There is no rule that says foraging cannot be done indoors, so now that the ground is covered in snow and ice, I have turned my attention to some of my houseplants. It was a surprise to me that aloe vera is edible, at least the clear, jelly like innards of the thick leaves. I learned this from this site here. The pictures and the description of the plant as edible convinced me to try it.
After all those festive meals, I wanted to make something light and healthful – and you can’t get lighter or more healthful than this superfood. I have listed some sites below which list the myriad benefits of this plant. I found the taste a little bitter, until soaked in some lime juice, which removed any bitterness and left really no flavour at all. So it is used more for its decorative and nutritional value than for taste. It is considered a great detox food and can be mixed into smoothies as a thickening agent. You lose the prettiness of the gel that way, but might be worth a try anyway, especially if you don’t like anything gelatinous.
To prepare it, just cut the leaves off the plant at the base. First,I cut off the spiny edges with a sharp knife, and then ran the knife under the thick exterior and filleted it like a fish. Just be sure to remove all the green parts. The flesh should be completely clear. Cut it in cubes and soak it in the juice of lemon or lime.
My first idea was to add it to a fruit salad – our Boxing Day Brunch. Having soaked the aloe in lime juice, I just threw the whole dish (contents) into some chopped apples, persimmons and pomegranate, but obviously whatever fruits you have work just as well.
Essential in any special brunch is a glass of bubbly, so I mixed some with orange juice, freshly squeezed, for it was Boxing Day after all. Then I used pomegranate seeds, orange slices and cubes of aloe vera for garnish. And a new recipe for a mimosa was invented.
If any readers have any other ideas of what they have done with this plant, I for one would be very grateful if you could share it. I think using aloe vera as an edible plant just might catch on.
Related articles
- How Aloe Vera Benefits Dogs and Cats (aloeveranaturalremedies.wordpress.com)
- Why Drink Aloe Vera Juice? (bloomrush.com)
December 29, 2013 at 4:04 am
I have an aloe vera plant, first time ever I can keep it alive more than a year. I know the juice/gel is edible, but haven’t tried it. Your recipe is awesome, Hilda! XOXO, Angie.
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December 30, 2013 at 5:08 am
Thanks for stopping by. I thought aloe vera interesting because it is so nutritious, and so pretty. Wish you and your family a Happy New Year and another great year of blogging.
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December 30, 2013 at 2:13 pm
As a vegetarian I find it very interesting that aloe vera contains Vitamin B12! Always looking for alternatives to nutritional yeast…
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February 13, 2014 at 3:40 am
Hi, I just wanted to mention that we grow aloe vera in our yard as it is amazing for treating burns. I have burned myself cooking before, and as soon as you put the gel from the inside of the plant on the burn, the pain is gone as long as you leave it on there. It also prevents scarring and causes the burn to heal very quickly. One time my mom spilled hot oil on her leg. She used aloe vera on it, and it didn’t even leave a scar at all. It is an amazing plant. I actually didn’t know it was edible, so thank you for sharing that information.
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February 13, 2014 at 5:03 am
I probably should have mentioned its healing benefits for anyone who is unaware of them, so thanks for pointing that out. I only recently learned how to use it as an edible, and I don’t really have enough of it to use very often. You are lucky to live in a climate where you can grow it outside and have a readily available source – all year, I presume.
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