Zesty Nasturtiums

I love how fiery and vibrant these nasturtiums look! They're so easy to grow from seed, and even before the flowers come out, the round leaves with a hub in the middle and spokes going out to the edges look like tiny lotus leaves. The flowers can be a sunny yellow, a bright orange, or a brilliant red, all on the same plant! Both flowers and leaves have a way of standing tall, but still look graceful, they're strong yet somehow manage to look slender. This is the first time I planted them and I couldn't be more pleased. This is one plant I know I'll plant again next year.

Did you know Nasturtium translates to nose-twister in Latin? I'm guessing it's because of the peppery taste of the leaves and the flowers that could make you sneeze. So yes, they're edible, tasty, and make a pretty, colorful garnish on salads.

Nasturtium Salad
Ingredients (1 serving)
A big handful of any mixed greens
1 small chopped tomato
1 tbsp diced red onion
A few nasturtium flowers

For the vinaigrette
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
a dab of mustard
1 tsp honey
1 tsp olive oil
a dash of salt
a sprinkle of pepper

In the bottom of a salad bowl, briskly whisk together all the dressing ingredients until they are thoroughly combined. Add the mixed greens, tomato, and onion to the bowl and toss them together in the dressing until all the leaves are coated. Pull out the petals of the nasturtium flowers and sprinkle them on top. This is a basic salad recipe, but you get the drift - you can add these lovely little flowers to almost any salad.

If you're really ambitious in the kitchen, you could even try to make Nasturtium Vinegar - simply add about 35 flowers to 350ml white vinegar, and store it in a cool dark place for 3.5 weeks until the vinegar turns a golden red. Strain it and use this pretty peppery vinegar in dressings.