The green powerhouses of our meadows

With a small basket in her hand and a friendly smile on her face, Silvia Fritz welcomes me to her home in Wald am Arlberg on a sunny spring morning. "Today we are collecting various wild herbs for a colorful spring salad," she informs me and we walk together to the large meadow just a few meters behind her house.

"Wild herbs grow almost everywhere," explains the nature lover and bends down to pluck small dandelion leaves. She carefully places the leaves in her basket and explains that she learned most of her knowledge about wild herbs from her mother as a child. "My family had little money, so my mother always helped herself to nature's treasures. She took us children with her so that we could help her pick the herbs. Dandelions were then used to cook spinach."

Silvia only picks young and tender leaves from unfertilized meadows, away from the road. "That's where the herbs are at their best and healthiest," says Silvia. These delicate little plants are real powerhouses, rich in nutrients, vitamins and trace elements.

Today, her attitude to life is characterized by using what nature has to offer right on her doorstep.

"I'm out in nature almost every day. I always carry a small paper bag in my pocket for herbs that I find along the way," says Silvia. She then processes what she collects at home into salts, vinegars, teas or salads. Silvia has been a vegetarian for 25 years and is always on the lookout for creative ideas for her plate. "Wild herbs are not only very healthy, but also tasty and decorative in dishes," says Silvia.

As we walk along the edge of the meadow, we stop again and again to collect daisies, spleenwort, yarrow leaves or bedstraw. The basket fills up and Silvia explains to me the healthy effects of each plant on our bodies and our well-being.

I am fascinated by the great properties of the wild herbs, which I had hardly noticed before. Bedstraw has an antibacterial effect, helps against inflammation and even inhibits the formation of cancer cells. Yarrow leaves help with digestive problems and loss of appetite, while spleenwort has a calming effect on the heart thanks to its bitter substances.

Various things also grow around her house, some of which laypeople would probably classify as weeds, such as chickweed. But this plant is by no means a weed. It has an anti-inflammatory effect, aids digestion and is a real health powerhouse. "Instead of destroying it, you should eat it," laughs Silvia.

Back at Silvia's, we prepare the spring salad together in her kitchen. In addition to various vegetables and fruit, we also chop the wild herbs and mix them with seeds and a vinegar-oil dressing in a bowl. "You can use whatever you have at home. I prefer regional and seasonal ingredients," explains Silvia as she arranges the salad on two plates. Finally, we add violet flowers from the garden for decoration - and our colorful energy boost from nature is ready.

This morning wild herb walk with Silvia Fritz impressively demonstrates how rich nature is on our doorstep and how these green powerhouses can be used to quickly and easily transform our food into real power food that also tastes delicious.

Click here for the recipe