Weedy Green Lemonade

If you have a juicer, try making this mineral-packed tonic. You can make use of mature or bolting weeds, which have more enzymes and nutrients than young ones have, and the larger stalks will give you plenty of juice. If you pull the roots, you can juice those too. Drink on an empty stomach for best results.

1 bunch celery
1 cucumber, and/or 1 head of romaine lettuce (optional)
3 apples
1 or 2 lemons (with skins)
Several bunches of any type weedy greens
1 or 2 bunches of parsley or cilantro (optional)
1 to 5 inches fresh gingerroot (optional—start with small amount and work up to more if it suits your system)

Juice the celery (and cucumber or romaine, if using), alternating it with the apples and lemon, and pour into a 1-quart mason jar. Juice the greens and herbs.

Add to the celery mix, to taste. (The more weed/herb juice you add to the celery mixture, the greener your juice will be. Make it as dark green as tastes good to you. Over time you will crave it greener.) Finally, juice the ginger and add as much as tastes good.

Drink your juice right away. If you have any Weedy Green Lemonade left over, freeze it in ice cube trays. Likewise, the juices made from the greens, herbs, and ginger can be frozen for later use. The cubes, when added to a glass of filtered water, can make for a refreshing summer tonic.

Frozen ginger juice cubes added to filtered water is especially good for a spicy summer drink.