It is not a secret that Latvia is not suitable place for growing such popular and all-favorite products like mango and papaya, melon and watermelon, and many others. That’s why we used to buy a lot of imported fruits and also berries, but we forget about many other valuable plants that are grown in Latvia and are well known for their medical benefits.

Sea-buckthorn season has already started and it will last until October. Don’t miss the opportunity to stock up sea-buckthorn berries and leaves for the winter. You can freeze them or make jam or syrup, as well as eat them fresh or use in cooking while they are available fresh in the market.

Sea-buckthorn berries are acidic and have quite specific taste. These are not strawberries, which you can eat just plain as snack in front of the TV. But what to do with them? If  you are wondering how to cook these berries to enjoy the taste and get all the benefits, read the article below.

These berries are actually considered to be a superfruits due to their unbelievable  concentration of nutrients, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and organic acids, including flavonoids, phenolics, amino acids, carotenoids, that makes buckthorn berries extremely versatile in the treatment of various health conditions and illnesses. The oil extracted from the seeds has been used to treat injuries and skin conditions. The versatile berries are higher than both fish and macadamia nuts in Omega 7 fatty acids.

BENEFITS:

• Buckthorn berry juice has been found to be extremely valuable in cancer prevention and treatment. The organic components of buckthorn berry have a high antioxidant content, which helps neutralize free radicals, the dangerous byproducts of cellular metabolism. 
• Buckthorn berry improve the health of the skin, strength of bones, and the resilience of your gums and teeth. Vitamin C-rich buckthorn plays an integral part in the formation of collagen, which is a crucial component of growth and repair throughout the body. Therefore, the high concentration of vitamin C in buckthorn berry makes it an all-around body booster that helps speed wound healing and recovery from injuries.
• Carotenoids are important antioxidants found in buckthorn berry that can protect your vision in a major way. Carotenoids slow down the progression of macular degeneration and prevent the development of cataracts, in addition to improving night vision.
• High levels of vitamin C in buckthorn berry can help increase the uptake of iron by the body, thereby ensuring a high, steady blood flow, as iron is a key ingredient in red blood cells.
• If you suffer from upset stomach or gastric distress of any kind, buckthorn berry juice can relieve discomfort and prevent inflammation. The anti-inflammatory capacity of this berry also helps relieve joint pain and sore muscles.
• For those seeking younger-looking skin, or who want to eliminate age spots and wrinkles, the free radical-neutralizing antioxidants in buckthorn berry are perfect. Drinking buckthorn berry juice, adding the concentrated oil to other foods, or eating the berries themselves helps to stay young.

I have collected several ideas and recipes for you.

SALADS

Freshly squeezed juice from berries can be used as replacement for apple cider vinegar or lemon juice for salad dressing. Just squeeze the berries with a pestle and separate juice from pulp.
You can store sea-buckthorn juice in fridge up to 5 days and use it for salad dressing instead of lemon or apple cider.
Don’t throw away the pulp! It can also be stored in the fridge for few days and put it in porridge, nice-creams or on top of the salad.

RAW PUMPKIN SALAD WITH SEA-BUCKTHORN DRESSING

This fresh pumpkin salad is made using seasonal products that are very typical for our region in autumn.
It is packed with vitamins, what will boost your immune system and give you energy in cold autumn days.

INGREDIENTS:
≻ raw pumpkin – 200 g
≻ raw fennel – 60 g
≻ salad leaves – bunch
≻ shallot onion – 1/2
≻ pine nuts – handful

for dressing
≻ sea-buckthorn berries – 2 handfuls (30 g)
≻ oil – 1 tbsp (olive, hempseed or flaxseed)
≻ soy sauce – 1 tbsp
≻ honey – 1/2 tsp
≻ sumac – 1 pinch (optional)

1. Press berries with pestle and mix with the rest of dressing ingredients.
2. Slice fennel and pumpkin and mix with the dressing. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.
3. Serve it on salad leaves with sliced onion, toasted pine nuts and pinch of sumac on top.

CHUTNEY

PUMPKIN CHUTNEY WITH SEA-BUCKTHORN BERRIES

It’s not a secret that my favorite part of the day is early morning breakfast. I have big pleasure to wake up early in the morning to enjoy the silence, to watch awakening of nature and feel that the world belongs to you. And this awesome beginning of the day is followed by delicious breakfast!
That’s why I like to create something special exactly in the morning.
This time I cooked pumpkin chutney with sea-buckthorn, which I enjoyed as a topping of millet porridge, the grain, which have been forgotten from childhood.

INGREDIENTS:

≻ pumpkin baked – 130 g
≻ orange juice – 100 ml
≻ orange zest – 1/2 tsp
≻ water – 100 ml
≻ sugar – 20 g (any type at your choice)
≻ sea-buckthorn berries – 50 g
≻ rosemary – sprig

Bring to boil all ingredients and stew together on low heat until the chutney reaches consistency of thick jam.
You can also make the chutney using a raw pumpkin, but consider longer time for cooking and also add some little water from time to time, if necessary.

PLUM CHUTNEY WITH SEA-BUCKTHORN

Plum chutney is a flavour bomb. Combination of sweet and sour, salty and spicy. Very rich and wintery. Something you can’t describe instantly, but you ask for more.

Perfect for toasted bread, sweet or savoury pancakes, topping for foie gras and cheeses.

INGREDIENTS:
≻ plums – 600 g
≻ shallot – 2 medium
≻ sea-buckthorn berries – 100 g
≻ raisins – 30 g
≻ ginger – 1 tbsp of grated
≻ apple cider vinegar – 2 tbsp
≻ sugar – 4 tbsp (any type of your choice)
≻ salt – 1/2 tsp
≻ cayenne pepper – 2 pinches
≻ clove – 1
≻ lemon zest – 1/2 ч.д. fresh или 1/4 dried
≻ water – 100 ml

Stew all together on low heat until it reaches consistency of thick jam.

SEA-BUCKTHORN TEA

A tea containing sea buckthorn leaves is used as a source of vitamins, antioxidants, fatty acids and minerals. The leaves alone contain 15% of protein.

INGREDIENTS:

≻ sea-buckthorn berries – handful
≻ buckthorn leaves – couple of sprigs
≻ hot water – 200 ml
≻ fresh orange juice – 100 ml (~ 1 orange)
≻ honey – 1 tsp

The leaves are used in medicine for many reasons. It is great for improving blood pressure and lowering cholesterol; preventing and controlling blood vessel diseases; and boosting immunity, has anti-inflammatory effect, cells regeneration, energy and immune system boost, detox, skin and hair care, reduction of sweating, liver and digestive system rehabilitation, metabolism improvement, sugar and cholesterol level control, anti-cancer affect, pregnancy nutrition, hormonal balance.