38. EAT A NUTRITIOUS WEED

Because my garden is teeming with lamb’s quarters, I was thrilled to read that this edible wild weed is one of the most nutritious of all greens. Before I write about the food value of lamb’s quarters, read this funny story written by Susun Weed on her website: Wise Woman Herbal Ezine, as she talked to her young apprentice. 

Susun: I am preparing lamb’s quarters for dinner.
Carley: I am vegetarian and will not eat meat.
Susun: Some call it fat hen.
Carley: I don’t eat chicken either.
Susun: Another name is goosefoot.
Carley: I will not eat a goose or the feet.
Susun: One more name is pigweed.
Carley: I will not eat any kind of animal

Susun laughed as she told Carley that lamb’s quarters is a weed to be eaten like greens. I don’t know what Carley had to say after the meal ended but hopefully she found lamb’s quarters to be tasty.

One of the first things I learned about this green is that it has many names. The scientific name is Chenopodium album. There are dozens of useful species that are edible, nutritious and grow all over the world.

This year I had such an abundant growth of this hardy weed that I pulled it and laid it on my garden like mulch. It happened because last year I allowed several plants to grow throughout the summer to the seed-bearing stage. Since I didn’t gather the seed, it blew all over the garden; therefore, it came up in abundant quantity.   

I wish my tomatoes, peppers, squash, okra, blackeyed peas, and other garden veggies were as resilient as this weed, which will grow in poor soil and even in times of drouth. Many people want to rid their land of lamb’s quarters, which can be a nuisance because it is so prolific. As we look at the nutrition it offers, it would be much wiser to develop a taste for it so we could eat it instead of cursing it. Note the nutrition in one cup of cooked lamb’s quarters:

1112 percent of our needed vitamin K, 281 percent of vitamin A, 111 percent of vitamin C, 47 percent of manganese, 46 percent of calcium, 28 percent of riboflavin, 18 percent of copper, 16 percent of vitamin B6, 15 percent of potassium, 12 percent of thiamin, 10 percent of magnesium, 8 percent of phosphorus, 7 percent of iron, 6 grams of protein, 4 percent of zinc and 2 percent of selenium.

If a catastrophe should occur in the future, a crop of lamb’s quarters would be quite valuable. It is versatile in that it can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in soups, main dishes or with other vegetables. Unlike much of the food in our supermarkets, lamb’s quarters is not genetically modified, fertilized, waxed, irradiated, treated with pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or shelf-life extenders.

Please all of you out there, don’t complain when you see lamb’s quarters in your yards. JUST REMEMBER, THE WAY TO BEAT ‘EM IS TO EAT ‘EM! 

CREAMY POTATO-LAMB’S QUARTERS
1 T olive oil
1/4 c onion diced
1 clove garlic minced
1 pound potatoes chunked
3 c water
2 c lamb’s quarters chopped
1 T lemon juice
1/4 t cayenne
1/2 t salt
Saute onion and garlic in oil. Add potatoes
with water and simmer about 10 minutes. Stir
in lamb’s quarters and simmer until fully cooked.
Stir in lemon juice, cayenne and salt. Blend until
smooth.

TOFU-LAMB’S QUARTERS PUFFS
2 c chopped lamb’s quarters
1 c tofu
6 T gluten flour
1/8 t rosemary
1/8 t thyme
1 T chicken seasoning
1/2 c bread crumbs
1/4 t garlic powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t salt
Simmer lamb’s quarters in 1/4 cup water for
10 minutes. Combine bread crumbs, seasonings
and gluten flour. Add drained lamb’s quarters
and finely mashed tofu and mix thoroughly. Form
into 1-inch balls. If too dry, add water drained from
the greens. Arrange balls on sprayed cookie sheet
and bake 30 minutes at 350. Pour tomato sauce over
the balls before serving.

TOMATO SAUCE
1 c water
3 large tomatoes peeled and finely chopped
1/2 t basil
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t thyme
1/4 t salt
Combine all ingredients and simmer until thickened.