ROSEHIP SYRUP

I walk very often by the sea, and for the all summer I have been welcomed
by the fragrant smell of roses.
All along the path there are lots of Rosehip bushes full of flowers and now,
at the end of the season, full of bright orange and red seeds buds.
As I am attending a course in Medicinal Plants and Herbs
by David Crow, I got inspired to check the benefits of this plant.
I discovered that the petals make a beneficial tea and that with
the Rosehip seeds I could make a syrup to sweeten the gloomy winter.
Petals and seeds are both rich in vitamin C and flavonoids, which
are responsible for antioxidant effects.
I have been collecting rose petals and I have been drying them in the sun.
Yesterday I finally decided to make the syrup.
Not as easy to dry petals, it requires more time and it can be messy.
But I did it!
I am going to share here the process to prepare it.

ROSEHIP SYRUP

Collect around 1 kg of Rosehip seeds buds;
Rinse them and remove the dry parts;
Cut them in halves;
Bring to boil around 1lt water;
When the water boils, add Rosehip seeds buds;
After the water starts boiling again, switch off and let it rest for 15 minutes;
After 15 minutes, mash Rosehip seeds buds in a tomatoe sifter in order to
obtain a pulpy sauce without seeds (it will look like tomatoe puree);
Pour pulp back in a pot, add 700g of sugar per 1lt pulp, and bring to boil;
Simmer for 30/45 minutes;
Sterilize small glass bottles or jars in boiling water for 10 minutes or
in the dishwasher;
Bottle syrup up when it is still hot and close lid tight as soon as possible.

If you want to store the syrup safely at room temperature for months,
you have to process filled jars/bottles in boiling water for 10 minutes.



Enjoy a tsp of syrup to sweeten tea or yogurt during winter so to boost your
vitamin C intake!

Greek summer heritage

Last July we spent few weeks on the island of Paros, in Greece.
Me and my family really enjoyed the clear blue sea and the sunny sky.
But most of all we liked the vegetarian food made with tomatoes,
eggplants, zucchini and peppers.
Our favorite dish was the famous Greek salad that we have been honoring,
also here at home, during our sunny days.
The basic ingredient is tomatoes that are a rich source of vitamins A and C
and folic acid.
Tomatoes contain a wide array of beneficial nutrients and antioxidants,
including alpha-lipoic acid, lycopene, choline, folic acid, beta-carotene
and lutein.

Here is my recipe!

GREEK SALAD


Ingredients for 4 people:

6 round ripe tomatoes
1 small cucumber
1 cup Calamata olives
half red onion
1 tsp capers
1 cup cubed feta cheese
few basil leaves
1 tsp dried origanum
a splash of lemon juice
2/3 TBS olive oil
salt

Rinse and slice tomatoes in big chunks and put them in a salad bowl.
Add cubed cucumber, thinly sliced onion, capers, pitted olives, cubed feta,
chopped basil and origanum. Add olive oil, lemon juice, salt and mix well.

Serve with fresh pita bread.