Lamb's Quarter

 My Mom and Grandmom used to send us kids out across the street to an abandoned factory in South River.  There was a creek there, and they sent us to collect Lambs quarter!

I personally, think it was an excuse to get us out of the house!!!  But, we enjoyed sitting on the creek bank, picking herbs, so it wasn't that bad. LOL

Later on my grand-mom would fry it up with bacon.... totally yummy!!!
 Lamb's-quarter (Chenopodium album) is another weed that grows in all 50 states. Lamb's-quarter comes up much earlier than purslane, but not as early as many of the edible wild cresses.

Harvest only the young shoots shortly after they have unfolded, and discard the older leaves and tough stems.

I have seen lots of recipes for lamb's-quarter, but some may prefer the boiled leaves spiced up with bacon drippings or bacon crumbs. Add washed leaves to garden salads too!!
 Lamb's quarter, lambsquarters and similar terms refer to various species of goosefoot, or pigweed.

The leaves and young shoots may be eaten as a leaf vegetable, either steamed in its entirety, or cooked like spinach, but should be eaten in moderation due to high levels of oxalic acid. 

Each plant produces tens of thousands of black seeds. These are high in protein, vitamin A, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. Quinoa is a closely related species which is grown specifically for its seeds.


It is also used as a medicinal plant in traditional African medicine.

Archaeologists analysing carbonized plant remains found in storage pits and ovens at Iron Age and Roman sites in Europe have found its seeds mixed with conventional grains and even inside the stomachs of Danish bog bodies.
In India, the plant is popularly called bathua and found abundantly in the winter season. The leaves and young shoots of this plant are used in dishes such as Sarson Da Saag, soups, curries and in Paratha stuffed breads, especially popular in Punjab. The seeds or grains are used in phambra or laafi, gruel type dishes in Himachal Pradesh, and in mildly alcoholic fermented beverages such as soora and ghanti.^[19]