10 Plants You Might Not Know You Can Eat
I have posted this information before. I think it is information worth sharing again. You might have a fresh salad growing all around you, and not even know it.
A lot of people don’t realize how many common plants they can eat. I thought it might be fun to share a few of them with you. Some of these are plants we grow as landscape/ornamental plants. Others are more often thought of as “weeds”. All have one thing in common. They are edible.
Some you may already know. I hope I might show you a few edibles you didn’t know about before.
I tried to stick to plants that were easy to identify. If you are not sure what it is – don’t eat it. Don’t eat plants where pesticides have been sprayed, either.
With any luck, you have at least a few of these in your yard.
Violets: Violet flowers are edible and used to decorate pastries and to make jelly. Did you know you can also eat the leaves? They are mild flavored- especially when young- and are a great addition to salads. Violet leaves are also high in vitamin C.
Purslane: The thick, fleshy leaves of purslane are easy to identify. Many vegetable gardeners make every effort to keep them out of their yards. Truth is, purslane is grown as a vegetable in many parts of the world. The leaves can be eaten raw in salads, can be cooked in a stir fry or just steamed as a fresh veggie. They can also be pickled. I make a salsa out of purslane leaves. They are crunchy with a slightly citrus flavor.
Lambsquarters: Lambsquarters are one of my favorites. They sprout all over my yard and in pots as soon as the weather warms up in the Spring. The leaves can be eaten raw when young or cooked as they mature. They taste just like spinach and are even better for you. Plants can get quite large and provide an easy harvest of nutritious greens.
Dandelions: We spend so much money trying to kill them. Sad because they are really a tasty green. Dandelions were brought to America by European immigrants as a vegetable. Their bitter greens can be an acquired taste. By combining the greens with certain foods you make them taste less bitter. Starchy foods like breads or potatoes, dairy products, tomatoes and vinegars all seem to tame the bitterness. Dandelion greens can be eaten cooked or raw. Flowers are used to make jelly and wine and can be added to baked goods.
Hosta: If you can get to them before the deer do, you will be pleasantly surprised. Hosta leaves are quite mild flavored, similar to Bibb lettuce. I add them to salads and even serve them with dips. The older leaves get tough so pick young leaves.
Sweet Potato Leaves: A friend from Hawaii first told me about eating sweet potato leaves. The leaves are pretty mild flavored. I normally eat them cooked although I have friends that eat them raw as well. You can eat the leaves of all sweet potatoes, including ornamental types.
Lilac: Lilac flowers are fragrant and edible. I use them every year to make lilac infused vinegar. They have a nice spicy taste that works well in the vinegar. Blossoms can be added to salads, too. This year I also made lilac jelly.
Redroot/Pigweed: This member of the amaranth family is distinguished by a reddish color to its roots. It has a spinach like flavor and can be cooked and used like spinach is any recipe. The plants can get several feet tall and often show up in places where the soil has been tilled.
Tulips: Tulips are more than pretty, they are also quite tasty. The petals taste like a mild flavored lettuce and can add a beautiful touch to salads. The bulbs are also edible but only part of them. The inner yellow core has to be removed first. We rarely eat the bulbs because to do so would destroy the plant. The petals, however, can be harvested and eaten year after year without harming the plant.
Roses: Rose petals have been used to make fragrances for a very long time. The petals are also edible and can be added to salads and used to make jelly, syrup and of course, rose water. The hips are also quite edible. Rose hips are the round balls that are left after the bloom is spent. They are full of vitamin C and can be cooked and used to make tea and jelly.
This is far from a complete list. Just a few things from my yard that I thought you might have, too
Strawberry Waffles
These waffles would make a great breakfast or brunch dish. I have even served them for dessert. That’s the thing about waffles. They can be eaten any time of the day.
This waffle recipe came about because I needed a dessert for dinner with a friend. It was a last minute dinner, so I didn’t have a lot of time. Waffles seemed like a great idea. They don’t take a lot of time to make, and they highlighted the berries. My friend really liked them. I did, too.
I made the waffles with fresh strawberries in the batter. Then, the waffles are served topped with more fresh berries and a dusting of powdered sugar.
They were a perfect dessert. I could see topping them with ice cream or whipped cream, too. Any leftover waffles can be frozen.
For the fresh strawberry topping, you just combine fresh, sliced berries with some sugar. If you can make it ahead of time, the sugar draws juice out of the strawberries, kind of making its own sauce. I made the topping first, then popped in the fridge.
So here is my recipe. Enjoy!!
Strawberry Waffles
1 1/3 c. flour
2 T. sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
½ t. salt
2 eggs, separated
½ c. butter, melted
1¾ c. milk
2 t. vanilla
1 c. chopped fresh strawberries
Powdered sugar for topping waffles
Strawberry topping- recipe follows
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. Set aside. Separate the eggs. Set aside the yolks. Place the whites in a small mixing bowl. Beat whites until moderately stiff; set aside. Combine milk, melted butter, egg yolks and vanilla in small bowl. Add to dry ingredient mixture and blend. Stir in berries. Fold stiff egg whites into mixture. Ladle mixture into hot waffle iron and bake. To serve, top with powdered sugar and strawberry topping. Makes 10-12 (4-inch) waffles.
Topping
1 qt. strawberries
½ c. sugar- or to taste
Wash and stem berries. Slice berries. Place in bowl and sprinkle on the sugar. Stir to combine and place in fridge until ready to use. Try to do this at least 30 minutes before using. That will give the mixture time for juice to be released from the berries.
Strawberry Sorbet
Strawberry sorbet is a wonderful dessert to keep around, especially in summer. It is sweet and a little tart and very refreshing. It is such a pretty color.
You can play around with adding other flavors. I sometimes add fresh herbs, like mint or lavender. Extracts, like vanilla, can be added, too.
Sorbets can be served on their own, with cake, or drizzled with chocolate sauce. I sometimes add a scoop of sorbet to a glass of lemonade or ice tea on a hot day. So refreshing. Sorbet can be a fun topper in cocktails, too.
You can make sorbet in an ice cream machine, if you have one, but you don’t need to. The secret is to blend the sorbet a couple of times after it is frozen. Each time, the sorbet gets smoother and creamier. I use my food processor.
As an added bonus, once your sorbet is made, you have it on hand whenever you need a dessert.
Strawberry Sorbet
1 1/2 lbs strawberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 c. sugar, or to taste – you could also sweeten with honey, if you prefer, or use no sweetener
1 T. lime or lemon juice
Wash and stem berries. Place in food processor with juice and blend until smooth. Sweeten to taste, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Place in a container with a lid and freeze. Once frozen, remove strawberry mix from freezer and sit it on the counter to soften a little bit. This is really the important part. You don’t want it to thaw, but you do want it soft just enough to break into chunks. Place chunks in food processor and blend it again. It will actually start to look a little creamy and lighter in color. You can serve it right away- or put it back in the freezer to serve later. At this point the sorbet is ready- but you can repeat the soften/process step once more, if you like, for even creamier sorbet. Makes 3-4 cups.
Homemade Strawberry Liqueur
This strawberry liqueur is like summer in a bottle. I make a lot of different liqueurs and strawberry is one of my absolute favorites. It is wonderful for sipping or over ice. It is also a fun addition to any number of cocktails. A friend adds it to ice cream with extra berries and blends it up for an adult strawberry milkshake.
With strawberries in season, this is the time of year to enjoy them. I want to preserve some for later, too. I will be making strawberry jam and I will freeze some.
Another way to preserve strawberries, is by making a liqueur with them. It is pretty simple. Just combine berries with vodka and a small amount of powdered sugar. I use half gallon canning jars for this, but you could use any food safe container with a tight fitting lid.
Let the mixture steep long enough for the berries to infuse the alcohol with their flavor. You can sweeten it later on, or even leave it unsweetened, if you prefer. I like to sip the liqueur as is, or serve on the rocks with a splash of club soda.
Strawberry Liqueur
3 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, sliced
3 T. powdered sugar
3 c. vodka
1 c. simple syrup*
Sprinkle powdered sugar over berries and let dissolve. Pour over vodka and let steep 2 weeks. Crush berries and strain then filter through cheesecloth or coffee filters. Add sugar syrup and mature 1 week. Makes 5 cups.
*Simple syrup is made from 1 cup of sugar and ½ cup of water. Bring to a boil, then cool. You will have 1 cup of syrup. You can sweeten your liqueur with honey, if you prefer. Watch when you substitute honey for sugar, as it is sweeter and stronger flavored. Better to use orange or clover honey. Add to suit your taste.
Green Beans in Herb Butter Sauce
If you are looking for a nice green bean side dish- I think you will really like this one. The sauce, made from a mix of herbs, onions (or shallots), sesame seeds and butter make these special. With green bean season right around the corner you might be harvesting from your garden soon. My local produce market has beautiful beans right now. This is one of my favorite recipes for fresh green beans. I hope you give it a try,
Green Beans in Herb Butter Sauce
1 lb. Green beans, washed and trimmed
¼ c. butter
¾ c. minced onion or shallots
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ c. minced celery
2 T. sesame seeds
2 T. chopped parsley
¾ t. salt
¼ t. each rosemary and basil
Boil or steam beans until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, start sauce. Heat butter in skillet and add onion, garlic, celery and sesame seeds. Cook 5 minutes then add seasonings and cook, covered, 5 minutes more. Toss beans with sauce. Serves 4-6.
Note: If you want to make these the day ahead, make the sauce and cook beans until almost tender. Combine beans and sauce and place in casserole dish. Chill until ready to use. When ready to serve, just place bean mixture in oven or microwave and cook until heated through and beans are tender.
Strawberries and Cream Bread
I have posted this recipe before, but have been getting requests for it, so I thought it was worth sharing again. Since strawberries are in season, it seemed like the right time to post this recipe.
This is one of my favorite quick breads. The bread is tender and full of the sweet taste of fresh strawberries.
The batter will be very thick- don’t worry- it is supposed to be that way. When it bakes, the juices from the fresh berries keeps it moist.
I always end up making a double batch, one loaf to eat fresh, and one to give as a gift, or freeze.
This bread is fine just the way it is for dessert, or you can top with sliced strawberries, ice cream, whipped cream or some melted chocolate. Or top it with all of them!!
Here is the recipe. Enjoy!!
Strawberries and Cream Bread
1 ¾ c. flour
½ t. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
½ t. each cinnamon and nutmeg
½ c. butter, at room temperature
¾ c. sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
½ c. sour cream, room temperature
1 t. vanilla
1 c. fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped*
¾ c. chopped nuts, optional
Grease an 8×4 inch loaf pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients. Set aside. In small bowl beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat 1 minute. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until just moistened. Fold in strawberries and nuts and place batter in prepared pan. Bake 60-65 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Makes 1 loaf. Freezes well.
* frozen berries are not recommended in this bread
Grape Jelly Coconut Peanut Bars
This delightful dessert came about because I hate to waste stuff. I found myself with an open jar of grape jelly. It was far more than I could use up on toast. I started looking around and found a number of recipes for using jelly in cookie bars. I used those recipes as inspiration for the bars I ended up making. I took some to a friend’s house and got some very positive feedback.
The crust is a classic shortbread dough, topped with grape jelly, peanuts and shredded coconut. I used the coconut and peanuts for both texture and flavor. I also had them on hand, so why not? I kept my bars pretty simple. You could certainly add more nuts or coconut. You could use any flavor of jelly or jam, too. I think these might be fun with peach jam and toasted pecans. Maybe the next batch.
So here is the recipe for a simple bar cookie with great flavor. Travels well, too, so great for picnics and road trips.
Grape Jelly Coconut Peanut Bars
1¼ c. all-purpose flour
¼ c. sugar
½ t salt
½ c. butter, room temp
1 c. grape jelly
1 c. peanuts
1 c. flaked coconut
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9×9 pan and set aside. Mix the flour, sugar and salt together, then work in the butter. Mixture might be a little crumbly. Pat the crust evenly into bottom of the baking dish. Spread the jelly over the top of the crust evenly. Sprinkle peanuts on top of the jelly , then top with the coconut. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. You should see a little bit of color around the edge of the crust. Remove and cool completely, then slice and serve! These freeze well.
Lemon Tea Cake
This is one of my favorite cakes of all time. It is a simple cake, enhanced with the flavor of lemon juice and lemon zest. Once out of the oven, you poke the hot cake with a large fork or a skewer, and pour a lemon syrup over it. The syrup gives the cake an extra lemony tang. It is a perfect addition to afternoon tea.
Great all on its own, this cake is also wonderful served with fresh berries and whipped cream for a Spring dessert. On a hot day, I have been known to top it with a scoop of ice cream.
Before you ask, the measurements are correct- only 3/4 cup of flour. No leaveners like baking powder or baking soda, either. The cake does not rise a whole bunch, but the texture is still very nice. The firm texture of the cake helps it to stand up to the lemon syrup.
Lemon Tea Cake
2 lemons
3 T. sugar for topping
½ c. butter, softened
¾ c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 c. flour
6 T. milk or half and half
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8- inch loaf pan and line with wax or parchment paper. Grate the lemon rinds and set aside. Combine the juice of 1 of the lemons with the 3 tablespoons of sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Set aside.
Cream together the butter with the rest of the sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time until well mixed. Stir in the flour and lemon peel and beat well. Add the milk and beat well. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at least an hour. The cake should spring back when touched lightly. As soon as you remove the cake from the oven pierce it all over with a long-tined fork or a skewer. Pour over the reserved lemon juice mixture. Cool cake in pan before serving. Cake will be moist and tangy.
Appetizer Mini Meat Muffins
These muffins came about after a friend asked me if I could make a meat muffin. Something savory, rather than sweet. I had already made corn muffins that weren’t sweet, so it wasn’t a stretch to make other muffins that were also savory.
As I was playing around with the recipe I had some of my students try them in a recent cooking class. Everyone liked them. One woman suggested serving them with marinara sauce for dipping. I love that idea. I always wanted some sort of sauce to dip them in.
A nice bonus about these muffins is that they contain a fair amount of veggies. I declined to call them veggie muffins, though. I think calling them meat muffins or pizza muffins is more accurate. You can opt out of the meat by adding cooked beans or lentils in their place. That will be my next version.
You can easily change up the seasonings, too. Maybe curry powder or even adding some fresh herbs. You can use breakfast sausage. I used Italian sausage.
I did some looking around online and found several recipes that interested me. The recipe I ended up with is a combination of a couple of those recipes with some extras of my own. I hope you will give them a try. They freeze well, too. So you can make a batch, freeze them, and just take out at needed. These would be fun for summer parties served with a salad.
So here is the recipe. Thanks, Joe, for the idea.
Mini Meat Muffins – Pizza Version
3 eggs
¼ c. oil
1 c. milk
1 c. minced fresh broccoli, I pulsed in a food processor
½ c. grated carrot
½ c. minced green onion or shredded zucchini – either works
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c. cooked, minced sausage- I used Italian sausage
¼ c. chopped pepperoni
1-2 T. pizza seasoning
1 T. tomato paste – I used 2 t. of tomato powder, but tomato paste is easier to find
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
1½ c. flour: all purpose, spelt or whole wheat
extra cheese and pepperoni, if desired
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 48 mini muffin tins. Set aside. In medium bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Stir in cheese, sausage, pepperoni, pizza seasoning and tomato paste. Stir in remaining ingredients and use a cookie scoop to put batter in the prepared pans. Fill them pretty full, as they don’t rise much. You can top with a little more cheese or pepperoni, if you like. Bake 12-14 minutes, or until muffins spring back when pressed lightly in the middle. Serve warm or cold. Makes about 48.
English Muffins
English Muffins are fun and easy to make. They also taste so much better than store bought. What you might not know, if you never made them, is that English muffins are not baked. They are actually cooked in a skillet, over medium low heat, until done.
The dough is pretty much a bread dough. Once they have gone through their first rise, you roll them out and cut them out in circles. They rise another 30 minutes, then are cooked in the skillet. You can use a 4-inch cutter for full sized muffins. I used a 3-inch cutter and got a few more out of the recipe.
The recipe is correct when it says to roll them a bit under 1/2-inch thick. They rise and then get thicker when cooked.
English Muffins
2 packages yeast
5-6 cups bread flour
2 T. sugar
2 t. salt
2 c. milk
¼ c. butter
Cornmeal
In large bowl combine yeast, 4 cups of the bread flour. Warm milk and butter and add to flour mixture and beat 3-4 minutes. By hand stir in enough flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Turn onto floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes.
Place dough in greased bowl and turn to grease top. Cover and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 ¼ hour. Punch dough down and allow to rest 10 minutes. On lightly floured surface roll dough to just under ½-inch thick. With 4-inch biscuit cutter cut out rounds of dough, re-rolling and cutting scraps. Dip both sides in cornmeal and cover, allowing to rise about 30 minutes. In ungreased griddle pan or skillet cook muffins over medium-low heat, turning frequently, until they are golden on both sides and cooked through. This will take about 20-25 minutes. If they are browning too quickly, turn down the heat a little. To serve, split and toast. Makes 12-18, depending on the size you cut them.
