Aug 5, 2014 | Uncategorized
One story goes that onion weeed / three cornered leek / allium triquetrum was used historically in the UK as a companion plant for apple orchards. Like other alliums – onions, garlic, leeks – they keep pests at bay and increase tree health. And they are...
Aug 4, 2014 | Uncategorized
Sow thistle, commonly called Milk Thistle in my part of the world, the Sonchus genus, grow in many somewhat different shapes and sizes – some softer and some rather rough and prickly. We use them all, simply adjusting the use to the type of thistle. The softer ones get used in salads, eaten raw in sandwiches or other similar ways. The rough ones are generally added to green smoothies or included in well-cooked dishes such as a vegetarian pasta sauce. The message is – Don’t be afraid to use them all, irregardless of how tough or prickly the particular sow thistle...
Jul 21, 2014 | Uncategorized
We enjoy adding persimmons to our smoothies. They are an amazing fruit! Persimmon fruit contains high amounts of antioxidants and phytonutrients. These neutralize free radicals which cause many degenerative diseases like ages, cancer, cataract and macular degeneration. And they are extremely high in Vitamin C! Another great thing about using them in smoothies is that, like bananas, they can thicken a smoothie, giving it a beautiful texture. Another advantage – persimmons grow really easily in temperate...
Jul 18, 2014 | Uncategorized
We are being lazy, copying from our Facebook page today 🙂 Yacon or Peruvian Ground Apple is an incredible perennial edible and such a beautiful ornamental with unique-shaped leaves. The sweetness of its tubers come from inulin. They can be eaten raw or cooked. Delicious and one plant can produce 7 kilos of food – we are harvesting ours now! Fresh and tasty as a fruit salad but also a great roasted potato – amazing! Tea made from Yacon leaves contain healthy antioxidants and prebiotics, as well as other beneficial phytonutrients. Plant three or four corms now to have this food source in your garden forever! (Green Harvest is one supplier of corms...
Jul 3, 2014 | Uncategorized
It’s a real joy having children along on an Edible Weed Walk. They always ask the best questions – like ‘If you only ate weeds, would you eventually turn green?’ And kids can generally tell adults a thing or two about which plants are edible! It was my daughter, for example, who taught me to suck the nectar from jasmine flowers. How wonderful if all adults could become like children again, opening their minds and their hearts to the abundance freely provided by...
Jul 3, 2014 | Uncategorized
One of my favourite salad greens/green smoothie ingredients is Nipplewort. It is also delightfully called Irish Wildflowers. I don’t hear this edible weed mentioned much. Could be something to do with the name! 🙂 Here is one place nipplewort show ups as an important plant – ‘Nanakusa no Sekku’ day in Japan. Japanese traditionally have porridge of seven edible spring herbs on January 7th every year – water dropwort, shepherd’s purse, cudweed, chickweed, nipplewort, turnip and...
