Chickweed
Taste
Lettuce, spinach, corn salad, mild.
Eat
Leaves, stem, and flowers. Found wild year round in the UK, it is a good edible to seek out in the winter months.
Health & Nutrition
Rich in vitamin A, C, magnesium, iron, calcium, zinc, fibre, and antioxidants. Chickweed has been used medicinally to support many ailments. It also contains some protein.
Buying tips
Choose fresh young green sprigs that are not limp or showing signs of yellowing.
Storage tips
Store in a sealed bag in the fridge. Use within a few days.
Cooking tips
Prep:
Rinse leaves and consume raw or cooked.
Raw: Enjoy raw in salads as an alternative tender lettuce or mix with other greens. Dress with lemon or vinegar and oil.
Blend into smoothies, pesto, sauces.
Use instead of rocket on top of pizzas.
Steamed: Enjoy as a replacement to spinach, chard, chard. Add to eggs, sauces, soups and stews towards the end of cooking as it only needs a minute or two to cook.
Tea: Add hot water and step for 10-15 ins with a lid on.
Waste reduction tips
Forget the salad bags that are often adding to your plastic carbon footprint and head out in to natures pharmacy to source your own wild lettuce.
