Chickweed

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With spring around the corner this is a great herb which will be coming up soon if it is not already up. Before I pass on the recipe let me say that there are many more reasons to include chickweed in our diets besides its wonderful mild green taste. Chickweed is high in vitamin C, calcium, and iron as well as many other important minerals, and it is very nourishing for the lungs. Eating chickweed also thins the membranes of your cells so that nutrients are more readily absorbed and utilized. Since chickweed is a plant, it is important to break down its cell walls in order to access the nutrients available within it. I do love picking and eating chickweed raw, but this is definitely not the way our bodies process it best. Adding a vinegar or lemon juice salad dressing will

help break down the cell walls, as will cooking it before eating it. So, that’s another benefit of preparing this pasta dish. Also remember to harvest your chickweed from a clean source and try to pick it so you don’t have to wash it, since some of the vitamins actually exist right on the plant surface. Here’s the recipe: 8 cups chickweed leaves and stems 2 tsp. olive oil 1 tsp. lemon juice ¼ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. black pepper Start some pasta cooking. (I used udon noodles, but any sort of pasta will do.) Measure and chop the chickweed. Place in a heavy pot, cover, and cook over low heat 5 – 10 minutes or until just wilted. Avoid overcooking. If you’ve rinsed your chickweed, don’t add any liquid, as the water clinging to the plant is sufficient.

Otherwise you might add a tablespoon of water to the pot. (I didn’t rinse or add water, but I did uncover the pot and stir the chickweed while it was cooking to prevent it sticking to the pot and burning.) Remove from heat, stir in the remaining ingredients (adjusting amounts to your personal taste.) Serve hot over pasta. Enjoy! – Herb Mentor Suzi List Owner health/ http://360./suziesgoats What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.

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