Edible ‘Weeds’ In Your Own Back Yard
Edible ‘Weeds’ In Your Own Back Yard
Continuing in the spirit of our Herbs For Health series of posts I thought sharing this video would be appropriate.
In our quest for beautiful landscapes we are always looking for ways to rid our yards of those annoying weeds. How many of us think of those weeds as food? Eating those weeds seems a better approach than trying to kill them with nasty pesticides. Just sayin…
We have already learned that stinging Nettle is good for you when handled properly. Many ‘weeds’ are good for you and are quite tasty in salads. Like Mary Poppins sang: Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down… Eat your salad to take your medicine. Yum!
Use all the normal precautions of course. You do not want to eat something you are not sure of. Simple rule of thumb: If you don’t know what it is, don’t eat it.
As a special bonus I am including a video that walks you through making Dandelion Coffee. Enjoy!
Do you forage for food in your yard or nearby woods? Have you eaten Dandelion greens or anything mentioned in the video? Do you plant ‘weeds’ as part of your food garden?
Filed in: Herbs For Health
I have eaten dandelion greens and wild onions, but that's it. We've thought about collecting mushrooms, but then wonder about how easy it can be to come across poisonous ones that look like the safe ones.
I am very familiar with that mushroom problem. Unless you are very sure, I would not take the chance.
In Aomori, Japan, they eat a similar flower (Kiku). They put it soups. Never tried coffee, however.
I am sure there are flowers unique to each country that are similar. 🙂
Of all the odd things I have done, foraging is one I have yet to fully explore. I have used freshe spring pine needles as a flavoring in beer. And I have had wild grown cactus berries. But that is probably the furthest I have ventured on food I have foraged myself.
I am surprised Jon, given your military background. 🙂
Nettle tea is one of my favorites, though I've yet to be brave enough to handpick myself. Wild mushrooms are also delicious- I lived near the marshlands for a while where they were abundant so easy not to mix up with anything else. They were great big ones that tasted almost like chicken.
I would not hand pick nettle unless you know how to. Very ouchie if you don't do it right. 🙂 I have never had a mushroom that tasted like chicken.
I've never heard of Dandelion coffee, but I've definitely had and enjoyed Dandelion wine! Thx for sharing, Cheryl, and all the best for 2014.
Thank Doreen. All the best to you as well.
I have used Dandelion flowers for tea. Dandelions have more beta-carotene than carrots. My husband used to collect mushrooms, but before we would eat them, he would do a test on paper to make sure that they were not poisonous.
Safety first is the motto. When in doubt don't do it. 🙂
I have very fond memories of collecting young dandelion leaves to put in a salad and cook for fresh green. I still love them to this day, although I am now hard pressed to find good ones especially where I live. 🙂
I am thinking you found lots of stuff on your grandparents farm as a child. 🙂
For some reason, I just cannot get into this one. I'll stick with garden vegetables.
Foraging in not for everyone. 🙂
Ever tried nettle soup? It's a delicacy. Catch is picking nettles without getting stung:-)
Yes. There is a technique to it.
Wow, I think that's the first time anyone has ever asked me if I forage in my local forest for food :). Easy answer – only if there's a food truck hidden in there somewhere.
Why did I not already know that? LOL