Eat Your Weeds!

Last week I was at the farm for my very first Community Farm Day since joining as the new Executive Director here at The HEAL Project. I was staring down a patch of weeds larger than my entire garden at home.

As I wiped my brow, got down on my knees, and started digging in with my trowel, one of our volunteers stopped me, asking “You know those are edible, right?”

Edible weeds!? Nobody ever told me about this.

A patch of purslane at The HEAL Project’s educational farm in El Granada.

I soon learned that the weed in question is Purslane - portulaca oleracea, a fast spreading succulent that is often sprayed with chemicals or ripped from the ground and tossed away. It’s actually a highly nutritious green, packed with Vitamin C and E and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. The place where it’s growing on The HEAL Farm, where we use organic, biodynamic farming practices, makes it safe to pull up, rinse off, and munch on at will.

So naturally, I brought some home. I sautéed them with a little garlic, ginger, shallot, salt, and pepper, and served them with dinner. The review from my partner was simple: “Bring home some more weeds tomorrow, please.”

Purslane has been used for centuries by cultures around the world and is highly regarded as a nutritious and fast-growing food and even celebrated for its healing properties. So why not sauté some purslane for dinner one night next week? 

Stop at The HEAL Project Community Farm Day every second Saturday of the month and pull up some of your own to bring home!