After a very long winter, the brighter and warmer days are here! New life has sprung up and I'm appreciating every sprout, bloom, and flower.

This lovely violet patch at our house has inspired me to learn more about this plant and the surprising medicinal properties it holds.

Edible Uses:

The common blue violet (pictured above) is often considered a weed that pops up in gardens, lawns, and sidewalk cracks, but did you know that the leaves and flowers are edible?

The heart-shaped leaves can be eaten raw in salads, sandwiches, or wraps, blended up into pesto, or cooked into soups. The vibrant purple flowers make a decorative garnish in mocktails & salads or on top of baked goods. They have a mild, fresh flavor that isn't too overpowering.

The leaves of violets contain quite a bit of soluble fiber, so eating violet leaves can potentially lower cholesterol and restore microbiome health.

Medicinal Properties:

Violets are cooling and moistening. They stimulate lymphatic movement, which is especially useful in the springtime when we need detox after a long winter. They also traditionally were used in Europe as a respiratory remedy to alleviate whooping cough, bronchitis, and swollen lymph nodes. It's anti-inflammatory, can be consumed in large quantities without worry, and is generally safe for children, pregnant & breastfeeding mothers.

Infusing violet leaves and flowers into an oil makes an amazing & natural remedy that has been known to soften tissue and help relieve painful and swollen breasts.

Making Violet-Infused Oil:

To make this oil for yourself or a loved one, all you need are some violets and high quality olive oil, argan oil, or sweet almond oil.

Take care to pick violets that have not been exposed to chemicals, sprays, or animal waste. Only pick the violets you need, or a quarter of what's growing, and leave the rest behind.

Gently wash the leaves and flowers and allow to completely dry. Fill a mason jar 3/4 of the way with the plant material and then fill up the jar with oil of choice making sure the violets are completely submerged. Write the date on top of the jar and leave it in a warm spot in your kitchen or panty. Let the violets infuse for 4-6 weeks. Strain out the plant material and voila, you have your oil!

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I bet after you read this email, you will start to see violets everywhere! Let me know if you try eating or making medicine with this lovely herb!

Happy spring!

Blair