Keeping a secret is soooo hard for me. I love to tell people about the awesome gifts I have chosen for them before the gift opening occasion has occurred. It’s like a volcano of giddiness explodes within me as I try to keep a secret, well secret.

Believe it or not, I have kept this one secret from my family for two days.

We have been drinking weeds. NOT the kind of weeds that result in muchies.

Purslane to be exact.

As I was giving my 13 year old her good night back rub, I couldn’t keep it in anymore and I told her what I had been up to. As her head crashed to her pillow in dramatic teenage fashion she groaned, “whyyyy?"

Why? Because we can.

Purslane is so common when you looked at the photo I’m certain you recognized it immediately. It’s actually native to the Middle East and many cultures seriously use it as a food - elevating it out of weed status.

It’s flavor is mild, bright and similar to spinach or watercress (but without being peppery). It is a succulent and grows into thick mats if left unattended. I read it can lay dormant in soil for up to 40 years. Bittersweet news depending on how much weeding you have to do.

My MOTIVATION for giving this a whirl in the ole nightly smoothie was twofold.

it’s a weed so the cost of acquisition is merely hunting and gathering
it’s one of the highest plant sources of essential OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS alpha-linolenic acid

BOOM – who doesn’t want more omega’s in their diet especially for free!

Our bodies can’t make omega 3 fatty acids, we must get them from foods. Sadly, most of our diets are very low in omega 3 fatty acids. Low intakes of omega 3 fatty acids result in a higher risk of heart problems, noggin problems and even the big C.

I have eaten it raw and liked it. Researching up on it, I’ve read it’s excellent in place of lettuce on sandwiches and can even thicken soups and stews because it’s high in pectin. Of course you could even google “purslane recipes” then stare at your device, mouth agap whispering under your breath, “huh, I would have never thought.”

The single easiest way to add this beauty to your diet is to sneak it into the blender. I started small, just 3 or 4 little guys. Usually big overgrown produce doesn’t taste so awesome, I assumed that was the case for purslane too. Sticking to the little guys, I pinched off the tap root and chucked them in.

Completely undetected. Until I spilled my secret.

Happy Blending!
Brooke

PS. Let common sense prevail. Do not consume if it has been sprayed with herbicide.

PPS. JUST a little plug for those of you who read all the way to the end. Next week I will be running my first GIVEWAY for the coolest amigurami turnip you ever laid your eyes on.