My hunch was that thistles are probably full of nutrients-- chlorophyl for sure-- and that they would be a nutritious, albeit somewhat bitter, addition to a smoothie. I didn't think that they would be easy eating in a salad or a sandwich (similar to stinging nettles in that respect). And then I ran across this very interesting video by Victoria Boutenko's son Sergei, who was traveling the world and presenting workshops on wild edibles. I'm pretty impressed with what he has to say. He mentioned some fruits that he would choose to blend with the thistle. He also stated that peeling the stem back exposes a tasty stalk that can be chopped and used in salads like celery or cucumber (has the potential to taste like either of these). Since I also have a fair representation of thistle in my backyard I believe that I will do a little exploring. If I come up with any really amazing recipes, I will post them here. Some notes on the healing and values of the Silybum Marianum
Living the Green Life