The United States has some of the highest intake of animal protein per person worldwide. This may be the reason that people in the US think that we must consume animals to meet our protein needs. Fortunately for vegans, it is very possible to meet protein needs without consuming any animal products!
Ground Ivy: A Drug the Pharmaceutical Industry Doesn't Want You to Know About
The part I love most about Weed Wednesday is that it gives me a reason to learn more about these plants, if anyone out there is actually reading this it is just an added bonus. This weed Wednesday I learn about a weed we have all noticed since we were kids sitting on the grass waiting for the fireworks to start on the 4th of July .
I need a new camera
You may not have realized this, but the white flower coming off this plant are one in the same with with 3 leaf clovers. Children are especially fond of these plants because they have been told of the luck 4 leaf clovers bring. There is a good reason to be hunting for this plant, but it is not just because of the good fortune.
The white clover is attractive to bees and many insects as well as grazing animals such as cows, horses and deer. It also used to be incorporated in fertilizers due to its green grassy color and is referred to as "living mulch" because of the ability of the plant's leaves to block the sun on the soil to impede the growth of other weeds. I guess its better to stick to the devil you know, huh.
Yup, definitely need a new one
This plant can be eaten in a variety of ways. It can be mixed in to salads, cooked like a leafy green such as spinach, incorporated into a soup, or raw (hopefully only if you're lost in the wilderness somewhere). Flowers and seed pods can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a flour or sprinkled on cooked foods. The flowers can also be dried and made into a tea which has a sweet taste (which is probably why the bees like it).
Why do I even bother
This herb also has a number of health benefits and has been used by the Cherokee, Iroquois, and Mohegan Indians among others. The most common way to ingest as a medicine is in the form of a tea. this Since 100% of people prefer a list to trying to have me make a paragraph out of the benefits, here they are:
And this isn't even the whole list! This is a very powerful plant with many associated health benefits. I don't know about you, but I'm about to boil up some clover tea.
I have been without a job for one month trying to start a company and piece together a food truck. Although I may have come a long way since then, there is still a tremendous amount of work ahead of me. I hope everybody gets a chance in their lives to try to build something on their own. Even if it is unsuccessful, at least you gave it a shot.
Here are some of the things I have learned:
There is no need to elaborate on these since they pretty much speak for themselves. These rules hold true for life but especially when starting a business. One day, you will have your own thing starting and you'll be able to add to the list.
Good luck to all of you!
-Vince
I apologize for posting back to back Weed Wednesdays but It has been a busy week here at the Try Vegan Corporate Headquarters. Without further adieu, here is this weeks Weed Wednesday.
Our weed of the week is the Ox-Eye Daisy which are in the chamomile family. These plants resemble their more likable cousin, the Shasta Daisy, which most of us consider flowers beautiful enough to be purchased in stores. So whats wrong with the Ox-Eye?
Ox-Eye Daisy
Shasta Daisy
To me, it appears the Ox-eyes have a longer, sporadic, and less appealing stem system while the Shasta daisy grows in a more full and interconnected manner reflective of what we find beautiful in a plant. The flowers appear more or less identical so the beauty is the same once the flowers blossom. Although, if the Ox-eye were to appear in your garden you would probably pull it out but leave the Shasta and admire its beauty.
Weed? Flower?
Now the question that I know is always on your mind; Can you eat it?
The answer is yes and of course there are medicinal properties to go along with it.
The whole plant is edible although it would probably not be your first choice to throw in your salad because of its bitter taste. The leaves can be cooked or eaten raw, the shoots can be chopped up and eaten, and the root can be eaten raw. As for the medicinal purposes of this plant, there are quite a few:
Now you know a little more about this plant that everybody is so familiar with, and it took less than a minute to read :)
Photo Courtesy of www.healthyfoodleader.com
This weekend a few of my friends from Philly were nice enough to allow me to use their house as a test kitchen.
...They were also gracious enough to provide the recipes and prepare it all.
First Weed Wednesday starts with Lamium purpureum aka Purple Deadnettle
Although it is a little late in the season to start a garden, It is never too late for a Basil Box!
