How to Use Dried Leaves

1. When leaves are brittle, remove coarse stems and grind to a fine powder. Dried leaves can be easily ground in a hand cranked corn mill, an electric grinder, a household blender, or a traditional stone metate grinder. Make sure leaves are very dry or they will clog the grinders.

2. Add leaf powder to recipes. About 20% of the flour in most recipes can be replaced with leaf powder. Experiment with how much leaf powder you can add to recipes without an unacceptable effect on flavor or texture.

3. Try to give about one tablespoon or more of leaf powder to each child most days. Most children will accept leaf powder better in their diet if it is introduced slowly and in a variety of dishes. If recipes are calculated by weight, figure one cup of leaf powder equals about 120 grams.

4. Making cookies in the shape of things that are normally green, like dinosaurs, frogs, or Christmas trees, is a great way to introduce children to leaf powder foods. Green birthday cakes have also been very well accepted.

5. Keep the leaf powder in a well sealed container, away from light and in a cool place.