Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) Energetic Profile
- Element: Earth, Water, Wood.
- Thermal Nature: Cooling.
- Flavor: Sour, Salty.
- Target Organs: Large Intestine, Liver, Bladder.
- Actions: Clears Heat, Resolves Dampness, Resolves Phlegm & Mucus, Reduces Inflammation & Bloating, and Relieves Fire Toxins / Cools Blood.
- Direction: Descending.
Purslane Health Benefits
👉Relieves toxicity in various infections: dysentery, diarrhea, UTIs with blood in the urine, and vaginal discharge.
👉Excess Yang or Yin Deficiency: hot flashes and night sweats.
👉Arrests Bleeding: hemorrhoids, postpartum bleeding, intestinal bleeding.
👉Skin issues associated with Damp-Heat: boils, sores, eruptions.
👉 Alleviates pain and swelling from insect and snake bites: bee, snake, wasp, and other stings.
Recipe
Kitchen Tools, Utensils & Equipment:
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Kitchen Towels
- Bowls
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Colander
- Food Processor
- Countertop Vegetable Spiralizer (other options you have are: a handheld spiralizer, a mandoline slicer, or a julienne peeler)
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Walnuts, soaked for 2 hours
- 1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds, soaked for 2 hours
- 1 Big Bowl Purslane, stems removed
- 1 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Garlic Clove
- Lime Juice, enough to taste
- 1 pinch of Cayenne pepper
- Salt, as needed
- Black Pepper, as needed
- Basil leaves
Instructions:
- Before everything, spiralize your zucchini using a spiralizer.
- Using a sharp knife, cut off the ends of the zucchini to make them flat.
- Set up your countertop spiralizer, secure it on the counter, and place the desired blade in the unit.
- Insert the zucchini in the center of the hole of your chosen blade, positioning the flat end against the edge and using the pronged disk to keep the other end in place.
- Crank out and watch your “zoodles” piling up!
- Cover walnuts & pumpkin seeds with water and soak them for at least a couple of hours.
- Remove the stems from the purslane.
- Wash & drain well. If you prefer, reserve the black seeds (super rich in omega-3 fatty acids)!
- Rinse out the walnuts & pumpkin seeds.
- Add all the ingredients & seasonings to a food processor and pulse while slowly adding the olive oil.
- Scrape the sides with a spatula and pulse again briefly.
- Adjust the flavor using more lime juice or salt if needed.
- Before assembling the dish, squeeze the zucchini noodles very gently to release more water.
- Toss the zucchini noodles with the purslane pesto and finish with some extra virgin olive oil and some fresh basil leaves.
Extra Notes
- I prefer the countertop spiralizer because it creates super long zucchini noodles. If you want them shorter, simply cut them using scissors or a knife.
- Zucchini tends to be watery, so follow all the details here to avoid a wet mess on your plate: Place the zucchini noodles in a colander, season them with salt and toss them using your hands so that they are all evenly coated with salt. Allow them to drain over a bowl for at least 30 minutes to remove the excess water/moisture they hold. After that squeeze them gently to remove more water. Alternatively, dehydrate the “zoodles” for a couple of hours in a food dehydrator.
- Because zucchini are more watery, make the pesto thicker than a usual pesto.
Resources
“10 Surprising Purslane Benefits – PlantSnap.” Www.plantsnap.com, http://www.plantsnap.com/plantblog/purslane-benefits/
“Is It Safe to Consume This Common Weed?” Dr. Axe, draxe.com/nutrition/purslane/. Accessed 3 Oct. 2022.
“Ma Chi Xian (Purslane) in Chinese Medicine.” Www.meandqi.com, http://www.meandqi.com/herb-database/purslane. Accessed 3 Oct. 2022.
Patel, Hiral. “Purslane: A Nutritional and Medicinal Superfood.” HealthifyMe – Blog, 11 July 2022, http://www.healthifyme.com/blog/purslane/. Accessed 3 Oct. 2022.
“Purslane.” White Rabbit Institute of Healing, http://www.whiterabbitinstituteofhealing.com/herbs/purslane/. Accessed 3 Oct. 2022.
“Purslane – a Tasty “Weed” That Is Loaded with Nutrients.” Healthline, 16 June 2017, http://www.healthline.com/nutrition/purslane. Accessed 3 Oct. 2022.
“Purslane Benefits and Side Effects: A Comprehensive Guide.” STYLECRAZE, 24 Sept. 2021, http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/purslane-benefits/. It was accessed on 3 Oct. 2022.
“Purslane: Health Benefits and Recipes.” Almanac.com, http://www.almanac.com/purslane-health-benefits-and-recipes.
