My first remembrances of alfalfa is in the farmers' fields, the sweet smell of the alfalfa hay and sweet breath of the horses.
I felt at that time that alfalfa was only meant for animal feed.
I'm really showing my ignorance here for folklore has it as humanity's oldest crop. The Ancient Arabs referred to it as "father of all foods" (al-fal-fa) and it was used as a nutritive staple. That is one of it's healing properties, a nutritive. It is also a tonic and has anti-cholesterol, anti-anemia properties.
Now I include it in my
##Healing Vegetable Broth
Find the recipe and health benefits of the ingredients used in it on an earlier post at: @porters/recipe-healing-vegetable-stock-3-in-1-medicinal-cooking
***A little know fact - England during World War II, in response to the anticipated food shortage, developed alfalfa protein as an emergency food. although it wasn't used then it is now being introduced to communities in Mexico, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Sri Lanka, India, Ghana and Nicaragua.
Hint: Harvest the alfalfa plant in the pre-bud stage to get twice the protein as after.
I even found out that alfalfa, if properly dried is a good additive to baby formula to help babies put on weight.
The alfalfa sprouts were the first thing I had eaten from the alfalfa plant. I like to have some fresh greens for our winter meals that I could easily grow inside.
Simple Way to Grow Alfalfa Sprouts ( or most any sprouts)
Here’s how to do it.
Material needed:
1 quart wide mouth canning jar
some screening or folded cheese cloth cut about the size of the jar opening with an inch overhang, elastic band to hold the screening as a lid.
1 canning lid for storage
2 - 3 T. of sprouting seeds
Method:
Place seeds in jar, attach your screening. Fill jar with cool water until it more than covers the seeds. Allow to sit over night or about 8 hours.
The next morning, pour out water and rinse seeds really well. Do this several times. Drain well and lay the jar on it's side on the counter.
Repeat step 2 twice a day until sprouted the way you like it. Usually about 3 days but it can be as much as 5. Once the seeds start to sprout move the jar to a spot with indirect sunlight to green them up a bit.
When the sprouts are nearly done sprouting to the size you want, do not rinse them for a bit so they won’t be too damp for storing them to the refrigerator. Store with a cap on.
The nutrients in alfalfa are known to promote strong teeth and my niece was proof of that. They had no dairy and little sweets and they drank mint and alfalfa tea. When she went to the dentist he was always amazed at how strong her teeth were.
Alfalfa contains 3 times more calcium than milk, 5 times the magnesium and forty times more iron!
Alfalfa also contains 4 times more vitamin C than citrus fruits.
You can even make your own
Alfalfa Milk
Pour 1 1/2 cups water into a bowl. Add enough chopped carrots to bring water to two cups. Add enough fresh alfalfa to bring it to 2 1/2 cups. Blend at high speed for 20 seconds. Pour through a cheese cloth strainer over a bowl. Squeeze out all the juice. Heat this juice in a pan. You will find that green solids start to settle out then white solids. Remove from the heat at the first sign of the green coagulation.
Using a table knife to hold back the solids, pour out the amber liquid through a strainer and into a blender. Add 2 tablespoons of flax seed oil, 1 teaspoon of honey and a pinch of sea salt. Blend all of this at high speed. Add water to make the total amount 3 1/2 cups.
Set aside and the "cream" rises to the top. The green "cheese" that was strained off can be combined with lemon juice or tamari for dips.
Alfalfa is one of the best sources of chlorophyll, which has the ability to stimulate new skin growth, heal wounds and burns, diminish the symptoms of arthritis and gout lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation and help the body to be more resistant to cancer.
It's starting to sound like a real super food!
You can add the alfalfa leaves fresh in salads,rice and vegetable dishes and add generous handfuls of fresh or dried leaves to vegetable or meat stocks.
You can use the fresh or dried flowers and leaves along with green tea for a nutritious drink.
I love how in the Flower Essence Natural Medicine according to Prairie Deva
Alfalfa flower essence is for the individual that can never get enough. They worry that there will not be enough food on the table, or enough gas in the car. The flower essence helps put them in tough with the universal laws regarding plenty; reassuring them that they will be provided for.
I know the alfalfa plant is quite plentiful around here and not only can it be used as food but alfalfa fiber can be used to make paper, the mashed roots make an acceptable toothbrush and the seeds give a yellow dye.
One thing I almost forgot to mention is that alfalfa fixes nitrogen in the soil so is great for gardening plus alfalfa tea makes a great fertilizer for your plants. Healthy soil and plants make for healthy nutritious food!
What a wonderful, versatile plant alfalfa is. I hope this post inspires you to bring some alfalfa into your life
If you have other uses or recipes for alfalfa I'd love to hear about them in the comments.
