Banana Peach and Radish Tops Smoothie

Summer doesn't last long enough in my part of the world.  And local, summer produce is the best.  I've been drinking up all of the summer gems I can get my hands on, namely berries and peaches.  I was a little giddy after tasting this morning's green smoothie.  It contained just four ingredients:

 One frozen banana

+

 One juicy peach

+

A bunch of radish greens (about as much as pictured here)

+

One heaped teaspoon of ground flax seeds

Just throw it all into your blender, add at least a cup of cold water, and blitz.  Radish greens are great to throw into smoothies because they are so mild in flavor.  You don't even notice they are there except for the vibrant green hue they lend.  I'll be making this one again tomorrow!

Photo credits:  banana, peach, greens, flax

Day 5 Update + Strawberry Basil Smoothie Recipe

Hello again.  I hope that you've found benefit in these first few days of the 30-Day No-Spend Challenge.  I've kept track of the things that I would have purchased normally had I not begun this thrifty game.

The total amount of money I've saved so far is about $153.  Just in five days.  I'm a bit amazed and perplexed simultaneously.  I'm so glad that I decided to do this.  How has it been for you?  Has it been difficult?

Yesterday I mentioned green smoothies.  They are an amazing way to get greens into your system.  I've been playing with flavors for about a month now.  I've even gotten a five year old to drink them greedily.  The one I blitzed today is absolutely delicious, refreshing, and tastes like summer.  I'll be posting more green smoothie recipes along the way.  Let me know how you like it.

Photo Credit

Strawberry Basil Smoothie

- handful frozen strawberries
- handful chopped cantaloupe
- 1/2 handful chopped pineapple
- 1/4 cup fresh basil (or more to taste)
- juice from half of a small lemon (or more to taste)
- 1 tsp. ground flax seeds (optional)
- 1/2 cup water or more to help blend

Throw everything in your blender and blend.  Taste to see if it has enough basil and lemon juice.  Blend again and enjoy.

Makes 1 smoothie

On Eating Weeds

One man's inedible is another man's delicacy.  In France there's escargot a.k.a. snails.  In Mexico there's Huitlacoche a.k.a. corn smut.  In Iceland there's Hákarl a.k.a. buried, fermented, and cured shark meat.  Now that we've got that in mind, I'm going to elaborate on the abundant, free food that I've been picking and eating this summer: weeds.  

As a preface I will recount a story.  When I was three or four years old, I got into a passionate argument with my cousin about the categorization of dandelions.  I was quite sure that a dandelion was a flower, but she insisted it was a weed.  Perhaps I have always supported these underdogs, weeds.  Here is another quote that I feel is the truest of true.

"What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have never been discovered." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

On Eating Weeds

Photo Credit

I don't particularly find eating salads very enjoyable, unless someone else fixes them...I don't know why.  So, I drink my leafy greens in a smoothie almost every day.  My kale, red lettuce, and pok choy stash ran out yesterday, so I helped myself to the abundant weedy backyard.  

Not all weeds are edible, but many are.  Some even taste good.  At worst they are bitter and fibrous, but when liquefied with fruit and sometimes cocoa powder, these characteristics are barely noticeable.  Not only are these weeds bountiful and free, they are also loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and even protein.  

Here are the weed leaves that I've been harvesting and their flavor profiles:  
Dandelion - bitter
Wild Violet - mild like spinach
Wood Sorrel - tart and lemony
Lambs Quarters - mild like spinach
Broadleaf Plantain - mild to bitter
Stinging Nettle - mild like spinach, but pick and wash them while wearing gloves!
Wild Lettuce - bitter

Please be sure that you know how to correctly identify any plants that you are planning on consuming.  Avoid picking in areas where it's polluted, by roadsides, by fire hydrants, where pesticides or lawn "care" sprays are applied, and commonly tread-on spaces.  Also don't eat the same weed daily.  Mix it up to get varied nutrients.

Another way to get your greens is to buy root vegetables like radishes, turnips, beets and carrots with their tops on.  Often we discard the leafy bits, but they are entirely edible.  Here is a complete list of plants with secondary edible parts.  

More on green smoothies in the near future.  Goodbye for now.  :)