Succulents plant are becoming trend stories and social-media posts everyday.  They are becoming, a decorating staple in homes, restaurants, offices, and even dorm room decor. But did you know that a lot of common succulents can also be healthy and delicious additions to your dinner plate? Probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you see the succulent adorning your windowsill that you could add them to your meal! My family and I are expanding our taste buds by trying a few of my favorite succulents with our meals.  Here are a few succulents that can be garden decorations and can be nutritional.

Stonecrops:

These flowering succulents, also known as sedums, include up to 600 species of plants. Their leaves have a mild peppery, bitter flavor, and are a flavorful addition to salads. Be sure to eat them in moderation, however, because large quantities can cause stomach upset. Its bitterness can be mellowed out by sautéing. Red flowering sedum leaves, stems, and tubers are safe to eat raw in salads, but the yellow flowering sedums have a mild toxicity and need to be cooked. The health benefits of this yummy succulent can relieve coughs and lower blood pressure, and they can be applied to the skin to relieve burns, cuts, and eczema, although there isn’t any research yet to back these claims.

Sea Beans:

This succulent grows on salt marshes and sandy beaches. They are gaining popularity among gourmet chefs and popping up in more grocery stores. These “beans” can be eaten raw or pan-fried and have a flavor and texture similar to asparagus.  If you want a quick blanch can soft out the intense sea salt flavor. Sea Beans are high in protein, calcium, iron, and iodine.

Dragon Fruit:

These bright pink fruits are my favorite! It comes from a night-blooming cactus commonly known as the queen of the night. Despite their flashy appearance, their flavor is very mild and has a slightly sweet melon or kiwi flavor. Simply slice it open, scoop out the white pulp, and eat, or add it to smoothies and shakes. It’s low in calories and high in protein, fiber, vitamin C, iron, and calcium.

If you would like to try out the dragon fruit smoothie follow the instructions below:

(You can add any other type of berries along with the dragon fruit.)

1. Add raspberries, dragon fruit, blackberries,  1/2 cup yogurt, chia seeds, lime,  to blender container. Add cup of milk, cover, and blend on high until smooth. Pause to scrape the sides of the container with a spatula as needed.
2. Pour smoothie into a glass and top with additional chia seeds and berries if desired.

 

Aloe: This spiny succulent’s is known in treating burns, rashes, and minor cuts and scrapes, but its benefits extend much further. You can peel away the tough, bitter outer leaf and blend the translucent inner part into drinks and smoothies, chop it into salads, or poach slices in water to get rid of the slimy texture. Aloe includes high levels of antioxidants, vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, E, and folic acid. There’s also evidence that it can relieve constipation. However, large amounts can potentially be bad for your kidneys, so eat in moderation.

So next time you want to try a twist on a salad or smoothie try adding a clipping of  your succulent! Flymeawaycreations has several planters that work great for succulents. These cute planters can work great in the kitchen! You can check out the link below to find the different planters for your perfect succulent!

www.flymeawaycreations.com