Soon it will be officially spring – but here in Victoria the pansy and primrose have been blooming for quite a while! So of course, for the past few weeks, I’ve been plotting how to best eat them. The pansy’s delicate sweet scent and pretty colors make them popular as candied blossoms or garnishes, but sadly their mild flavor is often compromised with cooking. Primrose (or primula) is more often used in Europe in curds and puddings, and in Italy, they are sucked for their sweet nectar or cooked into fritters. But, for the most part, their flavor also dissipates when heated.  I wanted to find a way to use them both fresh – so voila this “no bake” coconut oat ball was born. And as it’s made with coconut oil it’s officially vegan, not to mention gluten-free. 

Now eating flowers may seem like a bit of fancy, but think of it as a great way to get more health-promoting flavonoids into your diet. Flavonoids are phytonutrients found in brightly colored fruits, vegetables – and flowers!  Powerful antioxidants with anti-inflammatory and immune system benefits, diets rich in flavonoids have been associated with reduced risk in a variety of diseases. One study found that women who consumed the most flavonoids were the most likely to reach the age of 70 with no chronic or serious health problems.

But aside from their potential health-promoting benefits, I just love the sheer romance and old-world magic associated with these flowers. The primula (commonly called the primrose) derived its name from the Latin primus (meaning first or first rose) because it is the first flower to bloom each spring. In the British Isles, they were reputed to be particularly loved by the faeries. A large patch of primroses was considered a gateway or portal into the faerie realms. Placing primroses on a doorstep was said to encourage the faeries to bless the house and all who lived there. And if you ate the blossoms of a primrose you would see a fairy!

Primula vulgaris (above left) is the original wild primrose (not evening primrose) and its flower generally tends to be pale yellow and grows on a single long flower stalk. It still grows wild in many places in Europe and also naturalized in other areas of the world- like here on Vancouver Island! Most primroses today are hybrids and their cultivated varieties can purchased at nurseries and garden stores each spring. These come in a wide range of colors, including white, yellow,  red, pink, purple, dark brown, and dark blue but I do not recommend consuming them straight from the store. While they are perfectly edible they are likely to be doused in pesticides. If you are going to consume these colorful cultivars look for ones that are already blooming in your garden (or your neighbors). These plants are biannual and will remain growing in the garden sometimes for several seasons.

The vast majority of pansies today are also bedding plants beloved for their nearly all-year blooms. All pansies are cultivated versions of a European wildflower known as Viola or Viola tricolor which is also heavily featured in fairy folklore and is commonly associated with love magic. While the Viola is bursting with nutrients and medicinal ingredients, I’m not sure if these greenhouse varieties pack the same punch, but I’m sure some of Viola’s healing properties must remain. (Again, exercise caution when consuming pansies from big box stores or supermarkets, as it is likely they have been treated with pesticides.)

I love that these Primrose & Pansy Coconut-Oat Balls not only look fit for a fairy feast but are so incredibly easy to make. I picked about two cups of blossoms fresh from the garden, which was the hardest part because they were just so darn pretty – but I know they’ll come back better than ever. I chopped the petals up finely and then added them to the oat, coconut, coconut oil, and honey mixture.

Primrose and Pansy Coconut-Oat Bars

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup diced flower petals
• 1/4 cup coconut oil 
• 1/4 cup honey  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• 1-2 tsp of lemon zest
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut (save a few sprinkles for garnish)
• Tbsp of Icing Sugar (optional – used to dust the finished balls.)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Melt coconut oil, honey, salt, vanilla extract, cardamom, and zest together in a saucepan.
• When the liquid mixture melts turn the heat down to low, add the oats and coconut, and stir to coat.
• Continue warming on low heat for just a couple of minutes to allow the ingredients to soften (this will help them stick together better).
• For bars: Line a small baking dish with parchment paper leaving the sides of the paper hanging over the sides of the dish.
• Once your oat mixture has cooled, fold in your shredded flower petals. Stir until flowers are distributed throughout the mixture.
• Now roll your balls with your hands into the size you’d like. For bars, press your oat mixture into the pan as evenly and firmly as you can. ( I like to use the back of a spatula). If you want balls now is the time to roll them, making sure you squeeze and compress them tightly together.
• Place your bar mixture or balls in the refrigerator and allow to cool completely- at least two hours, but best overnight.
• For bars, remove the oat mixture from parchment paper and with a sharp knife cut into approximately a dozen small bars.  
• Sprinkle with shredded coconut, and a wee bit of lemon zest and then dust with icing sugar.  Store in the fridge in an airtight container for about 2 weeks.

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