Lambs Quarter or Pigweed

Lambs quarters (Chenopodium album) is also known as pigweed, wild spinach or goosefoot and is usually weeded out of the garden. Few people realize that this common garden weed is a super nutritious wild edible!

One cup of lambs quarters is said to contain:

~ 80 mg of Vitamin C

~ 11,600 IU of Vitamin A

~ 72 mg of Phosphorus

~ 309 mg of Calcium

as well as good amounts of Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Iron and other minerals.

For the best flavor pick lambs quarter leaves while young and tender. Cook and use as you would spinach. It also makes a great herbal vinegar!

Warning: Black nightshade (poisonous!) can somewhat resemble the pigweed plant although nightshade produces berries. Always now what you're doing when havesting wild edibles.

Be sure to pick this plant only where no chemicals have been sprayed or where organic weed control is used!

Below is an excellent video on lambs quarters by Green Dean. Love the guy but someone should tell him Gus the Goose is actually a swan!