Walk and Eat Well by Bhaktimarga Swami

As a walker who prefers moving through green spaces, I can’t help noticing the plants to either side of me. For instance, I’m noticing the very invasive garlic mustard with its tiny white flowers. It’s supposed to be fairly good for the health and all agree that it gives off a spicy bite to a tossed salad. It’s also good as a pesto when prepared like basil. The problem with it is that it takes over the forest floor.

Stingy nettle is also making its appearance in the foresty ravine. This wild veg taste even better than spinach. When forging it it’s advisable to have long sleeves and maybe even use gloves since the leaves have a prickly dynamic. Once it’s boiled or cooked those tiny needles just dissolve.

Also magical at this time are dandelions. The flower tops are excellent as pakoras. I turned our cook, Dwarkanatha, on to this. He tried some and churned out a few from the kitchen. My God!Delicious! I’m also encouraging him to use the young leaves in salad.

It happened that one of our wonderful couples from Oakville showed up with a bag full of fiddleheads, which are also now good for the harvest. Kasyapa and Panchami were kind to deliver. I guess in their native Gujarat this fern may not be so common but it is quite in abundance in shaded areas around here. Our cook received the stock. He cooked them with some potatoes and even he admitted they are scrumptious. It was his first time.

Eating local wild veggies along with the practice of walking build up your resistance to nasty viruses. We offer the food to Krishna and you’ve got the best consecrated food.

Source: http://thewalkingmonk.blogspot.com/

Hare Krishna, Jaya Srila Prabhupada. Please accept my humble obeisances. I also like to use wild plants. the wild mustard I'm using again now that I read your article. I remember from before that it is related to Broccoli and as it gets older it does develop eatable buds resembling broccoli. My Mother used to cook the leaves and they were slightly hot like mustard. The Nettle growing at my cabin on Big Wheeling Creek here in New Vrindavana I now use daily in cooking like Spinach, it grows all over there until late Fall. The stems are said to do the most stinging, just pick the leaves without touching the stems if the stinging doesn't agree with you. I like the warmth they provide my hands as I hold, it feels good to me and supposable helps arthritis. It's also high in calcium and Vitamin D. And it is good for respiratory diseases and lung problems, especially lymphatic problems. Dandelion roots I gather and roast for tea, sometimes I put it and chicory roots together when chicory comes later, and yes all dandelion parts are edible and good for the body, good for the liver. Blessed by Mother Earth we are. Hare Krishna, I always enjoy your articles Swamiji, Bhakta Bill

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bill white May 20, 2020 at 7:04am

Hare Krishna, Jaya Srila Prabhupada. Please accept my humble obeisances. I also like to use wild plants. the wild mustard I'm using again now that I read your article. I remember from before that it is related to Broccoli and as it gets older it does develop eatable buds resembling broccoli. My Mother used to cook the leaves and they were slightly hot like mustard. The Nettle growing at my cabin on Big Wheeling Creek here in New Vrindavana I now use daily in cooking like Spinach, it grows all over there until late Fall. The stems are said to do the most stinging, just pick the leaves without touching the stems if the stinging doesn't agree with you. I like the warmth they provide my hands as I hold, it feels good to me and supposable helps arthritis. It's also high in calcium and Vitamin D. And it is good for respiratory diseases and lung problems, especially lymphatic problems. Dandelion roots I gather and roast for tea, sometimes I put it and chicory roots together when chicory comes later, and yes all dandelion parts are edible and good for the body, good for the liver. Blessed by Mother Earth we are. Hare Krishna, I always enjoy your articles Swamiji, Bhakta Bill

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