{THANKS JEN!!!!!}
I bought another stevia plant.
I was very excited!
It rode home in the back of the truck.
When I went to take it out of the back...
I was very UNHAPPY.
The poor thing had windburned:(
Then I read a post about drying and grinding the leaves!
So...
I cut off the burnt leaves...
And let them dry...
And got out my bullet and ground em up!
Then I went crazy... and cut back the stevia to dry out the top
(it really is too tall for my kitchen window now.)
Can you see its tiny new leaves? (look close:)
After it puts out more growth, I'll move it to the front porch.
I actually harvested Stevia! That makes me a 'herbalist'! Too cool!
UPDATE:
It has put on new leaves, the 'top' has dried and is ready for grinding up. I think I will wait till I have more. I'm storing in a baby food jar.
Stevia facts: Stevia rebaudiana, sun, ht 12", dry foliage, grind into powder and use in place of refined sugar. 1 tsp=1 cup sugar (I find that it really likes the water!)
(Feel inspired? Check out other's at Jen's place! 11th Heaven's Homemaking Heaven)
9 comments:
I have never seen a stevia plant! Where do you find them? I live in Texas, but have lived all over the east coast and Indiana, never seen one that I know of. That is really neat!
WOW! That is amazing! I had no idea that Stevia was an actual plant. I have heard that it is a sugar substitute, but I thought it probably had the side effects all other sugar substitutes had. This is am AMAZING post and I'm so glad you entered it into my carnival. Where do you buy your stevia? Thanks again!
Stevia can be bought at plant nurseries or online. It has NO ill affects like sugar substitutes and is great for Diabetics. I have never used it, but now plant to.
Your sweet comments about my pie and plant were very sweet - it's almost time again for apple harvest!
Well, my word, I did not know we could home-grow Stevia. I use it often. I think I may give it a try.
I've grown herbs for years, but never tried stevia. Have you used it yet? Let us know how it works! Now I'm gonna be on the lookout for some to add to my garden!
Oh, Carla, thank you for the chuckles. There for a few minutes it was going from bad to worse LOL, but you pulled it together. You are amazing! Great post.
I love how you saved it. : ) When I was on the Atkins diet, I used stevia because unlike aspartame you could cook with it. It makes great sweetning for custard and cooked breads. You can't use aspartame like that and besides aspartame has such bad press, I try to avoid it. It is in diet Coke so I make that allowance.
Just curious, once you grind it up, how do you use it?
Post a Comment