In The Land of Mesquite!

Mesquite trees grow everywhere in Texas and other southwest lands.

keep reading--you'll find out why I'm writing about Mesquite trees.

Mesquite trees are one of the toughest trees known to man with more than 40 species to be found worldwide, and 7 of those species growing in Texas. The most notably prolific of those mesquite trees growing in Texas is the honey mesquite.

Of the 167.5 million acres that Texas takes up in this United States, the honey mesquite flourishes like a bad weed on at least 56 million of them, or grow over a third of the state. 76% of all mesquite trees in the U.S. grow in Texas though they are native to other Southwestern states also.

Seedpods are the means by which the mesquite tree propagates itself and those seedpods can be up to 10 inches long. The seedpods are called beans, since they resemble green beans only much larger, and they mature in late summer when they are covered with a sweet coating that has a sugar content of as much as 30%. It is common for people to chew the sweet coating off the seedpods 

When I was younger, We had a number of mesquite trees in our yard and it was my brother's' job to rake the

seed pods when they fell--boy, how they hated to do that job!  Don't think they ever ate a

seedpod though!

One reason we hated these trees were the thorns!  Oh my--if one of 

these thorns hit you--big OUCH!  They are good protection from

outside elements though.

Okay, you are saying--why are we talking about mesquite trees?

If you got this far in the blog, you're in for a treat--

and I have a whole new admiration for these lowly trees!

Why?  All because of an article, by Teresa Morris, in this magazine

opened my eyes! These trees surround us--yes, I know the

wood is used for furniture and smoking meats, but

never in my wildest dreams would I have thought about

eating the tree!  The magazine has recipes in which you can

use this flour from mesquite pods.  

This is a low glycemic food, high in protein and fiber; used to replace 25-50% of

other flours; the taste warm spice flavor, cocoa and molasses--It's worth

a try!

 There are other food products that come from trees, but I hadn't even 

given them a thought.  I do know that one simple little pill that

gave the world a pain reliever-- Aspirin!!

"The ancient Egyptians used willow bark as a remedy for aches and pains, said Diarmuid Jeffreys, author of "Aspirin: The Remarkable Story of a Wonder Drug." They didn't know that what was reducing body temperature and inflammation was the salicylic acid.

I'm looking to cook up a tasty dish with mesquite flour powder--