Edible Flowers - Pansies at the Table

You Can Eat Flowers From the Viola Family - Pansy Popsicles Recipe

© Deborah Harding

Mar 16, 2009

Now that you have planted and grown your spring pansies and violas here is an interesting way to use them; in food.

Pansies are edible and they taste good in certain recipes. Be sure to wash them well before adding to recipes especially if you have used an insecticide on them.

Pansy Popsicles

These popsicles will amaze your kids. Don’t think they will be afraid to eat a flower, they might think it’s really interesting and cool.

You will need either paper cups and popsicle sticks or a commercial plastic popsicle form for these tasty treats.

Ingredients

• Either regular or Pink Lemonade made from dry mix and water
• Fresh pansies and/or violas

Directions:

1. Mix lemonade as per package instructions.
2. Pour into forms or paper cups about ¾ of the way full. (Use small paper cups like the ones used in bathroom dispensers) If using paper cups it is advisable to place cups on a baking sheet.
3. Place a few pansies or violas into the lemonade and place cups or forms in the freezer.
4. If using cups wait a few hours then when mixture is hard enough but still soft insert popsicle sticks and continue freezing until hard.
5. Pop out of form or cups and serve.

Melon Salad with Pansies or Violas

Serve this salad at a ladies luncheon or breakfast. It will certainly create a lot of talk.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• dash of salt
• dash of fresh ground pepper
• 3 cups assorted melon cut in ¾ inch pieces
• 2 small cucumbers, sliced thin
• Salad greens
• Pansy or viola flowers

Directions

1. In a tightly covered container combine vegetable oil, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper.
2. Shake to combine well. In a bowl combine melon pieces, greens, cucumber, and pansies or violas.
3. Right before serving pour on dressing and toss to combine well.

Herb and Pansy Salad

This salad is so simple. The dressing is just lemon juice. Pansies and violas give it a great deal of color so it looks like you are eating a rainbow.

Ingredients

• 4 cups mixed salad greens
• ¼ cup fresh dill springs
• ¼ cup flat leaf parsley leaves
• ¼ cup basil leaves, rolled and thinly sliced crosswise.
• 1 large lemon, halves
• pinch of salt
• fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1 cup toasted pecans
• ¾ cup feta, crumbled
• 1 cup pansies or violas

Directions

1. In a salad bowl combine greens and herbs.
2. Squeeze lemon juice (remove seeds) over and season with salt and pepper. Toss.
3. Right before serving add walnuts and feta and toss.
4. Sprinkle flowers on top and serve.

Spinach Pansy Quiche

Serve this colorful quiche and you’ll be the talk of the town.

Ingredients

• 1 deep 9” pastry shell
• 4 medium green onions, chopped (white and green parts)
• ½ stick butter
• 1 packet frozen spinach, thawed-drained-chopped
• 1 cup grated Swiss cheese
• ½ cup cottage cheese
• 2 medium eggs
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¾ cup fresh pansies

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a skillet sauté onions in butter until tender.
3. Add spinach and toss until heated through.
4. Spread cottage cheese mixture over bottom of the unbaked pastry shell.
5. Spread onion/spinach mixture over top. Sprinkle on Swiss cheese.
6. In a bowl combine eggs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add pansies and pour over top of Swiss cheese.
7. Bake for about 45 minutes or until set.
8. Let cool slightly and serve with a few fresh pansies on the plate.

Surprise everyone by serving flowers on your lunch or dinner table.

edible flowers

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