Sierra Plants for Food

Collect in winter.

2 cups berries

1/4 cup honey

1 tbs cinnamon

Cover berries with water and boil for 15 min. Strain and mix with 1/4 cup honey 1 tbs cinnamon. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 400 for 30 min [6].

Manzanita Crackers

Harvest berries in fall.

1 1/2 cup red berries

1 cup spelt flour

1 cup rice flour

1/3-1/2 cup oil

1/2-2/3 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

Grind berries to a powder and sift to remove the seeds from the berries.

Mix berry powder with flour salt and oil until mix is crumbly. Stir water in to form dough. Roll or press dough into baking sheet. :Bake at 375 for 25 min or until lightly brown [29].

Manzanita Berries

Berries can be collected spring summer and enjoyed green or red.

Manzanita Sugar Substitute

Collect berries in summer when red and ripe.

Crush berries and sift out skins and seeds. Powder is fruity and lightly sweet in flavor. It is great to add to oatmeal, tea, and anything else you wish to sweeten [29].

Madrone, Pacific Berries

(Arbutus menziesii)

Berries can be collected in fall and enjoyed fresh.

Oregon Grape

(Mahonia aquifolium)

Berries can be collected in summer and enjoyed fresh.

Baked Goods

Gingerbread and Oak Nut Bites from In the Kitchen

1-¼ cups prepared oak nut flour

1 ¼ cup flour (wheat or white)

2 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

½ tsp cloves

2 eggs

½ cup sugar

1-cup molasses

½ cup oil

1. Sift dry ingredients together

2. Combine eggs, sugar, molasses, and oil in separate bowl.

3. Mix together and kneed until soft dough forms. Leave to rest in fridge for 20-30 minutes.

4. Take dough out of fridge and roll into bite sized balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Take one egg and beat in a small bowl, with a pastry brush, paint each ball with the egg wash. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes until firm and brown.

While the gingerbread bites are baking, you can make the apple topping.

You will need 3 apples, try and find a local source.

1-tablespoon butter

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup manzanita sugar

Pinch salt

Dice the apples. Melt the butter over med-high heat in a skillet, add the apples and toss well. Add in the sugars and cook until the sugars have dissolved and the apples begin to caramelize. They will turn a beautiful brown color. Once cooked, turn off heat and set aside.

With the gingerbread bites cooked and the apples caramelized, all you need to do it assemble the appetizer thoughtfully. I like to add a small pinch of locally made goat cheese both for flavor and so that the apple topping stays put. Garnish with a small sprig of fresh thyme!

In The Kitchen 648 Zion St Nevada City, Ca 478-0669 www.wendyvanwagner.com

Oak Nut Wheat Bread

3 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

½ cup vegetable oil

3 cups prepared oak nut flour

1 2/3 cup milk to make a soft dough

Mix wheat flour, baking soda and salt. Add oak nut flour, milk, and oil until dough is stiff but moist. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 25 minutes. -www.californiaoaks.org

Oak Nut Yeast Bread

1 2/3 cup warm water

¼ cup honey

¼ tsp. salt

2 pkgs. dry yeast

3 cups plus 2 tbs. whole wheat flour

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 cups prepared oak nut flour

Mix water, honey, salt, yeast, and 2 tbs. flour and set in a warm place for approximately 10 minutes until foamy. Add 3 cups wheat flour, 1/3 cup oil, and 2 cups prepared acorn flour. Mix and fill two bread pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. www.californiaoaks.org

Oak Nut Tortillas

1 cup corn masa

1 cup prepared oak nut flour

1 cup water

Mix until dough is a soft ball. Shape into approximately 14 balls and press flat with hands or a tortilla press. Cook on both sides in hot, ungreased skillet for approximately 1 minute on each side, until done.

Oak Nut Pancakes

1 cup oak nut flour

1 cup white flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

¼ cup oil

½ cup honey

2 cups milk

1. Mix dry ingredients first.

2. Add wet ingredients and mix together thoroughly (Note: the secret of keeping pancake batter from getting lumpy is to be sure to add all the wet ingredients before mixing.)

3. Adjust consistency by adding a little more milk or a little more flour if it’s too thick or thin. Pancake batter should be thin enough to pour, but not runny.

4. Cook on oiled grill.

5. Top with butter and Maple Syrup.

Gingerbread and Oak Nuts

1 ¼ cups prepared oak nut flour

1 ¼ cup flour (wheat or white)

2 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

½ tsp cloves

2 eggs

½ cup sugar

1 cup molasses

½ cup oil

1 cup boiling water

1. Sift dry ingredients together

2. Combine eggs, sugar, molasses, and oil in separate bowl.

3. Mix together, add boiling water and stir until smooth.

4. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes

Winter Squash/ Pumpkin Pie with Acorn Crust

Crust:

1 1/2 c prepared acorn flour (not too finely ground)

4 tbs butter

2 tbs sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix ingredients together and press into pie pan

Filling:

2 c cooked pureed squash or pumpkin

1 can coconut milk

2 eggs lightly beaten

1/2 c maple syrup or sugar (could be more or less depending on how sweet your pumpkin is)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tbs grated fresh ginger (or more i like it nice and gingery)

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large bowl mix everything together and pour into pie crust. Bake in a preheated oven at 425 for 15min, then reduce heat to 350 for another 40-50 min.

Drinks

Manzanita Cider

Collect berries in summer.

Green manzanita berries

Water

Honey

Cover green berries with water and simmer for 15 minutes. Let stand overnight, strain and sweeten as desired [4].

Spanish used green berries and Native Americans used the ripe berries.
This can also be used as a vinegar substitute for salad dressing.

Toyon cider

Collect berries in winter.

Cover berries with water. Bring to a boil while crushing berries. Strain and sweeten as desired for cider [5,6].

Dinner

Rice and Veggies with Fresh Madrone Berries

(Arbutus menziesii)

Collect berries in fall.

1 cup brown rice, 2 cups water

edamame

broccoli

yellow squash

zucchini

onions

garlic

Cook rice until done. Simmer veggies in separate pan. Add cooked rice to veggies, reheat and stir. Add pine nuts or other nuts and fresh Madrone berries.

Desserts

Toyon Brickle Bar

(Umbellularia californica)

Collect berries in winter.

1/4 gallon ripe Toyon berries

Biscuit dough

1/2 cup honey

Cover Toyon berries with water and bring to a boil. Add honey and cook for 15 minutes, stirring regularly. Reduce heat to a simmer and the drop small balls of biscuit dough into the berries. Cook until dough is done for a rich dessert [6].

Bay Nut Chocolate Clusters

Collect California Bay Laurel nuts in fall.

1 cup Bay nuts

1 bar organic dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 350. Place nuts on a cookie sheet and bake for 35 minutes. Shell, and chop nuts. In a double boiler place chocolate to melt. Add chopped nuts and mix well. On a dish lined with wax paper, place spoonfuls of chocolate nut mixture. Set in freezer for about 15 minutes [30].

Fir tip sorbet

(Pseudotsuga menziesii)

Collect fir tips in the spring.

2 cups water

1 cup agave nectar (or sugar)

1/2 cup fir tips (a few extra to use as garnish)

1 tbs gin (optional)

Take one cup of water and boil the fir tips in it for 10 minutes. Strain out tips, and return liquid to heat adding the rest of the water and agave. Heat until agave dissolves. Take off heat and let cool. Proceed with the mixture in your ice cream maker. Garnish with fir tips (4).

Note: if you cannot find young fir tips the more mature needles can be used.

Jams, Jellies, Dressings and Sauces

Chokecherry Sauce

(Prunus virginiana)

Collect chokecherries in fall. Cooking or drying lessens the bitterness of the raw fruit. Grind up the ripe fruits, straining the pits or including them, and dry in the sun. To eat as a sauce, add water, sugar, and flour to dried cake [15].

Chokecherry Syrup

(Prunus virginiana)

Collect chokecherries in fall.

7 c. chokecherry juice

6 c. sugar

Wash cherries and drain well. Place in 8-10 quart kettle and add enough water to completely cover the cherries. Boil until tender, about 15 to 30 minutes. Strain through a cloth jelly bag or fruit press. Combine sugar and measured juice and bring to a boil. Boil rapidly for 20 to 25 minutes. Pour into hot sterile jars and seal.

Manzanita Berry Vinaigrette from Ike's Quarter Cafe

Mix spices together in a small bowl.

3/4 cup Manzanita Sugar

(crush and sift dried berries into a sweet, powdered sugar substitute)

1 tbl cajun spice

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tbl sea salt

1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper

1 tsp minced garlic

1 cup carmelized onions

Mix liquid ingredients together in a large bowl.

1 1/2 cup golden balsamic vinegar

1 cup orange juice

3/4 cup olive oil

2 cups rice oil

Combine, shake well, and enjoy!

Manzanita Blossom Jelly

Collect blossoms in spring, avoiding ants.

1 1/2 cups blossoms

1 cup water

1 tsp lemon juice

3 cups brown sugar or honey

Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir constantly on medium heat until thick. If a very thick jelly is desired you can add agar agar. Once desired thickness is reached, pour into sterilized jars and can or refrigerate [31].

Manzanita Berry Jelly

Collect berries in summer or fall.

1 quart berries (green or red)

1 lemon or 1/4 cup apple juice

1/2 cup water

4 cups sugar

Cover berries with water and crush. Add lemon and cinnamon and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain out the berries from the juice and bring it back to a boil. Add 4 cups sugar to 5 cups manzanita juice. Bring to a boil and pour into jars [4].

Oregon Grape Jelly

(Mahonia aquifolium)

Collect berries when ripe and high in vitamin C, in summer.

1 quart berries,

1 lemon or 1/2 cup apple juice

1/2 cup water

4 cups sugar

1 package pectin

Cinnamon

Clean and crush berries, add lemon or apple juice and simmer 15 min. strain out juice and bring it to a boil with sugar. Add pectin and boil for 1 min. (3 1/2 cups juice to 4 cups sugar, 1 package pectin) [4,5]

Madrone Berry Sauce for Pancakes

(Arbutus menziesii)

Collect berries in fall.

2 cups fresh or frozen Madrone berries

Sugar as desired

1/4 tsp lemon juice

Simmer berries in water until tender, pour off water, blend, and add sugar and lemon juice. Use instead of or in addition to maple syrup [4]

Native Flour

Toyon Berries

Collect berries in winter.

Dry and powder to use as flour substitute [6].

Manzanita Berries

Collect in spring.

Dry, and grind into a powder [5].

Oak Nut Flour