cactus!!!!!

[sptygl]

anyone know what to do with cactus???
i have heard to boil it.........

any suggestions!!??
it is suppose to be good for you.....

i saw someone buying it in the market the other day

and it grows.......... right next door to me!! :p

[leeleelocs]

I detorn the catus then cut it into strips and blended into my green smoothie. The catus made it thick otherwise I did not taste any difference in the green smoothie.

[sptygl]

what are the health benefits??
any ideas............. ?

i have so much available to me, and would like to use it then ;)

[mattsonfamily]

That is so funny....I was just browsing through The Complete Book of Raw Food and it had a recipe for juicing the cactus (prickly pear - flat leaves) combined with the cactus fruit or other berries.

You can also singe the spines off and peel and you end up with something similar to green beans. It is a popular veggie here close to the border of Mexico.

Mindi

[Nenyath]

I got a salad once with pieces of cactus, it was great! :)

[sptygl]

because i know people boil it, and then just eat it as is!!

i am about to make my green smoothie, SHOULD I TRY IT IN THERE??

hmmm, in salad, just raw like that??

ok, any other ideas............ would be very much appreciated!! :p

[sptygl]

That is so funny....I was just browsing through The Complete Book of Raw Food and it had a recipe for juicing the cactus (prickly pear - flat leaves) combined with the cactus fruit or other berries.

You can also singe the spines off and peel and you end up with something similar to green beans. It is a popular veggie here close to the border of Mexico.

Mindi


thanks again for the info............

[sptygl]

yummyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
it was very tasty, and i was surprised, bc i would never have thought to JUICE it~~

i juiced a pear, carrots and the cactus..........
and wow, it gave it such a nice flavor...........
it tasted like banana in my juice, and gave it such a nice consistency!!

thanks for the idea

STILL - ANYONE KNOW WHAT VITAMINS, CACTUS HAVE..........
HOW WOULD IT COMPARE TO SAY SPINACH OR SOMETHING......... :confused:

[Veganforlife]

Check this out:
http://www.nopalexport.com/Health Benefits.htm

[sptygl]

YOU NEED TO BE CAREFUL IT DOES SAY..............
there are prickly (you know the visable ones) and ones that CAN NOT BE SEEN WITH THE NAKED EYE!!

therefore, i think it is crucial to probably remove the outer skin!!
i was wondering where i kept getting these little barely visible thorns in my hands!!!! lol. really though......... i can't imagine what that would do to your insides!!!! :eek:

i am not exactly sure how to PEEL the cactus, it looks like quite the task........

but,,,,,,,,,, just want to forwarn those who love the fruit!!

btw, saw the info AFTER i had it juiced.........and it was yummy,
then i threw the rest into my smoothie!! :eek:

[sno white]

I am rather slow and would like to know if all cacti are edible? There are some growing wild on our property. I don’t know one plant from another but I do recognize this as cactus. It is beautiful when it blooms.

Can someone tell me when the fruit appears? How does it look? How do you harvest it? How do you eat it?

I don’t understand how one would peel this stuff it is not very thick. Wide but not thick. I can understand using it in smoothies or juice but how do you get it ready to use

[luckitri]

It is known to lower cholesterol (prickly pear). I tried juicing it for dh and self but we did not like the slimy texture.

[sptygl]

i did juice it, and liked it..........it added a creamy texture (tasting like banana) to the other items juiced.......... ex. carrots, apple,

but......... touching it, you don't see these very small, almost invisable to the eye -- thorns,....
and let me tell you they are a Bitc.........to get out!!!

i WOULD NOT ADD IT TO A SMOOTHIE, FOR FEAR THE THORNS WOULD HAVE A HORRIBLE EFFECT ON OUR SYSTEM INTERNALLY!!!!!!
I did read the link for cactus, and although it is very healthy.......... not sure how to avoid those pricklies that you CAN NOT SEE!!!

some people boil it like string beans, and eat it.............. but again, not sure what happens to those iddy biddy thorns, if they melt off or dissinegrate..........
hmmmmmmmm

thanks all for the posts, any more would be greatly appreciated :)