These past days I’ve been on a hunt for neighborhood habitats that are welcoming pollinators. I have found several. Of course complete and functional natural habitats not only benefit pollinators but human inhabitants as well.
Below you will find recipes for delicious pollinator connection foods and garnishes.
Paloverde Flowers attract bees. The bright yellow flowers are delicate and mildly sweet. As soon as possible after opening the flowers can be used fresh, cooked or as a garnish on salads or soups.
Try this Paloverde Flower Pudding Recipe
3 cups clean paloverde flowers
1/2 C water
1/2 C sugar
2 C milk
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Lightly beaten egg yolks or 1 well-beaten egg
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 Teaspoon salt
Simmer paloverde flowers in water until tender, approximately 10 minutes. Drain well and measure liquid. Add milk to make 1 cup. Puree blossoms in blender. In saucepan blend sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add milk and blossoms and cook while stirring over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Cook 2 minutes more, and remove from heat. Stir small amount of hot mixture into beaten egg. Return to hot mixture and cook 2 minutes more. Remove from heat, and add butter. Chill in dessert cups. Garnish with fresh paloverde blossoms .
Paloverde Pancakes
Add 1 cup of fresh paloverde flowers to yips favorite pancake mix.
(Recipe by Arizona Highways “Desert Wildflowers” )
Saguaro trees are just beginning to bloom. Check our Cactus Hotel, a children’s book favorite with your grandchildren to thoroughly appreciate the importance of Saguaros, Arizona’s state flower, to the natural life of this state.
Arizona Highway’s “Desert Wildflowers” magazine also offers this recipe for
Saguaro Seed Dressing
1/2 C mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Saguaro seeds
Mix all ingredients together and toss with your Arizona citrus salad.