It is officially the beginning of foraging season!

…and I couldn’t be any more excited! Foraging is a skill that I have been learning ever since I took that Herbal Medicine class back in nutrition school, and every year it seems that I get a little bit better at it and I am able to identify a few more plants.

So because I seem to have the ability to identify useful plants much more these days, I wanted to find alternative ways of using them. So I have been on the lookout for new recipes, tinctures and other concoctions that might prove useful in the years to come (end of the world prep? Absolutely!).

Well, this recipe that I came across today seems to fit the bill of all of the things I am looking for: healthy, earth-friendly, yummy and medicinally useful. Not bad, for what many people might consider “just a bunch of weeds”…

That is one thing that I would like to point out before I go any further… DISCLAIMER: some plants are poisonous or can be dangerous. Always be 100% sure that you are correctly identifying a plant before you use it. Also, always make sure that you are harvesting your weeds from pollutant- and spray-free areas. Places that have roadways and sidewalks tend to be more heavily sprayed, which can get into the plants and make them not so healthy. Also, always think sustainably when harvesting plants! Do not take more than you need, and always make sure to leave enough of the plant growing that it will be able to continue to live and thrive.

Ok, enough legal stuff! On to the deliciousness!

The recipe is for Wild Weed Pesto, and I think it would be fabulous spooned over fish or chicken. You could also stir it into sauces and soups, maybe fold it into a lasagna with some ricotta and roasted eggplant, or spread it over flatbread with a generous scoop of fresh goat cheese to create a pizza.

You may recognize the names of some of these weeds, and if you have not tried them yet, I strongly recommend that you do! You can leave out any of the ingredients that you cannot find, but I honestly think that this would just taste better if you include all of them.

What are these weeds, you ask?

• Chickweed (Stellaria media)

o Low growing in a tangled mass, chickweed thrives in lawns, gardens and disturbed areas. This weed is actually a favourite of chickens as food!

o It is loaded with chlorophyll, magnesium, zinc, calcium, manganese, iron, phosphorus, A, B and C vitamins.

o Has a fresh flavour and is not too bitter

• Dead Nettle (Lamium purpureum)

o Despite its slightly ominous name, the pretty purplish dead nettle is not only edible but nutritious as it is high in vitamin C and quercetin

• Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

o While dandelion might be the bane of the person on a quest of the perfect lawn, it is a nutritional powerhouse. The bitter leaves full of folate, magnesium, phosphorus copper, vitamins A, B6, C, E and K, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, iron, potassium, and manganese

o I love roasting the roots of dandelion with some chicory root to make a herbal coffee! Try it: 1 tsp. dried and roasted dandelion root + 1 tsp. dried and roasted chicory root + 1 tbsp. raw cacao. Brew it like it’s coffee!

• Cat’s Ear (Hypochaeris radicata)

o This plant is often confused for dandelion and rightfully so! The difference is that cat’s ear has leaves that are less sharply serrated and shaggier flowers

o They are nutritionally quite similar to dandelions, albeit with a slightly less bitter flavor

• Wood Sorrel (Oxalis)

o Lemony and slightly sour, this clover look-alike is full of vitamin C

o While it is nutritious and non-toxic, wood sorrel should be avoided by folks with kidney stones, gout and rheumatic conditions due to the high oxalic acid content

• Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

o Also known as pigweed, the succulent fat leaves of purslane have more omega-3 fatty acid than any other leafy green and are abundant in vitamins A, C, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium and manganese

• Lamb’s Quarter (Chenopodium album)

o Easily identified with its telltale whitish underside, lamb’s quarters are full of niacin, folate, iron, magnesium phosphorus, vitamin A, B6, C, K, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, potassium, copper, and manganese

o Like wood sorrel, lamb’s quarter should be avoided by those suffering from kidney stones, gout and rheumatic conditions due to the high oxalic acid content

Not bad for a few plants that just grow wherever they want to! It’s amazing the healing power that Mother Nature has packed into so many of them things that grow everywhere that we so often overlook…

So go forth a forage! harvest sustainably and create wonderful healing foods and things with what you find! learn to reconnect with Mother Nature and the environment, and have a snazzy start to spring!

Wild Weed Pesto:

• 4 cups assorted wild edible greens

• ¼ cup blanched slivered almonds or pine nuts

• 3 cloves garlic

• Zest of one lemon

• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1) Go out and forage the weeds you want to use sustainably – always leave enough plant material growing and untouched so that the plant can survive!

2) When you get your weeds home, rinse them off and then place them in a large mixing bowl. Fill the bowl with water and add about 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar. Swirl the water around to mix and allow the weeds to soak for 15 minutes. Rinse, drain and pat your foraged weeds dry

3) In the bowl of a food processor, quickly pulse the garlic and almonds to create a rough meal

4) Add your foraged weeds and lemon zest to the food processor and pulse until well combined

5) While the food processor is running, slowly pour in olive oil until desired consistency is reached. Add salt and pepper to taste

6) Serve with the desired dish of your choice or freeze until needed