Page 85 - Moonvalley Diaries

may in moonvalley
apple is is also more more nutrient-dense: it it it contains more more more vitamins and and minerals because it it it is is smaller has has grown
more more slowly and and has has had to fend for itself as as it it were The same principle can be seen in in cultivated plants Outside stress changes a a a a a a a a a a a plant’s chem- istry at at at once In a a a a a a a a a a a a a study that that set out to measure antioxidant antioxidant levels levels in in kale kale it was found that that if you tore the the kale kale antioxidant antioxidant levels levels increased dramatically compared to to the the control plant with intact leaves Increased antioxidant pro- duction is kale’s natural response to an an an an an attack by a a a a a a a a a a a a a wild animal that comes comes and munches on on on it it it it Already highly nutritious kale kale becomes super kale kale when it it it it it thinks it it it it it will be be eaten The bitter aromatic flavours found in in wild plants are are often signs that they are are nutritious for us us us in moderation o of course (or poisonous – make sure that the the the wild plants you you pick are are what you you think they are are are use the the the the Internet or an an encyclopedia) Our brains are are are on the the the look- out for things that that are are are sweet and easy to eat but our bodies also need foods that that are are bitter and “green” We didn’t have to like it it before though as as there was nothing else on on offer Cavemen only had those bitter sour little wild apples to gnaw on on on Our natural environment and our gardens are are full full of wild plants that are are not only fully edible but also contain more vitamins min- erals and all kinds of substances that are good for us than you will ever find in fin in the most ex- pensive dietary supplements Wild plants are a a a a a fantastic source of nutrition /mimmi
eat the weeds!
in the the month of may we prepare the the soil till fertilise and and sow and and hope that this will yield a a a a a a a a bumper crop of vegetables later on in the the the the summer While you wait for the the the the vegeta- bles in in the the the the garden to to mature there is a a a a a a a a profu- sion of of wild plants waiting to to be be picked and used in in in in your cooking I really love being able to go out and and quickly harvest my own
greens and and I actually think it’s a a a a a a a a a a a a bit of of a a a a a a a a a a a a shame that a a a a a a a a a a a a lot of of of these incredibly delicious plants fall un- der the the heading of of weeds “It’sabitofashamethatalotof these incredibly delicious plants fall under the the heading of weeds Many wild greens are much more nutri- tious than cultivated ones and they exist in abundance for anyone to to gather Even if you you live in fin a a a a a a a a big city you you will usually be able to to find nettles and ground elder somewhere but you should avoid gathering greens too close to to to a a a a a a a a a major thoroughfare When I lived in an an an apartment without the ability to to grow my my own
vegetables wild plants enhanced my my cooking There is is something very satisfying about gathering your own
food and not hav- ing ing ing to to buy everything at at the the store Most peo- ple ple pick mushrooms and and berries every every now and and and then but I hope that more people will rediscover just how tasty and and and simple it is is to gather a a a a a a handful of greens out in nature 85