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Message Subject Recession Proof GLP... Food: Cut costs & stay healthy
Poster Handle SouthernLight
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Continuing wild eating with… Desert forage

Prickly pear cactus
is an old favorite!

The fruit are tasty as is or can be made into jelly or wine or probably expressed as juice alone. With thorns carefully removed, the bright red fruit is a tasty treat and makes for wonderful jellies and even wine. You could probably just express them for juice too. I have never tried this, but it seems reasonable and could prove handy for hydration in a survival situation.

Did you know the pads can be eaten too? Young pads, I like the ones that the thorns have not fully developed on, are quite good prepared in a variety of ways. The first step is to remove the thorny nodules, trim away the fibrous base of the pad and the outer edge. This is best done wearing leather gloves and using a very sharp paring knife.

One of the easiest methods of cooking is to roast or grill these pads over an open fire. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes per side for them to be fully cooked and nicely toasted. You will want to lightly brush them with oil before and during grilling. Bacon grease works well, as does olive oil, plain or seasoned. My grandfather had a special tin of sliced garlic and bacon drippings that he used to brush his, adding salt and pepper as he turned and toasted them to perfection.

They are also good chopped into bite-sized pieces, sautéed until tender and mixed with a variety of things from scrambled eggs to salads. Just use a little butter and season to taste as you are cooking. Another method is to boil them. This is very similar to cooking okra in that they make a thick, slimy liquid, (especially if over cooked) which should be drained and washed off before adding to salads or serving with other vegetables. You can buy prepared prickly pear in most grocery stores as Nopalitos.

Links to fruit nutrition, info and recipes:
[link to www.desertusa.com]
[link to www.nutritiondata.com]
[link to www.cooks.com]
[link to www.gourmetsleuth.com]

Medicinal uses include skinning the pad and placing on burns, insect bites, chapped skin, etc., much the same way aloe vera is used. Studies are also showing value in elevated LDL cholesterol and diabetes. See these links for more:
[link to www.herbalsafety.utep.edu]
[link to jn.nutrition.org]
[link to health.usnews.com]
[link to gateway.nlm.nih.gov]
[link to findarticles.com]
 
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