Tumbleweed Soup, the Recipe

Tumbleweed Soup, The Recipe

You asked for it and here it is. Tumbleweed Soup has been a part of our visits to numerous Navajo and Pueblo communities in thew Southwest. As we share the soup we have frequently been told some great stories about this botanical "illegal alien." Several of you have asked for the recipe so here it is. This is one of several dozen information sheets the non-profit organization, Hunger Grow Away has available at no charge. If you would like to have a complete list please email me at hungergrowaway@q.com You can also check out the Hunger Grow Away website at www.hungergrowaway.com

Tumbleweed Soup

Too often we overlook some of the most nutritious plants that grow so willingly in our gardens and fields. The common dandelion is a very healthy food, as are lambsquarters, purslanes and amaranths. In a culture that harvests its food from the supermarket and depends on fast food restaurants to prepare their meals, we have not only become disconnected from the wild harvest, but from the family vegetable garden as well. We can reconnect with regional and cultural traditions, bring generations together and improve our nutrition when we make our food fun instead of fast; our meals a time to share with the family rather than the TV; and when we prepare our own dinner as a creative experience rather than rely on canned, frozen or packaged meals with artificial colors and flavoring, laced with preservatives and other additives. We can live healthier and have fun doing it.

In an attempt to make dinner an adventure and cooking fun
we humbly suggest TUMBLEWEED SOUP

Tumbleweed soup can be a great party, festival or celebration dish that makes for great conversation. This is more than just a meal. It calls for the active participation of all the guests and family members. It is recommended that this nutritious meal be used at special occasions where extended family and/or special guests are going to be present. Each dinner guest can be asked to bring one or more of the ingredients and all of the guests should be a part of the meal preparation.

The ultimate goal of tumbleweed soup is to actively engage all participants in the meal, regardless of age or physical limitations. This is a healthy and nutritious meal that can be enjoyed by all ages, including those with diabetes and those with poor teeth, or no teeth at all. It is low in fats, moderately low in carbohydrates and high in fiber. And it tastes good too.

Ingredients:
*2 cups tender new shoots from spring tumbleweed (Russian thistle, Salsola iberica)
*2 medium white potatoes, can substitute sunchokes
*1 medium sweet potato
*1 garden fresh onion, best with tops
*2-3 cloves fresh garlic
*3-5 garden fresh carrots
*1-2 stalks celery
1 parsnip
1 turnip or small rutabaga
1-2 apples
1 cup cabbage or kale
*1 large garden fresh tomato
*1 cup diced bell peppers any color
*½ cup chiles, fresh , frozen or canned.
*1 cup favorite salsa, best to use home made family recipe made with fresh from the garden vegetables
*1 cup cooked beans, garbanzo, pinto or your favorite
*½ cup (4oz) nopalitos (cactus pads), fresh harvested or canned
½ cup Shredded cheese for garnish
Juice from 1 lemon
*a great sense of humor
*a dash of adventure
*a pinch of courage to try something different

Items marked with an asterisk (*) are most important, others are optional. This can be adjusted to include what is seasonally available from your garden. Each dinner guest or family member can bring their favorite vegetable to add to the pot. Note: regional resources can be substituted, such as dandelions or mustard greens.

Optional additions, all harvested fresh from the garden:
Indian spinach, Lambsquarters
Red Aztec spinach (a variety of lambsquarters)
Purslane
Chard, stalks and leaves
Amaranth leaves
Beet greens
Wild onion, or garlic leaves
Squash
Anything else in season, either wild harvested or from the garden. Each dinner guest or family member can bring a wild harvested, traditional or uncommon vegetable favorite.

Herbs, fresh from the garden:
Each dinner guest or family member can bring a small amount of their favorite herb to add to the pot.
Basil
Cilantro
Fennel
Chives
Parsley
Oregano
Rosemary
Thyme

Preparation:
Before you begin, turn off the TV.
Wash tumbleweed shoots and place in large soup pot. (If tumbleweed isn’t available you can use fresh dandelion, amaranth, lambsquarters or mustard or spinach leaves).
Dice onion and garlic, add to the tumbleweed.
Barely cover with water and bring to boil.
Use medium or low heat and cook for 15 minutes, or until tumbleweed becomes soft. Stir frequently.
Add small amount of water if necessary.
While the tumbleweed is cooking each participant can peel, wash and dice their vegetable contribution. Note: dicing the vegetables can make them easier for guests with dental problems to chew, it also assures that each dinner guest will get some of each vegetable.
After tumbleweed is cooked, place in a blender, along with the broth, and puree.
Pour back into soup pot and add the fresh vegetables, including the chiles. Do not add salt.
Cook on medium heat for 15 to 12 minutes while guests wash and prepare the herbs.
Add nopalitos, salsa, lemon juice and herbs, cook for another 10 minutes or until vegetables are done.

Note: peelings can be composted to become the soil for next year’s garden.

Serving tumbleweed soup:
Let soup cool slightly for about 10 minutes while each dinner guest sets their own place at the table and fresh juice is poured for everyone. Before you begin to dine turn off all cell phones and put on some good music.
Whole juice has less sugar than fruit drinks and punches, fewer additives and more nutrition. Apple, orange, tomato or vegetable juice goes will with tumbleweed soup.
Corn tortillas, corn bread or low fat corn chips and fresh salsa can be served as a companion to the soup. The corn products are nutritious and better for a diabetic diet than white flour based breads or tortillas.
Ladle one cup of soup into each bowl and garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, a teaspoon of sour cream and a mixture of finely chopped chives, cilantro or parsley and diced red or yellow bell peppers. Several corn chips can be placed along the side of the bowl to add eye appeal
Tumbleweed soup makes a great dip for the chips, warm or cold.
Guests are encouraged to engage in active conversation, sharing memories of yesterday’s foods, cooking and dining, what was good about the family sitting at the table together, friends and neighbors dropping by, festivals, feasts and celebrations that centered around the joy of sharing a meal. Thoughts can also be shared about tomorrow’s meals, preparation, what is healthy and what isn’t, why everyone can be a part of the preparation and the after dinner chores.

After the meal:
All uneaten foods should be refrigerated as soon as possible to prevent spoilage.
Children present should clean the table and wash the dishes.
There should be pleasant conversation, music, dessert, coffee or tea and time to enjoy life after a good meal.