Shout out to the awesome refugee farmers who are part of the New Roots program at International Rescue Committee! Here is the link with info about the farm and how to sign up for bags: http://gilafarm.org/
If you don't know what purslane is, it's technically a weed and is one of the few greens that grow well in the Arizona summer heat. The amount of Omega-3s is on par with fish oil and it has 44% vitamin A. It's also a good source of vitamin C, magnesium, calcium, potassium and iron. It's great raw, steamed, or fried and I like to throw it into my sandwiches or quesadillas. It tastes like spinach but slightly tart and salty. Here's a nice salad for summer to use it in:
Summer Pesto Purslane Salad
1/2 cup purslane leaves
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped cucumbers
1-2 radishes, thinly sliced
2 tbs plain yogurt (regular or greek, whichever you prefer)
1 tbs pesto sauce (homemade or storebought)
Freshly cracked black pepper
Sea salt
Mix the yogurt with the pesto and spoon onto your plate or bowl. Sprinkle vegetables with sea salt. To assemble, place tomatoes and cucumbers in the center with the purslane on top. Top with radishes and freshly ground pepper. Enjoy!
