Lambsquarters

Today we will be covering a wild relative of spinach, amaranth, and quinoa (yes, the hippy grain).

Chenopodium album also called “White goosefoot”, “wild spinach” or more commonly “Lambsquarters” is a very common leafy green and once you see it you will recognize it everywhere.

Let’s take a look:

Plant Profile:

Scientific Name: Chenopodium spp.

Preferred Habitat: Anywhere with disturbed soil.

Edible Parts: Leaves,

Distribution: All over North America wherever disturbed soil exists.

Harvest Season: Spring to early fall

Key Identifiers: Powdery-looking leaves that are spear-shaped with lumpy margins (some are lobed and look reminiscent of a goose foot, hence the name)

Toxic Look-Alikes: There are a few plants that could be at a glance mistaken for lambsquarters.

• Black Nightshade (not as bad as it sounds, I promise!) Black nightshade can bear a superficial resemblance, but the leaves are rounder and don’t have that powdery look. The stems of black nightshade also are ridged like a pepper plant rather than thin and hairy. Worst case scenario you could get some food poisoning symptoms if you ingest the raw leaves.

• Amaranth. Lambsquarters are related to amaranth and can sometimes look similar. The main difference is that amaranth (at least in my region) has thicker colorful stems and no powdery coating on the leaves. Amaranth is also a nutritious and delicious green though so there’s no risk in harvesting it instead!

I will write articles on both black nightshade and amaranth species in the future!

Nutrition:

• High in vitamins A, and B6

• High in iron

• High in zinc

• High in potassium

• High in calcium

• Aids digestion

• Supports weight loss

• Low in calories (16g per 100g)

• High in protein (3g per 100g)

I cannot find exact nutrient content for lambsquarters (if anyone can, reply to this newsletter and let me know!) but it should at least be similar to domestic quinoa so here are those nutrients:

Cooked Quinoa Nutrition (per 100g):

• Calories: 120

• Water: 72%

• Protein: 4.4g

• Carbs: 21.3g

• Sugar: 0.9g

• Fiber: 2.8g

• Fat: 1.9g

Uses

Lambsquarters is different from a lot of other spring greens in that it tastes mild and slightly sweet (in a similar way that a pea pod does) and not bitter like dandelion!

This makes it especially useful as a salad green or tossed into soups, egg dishes, or wherever you might use spinach.

While I enjoy it fresh, cooking it might be a good idea for people who don’t consume a lot of leafy greens on a regular basis.

Lambsquarters contains oxalic acid which can upset some people’s stomachs in high amounts (rhubarb, sorrel, spinach, and several other common vegetables also contain oxalic acid) and can impact how well your body takes in certain nutrients.

Cooking however, breaks down oxalic acid!

Aside from the leaves, the seeds are also worth harvesting. Being so closely related to quinoa, lambsquarters tends to look nearly identical but with slightly smaller seeds.

To gather the seeds, wait until the plant has flowered and has large clusters of seeds on top, then pull them off into a container. Dry them to preserve for a long time, or soak them overnight, and then cook up the next day to enjoy them right away!

I would use this the same way you would quinoa.

This time I actually do have a few cultivated varieties to recommend for you!

• “Brightest Brilliant” - A colorful quinoa variant, a good balance between ornamental and edible!

• “Strawberry Spinach” - Another Chenopodium species that produces red edible fruits as well as having edible leaves. I have not yet succeeded in growing this plant (probably because I pull it thinking it’s wild and not what I planted) but the fruits are said to have a slight melon/berry flavor.

• “Oro de Valle” - A golden variety of quinoa selected from the Brightest Brilliant mix for mold resistance.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (Rare Seeds)

Wild Garden Seeds

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