Lavender!

According to flower lore Lavender stands for Love, Protection, Happiness, Peace, Chastity, Purification, Sleep and Longevity.

That covers a lot of territory. I’d like to add that food-grade lavender buds make tasty cookies, ice cream and syrups for example.

It also is a component in Herbes de Provence. This French spice combination can be used in savory dishes and goes well with lemon chicken.

Lavender Field - Know your herbs and spices

It can also be found in a lot of potpourri and bath oils, soaps and gels. Lavender scented candles, bath products and potpourri are said to have a calming effect on a stressful body. The oils released from the lavender have been used medicinally for thousands of years.

Consuming lavender adds vitamin A and C to your diet as well as calcium.

Here’s a simple Cookie Recipe to introduce you to the taste. Remember when you consume edible flowers they need to be food grade meaning no pesticides or chemical preservatives are used in its preparation. Dried buds can be purchased at most health food stores or online.

Lavender Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

5/8 c. butter (about ¾ of a cup)
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 T. dried lavender flowers
1 1/2 c. self-rising flour

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter and sugar together.
Stir in the egg.
Mix in lavender and add flour.
Spray cookie sheets with vegetable spray and drop by 1 teaspoonfuls of mixture onto them.
Slightly press down cookies.
Bake 10 minutes or until done.