Purslane Bliss.....

 So Wednesday was another great day at the farm. I have so enjoyed my CSA with Two Toad Farms in Lebanon ME. It has been a pleasure to work their land. I have learned so much and I look forward every week to spending time on their farm. I now know why their produce tastes so nutritional and delicious. Jordan and Mary Beth put a lot of love and hard work into every movement on that Farm from the planting to the harvest you know they have been there personally giving their all the entire way through.

Last week I was introduced while weeding to what I have come to know as  “wild edibles”. These are not just the berries and mushrooms that we all have come to recognize but the weeds that grow wild in Nature and probably in your own back yard. Yes, in your own back yard!

While weeding my curiosity was building as lately I have been drawn to juicing more greens. As most of you know in battling and suppressing my virus I use herb tinctures grown here in Maine and eat mostly from our local Farmers Markets. I have been doing that along with transforming my everyday food into medicine and practicing beneficial conscious eating. So it seems like the next logical step in boosting my immune system and detoxing my body from everyday stress and continual viral outbreaks is to allow Mother Nature to step in on a more direct level.

 As Jordan talked to me about the health benefits of this unwelcomed weed I expressed my desire to learn more and possible teach Austin. This way when we went on our hikes we could have a nature snack but it also is a great skill to have to be able to live and eat off the land. This will come in very handy also as we prepare for more skilled hiking and back packing trips. 

Little did I know that the door of curiosity would open up and allow me the opportunity to come back and harvest my own Purslane to experiment with and  also to spend 3 hours learning about Wild Edible with the Guru of New England mushrooms David Spahr this Saturday. The Maine Audubon is hosting a workshop at Fields Pond in Holden Maine.

 If I didn’t know better I would say the universe is in agreement with my move to more wild edibles..

 I say that not only because how events unfolded but as I was looking for ideas on what to juice with it right there in the SuperFood Juices book by Julie Morris that I had been using a recipe for Purslane Celery Juice! Who would of guessed...

Purslane Celery

makes approximately 16 ounce

Bonus benefits;

quick reboot, detox flush, slim and tone, strength and stamina and beauty and anti aging

1 handful purslane

1 cucumber

2 celery stalks

2 large sweet apples, cored

Juice all the ingredients, and whisk together to combine.

This is such a refreshing and sweet green drink. The hint of lemon from the Purslane and the Sweet honey crisp apple I chose made this green drink one that will become a regular on my road to redemption and rebirth!!!

There was no better feeling in the world as the one in harvesting my own greens and now drinking them into my body like a gift from Nature and Mother Earth. I think working at the farm has given me an opportunity to experience the hard work and beneficial properties of working and living off the land. I know that my soul has been guided by cosmic coincidences and a desire to help myself and I gladly take its help. As in my Facebook page the wounded healer states, I am searching always for the path that will lead me to whole healing as well as passing my experience and knowledge gained as I go. I have felt many changes since dedicating myself to a more regular yoga practice as well as committing to a healthier more plant and nut based diet. I have learned that the road to wellness starts with what you are eating. Healing comes more from what you are taking in then what you are putting out. There must be a foundation and I have learned by trial and error that for me it must start with my food. From there the mind clears and the body has a chance to rejuvenate, then the rest will easily follows. 

It seems each day Mother earth is reaching out to me asking if she can heal me thorough lots of Vitamin D, Chaga Mushroom, a mostly Raw Vegan diet with now wild edibles added in. It is wonderful to hear my body speaking and being able to give it what it needs. They say every cell in your body has a form of consciousness well if that is true then I can hear them asking me to get back to nature and now I'm sure they meant more like; Get your hands in the dirt and eat off the land!!

Here are some tips in Harvesting and Preparing Purslane:

1 Know your plant!

It is important when picking anything wild that you are sure about what it is before you touch it or place it in your mouth. I was lucky enough to have wise teachers on this one. I advise if you don't know someone knowledgeable in this area you contact your local Audubon society for workshops and classes or get a hold of some books. I have ordered a few and as soon as I get them I will be sharing what they are and what they are teaching. So Remember Know Your Plants!!

2. Make sure that when harvesting you are aware of where you are.

Purslane can be found in big cities, neighborhood backyards and growing wild among the forest trees. You need to keep in mind that harvesting ones that have either grown in organic soil or untainted by pesticides is the best way to go.  Most people in North America see these as a weed so they may be treated with poisons so trend lightly when found in residential neighborhoods or even highly trafficked road ways. plants pick up what is in the air around them and what is in the soil so look for nutrient rich places to harvest or know your Farmers and be lucky enough to weed their beds for them.

3. Harvest them when they are still young:

 If you are able to harvest them when they are young this is the best so far I have found. After doing some research online I found that as they grow their stems become tougher and the leaves become of a more thick sustenance and texture. At this stage they come out of the soil easy, root and all. They are  also easy to throw in salads and juicers, the other added bonus as well is they have that sweet lemony taste that cant be bet. I might change my mind as I explore this super green more but for now tender is what I think works best for this plant.

4. Make sure you wash your harvest before eating:

Even though you now should know your plant developed in good soil and is pesticide free it does not mean it still doesn't need a wash to rinse the dirt and clean anything that might be hidden on the plant or in the soil.  I used a salad spinner and cleaned only half the harvest and then gentle stored the other half to clean later today.  I love my salad spinner it really helps to make sure all the dirt and any little garden bugs are removed.  I will give you a tip that I only figured out half was through the process. Its best to first remove the roots before placing in the spinner, that way your not trying to clean the roots of the plant just the stem and leaves. Only the ones you wont be eating right away leave the roots on to keep them fresh. Purslane is a succulent like the jade plant so it is able after being harvested to live off its reserves for up to three days. I stored mine in a bag used to keep produce cold, I left the bag open and just a small ice block in it.  I followed my instincts and felt like they could not get to hot or to cold. So I just babied them.  

5. After derooting and washing them treat them like any other super green:

After I washed them I allowed them to air dry a bit before I placed them in a large storing container. I placed a paper towel in the bottom and then the Purslane then another paper towel on top. I have found my refrigerator sometimes builds moisture and the paper towels help. I am not sure thier shelf life yet but I am sure I will keep to the 3 day rule. Harvest and eat ASAP!! 

6. Experiment with your new super green;

Yesterday morning I started out with a Green Juice of Purslane and Celery, than I went on to have a great afternoon salad and than ended the night by adding a delicious avocado spread to my dinner. I know there is so much more I will find I can do with this plant as it becomes one of my favorite new superfoods.

Purslane and Asparagus Salad

( Like all my salads chop to to desired amount)

Red Leaf Lettuce

Purslane (chopped or whole)

Asparagus (chopped)

Radishes

Bok Choy

Chives

Dressing of Choice;

Bragg's Healthy Vinaigrette with Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and Bragg Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I so enjoyed this salad. The combination of crisp asparagus and bok chop really brought out the lemon flavor of the Purslane. I also found that the radish added a nice peppery taste. To add extra flavor you can add: hemp seeds, dulse, tomatoes and chopped avocado.    

 Avocado and Purslane Dip/Spread

2 Avocados

Handful of Cilantro (chopped)

Handful of Purslane (chopped)

½ sweet onion (chopped)

½ red pepper (chopped)

1 clove chopped fresh garlic or powdered garlic

Juice of one lemon

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cayenne peeper to taste

Mix everything together and serve with chips or like me add it to tacos!!

 I look forward to my new found Purslane Bliss and hope you will join me by sharing your wild edible adventures and your Purslane recipes with me. 

Until then happy Purslane hunting!!

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