Hawthorn and Beetroot Salad

In Irish folklore the young leaves of hawthorn where known as “Bread and Butter” and children were encouraged to eat them on the way to school in order to take the edge off hunger before breakfast. An interesting fact is , that the oxygen that hawthorn leaves release can help eliminate feelings of tiredness and dizziness.

Ingredients: 

• ½ pint hawthorn leaves, chopped finely – keep a few whole leaves for decoration

• 2 cooked beetroot, diced or 2 raw beetroot grated

 Method:

1. Wash the young hawthorn leaves and combine with the diced or grated beetroot.

2. Add the following dressing and mix well

 Dressing:

• 1 tsp grated ginger

• 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey or agave syrup (optional)

• 1 tbsp tamari sauce (wheat free soy sauce)

• 1 tsp lemon juice

Tip: You can decorate the salad with whole hawthorn leaves, edible flowers e.g. dandelion petals, garlic or chives flowers
Note: Beetroot is high in minerals like calcium, magnesium and iron, rich in vitamin C and an excellent intestinal cleanser. It is also a good blood cleanser and detoxifies liver and gallbladder.

Alternative: Instead of hawthorn leaves you can use basil, lemon balm or small amounts of rosemary or sage. For the nutty flavour you can add 2-3 tbsp of chopped walnuts.