Orchard Foraging – Late summer edition – PURSLANE, LAMBS-QUARTERS, SPICEBUSH, SUNFLOWER

 

To keep us on the path of foraging for wild foods to make our diet rich in healthy nutrients, I’m highlighting a few more plants today including Purslane, Lambs-quarters, Spicebush, and Sunflower.  If any of these recipes whet your appetite, come harvest plants in the orchard!

 

Recipes all credited to The Wild Vegan Cookbook by “Wildman” Steve Brill.

 

PURSLANE: 

Rich source of omega 3 fatty acids. All parts of purslane are edible raw or cooked. The seeds can be eaten raw or used to make flour.  And interestingly, from Wikepedia….”In antiquity, its healing properties were thought so reliable that Pliny the Elder advised wearing the plant as an amulet to expel all evil “

 

6 medium sized red potatoes, sliced and cooked in water until tender, and drained

2 cups purslane leaves and stems, chopped

4 scallions

1 celery stalk

Mayonnaise of choice to taste – (Can try Wild Bill’s mayo recipe below) 

Mix together all the ingredients until well combined. Chill before serving.

Wild Mustard Seed Mayonnaise – Mix below in food processor:

1-2 cloves garlic1/4 c parsley

19 oz silken tofu

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup miso

2 T lecithin granules

1 t mustard seeds

2 t white pepper, ground

1 t dried tarragon

1/2 t tumeric

2 T lemon juice

2T red wine vinegar

pinch cayenne pepper

 

LAMBS-QUARTERS (Also called Wild Spinach): 

Better than spinach, it’s relative, in flavor and nutrition, and abundant! According to Joan Richardson’s Wild Edible Plants of New England, “lambsquarters even outclasses spinach as a storehouse of protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin C, and great amounts of vitamin A, not to mention all the minerals pulled out of the earth by its strong taproot.” It does, like spinach, contain oxalic acid so you kidney stone formers BEWARE!!! All you want to know about the plant: https://www.mofga.org/resources/greens/lambsquarters/

2 cloves garlic

1 small red onion

2 cups lambs-quarters leaves

1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted

1 c walnuts

6 oz pitted olives

3 T mustard leaves

2T miso

1 t cayenne pepper (or pinch per heat preference)

 

Chop all finely, or process in a food processor. Keep tightly covered in the refrigerator and will last 5-7 days.

 

For foraging purposes: The leaves, buds, and new growth twigs can be made into a tea; and the fruits can be dried, ground, and used as an allspice substitute. 

 

The plant is in the orchard due to it’s value to our non human friends too. From Wikipedia:  “Many animals feed on the leaves, twigs, and berries of spicebush. Some mammals include whitetail deer, Eastern cottontail rabbit, opossums. Over 20 species of birds including both gamebirds and song birds such as ring-necked pheasant, bobwhite, ruffed grouse and others have been known to feed on spicebush. The berries are a favorite food of wood thrushes.

1 cup olive oil

1 cup canola oil

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 peanuts

1/4 cup tahini

1/4 cup miso

8 spicebush berries, finely chopped

2 large cloves of garlic

 

In a blender, combine all ingredients until smooth. Can keep tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.

I planted so many this year as these flowers bring me so much joy. Trying to beat out the birds to a few seeds!!!  From the American Meadows seed supply website: “Butterflies, beneficial insects, hummingbirds and birds flock to sunflower heads for food, pollen and nectar. Mexican sunflowers are particularly good at attracting Monarch butterflies as they migrate through the country. Butterflies and insects enjoy the flower pollen and nectar while birds feast on the seeds. If growing sunflowers for wildlife, remember not to grow pollen-less varieties.” 

10 cups water

Juce of 2 lemons

8 cups shelled sunflower seeds

6 cloves garlic

1 cup curry powder

1 T salt

1T cayenne pepper (or to taste)

2 T olive oil

 

1. Place water, lemon juice, sunflower seeds, garlic, 1/2 c curry powder, half salt and cayenne in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, simmer covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees

3. Drain seeds in colander. Then mix seeds in a large bowl with olive oil, remaining curry powder, salt and cayenne. Transfer to a roasting pan and bake, stirring every 20 minutes, until the seeds are dry and crisp. Approx 3-4 hours. Will keep for months in the fridge tightly covered, or indefinitely frozen.