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Hey friends of the Plant Power Community, I've been wanting to do this kind of post for some time now. Weeds have become an important part of my diet, but it can be tricky to take advantage of them.
During the last weeks I've been eating mainly what I can forage and harvest. This has made me look for ways to optimize this labor as it is time consuming.
I kept looking at these thistles growing outside my house because of their big and abundant leaves, but I still wouldn't touch them because I felt they were a hastle to harvest. It was slow, tedious, and painful.
Yet, it's large leaves, and the fact that it grows from early spring to late fall, being highly frost-resistant, and hardy against pests makes it an ideal plant for foragers to keep in mind. The flower is also edible but that will be for another post as it is not the right time for that.
The notion that they were difficult to use as food came from cutting the sharp points off with a scissor, which was highly inefficient.
Thistle leaves have different shapes: when younger they are more oval-shaped and less spiky which makes them a better choice for harvest.
The time of young leaves has passed for me, yet it is still possible to enjoy thistle in this stage with what I'm about to show you.
The first step is to stack several leaves that are similar in shape and size. The idea is to save time and get as much food as possible from this free and abundant plant.
Once stacked, it's time to cut around the edges. It's faster to go nearer to the center than trying to get it perfectly near the edges. I normally don't care about speed but if you're serious about making "weeds" a solid part of your diet you have to be efficient in processing them.
These are ready to use. They have those prickly hairs but once cooked they are no problem. I wouldn't eat them raw though... You can stir fry them, put them in the oven, add them to soup. When cooked in the oven they get a nice meaty texture which can be interesting on vegan recipes, but they turn to a dark color which is not attractive for the sight.
On this occasion I decided to saute them with garlic.
I added some flax seeds that I had forgotten I had in a jar which ended up being a great addition.
Thistle is usually seen as a thorny plant with little value, although it's medicinal properties have gained popularity in the last years. However, once we learn how to integrate it into our diet, it can become a powerful ally, making our foods healthier, and at least to my taste, delicious.
I hope you found this useful, entertaining, and worth your time. Consider following me if you like learning about plants, life in the forest, use of primitive materials, recycling, and a plant based off-grid lifestyle.
Thank you for stopping by 🌿
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This was a great post thanks for sharing you just incresed my knowledge of thistles by 100% 🤣 have an awesome weekend @fenngen
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Haha! That's a pretty nice boost in a particular knowledge! Glad to be of service, and thanks for your support
Fantastic post @fenngen! Increasing and sharing our knowledge of the plants that grow around us and how to use them is exceedingly important! Thistles are amazing plants! Thank you brother! 😁 🙏 💚 ✨ 🤙
Made in Canva
Thanks my friend, @tydinrain , are thistles common in Hawaii?
Absolutely brother, you're most welcome! I'm sure there are species on the island in higher elevations, but there are none here, at least not yet! 😁 🙏 💚 ✨ 🤙
Made in Canva
@fenngen! You Are Alive so I just staked 0.1 $ALIVE to your account on behalf of @aliveandthriving. (12/40)
The tip has been paid for by the We Are Alive Tribe through the earnings on @alive.chat, feel free to swing by our daily chat any time you want.
Looks yummy 😋
I find this topic of taking advantage of the most abundant forages in your forest quite interesting, I am also a fan of sustainable living so to speak, I take advantage of several seasonal fruits and freeze them to enjoy at times when it is scarce, it is something psychological but they are more enjoyable hehe.
On the other hand I was curious to know the taste of that herb with which you can compare it?
Hey there, nice to know you practice your share of foraging. Thistle has it's own taste and I wouldn't know what to compare it with. I can tell you it's not strong flavored once cooked, it blends in well with whatever you spice it up with. If you eat it raw it has a distinctive flavour but it's pretty unique.
Perfect
Thanks @edwing357 !
Happy day 😊
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Dear @fenngen
On our planet earth there are so many people who go to sleep hungry each night.
If more people use this example to seek food and nutrition from nature without over exploiting it then it would be a welcome thing.
Thanks for sharing the information about how to choose the best leaves to harvest those tips are invaluable.
I bet living so close to nature has so many benefits that more people should give it a try.
So the best think I can think of is that I invite you to make use of the this leo threads hive quest.
it would help you spread your knowledge and may also help you get some extra rewards and prizes.
I would like to invite you to join the $10000 Leo threads quest that opens for all hive users.
You can join it here
Once you do join think about what all you could be doing with the extra $10000
You can read about the steps involved to join the quest here
Do let me know in case you need any assistance in this regard
Powerful to learn about Thistles.
@fenngen, how about creating a poll on Leothreads to know how many people have eaten a diet with Thistles?
Might be nice but I don't have much time for that level of engagement
https://leofinance.io/threads/@thetimetravelerz/re-leothreads-2yynvrmeh
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Excellent brother! Thistles fall into the category of edible and medicinal, which is fantastic! Making use of the plants that grow on the land around is incredibly useful and beneficial! I love it! 😁 🙏 💚 ✨ 🤙