Use your garden weeds to make pesto

Here is a quick guide to a few of the edible weeds growing, and a fun way to use them. Please make sure you are picking from areas that haven’t been sprayed by pesticides and that you wash everything before you use it. Also, if you’re not sure what it is please don’t eat it!

Chickweed:(Stellaria media): Low growing in a tangled mass, 

chickweed thrives in lawns, gardens and disturbed areas. A 

favorite of chickens. Loaded with chlorophyll, magnesium, zinc, 

calcium, manganese, iron, phosphorus, A, B and C Vitamins. 

Fresh flavor and not too bitter

Purple Dead Nettle:(Lamium purpureum): The pretty purplish 

dead nettle is not only edible but nutritious as it is high in VitaminC and quercetin. Subtle flavor and you can mix it into anything you would add greens to.

Dandelion:(Taraxacum officinale): While dandelion might bother a person on a quest of the perfect lawn, it is a nutritional powerhouse. The bitter leaves are full of folate, magnesium, phosphorus copper, Vitamins A, B6, C, E and K, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, iron, potassium, and manganese. You can dig it out the tap root so it wont return to your yard, and dry the tap root for tea.

Nutritious and flavorful wild weed pesto can be served with fish, chicken or pasta -- and is amazing with goat cheese or garlic bread! 

Prep Time 10 minutes 

Total Time 10 minutes 

Ingredients: 

4 cups assorted wild edible greens 

1/4 cup soaked almonds/ cashews/ or pine nuts 

2 cloves garlic, peeled 

1/2 lemon, juiced 

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 

salt and pepper to taste 

Instructions: 

Rinse, drain and pat dry your foraged weeds. 

In the bowl of a food processor, quickly pulse garlic and almonds to a rough meal. Add foraged weeds and lemon juice to food processor and pulse until well combined. While food processor is running, slowly pour in olive oil until desired consistency is reached. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve with desired dish or freeze until needed.