When I saw the grape vines had already covered my solar lights within only a matter of a few days, I realized I needed to get busy and start pruning them back so my lights could get sun and give out light in the evening. A couple of years ago, I had decided to look into grape leaves to find out what uses they might have and was pleased to find they are not only edible, but loaded with nutrients and benefits to health. So now when I prune, I do not just throw out those precious greens, I dehydrate them for future uses!
one of my solar lights after pruning back the grape vines around it
In the summer when I am making lots of vinegar, I like to use the larger grape leaves to cover my fruit and herbs in order to keep them under the water while brewing.
A batch of rose petal vinegar just being started
They also are great for adding to cucumbers when pickling to help keep them crisp.
a batch of my lacto fermented pickles
I have added the young, more tender leaves to salads, used in stir fries, and even have made dolmas, which is pretty much the Greek version of cabbage rolls.
The number one thing I do with my grape leaves, however, is to dehydrate them and add them to my mixed greens blend that I use in nearly every meal I cook. I do this because it is another way I can add more nutrients to our diet. I will talk more about my mixed greens blend in another post later on and what all it contains.
Grape leaves are high in fiber and vitamins A and K. They also are a good source of Calcium and Iron. Other important nutrients they contain is magnesium, manganese, Vitamin C, and several others.
The health benefits of grape leaves include the ability to help boost the immune system, prevent cancer, promote bone, joint, skin, and eye health, help with heart function, protect the nervous system, and so much more.
With all this in mind, make sure to start harvesting some of those grape leaves that any of us grape growers know, come in an abundance, and start making use of them!
How my grapevines look around my deck in mid summer
NOTE: I am NOT a doctor nor pretend to be one. Nothing I say should be used to replace professional medical counseling! Also, PLEASE do your OWN research!
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ROSE PETAL VINEGAR!??!?!! Can I come stay at your house? =) I love the idea of making a dried green mix too, making me feel a little jealous here..
Haha! Thank you itchy! Yes, I will be posting on the mixed greens blend in the near future, I have much more types to collect and dry first. I will also do a post on how I make my floral vinegars too :D
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Very good. Don't let anything go to waste when you have all that nutrition. I've had them rolled and stuffed but it's been a while.
Another old saying is "Using the whole buffalo" Love that one!
I love dolmas, fermented and pickled foods too. I don't let anything from my little garden go to waste! Following :)
Thank you! "Waste Not Want Not" - an old adage that many in our culture need to learn again ;)
never heard of rose petal vinegar before! and i love the look of you pickles - shared to my facebook page to rub my friends' noses in it a little bit 😉
haha! Thanks!
Our grapes were frosted off earlier this spring. But they are making a come back. I will be trying this when they're ready!
That actually happened to ours last year, yet they came back even more abundantly! We got a pitiful amount of grapes last year though, unlike 2015 when we got our first big harvest. Hoping this year will be a good harvest again
Can you eat wild grape leaves as well? I have an overabundance of wild grapes growing on my property here in North West Central Arkansas. I was debating whether to try and re transplant them somewhere more useful other than an old barbed wire fence line or just cut them down and grow cultivated grapes in a more convenient location.
This is a good question and my assumption would be yes, but I really should look into that to see if there is any differences. I know that often times, wild versions actually are higher in medicinal properties and nutrients,
meep