Here is a very easy and delicious recipe that will convince everyone - even the kids! - to eat more wild greens. It is also a great way to shift to healthier snacks and it might help curb other undesirable food cravings - usually for junk.

You will need a food dehydrator for this recipe. It can be an electrical one or a solar one. There are many tutorials and videos on youtube on how to build a solar dehydrator using recycled materials. Some of those ideas work even in places where there is often not enough sun to get things dry, such as where I live. Some regular ovens can work on low temperatures, so if you have one of those that might also work out.

What you need for this recipe:

Wild leafy greens; freshly picked: dandelion, ground ivy, valerian, mint, etc.

Coating:

Tahine (sesame paste)

Sea salt

Coconut aminos, miso or tamari (all optional)

Water (or apple juice if you want to give it a sweet contrast) 

Herbs of your choice. I use rosemary, oregano, savory, thyme or other available aromatics

A pinch of chili

Lime zest + lime juice

Rinse the wild greens and dry them in a salad spinner. Mix the ingredients for the coating well until smooth. Dip each leaf in the liquid, making sure they are entirely covered with a thin layer of it and place them in the dehydrator trays. You may also work with teflex baking sheets over the trays, to protect the trays from getting too messy. Do not place leaves over one another. Dehydrate under 40°C to 45°C until crunchy (it may take from 2 to 5 hours, depending on how thick the coating is and how moist the air is outside. If you want an extra crunchy layer you can make sure the dip coating is thicker - but that will take much longer to get it dry. A thin layer will be also crunchy, but very fragile. When ready, take them out of the trays immediately and store them in a very good air tight container until the moment to be served. Sometimes after a few minutes after they are out of the dehydrator they start getting soft again. If they get soft again because you did not take them out of the dehydrator quick enough, just run the dehydrator half and hour extra and they will get back their crunchiness. 

Instead of tahine you can also use other nut or seed pastes (cashew, almonds, hazelnuts...). I sometimes add some hemp seeds to the coating dip, without mixing it. That gives a very nice texture to the snacks. 

Glechoma hederacea

NL: Hondsdraf - F: Lierre terrestre


This delicate climbing plant makes for a great perennial soil cover. Its young leaves come up very early in the year and can be consumed raw, as in green juices and salads, or cooked, in soups, sauces, spreads, etc.

It has widespread medicinal use such as general tonic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, pectoral and vermifuge. It helps reduce fever and it has been used for many centuries to treat problems involving the mucous membranes of the ear, nose, throat and digestive system. It is thus a great aid in the treatment of sinusitis.

Traditionally it is also known for treating hypersensitivity in children.

Externally it can be pressed into juice and used to help healing wounds and bruises.

Leaves can grow large in the shade

But they can also be very tiny when growing in grassfields

It is very rich in vitamin C, magnesium and iron. As a powerful medicinal plant we are advised to eat moderately only young leaves.

Avoid during pregnancy, in case of epilepsy and in kidney disease.

Crawling all over our garden

For more details and learning to recognize Ground Ivy, check out the videos on the links below:

Ground Ivy - by LuminEarth
Ground Ivy a.k.a. Creeping Charlie by SecretsofLongevity









For extensive information on Ground Ivy:

Glechoma hederacea: Survival Plants Memory Course