In the beginning of winter, work tends to slow down for me and my partner as well. This past winter, work came to a halt for us both and food was difficult to obtain. We lived on many cans of food, until I thought I would go nuts! Many times, my saving grace was running outside to grab handfuls of chickweed and eat a fresh green. One of the pleasures of this little weed is that you can use it raw, or cooked, and it packs a nice nutritional punch for such a common cold loving plant. Magnesium, niacin, potassium, beta carotene, ascorbic acid, riboflavin, potassium, selenium, thiamin, zinc, copper, and GLA is reported to be found in this wild thing, Even in snowfall, you can find it still alive and well, although a bit curled in the leaves at times when it is cold.
Salty flavor plants often tell us that it is cooling. Many have had the benefit of chickweed being a successful application for skin disorders like eczema and rash. With conjunctivitis or styes, chickweed has been used as a poultice for drawing out the problem and assisting comfort and healing. I have read that splinters and infections have been drawn out with chickweed tea by soaking or compressing the area, although I have not used this as of yet.
CHICKWEED POTATO LEEK SOUP
I gathered about 2 cups of chickweed and whatever nettles I could find. Blanch the chickweed for 15 seconds then plunge into cold water. Add nettles to the boiling water and cook until tender.
Melt bacon fat in a pot and add cut potatoes and leeks and cook a wee bit for that delicious flavor.
I had about 1 quart of homeade chicken broth that I added to the pot and cooked about a half hour until the veggies were tender.
I added the soup to the blender and pureed until smooth. Pour back into the pot. Then I added milk and cream cheese. Just what I had on hand for some creaminess, and pureed that and it gets the remaining thick soup into the puree, then add that to the pot. Warm and add salt, pepper, and seasonings to taste.
It is satisfying and delicious, wild and nutritious.
CHICKWEED VINEGAR
Too add to my fun with chickweed today, I also made chickweed vinegar. This is a wonderful way to extract the nutrients from the plant. It can be used anytime you would like to use vinegar in your culinary delights, and you can take it as a mineral supplement using 1 tsp to 1 Tbsp depending on your preference, add to a glass of water and drink. You can do this a couple times a day if you desire. If you make vinegar, I know herbalists use many different vinegars. Remember the great thing about herbology is experience is your best teacher, not RULES. Apple Cider vinegar is usually what most people prefer, but that does not mean you cannot use what you have, or like. All that is needed is a clean jar, fill with your clean herb of choice, and fill your jar with vinegar. Check on it every so often those first few days to be sure your vinegar is covering the plant matter. I cover my jars with wax paper and rubberband. Never use a metal lid when making an herbal vinegar, as it will corrode and can also drip nasty stuff into your vinegar when this happens. You could use a cloth or cover with a plastic lid. Leave in a dark spot for a few weeks, 2 at least. Strain your vinegar and keep in a container with a non metal lid. Be sure to use this nourishing vinegar somehow, as it will not keep years like a tincture. If you forget to use your vinegar and it looks faded or you remembered to label your vinegar and know it to be old, just use it in your cleaning chores. We use vinegar to clean most of our home for normal day to day cleaning, and it works wonderfully. I hope you get to experience some chickweed creativity in your life. Even the look of Stellaria media is a happy, life giver, in my opinion. Another fun thing to do is in early summer when the ground is warm and the chickweed has seed pods, is to walk across the patch barefoot. You will hear the seeds popping out from your walking, and land on the ground around you. Which means more chickweed for you. Have a great week.
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