Purslane - It's Not a Weed!

You may find this plant in unexpected places in your yard, especially if you are living in Arizona. However, don't treat it like a weed. A weed has fewer benefits than detriments. This little plant is full of uses and nutrients and to top it off it is very flavorful, even the yellow flower buds are tasty, especially in salads.

Purslane is the best superfood and it grows all by itself. It requires less water, less soil and grows very well in sunny climates. It is full of lemony flavor with a crisp cucumber-like texture. This plant has 7 x more Beta Carotene than carrots; 6x more Vitamin E than spinach; loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids (even possibly more than that fish oil you are taking); and out of all the leafy greens, purslane is the highest in Vitamin A, which is beneficial for vision.

The purslane plant was originated in India and was found throughout Europe, Africa, and even Australia. Currently, there is no known source for how purslane came to grow in the Americas, but stories have been told that the early American Settlers would eat this plant often.

In Mexico, they use purslane as a flavorful additive in their food, one of the most popular being omelets. This plant is great in salads, plates of pasta, stews and anywhere else leafy greens are used. As the plant drys out, seeds start forming. You can easily shake them out and use them as a replacement for poppy seeds in muffins, salad dressings and more.

We have gathered a few recipes that you might want to try out:

Mediterranean Lettuce Salad with Purslane

Salsa Verde Chicharron Tacos

Purslane Soup

So, the next time you see purslane starting to grow wildly in your yard, transplant into a space where you can nurture it's grown and use it for feeding your family and neighborhood.

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