Wild Chickweed Pesto

Chickweed photo

Have you seen chickweed growing in your yard or around you? This herb is found mostly in the spring time growing wild just about anywhere, growing within a tangled mat.

The flowers, leaves, and stems are all edible and one of the most defining components of this herb is the flower that looks like a star…5 groups of 2 petals, equaling 10 petals in total.

Chickweed has soothing, nourishing, cooling, refrigerant (cooling for fevers), hydrating, anti-inflammatory, mucilaginous, alterative (gradually restore the proper function of the body and increase health and vitality), and demulcent (a substance that relieves irritation of the mucous membranes in the mouth by forming a protective film.) properties.

Chickweed is excellent for bronchitis, pleurisy, coughs, colds, hoarseness, inflammation, weakness of the bowels, stomach, lungs, and bronchial tubes. It is wonderful for any type of internal and external inflammations. It has also been used successfully for breaking up growths within the body as well, including ovarian cysts.

Wild Chickweed Pesto Recipe

 

3-4 cups fresh chickweed

Juice of 1 lemon and 1 lime (or 2 lemons is fine too)

3-4 cloves raw garlic

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (may increase to ½ cup if more liquid is needed)

1/3 cup walnuts or pine nuts

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Place all ingredients in a food processor of high speed blender and process until a pesto consistency is obtained.

Use in sandwiches, wraps, over meat, salads, over cooked veggies, baked potatoes or sweet potatoes, or any food that needs some extra taste enhancement.

 

Update:Spring Wild Edibles
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