Wild Food in YOUR backyard? I can remember the first time I enjoyed a wild salad. I remember it very clearly. The realization that I was eating something delicious that we had just picked in a nearby meadow…. was life-changing! I'll never forget that feeling. Freedom! Empowered! Self-reliant! Exhilarated!
Have you gone foraging for food? What have you found? I'd love to hear about your adventures! Whether it's a simple salad from dandelion and violet leaves (because that's all that is "identify-able" or more complex, DELICIOUS food awaits and lots of fun besides!
Some of you may recall the story I have told about my first herbal medicine experience ~ learning that a simple plantain leaf (plantago) could speedily soothe a pesky mosquito bite. Another 'a ha' moment which caused me to make a sudden left turn down a path of herbal learning!
Plantain is also a yummy green which can be added to salads or used in cooked preparations! There are two types which are probably thriving near you, right now! Broad-leafed and Narrow-leafed varieties are both edible and medicinal. More about plantain medicine here.
I don't need to leave my 'postage stamp' property in Toronto to find wild edibles!
I am willing to bet that you don't either ~ whether you are located in the middle of a huge city or bustling suburb or living on a large acreage. Wild edibles are available!
Here's what typically visits me in my yard ~ without needing to leave home, here's lunch! By the way ~ these are visitors, literally. I have not planted these. The WILD energy is intact and vibrant, ready to offer healing energy to our meals.
Dandelion (taraxacum officinalis)
Garlic Mustard (alliaria petiolata)
Herb Robert (geranium robertianum)
Lamb's Quarters (chenopodium album)
Plantain (plantago spp.)
Self-Heal or Heal All (prunella vulgaris)
Violet (viola spp.)
Wood Sorrel (oxalis spp.)
Chickweed (stellaria media)
Pineapple Weed (matricaria matricariodes)
What Wild Edibles can you find in YOUR yard or nearby ?
When looking for wild plants to bring home to the kitchen, never pick (let alone eat) anything if you're not 100 % sure about. Consult a local field guide or take an experienced friend on your foray! Wild food is ready for you!
I like the Peterson Field Guides series. The 'Wild Edibles' edition works well to help us identify what we are seeing ~ and offers many tips re harvesting and uses, with excellent pictures.
Here's one of my favourites A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America
OK.. so we have identified the 'weeds' and/or herbs/wild edible plants.
Now what?
I use them, as one would, any greens in a spinach recipe, for example. I love a salad featuring a mixture of wild greens (and you can add regular 'domestic' lettuces to the mix if more is needed)
I love a simply delightful vinaigrette made with good quality olive oil, Dijon mustard and infused vinegars.
Ideas for infused vinegar here and here and here (I LOVE infused vinegar!)
Wild Salad with cukes + feta cheese
This salad features wild greens, red leaf lettuce, sliced cukes and feta cheese!
In addition to salads, I use wild foraged greens and flowers in stir fries, soups, on pizzas (grilled), as appetizers and mains.
Whatever one normally makes with 'domestic' greens, we can often substitute. Check out this home-made pizza idea with wild edibles !! Move over spinach.. Time to Go WILD! Put WILD Foods on your menu today!!
Go for a quick look around YOUR home.
Start with 1 plant if you are new to this 'foraging thing' !!
Wild Food -- Here's to our health !
Anna@Green Talk
I am always amused at lambs quarter. It is actually sold at the nurseries! PS I could donate wood sorrell. I don't know why it is so abundant in my yard.
linda spiker
Great post Carol. I wish these items were growing in my yard or nearby meadow! Maybe I could find a dandelion but that's about it. Now I want a salad!
Carol Little
There are sure to be plantain plants. Let's find you some wild edibles! You are probably surrounded by them!
Let's talk! xo Carol
Tash
REALLY awesome post Carol! I love reading about harvesting wild food :) I think I have most of these in the area near my house!
Carol Little
Thanks Tash. It's a long time passion of mine.. and quite liberating! Talk about frugal food finds!
stay tuned for my next post ~ excited to share more!
Anna @Green Talk
My garden and wood sorrel are best friends. I never thought to eat it.
Can you eat geraniums like cranebills (Geranium carolinianum?)
Carol Little
From http://www.intothegardenofeden.com
This lovely flowering herb is fully edible! The leaves and stems can be taken raw, cooked, or in tea. The roots are more palatable when boiled for 10 minutes; the cooking water can be taken as tea too! Carolina geranium's strong astringent properties can be made weaker by combining it with milk (cinnamon can be added for flavor).
This is a new one for me, Anna, so I checked in with these garden experts!
Andrea Fabry
We have so many dandelions around us. This is just the push I needed to pick them and actually use them!
Katie | The Antidote Life
Who knew?! This is awesome. I never knew most of these things were edible!
Carol Little
This is just what is growing at the moment.. there are so many more. Anything you can do with spinach… sky is the limit Katie!
Susan
I am less familiar with wild edible plants than wild edible mushrooms. There are three seasons of edible mushrooms in my yard that I can identify.
My plant adventures may begin with plantago.
Carol Little
Excellent! Plantain is a wonderful place to start!! Let me know what you make!
Green blessings ~ Carol
Mrs. Mac
We love lambs quarter .. sheep sorrel .. and some strawberry spinach that grows wild all over the garden from a planting about five years ago. Have not tried wood sorrel nor self-heal which grow abundantly in our property. Our violets are too sparse to gather. We have wild strawberries that are a nice addition to a green salad.
Carol Little
Thanks for sharing. I agree re lambs quarters.. can make entire meals just from that one plant with a good harvest!
Wood sorrel has a distinct lemony taste with a bit of a sour bite.. It's delicious added into the mix. I don't know strawberry spinach at all. Let the violets go for now; they spread if happy!
Enjoy your wild food!