White Clover Flower Flour

White Clover Flower Flour

White clover, Trifloium repens, is prolific in the mid-south right now.  There are fields of it.  With such abundance, one might wonder what can be done with it?  These little beauties can be made into flour!  It is in the pea family and edible from root to blossom.  It is also highly nutritious and high in protein and fiber!  The flowers can also be used to make tea or as an addition to a salad.  However, some people are allergic to clover so try just a little to begin.

Making it into flour is very easy.  Be sure to locate your flowers in an area that is not frequented by pets nor sprayed for weeds.  When picking the flower, just pick the flower head, leaving the stem behind.  It will make it easier later.  Rinse and dehydrate the flowers.  This can be done in a dehydrator, a low oven, or even in your car on a hot day.

Dried White Clover Flowers

You then take your dried flowers and grind.  I used a small coffee bean grinder, but I have seen it done in a blender as well.

 

You might wonder what the flour is like?  It has a pleasant green smell to it, like mild peas. Anything you cook with it will turn green.  It would lend itself to a savory dish like crackers more so than a sweet dish, though even that is pleasant.  Due to the desire of more people to go gluten free, you can now purchase green pea flour and even find recipes online.  This flour can easily be substituted in any of those recipes.

I made St. Patrick's Clover and White Chocolate Cookies!

Cookies are actually green.

St. Patrick's Clover and White Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup white clover flour
1 cup uncooked rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 12 oz bag white chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream together the butter and both sugars. Once smooth, add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla.

In a separate bowl mix the remaining dry ingredients together except chocolate chips.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients together until well blended. Fold in chocolate chips.

Scoop medium size balls of dough onto a cookie sheet (about 24). Bake for 12 to 14 minutes.

 My kids say these are very good dipped in milk, but are a little too nutritious!

For those interested, about a one gallon baggie full will produce just over a cup of flour after the flowers are dried and ground.