by pressing on the skin-if it gives slightly and is getting soft, then take it out and let it cool completely.
Scoop out the seeds and roast them or discard.
Combine all the ingredients in a high speed blender until they are completly pureed.
Pour into an ice cream maker and turn it on! Serve with the chocolate cookies below or enjoy on its
own!
Double Chocolate Yellow Dock Seed Cookies
I have been totally fascinated with the "weed" plants that are growing all around, and yellow dock, also
known as curly dock, is one that grows in abundance nearly all over the world. This plant can be
harvested all the way through the winter, and the seeds taste a bit like buckwheat when they are ground
up. I will share substitutions below if you don't have access to chestnut flour or dock seeds, and I highly
recommend trying this staple seed! As always, make sure you have a good plant identification book on
hand to forage your seeds.

Ingredients:
1 Cup Chestnut Flour (can substitute almond flour or another ground nut flour)
1 1/4 Cups Blanched Almond Flour
1/2 Cup Ground Yellow Dock Seeds (can substitute 1/4 Cup more almond or other nut or seed flour)
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1/4 Cup Cacao Powder
2 Tablespoons Tapioca Flour/Starch
3/4 Cup Maple Syrup
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil, melted
1 Dark Chocolate Salted Almond Bar, cut into chunks (or 1/2 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Chocolate Chips)
Double Chocolate Yellow Dock Seed Cookies
This recipe evolved naturally as soon as the gelato and cookies had been made. Putting these together is
easy, and you can use any ice cream and cookie combination you'd like! Freeze your cookies in advance
making sure you have an even number to make the sandwich. Take the ice cream or gelato out of the
refrigerator and let it warm up just slightly on the counter. Using a spoon, add about a 1/8 cup of ice
cream to the center of one cookie and sandwich the second cookie on top. Add more gelato or ice cream
around the sides to fill it out. To get really fancy, warm the butter knife under hot water and smooth the
ice cream out around the middle. Place the ice cream sandwiches back in the freezer or eat them right
away!

Preparations:
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Whisk all the dry ingredients together, except the chocolate chips.
Stir in the liquid ingredients and mix well until it is blended.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and scoop about 2 Tablespoons per cookie onto the sheet.
Flatten them with the back of a spoon.
Bake for 10-13 minutes.
Grain-free Pumpkin Pie w/Pecan Streusel
This is a twist on traditional pumpkin pie, incorporating pecans, which are packed with manganese,
copper and healthy fats, aiding in the reduction of inflammation, and supporting an increased

metabolism. You can use a pie pumpkin, a hubbard or other sweet squash for this recipe, or even the
chestnut flavored red kuri squash. All winter squash is low in calories and high in fiber, as well as,

Vitamins A, C, and B6. You can buy a frozen pie crust to move this recipe along faster, or use the grain-
free version. I have a go-to grainfree crust that I love, and I just tweak it to meet the needs of what I am
making.

Ingredients:
filling
2 Cups Whole-roasted Pie Pumpkin or
Hubbard Squash (my favorite) *you
can use canned pumpkin also
2 Tablespoons Gluten-Free Flour Mix
(optional) 
1/3 Cup Coconut Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/4 Cups Full Fat Coconut Milk (can
use heavy cream)
3 Eggs
1 Cup Maple Syrup
Preparations:

Preheat your oven to 425 F. Place the whole pumpkin (about 2 1/2 lbs) on a baking sheet and poke

several holes in it with a knife. Roast it for about 30-45 minutes, checking on it after 25 minutes to
see if it is softening. Once it is soft and caves a bit to the touch, take it out and cut it in half, scooping

out all the seeds and stringy bits.

Put the 2 cups of squash into a large mixing bowl, and add all the other ingredients.
Blend with a hand blender and pour into the waiting pie shell.

Bake the pie for 15 minutes at 425 F, and then lower the temperature to 350 F, baking until the filling

is near firm, around 40 minutes.

During this time you can create the pecan streusel.

Add the pecan streusel to the top and bake for another 15 minutes. The filling will still be slightly

wobbly in the center but will harden after it rests on a cooling rack.
Grain-free Pumpkin Pie w/Pecan Streusel
(Continued)
PEcan Streusel

Ingredients:
pecan Streusel

1 Cup of Whole Pecans or Pieces

1/4 Cup Dark Coconut Sugar (can use
brown sugar)
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
2 Tablespoons Tapioca Flour
2 Tablespoons diced cold butter of
your choice

Preparations:
Lightly toast the pecans in a small skillet and let them cool down in a bowl while you combine the
coconut sugar, cinnamon, flour in a separate bowl.
Toss the pecans in the dry mixture and then add the cold diced butter, working it in until it creates
small clumps.
Add the streusel mixture to the top of the pie filling after it has hardened slightly in the oven, around
40 minutes.
Go-To Grain-free Pie Crust

Ingredients:

1 Cup Blanched Almond Flour

2 Tablespoons Coconut Flour
2/3 Cup Tapicoa Flour
1/2 Cup Shortening, cold (butter or vegan
butter/shortening of your choice)
1 Teaspoon Coconut Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Large Egg

Preparations:
In a food processor, pulse all dry ingredients.
Add the shortening and pulse again until mixed.
If you don't have a food processor, you can use a pastry cutter and then stir in the egg. (Since this is
not a gluten crust, it can be worked without consequence.)
Whip the egg and add to the mixed ingredients and form a ball of dough.
Roll the ball of dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper.
Remove the top piece of parchment & carefully move the rolled-out crust into a 9-inch pie plate. You
could flip your pie pan on top of the crust and then flip it back over.
Then take off the parchment and push the crust into the pie plate. Again, you can work this crust so if
it breaks, just smooth it and press it into the pie pan evenly. Use a fork to poke holes across the
bottom so it doesn't puff while baking.
Bake at 375F for 6-8 minutes and then cool before adding the pumpkin filling and then the pecan
streusel
Cut strips of aluminium foil to fit around the top of the exposed crust to protect it from burning.
Samhain Dark Moon Rosehip & Apple Hand Pies
Every Fall the wild mountain rosehips appear like glowing red orbs lighting the way through the mountain
trails. Rosehips are the favorful rose "fruit" that contains the seeds of the wild or cultivated rose. It is
completely fine to use cultivated garden rose hips-they also are packed with Vitamin C & bioflavonoids.
Just make sure, as always, that what you are harvesting has not been sprayed with pesticides.

I wanted to create something a little different with an abundance of apples, but still with a delicious pie
crust and apple sweetness. This crust is my go-to grainfree crust but with the addition of the blue butterfly
pea flower for Samhain/Halloween and because I love all things blue.

Handpies originated in England as a way to have a portable food for the Cornish tin miners. I love the size
and shape of them, and I pack them along for wanders and add them to my daughter's school lunches as
a healthy & special treat. If you wanted to make this a single pie, simply divide the dough in 2 and roll out
in between parchment paper.

Ingredients:
Crust

2 C. Blanched Almond Flour

4 Tbsps. Coconut Flour
1 1/3 C. Tapicoa Flour
1 C. Shortening, cold (butter or vegan
butter/shortening of your choice )
2 tsp. Coconut Sugar
1 tsp salt
2 Large Eggs
2-4 Tablespoons of Butterfly Pea
Flower Powder(available online, but
can leave out or use a natural blue dye
of your choice)
Samhain Dark Moon Rosehip & Apple Hand Pies
Preparations:
crust

In a food processor, pulse all dry ingredients.

Add the shortening and pulse again until mixed.
(If you don't have a food processor, you can use a pastry cutter or two butter knives and cut the
butter or shortening into the dry ingredients until it is totally mixed.)
Now add the eggs and pulse until well-mixed. The batter will be vey sticky. It is not glutinous so it is
a totally different consistency then what you might expect and it can be "worked" because there is
not gluten.
Scoop out the batter and mix in the butterfly pea flower powder.
Refridgerate for 20 minutes as you prepare the filling.
Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
Divide the dough into two equal balls.
You will need to use your hands to make 6-9, 3-inch (relatively hand-sized) flattened circles. I just
scoop into a small ball, flatten in both hands and place on the cookie sheet. Spread out the dough
with your fingers. It will get crisp and delicious even though it's sticky right now!
Once you have your circles on your cookie sheet, take a fork and poke several holes in the crust.
Scoop about 2 Tablespoons of apple & rosehip filling into the center of each circle, leaving about a
1/2 inch all the way around (see photo below).
Now, using your hands again, make a circle of dough to fit over the top of each circle on the cookie
sheet, and press the edges together all the way around so the pie is sealed.
Use a sharp knife to carve a moon shape in the top or poke a few holes with your fork to vent while
cooking.
Place in the oven at 375F for 15 minutes, check for doneness, and put back in for 5-10 minutes
longer if they aren't quite set.
Samhain Dark Moon Rosehip & Apple Hand Pies
Apple & Rosehip Filling

Ingredients:
3 Cups Apples, Chopped into Small
pieces
1/2 Cup Honey
1 Cup Fresh Rosehips, 1/2 Cup Dry
Rosehips, soaked in warm water for 20
mins & strained
2 Teaspoons Tapioca Flour
1 Teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamom
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Tablespoons Butter of your choice
1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Preparations:
Chop the apples into small/diced pieces.
In a medium saucepan, combine the honey, rosehips, and lemon juice and bring to a low simmer; stir
frequently for about 5-10 minutes. Turn off the heat and cover. Let it sit covered for about 10
minutes.
Heat a medium skillet and warm the butter; add the apples and begin to sauté. Turn it on low.
Strain the rosehips over the skillet in a cheesecloth or sieve, squeezing them so the honey goes into
the skillet.
Continue to heat the apples, stirring the rosehip honey into the apples.
Add the cinnamon, tapioca, vanilla extract, and salt and stir until the apples begin to soften and the
sauce thickens.
Turn off the heat, and the let the filling cool before scooping onto the circles of dough.
 winter

Page 43-45: Nettle Bundt Cakes with Tulsi Cremé (gf, df)
Page 46-49: Double Chocolate Cupcakes w/Rose Hip & Spruce Cremé Patisserié & Ganache (df, ef, gf)
Page 50-52: Skillet Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Icing (gf, df)
Page 53: Maple & Red Chili Pecans (df, gf, ef)
Page 54: Blood Orange Curd (df, gf, ef)
Page 55: Hawthorne & Rose Drinking Chocolate (df, gf, ef)
Nettle Bundt Cakes with Tulsi Cremé Center
This is a cake made for celebrating, whether it is a birthday or you just need a treat! The cake itself is
infused with nettles, and the creamy center is steeped in Tulsi Basil. These two plants are some of my
favorites to work with, tulsi being an adaptogenic and healing plant that energizes and relaxes, depending
on what is needed and nettles are my forever favorites with loads of minerals, vitamins and healing
properties.

Ingredients:
Cake
3 Cups Blanched Almond Flour
1/2 Cup Coconut Flour
1 Cup Tapioca Flour
1/4 Cup Oat Flour
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
2-3 Tablespoons Nettle Leaf, powdered in an electric coffee grinder
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
5 Eggs, whisked
1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
1/4 Cup Orange Juice
1/2 Cup Coconut Sugar
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
2-4 Dropperfuls of Chloroxygen (green liquid chlorophyll for color & added nutrition)
Nettle Bundt Cakes Preparation
For this recipe, you can use 1 large bundt pan or several small bundt pans. I have a set of 6 small bundt
pans that I used, and I have also made 1 large cake with this recipe.

Preparations:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease & flour (use the oat flour) your pans well, particularly around the
center.
In a large bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients together.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs together and then add the rest of the liquid ingredients and
whisk well. Add the green cholorphyll drops or use green food safe dye if you'd like! This is totally
optional!
Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well-mixed.
Fill the bundt pans or pan to 3/4 full.
Bake for 25-45 minutes, checking after 25 for doneness. I leave a large range of time on these
because every oven is different and I am at a higher altitude, so my baking times are different in this
recipe.
Pull them out of the oven when there is no more batter sticking to a toothpick or knife when you insert
it.
Let them cool completely before removing from the pans and frosting. Use a sharp knife to run around
the inside of the pan if it doesn't readily release.
Nettle Bundt Cakes with Tulsi Cremé Center
Ingredients:
Cremé
1 Cup of Cashew Pieces, soaked in water
1 Cup Boiling Water
2 Tablespoons Tulsi Leaf (tea)
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1/3 Cup Maple Syrup or Honey
1/2 Tablespoon of Arrowroot Powder
1/8 Teaspoon of Sea Salt (a pinch or two)

Icing

1 8oz jar of Maple Butter

1 Tablespoon Butterfly Pea Flower Powder
1 Teaspoon Blue Spirulina
2 Teaspoons Coconut Cream/Milk
Preparations:
Prepare the tulsi tea with the cup of boiling water. Let it steep for at least 20 minutes and then strain
the leaves, reserving the water. In a blender combine the soaked and strained cashews, the syrup,

vanilla extract, water, salt.

Blend on high until it is smooth. Reserve 2 tablespoons in a small bowl on the side.
Add the arrowroot to the 2 tablespoons and mix well with a spoon-arrowroot breaks down quickly with

heat so it is best to mix it into the cool blend first.

Pour into a saucepan and heat over a low flame or heat, whisking constantly. The mixture will begin to
thicken and just allow to come to a simmer for about 7 minutes as you whisk.

Turn off the heat and stir in the arrowroot mixture with the whisk.
Whisk for another minute as it cools and make sure the arrowroot is well-incorporated.

Now using a fork or whisk, mix the butterfly powder into the cream.

Transfer to a bowl and let it cool. It will thicken more as it cools, and it will also form a "skin" on top.

Lay wax paper on top to prevent a skin from forming.

Once it is cool, scoop spoonfuls into the center of the bundt cakes, until the entire middle is filled even
with the top of the cake.
In a small bowl, scoop out the maple butter. Use a fork to mix the powder, spirulina, and coconut

cream together. If you don't have the spirulina or butterfly pea flower, don't worry! You can also use a

blue food coloring or just leave it plain-it will be totally delicious!

Optional: Top with edible flowers like calendula, marigolds, violas/pansies, or roses.
Double Chocolate Cupcakes
w/rosehip & Spruce creme patisserie & dark chocolate ganache frosting

This is a dark chocolate, egg, dairy, & gluten-free cupcake celebrating the winter, and inspired by the wild
edibles of the mountains and forest. I love the idea of taking something classic but unhealthy, like a
"Hostess Cupcake" and making it into something delicious and beautiful with wild foods and roses on top.

Ingredients:
Cake

1 Cup Hazelnut Flour (can grind hazelnuts in a blender)

1 Cup Cocoa Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
2/3 Cup Coconut Flour scant 1 Tablespoon
1/2 Cup 1:1 Gluten Free Flour Blend (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
4 Tbsps Ground Flaxseed, 10 Tbsps Water
1 1/2 Teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Cup Coconut Milk
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil, Warmed/Liquid
1 Tbsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 1/2 Cups Applesauce
2/3 Cup Maple Syrup(or Spruce tip Syrup)
2/3 Cup Coconut Sugar
Double Chocolate Cupcakes
w/rosehip creme patisserie & dark chocolate ganache frosting

Preparations:
Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare the muffin tins, using parchment cupcake holders in each one.
First, in a large bowl mix the coconut milk & apple cider vinegar, and let it curdle it a bit.
In a small bowl, combine the flaxseed and water to create flax "eggs". These need to sit for 5-10
minutes.
Into the large bowl with the coconut milk and ACV, add the tablespoon of baking soda. It will foam up.
Then, add the coconut sugar, maple syrup or spruce syrup, coconut oil and applesauce and stir well.
Stir the oil in quickly so it doesn't solidify.
Stir in the flax eggs. Now add the hazelnut flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, Gluten
free flour blend, and salt. Mix well, until all ingredients are incorporated.
Spoon the batter in, about 3/4 of the way, and bake for 20 minutes, checking for the center to be
cooked thoroughly with a toothpick. It will be slighlty bouncy on top, to the touch.
Cool completely. Using a sharp knife, cut into the center of each cupcake from the top, forming a
circle. Do not cut all the way through the cupcake and leave the sides on top completely intact.
Remove what you cut out and then using a small spoon, scoop a bit more of the cake part out of the
cupcake. Cut off the bottom of the section you cut out, so you can replace the top when you fill it with
the creme!
Using a small spoon, scoop a heaping amount of the cremé patisserié into each cupcake and then
place the little cake "cap" back on top. It is okay if there is some cream around the edges because it
will be covered with the chocolate ganache.
Rose Hip & Spruce Cremé Patisserie
It is not overly sweet, and has all the creamy goodness with the slightly floral and fruity tang of rose hips.
It is perfect in the center of a dark chocolate cupcake! I added my spruce and honey syrup to it, but you
can use maple syrup instead with perfect results.

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Cashew Pieces, soaked in water

overnight or in hot water for 20 minutes
2 Tablespoons Dried and Powdered Rose Hips
1 Cup Water
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1/3 Cup Maple Syrup (use spruce tip syrup in
place of maple if you have it)
1/2 Tablespoon of Arrowroot Powder
1 Tablespoon Beet Juice (can also use a
natural red food dye)
1/8 Teaspoon of Sea Salt (a pinch or two)

In a blender combine the soaked and strained cashews, the powdered rose hips, the syrup, vanilla
extract, water, salt and beet juice.
Blend on high until it is smooth. Reserve 2 tablespoons in a small bowl on the side.
Add the arrowroot to the 2 tablespoons and mix well with a spoon-arrowroot breaks down quickly
with heat so it is best to mix it into the cool blend first.
Pour into a saucepan and heat over a low flame or heat, whisking constantly. The mixture will begin to
thicken and just allow to come to a simmer for about 7 minutes as you whisk.
Turn off the heat and stir in the arrowroot mixture with the whisk.
Whisk for another minute as it cools and make sure the arrowroot is well-incorporated.
Transfer to a bowl and let it cool. It will thicken more as it cools, and it will also form a "skin" on top.
Lay wax paper on top if you do not want the skin to form.
Dark Chocolate Ganache & Topping
This frosting works for all kinds of treats, including cupcakes! It is not a fluffy chocolate frosting but more
a fudgey ganache.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups (approximately 10 Oz) Dark

Chocolate: chopped pieces of a chocolate bar
or chocolate chips work great.
1 Cup Full Fat Coconut Milk

Make a double boiler by taking a saucepan and placing a heat-safe bowl on top of it.
Put water in the pan and let it come to a simmer.
Place the chocolate in the bowl and stir to melt it completely. Once melted, remove it from the heat,
and stir in the coconut milk.
It will be fairly thin at this point, but it will thicken up!
If you want to make it thicker, place in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes and then rapidly stir to
thicken it more. If it gets too hard, you can reheat it.
Using a spoon, scoop some onto each cupcake, gently smoothing with the back of the spoon. 8.
Sprinkle a small line of rose petals on one side, all the way across each cupcake.
Wait for the chocolate to completely cool and then use either a pastry bag or a small plastic bag with
the very tip of the corner cut off to "write" the loops across the top. Or make your own design with the
cremé patisserié.
Skillet Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Icing
I believe in the power of comfort foods, and the connection we have to them, whether through memory or

a physical feeling. It is always a balance, but I have found that when we take care of ourselves with food
that nourishes us on different levels, we meet our different needs on more than a physical level. That
being said, these are also free of refined sugar, dairy and gluten, making them a healthier option when

you need a treat.

Ingredients:
2 Cups Gluten-Free Flour Blend
1 Cup Oat Flour
1/2 Cup Tapioca Flour
1 Cup Full Fat Unsweetened Coconut
Milk (warmish, not hot-can use any
milk of your choice)
1 Packet Active Dry Yeast (about 2
teaspoons)
1.5 Teaspoons Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
2 Eggs, Whisked
1/4 Vegan or Regular Butter, melted
(I used Myokos cultured vegan butter)
1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar

Preparations:
Warm the coconut milk just very slightly and stir in the yeast. Yeast will die if it is too hot so really

don't go over 104F. Let it sit about 10-15 minutes as you prepare the rest of the dough.
Whisk the eggs.

Combine the flours and sea salt in a large bowl.

Mix the baking powder into the coconut milk/yeast mixture. Add the apple cider vinegar and stir. Pour
this into the flours along with the whisked eggs and add the melted butter.

Now mix them all together until well incorporated. The dough will be pretty tacky. Oil a large bowl and

form a ball with the dough. Place it in the oiled bowl and let it sit in there, covered with wax paper or a
plastic wrap or towel for at least an hour until it rises. As you wait for it to rise, prepare the filling.
Skillet Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Icing
Ingredients:
Filling

1 Cup Coconut Sugar

3 Tablespoons Cinnamon
3 Tablespoons Butter of your Choice
(could try with coconut oil)

Preparations:
In a medium-sized bowl, use your fingers, a food processor, or a pastry cutter to incorporate the

butter into the sugar and cinnamon blend. Set aside.

Once the dough has risen for at least an hour, up to 2, lay out a piece of parchment paper about a long

as a baking pan on your table or counter.

Lightly flour the parchment paper and scoop the ball of dough onto the center of the parchment. Using
you hands, flatten it into a large and long rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Press the dough evenly

across the parchment, leaving a little room on the sides-about 1 inch on all sides.

Take the bun filling and sprinkle it evenly across the dough, pressing it slightly into the dough.
Grab one end of the parchment (the shorter ends) and begin to roll the dough toward the center, but

in a very tight roll. On each roll, give it a little squeeze to keep it rolling tight. It will be fairly thick when

you are finished rolling and the dough. Slide it off the parchment paper.
Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Grease a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Cut the rolled dough in rounds,

about 2-3 inches thick and carefully place each one in the greased skillet. They can be packed in

tight-they will expand and squish into each other, which makes them even more delicious.
Bake for 25-35 minutes, checking for doneness at 25 minutes. I have a finicky oven and I am at higher

altitude so it is best to check earlier! The filling should be bubbling and the tops will be lightly golden.

As the buns are baking, prepare the icing.

Skillet Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Icing

Ingredients:
Icing

1 Cup Coconut Sugar

1 Tablespoon Tapioca
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
6 Tablespoons Coconut Milk or milk of
your choice
4 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

Preparations:
In a small saucepan over low-medium heat, combine all the ingredients and whisk for at least 5-7
minutes, allowing the mixture to get smooth and slightly caramelized. Turn off the heat and pour

evenly over the baked cinnamon buns.

Maple & Red Chili Pecans
This is one of my favorite winter snacks that hits all the high points: sweet, salty, spicy, crunchy and
packed with healthy fats. Pecans are an amazing nut and contain a world of nutrients and essenital

vitamins including B vitamins, copper, manganese, and fiber. These are also great, easy gifts to give over
the holidays and they are a little addictive, so I always recommend making a double batch. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 Cups Whole, Raw Shelled Pecans
1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
2 Teaspoons Red Chili Powder-I use a
blend of Ancho, Chipotle & Chimayo
but any you have will work. Or use a
few pinches of cayenne pepper.
1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt (more to taste)

Preparations:
In a large skillet over medium heat/flame, lightly toast the pecans for a few minutes, stirring
frequently. Their scent will begin to come out more after a few minutes on the heat.

Add the maple syrup, salt, and chili powder and continue stirring.

The maple syrup will become a bit like caramel. Stir until it is absorbed into the pecans and there is no
more liquid in the pan.

Place them on a plate to let them harden and cool...if you can wait!
Blood Orange Curd
This is an easy, healthy, and incredibly delicious treat, and I hope you'll love eating it as much as I do!
This is a dessert I also consider to be a method of caring for myself and loved ones. Honey is

antimicrobial, antibacterial and heals from the inside out; lemons are packed with vitamin c and get
everything moving in the depths of winter. Of course, whenever you heat most things, there is some loss

of the vitamins and nutritional benefits, but the healthy benefits are still there in substantial amounts.
There is also the immeasurable benefit that comes with eating something beautiful that comes from your
hands and kitchen. This can be eaten in a tart crust, on toast, mixed into porridge or just on it's own with

a little whipped coconut cream or cream of your choice.

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Fresh Blood Orange Juice (substitute
regular orange juice)
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Honey
1 Grated Rind of Blood Orange (or Lemon)
1-2 Tablespoons of Calendula Petals
(optional)
1/3 Cup Arrowroot Powder
2 Teaspoons Coconut Oil
6 Tablespoons Coconut Cream-the top of the
can of a full fat coconut milk will generally do
it! (add at the end)
Shake of sea salt

Preparations:
Warm honey and juice in a medium saucepan on the stove over low heat.

Scoop a couple tablespoons of the mixture into a small bowl with the arrowroot powder to form a
liquid paste. Stir until it has no clumps.

Once the honey & lemon/orange mixture are heated, quickly whisk the arrowroot mixture into the

blend.
Turn off the heat as soon as it begins to thickens.

Now stir in the calendula, orange or lemon rind and then whisk in the oil and cream.

Shake a small amount of sea salt and stir into the blend.
Top with dried rose or calendula.

Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Hawthorn & Rose Drinking Chocolate
Hawthorne is a heart medicine in a slightly different way, and the tree itself is deeply rooted in the folklore
of Ireland & the British Isles. Hawthorne is a member of the Rose family and is known for its ability to
soothe the heart both on a physical and on an emotional level. This drinking chocolate also has wild rose
petals and wild rose hips; this way all the seasons are present in each cup! Wild roses are also heart
supportive on all levels, are a symbol of love, whether for the self or others; and the rose hips contain a
huge amount of vitamin C and a sweet and slightly tart flavor.
This is a thick drinking chocolate, which is incredibly different from an American-style hot chocolate. It is
meant to be imbibed in smaller quantities, but see where it takes you!

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Dried Hawthorne Berries
3 Cups Water
2.5 Bars of Very Dark Chocolate
80%-90%; approximately 8 Ounces
of Chocolate
2 1/2 Tablespoons Honey
3/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
2-3 Tablespoons Powdered, Dried
Rose Hips
2 Teaspoons of Ceylon Cinnamon &
some for sprinkling on top
Rose petals for sprinkling on top
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Optional: Flower essences of rose &
hawthorne

Preparations:

In a large jar, place the hawthorne berries and water. Cover and let them infuse for 2 days. If you are
in a hurry, make a hot tea with the hawthorne berries and water, pouring boiling water over the
berries and allowing them to steep with a lid on for at least 20 minutes.
Strain the hawthorne berries from the water and pour the water into a large saucepan on the stove.
Turn the heat on low.
Chop the chocolate roughly and stir in the chocolate, a little at a time until it is all just melted into the
water. Do not let the chocolate boil or get too hot-it burns quickly and easily.
Whisk in the powdered rose hips, honey, vanilla, salt and cinnamon.
Pour into cups and sprinkle powdered rose hips, rose petals, and cinnamon on top.
 For More
Information visit: themedicinecircle.com
or contact me directly:
Tara Lanich-LaBrie
Tara@themedicinecircle.com

All Photos and Words by Tara Lanich-LaBrie and cannot be

reproduced or copied  ©2022

DISCLAIMER: The reader is responsible for all due diligence regarding

plant identification, use, and any allergies to plants listed in the
Ebook. Tara Lanich-LaBrie and the Medicine Circle are in no way
responsible for the health and safety of the reader. Tara Lanich-LaBrie
is not a medical professional and cannot be held responsible for any
misidentifications, reactions or other issues resulting from the use of
this ecookbook. Tara Lanich-Labrie makes no diagnoses, claims for
cures or anything else medical. Thank you!