The green tree of moringa can be found growing all over our little desert oasis ~ it's an absolute powerhouse of nutrients and we just love it!
Moringa is actually one of the most ancient herbal medicines in the world, highly valued by the Greeks, Romans and Ancient Egyptians. The pharaohs often placed the prized oil in tombs and it's also mentioned throughout the Bible. Yup, this herb is steeped in history. We use the fresh leaves in our juices, smoothies and herbal teas as it's incredibly rich in vitamin C, minerals, proteins, antioxidants and B vitamins. It really is a plant well worth having around.
Every part of the moringa tree including the flowers, seed pods, leaves and roots are used for medicine and help maintain the health of indigenous people worldwide. The plant is easy to grow and the leaves are anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-parasitic. It's fantastic at balancing blood sugar, enhancing memory, stabilizing the mood and emotions and can treat a huge range of diseases including skin infections, eye and ear infections, digestive problems, fever, bronchitis and malnutrition.
It's a great one to add to your daily health routine ~ if you can't find it fresh or grow it yourself, you can order the moringa oil or dried leaves.
Moringa flowers
Some foodie things we love to do with moringa...
Moringa Smoothie
This is a common drink in our household. We pop outside and milk the goats (fresh and raw always), grab a handful of moringa leaves on the way back, take out a bunch of dates and frozen banana from our freezer and blend it all up. Its totally yum, simple and the kids love it!
* 2 x cups of fresh raw grass-fed milk or almond milk.
* handful of dates.
* handful of fresh Moringa leaves and flowers or several tablespoons of dried leaves.
* tsp of vanilla extract
* handful of frozen banana.
Blend and Enjoy!
Moringa Basil Vegan Pesto
Basil is another of our frequently used herbs, excellent for lifting the mood and combating anxiety, stress and fatigue. We always have a large jar of pesto in our fridge and keep bushes of various forms of it growing around our farm. Pesto is easy to make, super nutritious and a great snack when food is quickly needed. We spread it on our sprouted seed and nut crackers and sourdough breads.
* 2 large bushes of basil (leaves taken off the stem, washed and dried)
* large handful of fresh moringa leaves or several Tbs of dried leaves
* 1 x cup of activated cashews
* ½ cup of activated walnuts
* ½ cup activated almonds
* 5-10 cloves of fresh garlic
* Tbs of tamari soy sauce
* 2 x Tbs fresh lemon juice
* 3 x Tbs of nutritional yeast
* 1 x cup of olive oil
* large pinch of sea salt
('Activating' nuts is the process of soaking them in salty water overnight and drying them in a warm oven or dehydrator. This activates enzymes and neutralizes enzyme inhibitors making the nuts much easier on the digestive system, as well as more nutritious!)
In a food processor, blend the nuts first until they become a course meal. Add the rest of the ingredients (accept olive oil), and process until the leaves are well broken down. Finally add the olive oil and blend until a nice pesto consistency has been achieved.
Keeps good in the fridge for weeks stored in glass jars, covered with a small layer of olive oil.
