Vitamin C for free.
After the wild roses have lost their blooms, these bright red berries are a terrific autumn trail snack. They contain more Vitamin C than citrus fruit, and are rich in Vitamins A, D and E.
They can be harvested fresh and dried or frozen; you can even pick dried berries or frozen berries from the bush in the dead of winter and use them in a variety of wild food recipes.
Here are a few:
NOTE:
1. Some people prefer to cut rose hips open and remove seeds and fine hairs if using the pulp.
2. Many herbalists caution against using aluminum cookware, which may destroy Vitamin C.
Fresh Rose Hip Tea:
1 TBS rose hips
1 cup water
1. Boil the water and remove from heat
2. Put rose hips in water, let them steep for 10-15 minutes
3. Strain and sweeten to taste
Dried Rose Hip Tea:
2 TBS dried rose hips
16 oz water
Honey, mint or sweetener to taste
1. Boil the water and remove from heat
2. Put rose hips in water, let them steep for 10-15 minutes
3. Strain and sweeten to taste
Rose Hip Honey
1 cup rose hips, remove the seeds
1 cup honey
1 16-oz jar
1. Cut the rose hips in half
2. Remove the seeds and fine hairs and place in jar
3. Warm the honey
4. Pour warmed honey into jar
5. Let it sit overnight
This is a perfect spread for toast, sweetener for tea, or just eaten plain.
Rose Hip Vegetable Side Dish:
1-2 cups cleaned, cooked, strained berries
Olive oil or butter
Salt or season to taste
1. Boil dried berries until they expand and split, pour off water for tea
2. Add seasoning to taste
Once you’ve prepared dried rose hip tea, the pulp is an excellent side dish.