Fabulous & Forageable
A Refreshing Pesto from Spring’s Wild Herbs
by Torrey Douglass
Spring is the season of hope. It’s teeming with new beginnings, from baby lambs bouncing about the fields like popcorn to fresh shoots pushing through the rain-soaked soil. With all that inspiring potential and (hopefully) sunshine in the air, it’s tempting to immediately roll up your sleeves and dig into whatever projects capture your fancy. But before you get started on your spring pursuits, you can give your body a welcome boost with this super green pesto.
This blend of forageable plants is delicious and versatile. It works as a sandwich spread, pasta topping, or side condiment for your protein of choice. Dandelions and chickweed are pretty common throughout the county, but nettles are best foraged on the coast (and be sure to use heavy gloves to protect your hands when you do). Dandelions are good for the kidneys and a great source of beta carotene, and chickweed soothes bronchial tissue and aids digestion. Nettles contribute a bounty of minerals and vitamins—and some folks have reported nettle tea decreases their allergic reaction to pollen in the springtime. Taken together, this blend of seasonal greens will power you up to make the most of spring’s possibilities.
Wild Pesto with Spring Herbs
Gather nettles, chickweed leaves, and dandelion greens. (Be particularly careful when foraging for chickweed, as there are some similar-looking plants that are not good for eating.) Clean the plants thoroughly, being careful of those stinging nettles! Shake dry and pat with paper towel to further remove moisture. Blend the greens together in a food processor or an old fashioned mortar and pestle. Add a dash of salt, a smattering of pine nuts or walnuts, and olive oil as needed until the pesto is smooth and tasty.
Thanks to herbalist Mary Pat Palmer and forager Abeja Hummel for their input for this article.
Nettle picture by Giovanni Dall’Orto
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nettle_-_Ortica_-_Foto_Giovanni_Dall%27Orto.jpg
Dandelion picture by Fir0002, Covered by GNU Free Documentation License
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dandelion.jpg
Chickweed picture by Kaldari. Made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kaldari_Stellaria_media_01.jpg
