Green Eatable Plants
There are some green eatable plants which bloom in the month of April and are very good and healthy for the body as they not only provide the best nutrition being seasonal vegetables but also put fewer burdens on pocket as they are less expensive in comparison to other vegetables.
Nettles , Burdock , Wild Leeks , Chickweed , Yellow Dock
The very first spring cloud burst brings with it sudden greenery to the lawns, grounds and fields because the lightning gives away a stock of nitrogen to the earth. Thunderstorms happen to be wonderful source for charging up the nature’s set which also helps in nourishing the plant life.
The beautiful little Dandelions can appear overnight just as the buds on the trees puff up and start with a new life. Dandelions are a true sign of strength of birth, restoration and then another life.
One may find a plentiful of soft herbs for salads in early April but they are not so available for cooking purposes. There are a number of herbs which appear as soon as Garlic Mustard begins to grow and are of immense medicinal importance but they are not edible.
At the time around the mid-April, the earth houses a number of herbs like the stringy Nettles with the help of which a number of delicious recipes can be prepared. Not just this, by the occasion the nettles develop to form quite edible and good in shape, the dandelions also become large enough to be reaped as well. The burdock also starts coming off the grounds. Garlic Mustard , Winter cress and watercress are all in their important stage of development. As for the Yellow docks, they can also be reaped and even the Wild Leeks start decorating the hill sides.
As the later part of April starts commencing, after some more downpours and a few temperate 70 to 80 degree days, one can notice a new plant life appearing on the grounds. This plant life also happens to be quite edible and one can come across a variety of such plants. Be it be the beautiful purple-colored Violets in the forests or the Morels, everything is present in abundance. Even Chickweed can be seen crawling through the grounds and as for the Wild Asparagus, one can notice them climbing up on the hedges.
Nettles ( Urtica diocia )
Nettles (botanical name: Urtica diocia ) are one the most famous wild foods of all times. They are stinging yet considered as one of the best eatable nature has produced for human beings. They are supposed to be a tough competition to greens like blue-green algae which happens to be super expensive and other various greens which are easily available in every store of various markets now a days. Nettles are superior in each and every category in a nutritional profile in comparison to other greens available, which thus makes them an ultimate tonic herb.
Nettles can be harvested in spring season in the months of April & May because at this time they are present in abundance and happen to be tender which makes them very suitable for eating purposes. In the later part of the summer they carry a rough surface which makes them repulsive to eat, yet they are ideal to be used for tea. Therefore, it can be concluded that they have a comparatively short season of appearance hence they should be taken for use as much as it is possible.
The excellent time to reap Nettles is when they attain a height of approximately 6 inches and still bear a purple-colored hue with them. Although, even after they get higher than this, the few inches of top part can be trimmed off and collected in the harvesting basket. It is never difficult to find groups of nettles, particularly in the surroundings close to farms.
The ideal soil for the growth of plentiful nettles should be rich in manures .this kind of soil is generally found around the cow-sheds. In fact, the growth of nettles in abundance actually shows the presence of rich, productive soil in that area.
It should be kept in mind that nettles should not be harvested with bare hands. One can use gloves; and then the nettles can be grabbed and snipped off with scissors and can be put in the bucket. A large amount of nettles should be reaped as they have the tendency to reduce to a very less amount. It has been noticed that about a gallon of rich nettles produces around three mugs cooked.
For using them for eating purposes, one should transfer them into a big jar and then they should be allowed to boil for approximately 10 to 15 minutes so that they turn tender and nice. While boiling them, it should be kept in mind that they should be steamed thoroughly and therefore they should be simmered for a prolonged time. When the nettles are heated, the sting also disappears completely which makes them more agreeable to eat. After they have been cooked nicely, they should be stored in any cold surrounding like fridge or can even be kept frozen so that they can be used in winters as well.
The liquid in which the nettles are cooked is of immense importance and should not be thrown away. In the old-time this liquid was called as pot-liquor and the people knew its use. This liquid can be poured in big jars and can be used as a soup stock or can just be taken in the form of a sort of a tonic tea (can be taken as both hot and cold).In fact this tea can be taken the whole year and it acts as a mainstay in the diet. It is really good for health and one doesn’t need to even go for high-priced vitamin and other kind of supplements. The tea is extremely tasteful and simple to drink. Not just this, the quality of tea enhances when it is joined with mint. One can even serve it in the form of a beverage in any workshops concerning spring wild foods. It can also be taken as a nice hot, saline broth clubbed with a little bit of bullion. Some really nice recipes which can be made with the help of ‘pot liquor’ of nettles are Nettles-Cocktail , Nettles-Mint Tea etc.
Apart from the pot liquor, even steamed nettles can be used as a perfect substitute to spinach. They can be added in any recipe which calls for the addition of spinach. Moreover, addition of nettles actually enhances the taste of a recipe. Some of the recipes which can be prepared with the help of Nettles and are very easy to make are Nettles Spanakopita , Nettles Ricotta Pie and Nettles Yogurt Tonic .
Burdock ( Arctium lappa )
Arctium lappa or Burdock is another kind of wild food which can easily be included in both spring and autumn workshops . Burdock is a rich wild food which provides high energy; hence its consumption is very useful for body.
The roots of Burdock contain high levels of vital substances, particularly those which play an important role in the overall development of the human body. It is generally used as a medicine in the form of a tonic which is very effective for the whole body, in a way, that it helps in detoxifying that body and makes it available to healthy, long-term nourishment and also provide co-operation for a number of various other chronic situations.
Burdock is found to be a high in energy food and thus it enhances one’s overall energy when it is consumed. It can be taken in the form of an eatable or a tonic. Its intake acts as calm yet powerful refreshment with no jitters and extra side-effects caused by products like caffeine etc.
Burdock starts to appear around at the same time as the nettles. It can also be found at barnyards and farms and at some places, one may even find them growing in unstable soils. To find Burdock, one should locate the previous year’s burrs which are sort of indications for the presence of Burdock there. It is always preferred to plow them out of off-plowed fields or gardens as very solid ground means some really powerful hard art of digging. Anyway, these can be easily found and if taken care, can be easily dug also.
Burdock is known to be a biennial which means it grows and completely develops in two years. In the first year, it grows up a large patch which actually happens in winter season and in the next year; it develops a flower shoot system to build its burry-seed offspring. When it appears first in the spring season, it is quite impossible to detect whether the plant is in first year or second year stage of Burdock, so to avoid any confusions one can simply dig all of them. In the first year stage, the root is not bigger in diameter and is more or less in comparison with carrot and carries a skin of white in color. On the contrary, the root in the second year stage of Burdock is much thicker and comprises of a woody, grainy bark on their surface. The roots are normally 2 to 3 feet in length and penetrate deep into the ground so that they can pull all the rich minerals and nutrients present in the bottomless stretch of the soil. Though it’s not easy to get hold of the whole root as they tend to get cut or break off with the spade. They demand a huge amount of labor so to avoid any wastage of time, one should plentiful of Burdock so that one ends up with a large amount of Burdock and does not have to go for digging again.
There are a number of books and videos available to show how the Burdock can be easily identified and which also speak of their various stages of development.
After these have been plowed and brought home, they should be given a good rinse so that all the mud entangled in the roots and all over the surface gets washed off. This should be followed by a thorough scrubbing which can be done with the help of a clean firm vegetable brush.
After the Burdock has been cleaned, the first year and second year roots should be sorted out from each other. It has been found that the second year roots happen to be large and woody which makes them difficult to be used to for eating purposes. So, these roots should be sliced into thin curls and left to dry on screens so as to make tonic tea infusions . The first year roots are quite tender and soft and hence can be used as such only.
The roots can be prepared for cooking by either slicing them into thin ring-shaped pieces or by cutting them on the diagonal which presents a much prettier outcome. They can also be grated with the help of a food processor or a cheese grater or by simply trimming them through a vegetable peeler. The roots can also be cut to form pieces of short-length or even matchstick shapes.
Burdock happens to be a little chewy or stringy and when it is used in recipes, a tenderizing substance should always be used so that it softens the effect of Burdock roots. These recipes can add tenderizing components in the form of salt, baking soda or even vinegar and can be prepared by following the steps given below:
Method 1:1. First and foremost, the roots which have been sliced should be soaked in water with a tablespoon of vinegar with each pint of water for around 15 minutes.
2. Now the water should be drained out of the root slices thoroughly.
3. After the water has been drained out, the root pieces should again be covered with water and should be allowed to boil for about 20 to 30 minutes which will soften these root pieces.
4. Next, the water should again be drained out but should not be thrown away, that is, the liquid should actually be saved.
5. Now, the roots should be spread on a dry cloth or a towel so as to dry surplus water.(this step is very important and this is employed so that the oil in stir-fry doesn’t pop)
1. Burdock roots should be simmered in water with 1 teaspoon of baking soda with each pint of water for about 15 minutes.(It should be noted that this method helps the Burdock roots to become more tender and nice but this method should be used only when one has to cook the recipe and serve immediately. If the root is, otherwise, not use for immediate purpose and is kept for few hours, it gets turned into an attention-grabbing yet distasteful blue-green shade.)
Method 3:1. The Burdock root should be soaked in water containing salt-solution for around 30 mins.(2 teaspoon with each pint of water)
2. The water should then be drained out of the roots.
3. This should be followed by boiling of these roots covered with water for approximately 20 mins.
It should be kept in mind that boiling is the key to soften Burdock root. Cooking it without properly boiling it and making it can in reality make it rough and less appetizing.
In the case of nettles one can use the cooking liquid to drink it as a sort of a tonic tea. Whereas in the case of Burdock, one can use the dried root to prepare tea all the time. It helps to protect one from fatigue or rundown and happens to be an awesome energy-giver which also helps in restoring power. It is due to this reason it is also known to be a restorative herb. A very nice pleasing tea can be prepared with the help of ingredients like Burdock and many other herbs. Burdock is also used in various other beverages like beer (Burdock beer is quite famous in England markets)
It seems to be quite famous now as far as stir-fry recipes are concerned and a number of recipes made with the help of Burdock have a tendency to carry an unusual Asian taste with them. It also goes well with rice which makes it quite suited for fried-rice dishes. People who generally live on raw food material like Burdock a lot and hence they like to invent different kinds of dishes with the help of this herb. Some of the recipes which can be easily prepared with Burdock roots are Burdock-n-Wild Rice , Burdock Carrot Slaw , Wild Burdock Pilaf , Braised Burdock Root , Restoration Root Tea and Venison Roast with Wild Roots & Onions .
Wild Leeks (Allium tricoccum)Wild Leeks (botanical name: Allium tricoccum) flourish around mid-April. They can be easily found on the hillsides present in close proximity to Mississippi River which are abundantly covered with dense groups of Wild leeks. Not just this, they can also be found scattered transversely on the hillsides growing in lush pieces of around 8 to 10 inches in height just before the short-lived flowers start decorating the woods.
Wild leeks are called by various different names in accordance with the various folk tradition where they flourish, like for instance, they are called as Ramps by the people of Appalachia, English people know them as Ramsons and in some places they are also known as Bear Garlic or simply Wild Leeks.
Wild Leeks are a kind of wild foods which are known for their amazing quality and hence are always in high demands in market places. In fact in places like Appalachia their appearance is marked by commencement of Ramp season which is, in turn, followed by celebration of various festivals in springtime.
Wild Leeks have a tendency to be very closely knitted together. It is due to this reason they distribute by division in the soil. It should be kept in mind that Wild Leeks should be reaped only around the borders of the groups or patches, so that the area remains sustainable and provides sufficient nourishment to the future generations (of Wild leeks) to come. It has been observed that a spade full of Wild Leeks gives about 12 to 20 solitary scallions. Hence one does not long time to collect the Wild Leeks and fill the whole basket.
After the Wild Leeks have been collected, the rootlets of each of them present at the tip of the scallion should be trimmed off. This should then be followed by rubbing off the outer layer of onion that is loosely taking care of the bulb. The Wild Leeks should not be washed with water until they are to be used immediately as they have a tendency to get bruised very easily and hence should not be stored as well (after they have been washed with water) they can be stored in fridge so that they are prepared for use whenever a dish requires addition of onions. One can use the whole plant, the green part and the bulb part and cook them in the recipe.
The season of Wild Leeks remains for around a month, starting from mid-April to mid or may be late May. Sometimes, at some places the underground of the forests gets badly overgrown. At this time, the Wild Leeks tend to form seed and get dried up and finally disappear united with the remaining transient plants till next time of growth.
Wild Leeks happen to be the ideal companions of the delicacies of spring time like Wild Asparagus, Fiddleheads, Morels, Nettles and many more. They are rightly known to be a searcher’s delight.
In case, one has plentiful supply of Wild Leeks, they can even be preserved for winter time by cooking them in olive oil or butter and then freezing them. They can even be dehydrated. The leaves can be utilized to add in soups wherein they bring about the taste of the recipe and it’s a delight to have them. On the contrary to this, the white bulbs have a tendency to become a little rough and woody in texture when they are reconstituted.
Chickweed ( Stellaria media)
Chickweed (botanical name: Stellaria media) is a very sweet and moderate herb which has absolutely no side or negative effects. This herb is one of the greatest and influential herbs which helps in healing up and has not got an unpleasant taste.
Chickweed can not grow into height as it is a mat alike and creeping plant and could only take heights if the soil is rich and favorable. This plant can grow at everyplace but find places like countryside areas, gardens and barnyards the most suitable to grow. If this herb is left to grow in an outgoing way then it can grow itself into an intense garden and in case it does not get the proper soil or environment, it grows in to dull, weak and thin stems.
Chickweed has a very pleasant taste unlike most of the wild plants have, and the surface and texture is also very soothing and mild which makes it perfect for any green salad. In fact it is the texture of this herb which attracts one to eat it out.
Chickweed is one of the best herbs which are used to reduce weight. This herb has large amounts of saponins which are helpful in reducing weight and so this is the reason behind adding up this herb in most of the weight reducing formulas. Saponins help in melting the fat cells and lessening up the cholesterol level and this helps in reducing the weight. Chickweed should be added in the form of salad so that the body should get the nourishment providing elements which are needed while dieting. The nutrients provided by chickweed not only help reducing weight but also compensate the calorie cuts.
The harvest of chickweed should be sorted out nicely by picking up the green growths of the end and bigger leaves or else the texture of chickweed could be stem dominated. In case of preparing dressings for salad or dips, chickweed should be tossed by its stems and then should be blended to get a nice texture and taste.
Chickweed is the best base for any green salad as not only gives a nice and wonderful texture and taste but also should be added as alternative for lettuce. This herb could be added in equal ratio with finely chopped carrots and additional salad foods like nuts, olives and avocados to get a nice and healthy salad. It can also be added up in bean salad or rice to get nice green rice which makes the food more nutritious. It can also be used as an alternative for parsley in many recipes by using fresh and chopped stems of this herb. This herb is not only good for salad dips and dressings but also makes a nice and more nutritious salad by replacing lettuce in sandwiches. There are some wonderful, delicious and nutritious recipes which could be made from the chickweed plant. Some of those recipes are Chickweed Egg Salad , Lemony Chickweed Feta Salad , Spring Salad and Creamy Chickweed Dressing .
Chickweed is not only good as salad but also contains many more quality in itself. It is a very famous herb and is known for its healing nature among other herbs. It is best known for its soothing nature which is very useful in curing all kinds of skin problems. This herb is also known as poultice which helps in curing skin tumors by the help of the high level saponin element which is present in this herb. This could also be used as good and secure eyewash for any kind of eye problems such as conjunctivitis. This herb is so safe that it could also be used on the skin of newborn and infants as it not only has a soothing and gentle nature but also has healing qualities.
Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus)
Rumex crispus or yellow dock is an early spring plant and it is generally mistaken as a wild food though it is not. Some varieties of Dock family are actually sorrel which possess a nice lemon flavor and is also used in many soups and a number of other French cuisine.
Yellow Dock is known with different names in different places and happens to be a bit rare. There are a number of docks that can be found in an area. The variety that is most commonly used for eating purposes is Rumex crispus.”Dock” literally means large leaf in botan-ese and though in the early part of spring it does not really look like a large leaf but by the time summer comes, it reaches a phase of maturity and then it can be called as actually a grand plant.
One can find yellow docks while reaping other plant herbs. It can normally be located in open gardens, creek banks and farm fields. It may appear near the beginning of mid-March just approximately around the point when Winter cress is ready to be gathered.
One can reap the leaves of Yellow Dock as a wild green till the flower shoot system starts to come out somewhere around the month of May. It is probable to reap just from one plant in surroundings where it flourishes. Yellow Dock is one green plant that is very simple and easy to reap and to prepare, unlike some wild greens which demands a lot of labor or are time-consuming.one should take care of the quantity that one takes as it is supposed to contain oxalic acid. If taken in moderate quantities, yellow dock is as good as spinach which also contains oxalic acid. Hence it is very good for health as well.
Number of recipes can be prepared with the help of Yellow Dock or wild sorrel, like for instance, Wild Sorrel Frittata , Wild Sorrel Potato Soup , etc.
The leaves of Yellow dock are recognized as an amazing source of various components especially iron, although the abundance of iron content is found to be present in the root part. The Yellow dock possesses a fleshy taproot which is quite elongated and when this sliced, it displays a plentiful nice yellow-orange color. It is due to this reason that it named as “Yellow Dock”. The root is also supposed to be rich in various minerals just like all the other roots of different greens, but, it is especially known for its high iron content, which makes it an excellent green for problems like anemia and other conditions which are concerned with reduction of blood. With the help of the intake of Yellow Dock, the iron can easily be absorbed by the body without causing any harmful side-effects unlike various iron supplements.
Even though it has such a big medicinal advantage it cannot be taken raw. This is because; it is awfully bitter and hence not safe to eat. Hence to utilize it in the form of medicine one should make a tonic out of it but the patient should be cautioned about its taste beforehand.
The seeds of the Yellow Dock can also be used in the form of a wild grain or wild flour but that require a tiresome process that includes winnowing of the seeds and then grinding them to make flour. The seeds are known to be a high-quality supply of iron too and one can also use them in a tea infusion.