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No matter what this new world order brings- dumb AI recipes and food ideas. Influencers that could care less about food, more processed goods (just somewhat healthier and smarter than the last wave of manufactured foods - but not really. ) business’s more concerned with scale than ethics, environmental destruction et and doing food for communities- or you know saying you’ll do good things later, once you get rich from taking.

I’ll (@picoypero ) be here always under the pretense of learning and sharing not just how to cook but how to match what’s grown with what to eat. For me this still the healthiest way to exist if you’re looking at the planet and people as one. Obviously I’m going to continue to shout about how healthy and flavorful herbs are and how their use allows for less—sugars, fats, salts, processed foods etc- things we generally use in excess.

Whatever you do, use more herbs. I will continue to be here teaching people how easy they are to use, until the end, I will.

Here is today’s lesson - a reminder of how fresh fruit in season and herbs create drinks that are better than what you can buy.

This one inspired by my @frontporchfarmer #blackberries I bought yesterday and smashed some on the way home.

Blackberry Lemon Verbena Peaceful Spirit Sparkling Ice Tea

5 blackberries
2 tablespoons raw honey
Juice of one lemon
Handful of lemon verbena leaves
2 peaceful spirit tea bags (@flyingbirdbotanicals )
4 cups hot water
Sparkling water

Blend blackberries, verbena, honey, lemon juice and a little hot water. Pour into a pitcher. Add tea bags and hot water. Steep and allow to cool. Strain. Pour half full into glass of ice top with sparkling water.

This concept can be used however you want. Strawberry basil lemon ginger tea, peach bergamot (bee balm) bergamot tea - cherry lime white tea etc etc etc etc etc etc

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 18046788665249759

One of my favorite recipes for summer cherry tomatoes. Romano Bean, Cherry Tomato Feta Salad. This recipe dates back to my early 20’s in Eugene, OR

It’s so easy slice cherry tomatoes season with salt and torn basil leaves add cooked green beans. Cover let cool completely-dress with a little olive oil and feta. (@mt.eitan.cheese in this case and the last of my Andy 😭

The salmon is local, pan fried and the stuff on top I’m pretty sure is something I picked up from @ottolenghi - Bridget jones salsa??

It’s celery, capers, pine nuts, green olives, parsley currants sauted up into magic.

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 17902489506235373

You can put herbs in EVERYTHING!

Fresh fruit and herb “jam” is how I sweeten and flavor my granola!

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 18060750644217273

Believe it or not, these pretty herbs are going into a granola! (Lemon verbena, anise hyssop and French lavender)

If you haven’t had one of my herbal flavored fresh fruit granolas, you are missing out. Today’s is extra heart healthy.

The main sweetener is the fresh fruit and some maple syrup. The herbs add complexity that alleviates some need for sweetness (replaces sweet taste with interesting) tahini is mixed in with a saucy fruit jam concoction/maple mixture and that’s mixed with rolled oats, quinoa, amaranth, black and white sesame seeds, flax and spices like cinnamon, vanilla powder, mace, malab and cardamom. Freeze dried blueberries and dried currants with almonds and hazelnuts!

When I made the strawberry maple mixture I also added cardamom, vanilla and almond extracts as well as the fresh herbs.

The whole house smells like heaven.

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 18161500009368427

Remember Tang?

A random thought about it led me here- to my marigold sugar - limeade

It’s so good - the floral vegetal notes from the marigold flavor is really nice. And it has a tang-esque quality to it that is fun.

@mediumfarm giant marigolds that I dried
@covillibrandorganics limes that were gifted to me by the head honchos themselves. 😀

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 17974862648883392

Local ocean trout crudo….

Marigold Calabrian Chili Oil
Lemony Pesto
Vietnamese Coriander
Coriander Flowers
Persian Dill Salt (Spring 2025 @myherbalroots )

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

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Dried Marigold Calabrian Chili Oil

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 18357799867153009

Dried marigold petals.

Fresh marigold petals can be too pungent for any culinary use beyond minor accent flavor, in my opinion, which is why I like to use them in my herb salts.

But if you dry them- (which is what happens in my salts) some magic happens- the flavor morphs into an extremely pleasant flavor that has much greater use and versatility. They are so easy to sun dry- these sat outside on a table for a week!

Earthy, floral, slightly citrusy- a little vegetal - as if a carrot and an orange combined—-Peppery and slightly (pleasantly) bitter.

Add them during sauté phases in cooking to add flavor and color- use in baking and syrups- they create lovely deep golden color when used plus the lovely flavor. Lovely in frittatas.

I’m going to use these in a Calabrian and marigold chili oil for a Crudo as well as a yogurt marinade for chicken.

I’m working on expanding my herbal salt line to offer seasonal dried herbs, herb seasonings and dried herb petals and mixes…..

You’ll be happy! Lots of changes all encircling my own passions and goals - a nice change of tides.

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 18062143286247821

Home sweet home meal

Romano beans with basil, lemon basil, lemon and olive oil

Peach and burrsta salad with pesto vinaigrette- wild arugula, baby basil leaves, bergamot and sage flowers

Steak (NY strip and rib eye) flavored with rosemary, summer savory, Myrtle and Tanzania black pepper

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 18132058417382366

Blueberry Germanium Flower Lemonade

Recipes (in story) developed back when I live in Bolinas. I grow geraniums ever since just to make this with the blooms - and the geranium black pepper salt on lemon cucumbers - also in story.

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 18079413868875848

#summer herbs put to work for an easy breezy, summer bbq night.

Grilled corn and Pahlavi orzo salad with fresh mint, Romano beans and grilled zucchini with basil and fresh garlic, lemon and olive oil, turkistan oregano Laban, fresh tomatoes, grilled lemon and herb chicken.

I went to a super nice restaurant in Nashville recently and they didn’t use herbs on anything. What a shame it was.

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 18058897505007092

It’s hard to enjoy anything while the entire world goes to shit but my lightly fermented herb and fruit sparkling waters and the pool on a 90 degree day makes me feel like I’ve woke the lottery of life.

Remember to not take life for granted yours or someone else’s.

FOLLOW HERBAL ROOTS ON INSTAGRAM

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 18151030039383410

No matter what this new world order brings- dumb AI recipes and food ideas. Influencers that could care less about food, more processed goods (just somewhat healthier and smarter than the last wave of manufactured foods - but not really. ) business’s more concerned with scale than ethics, environmental destruction et and doing food for communities- or you know saying you’ll do good things later, once you get rich from taking.

I’ll (@picoypero ) be here always under the pretense of learning and sharing not just how to cook but how to match what’s grown with what to eat. For me this still the healthiest way to exist if you’re looking at the planet and people as one. Obviously I’m going to continue to shout about how healthy and flavorful herbs are and how their use allows for less—sugars, fats, salts, processed foods etc- things we generally use in excess.

Whatever you do, use more herbs. I will continue to be here teaching people how easy they are to use, until the end, I will.

Here is today’s lesson - a reminder of how fresh fruit in season and herbs create drinks that are better than what you can buy.

This one inspired by my @frontporchfarmer #blackberries I bought yesterday and smashed some on the way home.

Blackberry Lemon Verbena Peaceful Spirit Sparkling Ice Tea

5 blackberries
2 tablespoons raw honey
Juice of one lemon
Handful of lemon verbena leaves
2 peaceful spirit tea bags (@flyingbirdbotanicals )
4 cups hot water
Sparkling water

Blend blackberries, verbena, honey, lemon juice and a little hot water. Pour into a pitcher. Add tea bags and hot water. Steep and allow to cool. Strain. Pour half full into glass of ice top with sparkling water.

This concept can be used however you want. Strawberry basil lemon ginger tea, peach bergamot (bee balm) bergamot tea - cherry lime white tea etc etc etc etc etc etc

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 18046788665249759

One of my favorite recipes for summer cherry tomatoes. Romano Bean, Cherry Tomato Feta Salad. This recipe dates back to my early 20’s in Eugene, OR

It’s so easy slice cherry tomatoes season with salt and torn basil leaves add cooked green beans. Cover let cool completely-dress with a little olive oil and feta. (@mt.eitan.cheese in this case and the last of my Andy 😭

The salmon is local, pan fried and the stuff on top I’m pretty sure is something I picked up from @ottolenghi - Bridget jones salsa??

It’s celery, capers, pine nuts, green olives, parsley currants sauted up into magic.

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 17902489506235373

You can put herbs in EVERYTHING!

Fresh fruit and herb “jam” is how I sweeten and flavor my granola!

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 18060750644217273

Believe it or not, these pretty herbs are going into a granola! (Lemon verbena, anise hyssop and French lavender)

If you haven’t had one of my herbal flavored fresh fruit granolas, you are missing out. Today’s is extra heart healthy.

The main sweetener is the fresh fruit and some maple syrup. The herbs add complexity that alleviates some need for sweetness (replaces sweet taste with interesting) tahini is mixed in with a saucy fruit jam concoction/maple mixture and that’s mixed with rolled oats, quinoa, amaranth, black and white sesame seeds, flax and spices like cinnamon, vanilla powder, mace, malab and cardamom. Freeze dried blueberries and dried currants with almonds and hazelnuts!

When I made the strawberry maple mixture I also added cardamom, vanilla and almond extracts as well as the fresh herbs.

The whole house smells like heaven.

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 18161500009368427

Remember Tang?

A random thought about it led me here- to my marigold sugar - limeade

It’s so good - the floral vegetal notes from the marigold flavor is really nice. And it has a tang-esque quality to it that is fun.

@mediumfarm giant marigolds that I dried
@covillibrandorganics limes that were gifted to me by the head honchos themselves. 😀

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 17974862648883392

Local ocean trout crudo….

Marigold Calabrian Chili Oil
Lemony Pesto
Vietnamese Coriander
Coriander Flowers
Persian Dill Salt (Spring 2025 @myherbalroots )

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 18082252132867542

Dried Marigold Calabrian Chili Oil

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 18357799867153009

Dried marigold petals.

Fresh marigold petals can be too pungent for any culinary use beyond minor accent flavor, in my opinion, which is why I like to use them in my herb salts.

But if you dry them- (which is what happens in my salts) some magic happens- the flavor morphs into an extremely pleasant flavor that has much greater use and versatility. They are so easy to sun dry- these sat outside on a table for a week!

Earthy, floral, slightly citrusy- a little vegetal - as if a carrot and an orange combined—-Peppery and slightly (pleasantly) bitter.

Add them during sauté phases in cooking to add flavor and color- use in baking and syrups- they create lovely deep golden color when used plus the lovely flavor. Lovely in frittatas.

I’m going to use these in a Calabrian and marigold chili oil for a Crudo as well as a yogurt marinade for chicken.

I’m working on expanding my herbal salt line to offer seasonal dried herbs, herb seasonings and dried herb petals and mixes…..

You’ll be happy! Lots of changes all encircling my own passions and goals - a nice change of tides.

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 18062143286247821

Home sweet home meal

Romano beans with basil, lemon basil, lemon and olive oil

Peach and burrsta salad with pesto vinaigrette- wild arugula, baby basil leaves, bergamot and sage flowers

Steak (NY strip and rib eye) flavored with rosemary, summer savory, Myrtle and Tanzania black pepper

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 18132058417382366

Blueberry Germanium Flower Lemonade

Recipes (in story) developed back when I live in Bolinas. I grow geraniums ever since just to make this with the blooms - and the geranium black pepper salt on lemon cucumbers - also in story.

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 18079413868875848

#summer herbs put to work for an easy breezy, summer bbq night.

Grilled corn and Pahlavi orzo salad with fresh mint, Romano beans and grilled zucchini with basil and fresh garlic, lemon and olive oil, turkistan oregano Laban, fresh tomatoes, grilled lemon and herb chicken.

I went to a super nice restaurant in Nashville recently and they didn’t use herbs on anything. What a shame it was.

View Instagram post by myherbalroots

Open post by myherbalroots with ID 18058897505007092

It’s hard to enjoy anything while the entire world goes to shit but my lightly fermented herb and fruit sparkling waters and the pool on a 90 degree day makes me feel like I’ve woke the lottery of life.

Remember to not take life for granted yours or someone else’s.

My Herbal Roots © 2016 - 2025 by Nissa Pierson on Behalf of Ger-Nis Culinary & Herb Center is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
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