I'm sure it is edible.

George
Tahlequah, OK

Here is a link that might be useful: American Indian Health & Diet Project

Hippy, not sure that I would care to eat Pigweed, but I know the Beefalos sure enjoy them. Guess if I was really hungry I would eat them, but the aggravation they cause me when I have to weedeat them out from under the windbreak trees has created an intense dislike for them. Just sayin'.

George, that is a really informative link you posted. Thanks.

Mary

Pigweed is supposed to be a realative of amaranth, to the point of crossbreeding if grown near the weed.

Mary, by eating them, wouldn't you be getting a superior form of revenge against them?

Some food I eat because it's delicious, some because it's healthful, and some because I'm just plain mad at it. ^_^

Okievegan - Hum, never thought about it that way. I still have quite a few that have not met the weedeater yet, so I may just try them mixed in with our salad this weekend while DH is home.

Mary

Here's a recipe that we learned, while living in the Sierra of Puebla, Mexico. It was used on their wild amaranth, Quintonil. But would almost certainly work just as well with careless weed. I think I've even done this, the two are so similar that when I see it (Careless weed) that I always think "That looks tasty."

Pick a good sized mess of the careless weed or amaranth.
Boil it and drain.
Fry up a couple pieces of bacon in a skillet and add the greens, chopping in a couple of tomatoes.
Add some basil and/or oregano and salt to taste
Serve as a vegetable side dish.

George

I'm not much of a cook, how long do you boil it?

Hi folks, I am newish to Oklahoma from the UK and not sure if what I have is careless weed or not. Could someone please offer an I.D. It might be hard to see in the picture but there are red patches at the root and the main nodes going into some branches. Currently finding it in most of the veggie beds.

Thank you, Chris

It sure looks like careless weed to me. Is there a fuzzy seed pod at the too of the plant (elongated)?

It's an amaranth for sure and therefore it is edible.

George

Funny, one of these came up in some dirt we bought and I have been trying to figure out what it was. Is this the one that is so terribly invasive? I had best get rid of it.

I have one that is 5 foot tall smack in the middle of the garden.

Welcomish to Oklahoma, Chris! Glad to see you getting along with our local invasives. :D

bon