QUEEN ANNE HEALING ARTS

This cute Squirrel is enjoying one of our Italian Plums on our fence, the harvest was especially plentiful this year!

I enjoy plums as much as anyone, but there’s only so many you can eat & give away before they go bad, only about a 2 week window.  As I searched the plum recipes, most of them were pastries, plum cakes, plum tarts, my family couldn’t possibly eat that many plum sweet treats, we had several huge baskets full!

Then my sister in law suggested Plum Chutney, yes! Better than plum jelly with a great shelf life!  I read many recipes, but eventually adapted my own recipe, here it is:

Plum Chutney

5 cups Plums

1 chunk ginger

5 single garlic cloves

1 1/2 cups Apple Cider Vinegar

 

2 cups Sugar

1/4 cup Blue Agave Syrup

5-7 Star Anise

1 stick cinnamon

1 vanilla bean

ground clove

ground chili powder

cayenne

1 tblsp salt

fresh ground pepper

I seeded all the plums, then put them into my Nutribullet with the garlic cloves (peeled), whole chunk of ginger and Apple Cider Vinegar.  Puree’d this combination.  Then added it to a large boiling pan with Sugar, Agave Syrup, whole star anise, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean, cloves, chili powder, cayenne, salt and pepper.  Bring this combination to a boil while whisking constantly, let boil about 3 -5 minutes until you get a nice foam.  Then turn it down to low, simmer without a lid for 30-45 minutes, until it thickens (like a thick syrup, not a jam).  Your house will smell delightful.

Continue with canning process, get your jars ready, as you funnel the Chutney into the jars, it’s easy to remove the Anise Stars, Cinnamon stick & vanilla bean (though they will be hot, may want to use tongs!)  I like to process my Chutneys just like Jam, just to be sure, I put them in a hot water boiling bath for 10 minutes, I’d hate to go to all that effort and have it spoil!

Now it’s time to get some Samosas for dipping into this delightful Chutney & I can store it all year, unlike pastries that would have to be eaten immediately.

I am loving this Plum Chutney so much, I want to bathe in it, maybe I will incorporate into a Spa Treatment, like a body wrap with Plum Chutney

And now for the health benefits which include blood building and increasing fertility, 2 of my favorite health benefits!

Health benefits of Italian Plums

 

•  loaded with dietary fiber they increase metabolism and cure constipation.

•  High in Vitamin A which promotes healthy eyes, skin and supports respiratory system.

• Contains some hard to find anti-oxidants such as Lutein, and Zeaxanthin, which fight free radicals and help prevent cancer.

• Plums are rich in Iron, fluoride and potassium.

• Plums are blood building, increasing your blood chi, just before winter, nature is so wise!

• High in other essential vitamins such as C (immunity) B-6, Niacin and the rare Vitamin K.

• Plums have been shown to prevent Osteoarthristis, prunes can increase a woman’s bone density.

• In Chinese medicine Plum is considered a neutral food, perfectly balanced yin and yang, so it is a wise food to eat for both Yin and Yang constitutions.

• Plum juice has been said to cure heartburn.

• Plums support a healthy blood sugar level, can be beneficial to diabetics.  Plums can help with Weight Loss!!!

• Plums are extremely alkaline which benefits an alkaline diet.

• Used in treatment for irritable bowel syndrome, normalizes intestinal disturbances.

• Plums can normalize menstruation, improve fertility.

• Overall plums increase vitality!