What is Lambs Quarter?
Lambs quarter is one of those super foods that grows wild in most of the world! It is a leafy vegetable that makes the perfect spinach alternative. It can grow up to 7 feet tall. The leaf is shaped like a “goose foot” The younger leaves have a white powder on the top. It grows best along the sides of roads and gardens. It grows well in poor dry soil. It is a very low maintenance crop.
Nutrients
This weed is an AMAZING substitute for Spinach. This spinach alternative taste so much like it but, it is more nutritious than spinach.
The wild green is a good source of Niacin, Folate, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. It also contains both omega- 3 and omega-6.
How to enjoy
This tasty green is so diverse. You can enjoy it fresh or cooked. If eating the leafy greens fresh, be sure to go after those younger leafs. Give the leaves a good rinsing before enjoying them in your next salad. Like spinach and other greens, lambs quarter contains oxalic acid, which can be both a stomach irritant and can hinder the absorption of calcium. Be sure to go easy when first trying.
Because of the oxalic acid, I prefer to enjoy spinach alternative cooked. Lambs quarter also contains saponin, which can also be a stomach irritant. Saponin can be decreased by rinsing and cooking leaves. But don’t let this discourage you from trying these leafy greens.
Preserving and Storing
We enjoy this weed so much that we harvest it from the plant and dry it in our dehydrator. When I am ready to use it, I boil the greens and rinse really well. Many people also boil/chop and freeze it, but I prefer the drying method because of the limited freezer space.
Lambs Quarter Recipes
Really any recipe that calls for Spinach can be replaced with the Lambs Quarter. To try my Lambs Quarter Artichoke Dip, click here!
