Healing the Void: From CEN to Wholeness, A Psychological and Seasonal Journey

Tag: Herbal remedies

  • Spring’s Wild Abundance: Edible Greens to Forage for Healing and Joy

    After the stillness and inward pull of winter, spring arrives like a quiet exhale. Our bodies, too, begin to shift. Energy rises, digestion awakens, and we naturally crave lighter, fresher foods. In traditional systems of medicine—Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, European folk wisdom—this time of year is seen as a natural cleansing period.

    And nature provides exactly what we need: chlorophyll-rich, mineral-dense greens. These plants support liver function, gently detoxify the body, and bring vitality after months of heavier eating or low movement. But their benefits are not only physical. To bend and gather, to watch the bees work alongside you, is also to tend your nervous system.

    Foraging becomes a full-bodied practice of presence. It offers calm through movement, rhythm through routine, and connection through touch. This kind of nourishment—alive, immediate, relational—goes beyond calories or nutrients. It reaches into something deeper. Something ancestral.

    The Plants — Who to Look For and How to Use Them

    Spring greens come in quietly—tender, small, and easy to overlook. But each one carries a long tradition of nourishment and medicine. Below are some of the most common, useful, and generous plants you can meet this season.

    1. Nettle (Urtica dioica)
    Rich in iron, calcium, and chlorophyll, nettles are a spring powerhouse. Once cooked or dried, their sting disappears. Use like spinach in soups, stews, or omelettes. Dried nettles also make a nourishing tea that supports energy, kidneys, and overall vitality.

    2. Ground Elder (Aegopodium podagraria)
    An early and abundant green that tastes slightly like parsley or celery. Excellent raw in salads or added at the end of cooking to retain its bright flavor.

    3. Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)
    Delicate and aromatic, this plant adds a subtle anise-like flavor to salads, soups, or fresh cheese. It’s best enjoyed raw or barely wilted to preserve its complex notes. For precise recipes check out my free guide on Foraging Chervil Through the Seasons: Recipes for Food, Medicine, and Beauty

    4. Cleavers (Galium aparine)
    Known for its clinging nature, cleavers help support the lymphatic system. Best infused cold in water for a few hours—its gentle cleansing action works beautifully in spring.

    5. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
    From leaf to flower to root, every part is edible and beneficial. The leaves are bitter and supportive of digestion; the flowers can be made into syrup or fritters; the roots roasted for a coffee substitute.

    6. Violet (Viola odorata)
    The leaves and flowers are mild, cooling, and rich in vitamin C. Use them in tea, scatter on salads, or make soothing syrups. Gentle on the heart—emotionally and physically.

    7. Daisy (Bellis perennis)
    Tiny but mighty, daisies are anti-inflammatory and can be used similarly to arnica. The young leaves and flowers are edible and can be added raw to spring dishes.

    8. Wild Strawberry Leaf (Fragaria vesca)
    A gentle astringent and tonic, the leaves can be made into a refreshing tea. They’re calming for digestion and rich in minerals.

    9. Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea)
    With a scent reminiscent of thyme and mint, this aromatic green supports the lungs and sinuses. Try it dried and used like an Italian seasoning—or fresh, finely chopped, in savory dishes.

    10. Plantain (Plantago major/lanceolata)
    Not a true green for eating in quantity, but deeply healing. Use fresh leaves to soothe skin irritations, or dry them for teas supporting the lungs and digestion.

    11. Wild Garlic and Chives (Allium species)
    Their leaves and flowers bring the brightness of spring to any dish. Excellent raw or lightly cooked, rich in sulfur compounds for immune and liver support.

    12. Linden and Birch Leaves (Tilia & Betula species)
    Young leaves are tender, slightly sweet, and full of vitality. A lovely addition to salads or infusions, they also carry traditional calming and cleansing properties.

    Safety, Gratitude, and Gathering with Care

    When we harvest wild plants, especially in spring, we are partaking in a gift exchange. Here are some gentle guidelines to keep this relationship rooted in respect and sustainability:

    1. Learn each plant well before you harvest.
    Many wild plants have look-alikes—some harmless, others dangerous. Always positively identify your finds, preferably with the help of a good guidebook or a local expert. You can visit PFAF.org (Plants For A Future) — a respected, free database with detailed information on the uses and properties of wild edible and medicinal plants.

    2. Harvest only what you’ll use.
    Take small amounts from each patch to allow the plant to continue growing. Avoid harvesting the first or only flowering plant in a given spot.

    3. Choose clean, chemical-free areas.
    Avoid roadsides, treated lawns, and places where dogs may roam. Wild food should be as pure as its origin.

    4. Give thanks.
    There’s no one right way—whether it’s a whispered word, a moment of stillness, or simply the intention to do no harm. Gratitude keeps us grounded and reminds us that we are receiving, not taking.

    5. Go slow.
    There’s a temptation to pick as much as possible, especially when wild greens feel like such a treasure. But the slower path—pausing to notice the birdsong, the sun on your face, the feel of the soil—will nourish you just as deeply as any tea or meal.

    Simple Ways to Begin – Fresh Uses for Fresh Plants

    Wild plants can be woven effortlessly into daily rituals, nourishing your body while deepening your connection with the season.

    1. Fresh teas and infusions
    Tender leaves of nettle, violet, strawberry, plantain, or linden make beautiful spring teas. Pick a small handful, pour over hot (not boiling) water, and steep for 10–15 minutes. The taste is gentle and green—alive with the energy of spring.

    2. Cold maceration for delicate herbs
    Cleaver prefers cold water. Simply rinse and place in a jar of cool water overnight for a spring lymph tonic that feels like a gentle inner cleanse.

    3. Seasonal salads
    Add young dandelion leaves, chickweed, violet flowers, wild garlic, and wild chives to your salads. Their bitterness awakens digestion, and their presence on your plate reawakens your senses.

    4. Wild green sautés and soups
    Try cooking nettle, ground elder, birch and linden leaves or plantain the way you’d use spinach. Sauté with garlic, blend into soups, or mix with eggs for a spring omelette.

    5. Herbal seasonings
    Dry ground ivy and crumble them into a jar. You’ll have a wild “Italian seasoning” to carry a whisper of spring into the colder months.

    6. For the children—or the child within
    Make little foraged butter sandwiches with violets and daisies, decorate rice cakes with wild flowers, or blend wild greens into a smoothie. Spring invites a bit of play.

    7. Wild Pesto

    Did you know you can make pesto from any seasonal greens? A few of my favourites include wild garlic, chervil and nettle, check out The Ultimate Guide to Vegan Pesto: Wild & Foraged Greens for a Nutrient-Packed Twist

    The Deeper Healing of Seasonal Foraging

    Foraging is more than finding wild food—it is a quiet reunion. With yourself. With the seasons. With a pace of life that listens before it takes.

    To walk through the woods or kneel beside a hedgerow is to place yourself into nature’s rhythm. You begin to see that everything has its moment: the soft violet that blooms and fades in weeks, the nettle that rises strong and green just when your body craves rebuilding, the dandelion that asks you to let go and grow deeper roots.

    There is medicine in this awareness. In looking at the land not as scenery, but as a living web of nourishment and relationship. And there is something gently transformative about preparing a simple meal or tea from something you gathered with your own hands.

    This is not about doing more or adding another “should” to your day. It’s about remembering that you belong to something greater.

    Come Closer to the Wild: A Gentle Invitation

    If this article stirred something in you—an ache for simplicity, a longing for reconnection, a curiosity about the plants at your feet—I invite you to take the next step. Begin noticing. Start small. Even a single sprig of violet or a fresh nettle leaf can change how you feel in your body and spirit.

    To continue exploring, you can visit PFAF.org (Plants For A Future) — a respected, free database with detailed information on the uses and properties of wild edible and medicinal plants.

    If this resonated, I’d love to hear from you.
    Share your favorite wild spring plant in the comments, forward this article to a friend who’s always dreamed of foraging, or save it for your next walk in nature.

    We heal best when we remember we’re not alone.

    Read more:

    The Ultimate Guide to Vegan Pesto: Wild & Foraged Greens for a Nutrient-Packed Twist

    Early Spring Gardening: Fast-Growing Crops & Companion Planting for Thriving Soil

    Early Spring Foraging: Edible & Medicinal Plants You Can Find Now

  • Foraging Chervil Through the Seasons: Recipes for Food, Medicine, and Beauty

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    Chervil recipes for food, medicine and beauty

    There is a quiet magic in foraging—an ancient rhythm that ties us to the land. Chervil, with its feathery green leaves and delicate anise-like aroma, emerges in the cool embrace of early spring and lingers into autumn. Once cherished by the ancients for its medicinal and culinary virtues, it now waits, unnoticed, in meadows and woodland edges.

    Gather it gently, honoring the earth’s generosity, and let it weave its quiet strength into your kitchen and apothecary.

    Food recipes with Foraged Chervil

    Chervil and Spring Pea Soup
    A light yet nourishing soup that captures the essence of spring.
    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups fresh green peas
    • 3 cups vegetable broth
    • 1 small onion, chopped
    • 2 tbsp butter
    • ½ cup fresh chervil leaves, chopped
    • Salt and pepper to taste
      Instructions:
      Sauté the onion in butter until translucent. Add peas and broth, simmer for 10 minutes. Blend until smooth, stir in chervil, season, and serve warm.

    Wild Herb Butter with Chervil
    Perfect for spreading on sourdough or melting over roasted vegetables.
    Ingredients:

    • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
    • ¼ cup finely chopped chervil
    • 1 tsp lemon zest
    • ½ tsp sea salt
      Instructions:
      Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Shape into a log using parchment paper, refrigerate for an hour, then slice as needed.

    Check out my Spring Foraging Guide for more ideas on how to incorporate wild plants into your meals!

    Chervil as Medicine: Herbal Remedies for Balance

    Chervil and Honey Cough Syrup
    A soothing remedy for lingering coughs.
    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup fresh chervil leaves
    • 1 cup raw honey
    • ½ lemon, juiced
      Instructions:
      Gently heat honey until warm (not boiling). Stir in chopped chervil and lemon juice. Let infuse for 24 hours, then strain. Take a teaspoon as needed for cough relief.

    Chervil-Infused Vinegar for Digestion
    A simple tonic to support gut health.
    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup fresh chervil
    • 2 cups apple cider vinegar
      Instructions:
      Place chervil in a glass jar, cover with vinegar, and let steep for 2 weeks. Strain and use a teaspoon in water before meals to aid digestion.

    Chervil in Skincare: Wild Beauty Rituals

    Chervil and Oat Face Mask
    A gentle, calming mask for sensitive skin.
    Ingredients:

    • 2 tbsp fresh chervil, finely chopped
    • 2 tbsp ground oats
    • 1 tbsp honey
    • 1-2 tbsp warm water
      Instructions:
      Mix ingredients into a smooth paste. Apply to clean skin, leave for 10 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

    Chervil Hair Rinse for Strength and Shine
    A nourishing infusion for healthy hair.
    Ingredients:

    • ½ cup fresh chervil
    • 2 cups boiling water
      Instructions:
      Steep chervil in hot water for 30 minutes, strain, and use as a final rinse after shampooing.

    Beyond These Recipes: Other Ways to Use Chervil

    The possibilities are endless. Try blending fresh chervil into pesto (recipe here), infusing oil for salads, or adding it to herbal teas. Create a cooling chervil foot soak for summer evenings, or stir its essence into a homemade face cream. Dry it for winter, so its delicate power lingers long after the seasons have shifted.

    Foraging Chervil: Questions You May Have

    1. How can I be sure I’ve found chervil?

    Chervil has delicate, feathery leaves and a light anise-like scent when crushed. It can resemble other plants, including some toxic ones, so take your time. Check for its finely divided leaves and subtle fragrance. If you’re unsure, compare it with a trusted guide or expert before using it.

    2. When is the best time to forage chervil?

    Chervil thrives in the cooler months of early spring and late summer. This is when its leaves are at their most vibrant and flavorful. Once it flowers, the taste fades, so it’s best harvested before then.

    3. What’s the best way to store fresh chervil?

    Chervil wilts quickly, but you can keep it fresh for a short time by wrapping it in a damp cloth in the fridge. For longer storage, freeze it in olive oil or blend it into herb butter. Drying is an option, though it loses some of its delicate flavor.

    Bringing Chervil Into Your Kitchen

    Chervil is best enjoyed fresh—stirred into soups, sprinkled over roasted vegetables, or mixed into soft cheese. Its gentle flavor doesn’t demand attention but adds a quiet depth to dishes.

    Have you ever foraged chervil? Share your favorite ways to use it in the comments! And if this post was helpful, feel free to pass it along to fellow foragers and nature lovers.

    For those who want to delve deeper, my Wild Library holds a comprehensive guide to chervil, featuring 30 recipes with leaves and 7 with roots and seeds—from wild soups and infused oils to elixirs and botanical balms.

    Let the rhythm of the wild guide your hands. Nature has so much to offer—we need only to listen.