How often do we judge and purge our weeds
Without first checking their names and benefits?
Home January’s Challenge: BE TIDY
P.S. I did not cull my shoes! So I had better wear those red ones next week!
Garden PURSLANE
Pigweed, Munyerro, Pussley, Horse Coin, Horse Money Portulaca oleracea F. Portulacaceae
Edible and nutritious purslane growing as a weed in our gardens could make a fine salad.
Soak a bunch of purslane in water and a little vinegar to wash it.
Chop the purslane.
Add 2 chopped tomatoes, diced cucumber, choped onion,
Mix juice of a lemon, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and a little salt.
Add dressing to this healthy salad.
This weed is a precious and
nutritious herb, and will grow without any help in sun or shade and in any
soil, with or without fertilizer or water.
After reading about purslane, I thought that it was growing in our garden as a weed. But to make sure that I had identified it correctly, I bought purslane seeds from Eden Seeds, and indeed, I did have the precious purslane growing here and there! My friend, Joan, in Canada, adds purslane and basil to her preserved tomatoes. My hubby is being trained not to weed it out of the garden!
After reading about purslane, I thought that it was growing in our garden as a weed. But to make sure that I had identified it correctly, I bought purslane seeds from Eden Seeds, and indeed, I did have the precious purslane growing here and there! My friend, Joan, in Canada, adds purslane and basil to her preserved tomatoes. My hubby is being trained not to weed it out of the garden!
1. Miner’s Lettuce (Winter Purslane)Montia perfoliata seeds, native to N. America where it was a valued part of miners diets in
1850s when it prevented scurvy, eaten raw or steamed.
2.
Purslane –Large Yellow Portulaca oleracea stiva – with its large juicy leaves.
When our family lived in Hong Kong a few years ago, we met a Chinese lady, Professor Wu, who had just had her huge volume on Chinese edible plants published - her life's work, written in the English language. Hubby and I were invited to her 106th birthday celebration! I heard that she ate something special each morning, which she attributed her longevity to as well as her ability to still be working 5 days a week in her office at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. However, I did not learn what it was that she ate! However, I recently read that purslane was regarded as an age enhancing herb by Henry C. Lu, in his book 'Chinese Foods for Longevity'. I have to wonder if Professor Wu's grand age could be attributed to this herb along with other herbs. (NOTE: It is very rare for the Chinese to eat only one herb without other accompanying herbs.)
Constituents: essential fatty acid, volatile oil, resin, tannins, glycoside, sterols, oxalic, citric, malic, and glutamic acids, dopamine, noradrenaline, protein 5.9%
When our family lived in Hong Kong a few years ago, we met a Chinese lady, Professor Wu, who had just had her huge volume on Chinese edible plants published - her life's work, written in the English language. Hubby and I were invited to her 106th birthday celebration! I heard that she ate something special each morning, which she attributed her longevity to as well as her ability to still be working 5 days a week in her office at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. However, I did not learn what it was that she ate! However, I recently read that purslane was regarded as an age enhancing herb by Henry C. Lu, in his book 'Chinese Foods for Longevity'. I have to wonder if Professor Wu's grand age could be attributed to this herb along with other herbs. (NOTE: It is very rare for the Chinese to eat only one herb without other accompanying herbs.)
Constituents: essential fatty acid, volatile oil, resin, tannins, glycoside, sterols, oxalic, citric, malic, and glutamic acids, dopamine, noradrenaline, protein 5.9%
Vitamins: A 1320 IU/100gm, B1, B2, B6, C, D, E
Minerals: magnesium potassium, calcium phosphorus,
iron
Actions: antipyretic, antioxidant, refrigerant,
diuretic, antibiotic, tonic, alterative, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial,
emollient
Medicinal Uses
*Rich source of vitamins,
minerals, important for its omega-3 content. In 1986, Dr Artemis
Siopoulious discovered purslane’s LNA (alpha-linolenic acid) content, and
highlighted purslane’s value for our daily diet. It can help regulate blood pressure, regulate metabolism,
cholesterol and triglycerides in the circulatory system and give some protection against bladder,
breast, lung and prostrate cancer as well as melanomas. It has a very cooling effect on the body and its
high alkalinity is helpful
in alleviating acidic stomachs and various other ailments stemming from
acidic or toxic conditions of the body; eat leaves for cell oxygenating
benefits.
*Henry C. Lu’s
book “Chinese foods for longevity” writes
of purslane being used to:
reduce internal heat, dysentery, pulmonary tuberculosis and lung diseases,
jaundice, gingivitis, inflammation,
to curb bleeding hemorrhoids and bleeding from the uterus after childbirth.
(To clear inflammation of the
urethra, it is taken as soup using
60g purslane, 6g licorice and 1 cup water, simmered at low heat several mins,
strained and drunk daily;
To treat jaundice and gingivitis 70-140g is eaten as a steamed vegetable daily.
To treat renal tuberculosis, finely cut or crush 1k fresh purslane and soak in 800ml of rice wine for 3 days; strain, bottle & cork; take 10ml daily, before meals.
Herbal books include the following uses: edema, kidney stones, ulcers, boils, herpes, laryngitis, hepatitis, diarrhea, whooping cough, fevers, arthritis, gout, fungal ailments, eczema, burns, bites, abscesses, inflamed eyes, cataracts, dry skin and skin diseases, cystitis, multiple sclerosis, to assist the circulation, eliminate toxins and intestinal worms, purify the blood, tone the liver and large intestines and as a tonic to the whole body.
To treat jaundice and gingivitis 70-140g is eaten as a steamed vegetable daily.
To treat renal tuberculosis, finely cut or crush 1k fresh purslane and soak in 800ml of rice wine for 3 days; strain, bottle & cork; take 10ml daily, before meals.
Herbal books include the following uses: edema, kidney stones, ulcers, boils, herpes, laryngitis, hepatitis, diarrhea, whooping cough, fevers, arthritis, gout, fungal ailments, eczema, burns, bites, abscesses, inflamed eyes, cataracts, dry skin and skin diseases, cystitis, multiple sclerosis, to assist the circulation, eliminate toxins and intestinal worms, purify the blood, tone the liver and large intestines and as a tonic to the whole body.
*To relieve thirst: hold leaves beneath the tongue.
*To treat inflamed breasts: apply a poultice of oil, purslane and raw egg blended together.
*To treat coughs and shortness of breath, mix crushed juice of leaves with honey. Use this also as a gargle for sore throat, sore gums and mouth ulcers.
Purslane’s minerals – iron & magnesium, are important in the conversion of glucose to energy, bone development and healthy heart function. Magnesium rich foods help nourish the spinal cord, the nerve and brain fibres and promote memory, concentration and muscle function.
*5 sprigs 10cm long of purslane daily provide over 550 mg calcium.
Culinary Uses
*Eat leaves and stems raw in hand,
added to salads and
sandwiches, stir-fries, stews, fritters, casseroles, dumplings, quiche, egg
dishes, omelettes, soups, coleslaw, pickled like capers.
*When preparing
purslane as a salad, add a
little finely chopped onion
or chives and a dash of pepper, to counteract the coldness of the herb.
*Use as a substitute in recipes that call
for okra. Some say it is as tasty as asparagus; add leaves to any dish
that calls for greens, sprinkle
leaves over icecream in summer.
*If eating by the
large handful, remember that purslane has a fairly high oxalic acid content,
about the same as spinach. A high oxalic acid intake is not considered by
researchers to be a problem if foods rich in calcium (veges, greens, dairy)
plus daily sunshine giving vitamin D synthesis are sufficient. 120 g of purslane daily eaten has been shown
in research to not pose any problem to health, but if one overdoses to a
dangerous level of oxalates, they may experience severe nauses, vomiting,
kidney stones and irritation and soreness to the digestive tract. Purslane is listed as a harmless medicinal
plant with no adverse effects being reported by Prof. S. Talalaj and Dr A.S.
Czechowicz, in “Herbal Remedies Harmful
and Beneficial Effects".
*It is fed to stock especially pigs,to
poultry, goats & cows.Cattle can travel long distances on purslane.
*Pig
Weed Soup Simmer for 5 mins : 2 lge handfuls of
pigweed coarsely chopped, 1 lge potato finely diced, 1 lge chopped onion, 6
cups chicken stock, salt/pepper. Mix in
blender till fine &
smooth. Reheat and
add 1 cup milk just before serving, stir through ¼ - ½ cup cream (optional).
Thanks to Isabell Shipard for the purslane information in her book "How Can I Use Herbs in my Daily Life".
http://www.herbcottage.com.au/how-can-i-use-herbs-in-my-daily-life.html
In regard to nutritional benefits of greens, Food-4-All state: Eating a variety of greens gives you a range of nutrients. Avoid eating any one type of greens more than twice a week as many of them contain alkaloids that can accumulate in your liver. Different plants contain different alkaloids, so by eating a variety you are getting different nutrients and preventing liver damage.
http://food4all.ning.com/page/edible-weeds
Tonight, hubby and I ate purslane for the first time!
I haven't told him yet that he ate "pig-weed"!
TONIGHT'S VEGETABLE DISH WAS:
*frozen diced mixed veges
*greens from the garden, washed and cut (beetroot tops, purslane leaves and stems, silverbeet, basil)
*left-ever mashed potato
*grated cheese & sliced cherry tomatoes on top.
Cooked in oven for 15 mins.
Thanks to Isabell Shipard for the purslane information in her book "How Can I Use Herbs in my Daily Life".
http://www.herbcottage.com.au/how-can-i-use-herbs-in-my-daily-life.html
In regard to nutritional benefits of greens, Food-4-All state: Eating a variety of greens gives you a range of nutrients. Avoid eating any one type of greens more than twice a week as many of them contain alkaloids that can accumulate in your liver. Different plants contain different alkaloids, so by eating a variety you are getting different nutrients and preventing liver damage.
http://food4all.ning.com/page/edible-weeds
Tonight, hubby and I ate purslane for the first time!
I haven't told him yet that he ate "pig-weed"!TONIGHT'S VEGETABLE DISH WAS:
*frozen diced mixed veges
*greens from the garden, washed and cut (beetroot tops, purslane leaves and stems, silverbeet, basil)
*left-ever mashed potato
*grated cheese & sliced cherry tomatoes on top.
Cooked in oven for 15 mins.
Weed it or feed it?
That is the question.
May we each have fun identifying edible weeds in our neighbourhood!
from Robyn