Winter is upon us and the shift in air is decidedly crisp. Our instincts are to nourish with bowlfoods (as Nigella Lawson so artfully describes them), easy-to-digest, simple-to-prepare fare that heats you up from the inside. Those savvy on superfoods often include a sprinkling of greens or other well established supplements of exotic origin such as, maca, cacao, acai and the like. These powdered wholefoods from roots, herbs and berries help enrich foods with antioxidants, healthy fats and various other multi-nutrients which support immune function during cold and flu season.
Many ethically sourced providers of ‘superfood supplements’ work with communities to benefit the welfare of native growers—which we love! Often small harvests, grown under natural conditions with a mix of traditional and modern methods, minimally processed and packaged either from recycled or biodegradable materials—high-five here also! Now for the caveat, preserving this minimalist approach to cultivation, harvest and product presentation comes at a cost—one well worth paying—that can entice some to buy economic but not necessarily eco-friendly superfoods. There are two main issues with this, firstly consuming in quantity rarely provides extra benefit and in some cases can impact health negatively. Secondly, it encourages the depletion of wild resources and negates the positive economy of community growers.
So what is the solution?
As it turns out, it’s a simple one…
Continue buying and consuming superfoods based on quality not quantity and switch up your wholefood medicine chest with uncommon superfoods.
Treat your body like the living ecosystem it is, and feed it a diversity of nourishing foods.
Whilst researching a vegetarian version of bone broth based on a buddhist recipe, I discovered an amazing array of plants with untapped potential. Many of these have ancient heritage in herbal medicine and nutritional wellbeing, some grow wild in remote regions where locals forage seasonally and use sparingly whilst others still are considered weeds and which only the wise realise their virtues or understand how to utilise. My quest for burdock root lead me to Herb Cottage a specialist nursery growing a novel variety of medicinal plants and herbs. The owner, Sandra Nanka, is a truly global gardener with a vested interest in teaching people how to ‘Grow their own Health’, introducing uncommon superfoods, offering workshops on how to use root-to-leaf in culinary and curative remedies.
Here are five of Sandra’s favourite undiscovered gems of the garden.
ROCK SAMPHIRE Crithmum maritimum
It is native to the coastal regions of Europe including Britain, the Mediterranean and the Black sea and when we were in Marseille in France a few years ago we also saw it growing on the rocky limestone cliffs bordering the ocean as well as the rock walls in Cornwall U.K. Rock samphire prefers sandy soil but will grow in any well drained soil. It is happy by the ocean, but will also grow well inland if protected from the cold. We have had success growing it in our clay and shale garden in south east Queensland as well as our sandy island garden. It has an interesting flavour slightly salty; I have used it in sushi and in pasta with hot smoked trout, broccoli and peas to replace the capers I would normally use. It’s also amazing in a potato salad. The leaves have good vitamin C content and adding the leaves to food can help relive flatulence and aid digestion.
SAMBUNG Gynura procumbens AND OKINAWA SPINACH Gynura crepioides
Sambung and its more colourful relative Okinawa spinach are great additions to the garden. They are both hardy growers, supplying an abundance of nutritious leaves for the salad bowl, smoothies or as a substitute for spinach. They have been used in South East Asia to help lower cholesterol levels and lower blood sugar levels and blood pressure. They both grow well in warm climates and need to be protected from frost in cooler areas. Sambung has bright green fleshy leaves and Okinawa spinach has fleshy green leaves with purple underneath. Both have small orange/yellow flowers. They will grow in full sun through to part shade and prefer a rich moist but well drained soil.
ASHITABA Angelica keiskei koidzumi
A biennial plant Ashitaba will grow to approx. 1.5 m It is slow growing at first but once established it grows really quickly. It is called “tomorrow’s leaf” because when harvesting one leaf from the plant, you can expect to see a new one “tomorrow”. Ashitaba prefers rich deep soil, well-drained and will grow in full sun to part shade. Regular watering will ensure plenty of leaf growth. Traditionally, Ashitaba has been used as a rejuvenating food that contributes to long life and is thought to be the reason for the extended lives of the local residents of Hachijo-jima Island in Japan where it originates from. During the Edo period the yellow sap was effectively used in the external treatment of smallpox. In folk medicine it is claimed to be diuretic, tonic, to improve digestion, and, when applied topically, to speed wound healing and prevent infection. Eat the fresh stems of the leaves in salads or in green smoothies and dry the leaves and make tea. Ashitaba is still commonly used in regional cuisine, where they are prepared as soba, tempura, shōchū, tea, ice cream, etc.
MUSHROOM PLANT Rungia klossii
Mushroom plant is a perennial from Papua New Guinea it grows to about 60cm with thick, glossy, dark green ovate shaped leaves that sometimes have yellow markings where the veins are. It produces sky-blue flowers in spring. The nutritious leaves are very high in chlorophyll, contain a good amount of protein, calcium iron and vitamin C. The crunchy mushroom flavoured leaves are delicious raw in salads and sandwiches and can also be cooked in quiches and omelets. It can be added to soups and stir-fries at the end of cooking to ensure full flavour. Tear the leaves into a bowl and pour over hot miso soup for a quick healthy snack. Add the leaves and stems to green smoothies to boost the nutritional value. For people who suffer from candida, thrush, and similar ailments and are not able to eat mushrooms will find they can enjoy the mushroom plant as it is not a fungus. Grow mushroom plant in rich fertile soil in a warm position with semi-sun. It will tolerate a dry position, but it grows profusely when watered well. Mushroom plant grows well in tropical and sub-tropical areas and needs protection from frost in cooler climates.
VEGETABLE PEPPER Piper sarmentosum
Vegetable pepper is a perennial, creeping plant growing up to about 60cm. The leaves are dark green and glossy and oval shaped with a pointed tip and has small white flowers that occur in spikes. It likes a warm spot in the shade with rich soil and good drainage.
The leaves which have a mild peppery taste can be cooked like spinach and used as a vegetable or can be shredded and added to soups stews and stir-fries at the end of cooking to give a subtle peppery flavour. Raw Vegetable Pepper leaves can also be torn or shredded into salads and are particularly nice in rice salad. The leaves are also used to wrap small pieces of food. In Thailand, it is used to wrap raw ginger, peanuts, shrimps, shallots and lime to make delicious small snacks. The Vietnamese use la lot to wrap small amounts of minced meat, which are then fried in oil. A decoction of the leaves is used to treat coughs, flu, asthma, rheumatism, pleurisy and lumbago. The leaves are chewed for toothache. Although often called betel leaves, this plant should not be confused with the other betel pepper (P. betel), the leaves of which are chewed with betel nut (a fruit from a particular palm) and lime in many parts of South-East Asia and New Guinea.
Sandra has enthused me to embrace unusual ingredients as part of my wholefood health regime. And if you share my zest for uncommon superfoods, there is more to learn on her website: www.herbcottage.com.au
