Weeds... or food?

I bet you never thought about it before, that the weeds you step on, in your garden or out on a walk, could be a great alternative to a salad.

  To be fair, i didn't.. until 10 years ago when i was at a festival and decided to try out a walk about forage workshop, to learn what grows beneath your feet, "Food under Foot".

It blew my mind when i searched the internet, only to find it was a common practice many years ago, for many years.

Some call them weeds, i call them food.

Now that i live in Europe and in a country that has been burnt every 10 years for the last 100 years, due to forest fires, and severe drought because of the fires, we don't have many options available. Unlike the UK, where weeds and food are in abundance, and wetlands lay everywhere, and forests roam wild and far.

Unless you find a nice little paradise hidden valley like we have, which hasn't been burnt for years and has copious amounts of water all year round.

  Ill start with the most common in all of Europe, including UK....

(Before i start, let me warn you to stay away from weeds by the side of busy roads, due to pollutants, and directly on dog walkers pathways, in case the dogs have peed on them, pick plants nearer the height of your knees.)

  Chickweed:

This little guys grows everywhere, stringy to pull apart, great for itchy skin, nutritious in salads.

You find this plant in moist areas, in partial shade in your garden, or in parks.

You can use Chick weed in sandwiches, salads, or wraps.

Nutritionally, it is high in Vitamins C, B and A.

Anti-Inflamatory and pain reliever- traditionally used for rheumatism, arthritis, menstrual cramps, and other inflammations.

Digestive and intestinal support- High in fibre, and helps the body absorb nutrients, and great for the gut.

Skin care- It is cooling and drying so is good for acne, eczema, psoriasis, rashes, minor burns, boils, cuts, and insect bites. Also helps relieve haemorrhoids and varicose veins.

Kidney Support- Mild diuretic, and can flush the kidneys

Astringent- Fresh juice from it can draw out splinters  

Best eaten fresh, doesn't store well, but can be sautéed and cooked, you can eat all of the plant, just take off the yellowing leaves close to the base. 

Fat Hen:

                 

This plant pops up in my garden year after year, and can be treated like spinach.

This one is found in hedges, roadsides, fields, many different places.

Fat hen is very high in Vitamin A, calcium, Potassium, and phosphorus, and is a good source of protein, trace minerals, B-complex vitamins, iron and fibre.

The leaves have been known as a police to soothe burns.

Ramsons/ Wild garlic:

         

If you find it like this, wait a while till it grows nice and tall.

For a start, you will smell wild garlic way before you see it, so keep an eye out when roaming the forest in deep ditches, and moist grounds.

It can be confused by looks with lilly of the valley which is poisonsous, but lilly of the valley does not smell like garlic, thats how you identify it.

Don't pick the bulbs, if you keep an eye on it, it will be there for you year after year, only take the leaves.

Can be eaten raw or cook, a mild garlic flavour. I make some delicious potato and damson/garlic cakes/patties, with wild foraged salad.

Nutitonally, it is know to use to reduce high cholesterol, and blood pressure, and blood tonic.

These are a few to get your started.. i shall be posting more up soon, in the mean time, keep an eye out below your foot and find ways to learn online using picture identifying, and learn their similar counterparts.

  Bom Apetite.