Green Eatable Plants

The beautiful month of May brings so many beautiful and nutritious plants which can be experimented in so many different ways to make the food more healthy and attractive.

Spring arrives and it brings lots of wonderful plants with itself. Every nook and corner of the land is covered by amazing blossomed flowers which are much yellower and brighter than sunflowers. The land and forests look more green, more pink and very bright and shiny with golden color as the new leaves sprouts from each stem.

It looks like a whole new, fresh and beautiful world as the forest covers itself with new plants. Rains of spring and the temperature find a good reason to bring the Morel mushrooms. Summer weeds for instance Wild Amaranth and lambsquater are very famous during this season. Wild asparagus blooms to the fullest in this season and attracts every passerby. This month of May truly turns Earth into Eden Garden. The Earth looks so beautiful and full of colors that it is irresistible to stay watching the beautiful landscapes and slopes. The freshly grown plants are not only attractive but also carry huge nutrition value.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis)

Taraxacum officinalis or dandelions happen to be the most tragic plant of all the plant species present in the nature. It is praised at a high level by the people who know are devoted to the studies of herbs but tormented and cursed by groundskeepers, gardeners and farmers. Dandelions are well-known to be a poster child for various lawn chemical and herbicide industries. Hence, if the dandelions are not present in a rolling green or a park, it indicates the presence of proper chemical upholding practices.

Dandelions are noted as the weeds that grow with the actual crop and though they have a good reputation yet they can be used in a number of dishes which can be prepared at home quite easily.

The green part and the root system of Dandelions are present the whole year, though the first part of May (first 2 weeks) are dedicated towards the growth of height of Dandelions. Dandelions can be marked as omnipresent .they can be seen dominating all the areas, ranging from lawns, roadsides, parks to even cracks present in sidewalk. They just need dirt and soil to support them and they will easily grow.

One can actually use each and every portion of dandelions (flowers, roots, leaves and buds) to make recipes comprising of even beverages and dessert. A variety of dishes can be prepared with the help of dandelions, like for instance, Dandelion chiffon pie, Dandelion lasagna, Roasted dandelion root ice cream etc.

The description of each part of Dandelion is given below with its characteristics and various uses:

Leaves:

The leaves of Dandelion are known as a vegetable world-wide, although some people are a bit perplexed to use them due to their bitter taste.

The greens can be used the entire year. The sensitive new growth of Dandelion in spring season is quite mild, though; they have a tendency to bring about an increment in their bitter nature one the buds with flowers begin to appear. This characteristic is seen as a defensive mechanism shown by them to protect their offspring.

It is not that difficult to filter out their bitterness even if they are fully developed and full of bitterness. This can be done by repeatedly boiling them in changed waters. In the autumn season, they again tend to become sweet again after a solid frost and then they are available in abundance till the snow gets wrapped around them. This happens in around late November.

One can reap large amounts of Dandelion greens every year and then freeze them. They can be seen grown just around when it is time for tilling the earth for coffee. To refrigerate them, one should simmer the leaves collected in boiling water (this should be more than just some fast blanching).In case, they appear extremely bitter on trying, one can simply cover them in water again and put to boil. Dandelion leaves do not get reduced on being cooked, unlike a number of other types of greens. It has been noticed that around one gallon of greens can cook down to quite a generous number of cups without any trouble, so they can be gathered in plentiful amounts.

One can add the soft tender raw young greens to salads, particularly pastas, antipastos or salads, though they appear to be a bit extra all-function cooked. One harvested, they should be cooked right away without wasting any time and then stored in any container like Tupperware in the refrigerator. In this way they will be available for use the whole week every time they would be needed to be added in a recipe. They can be utilized in all kinds of dishes ranging from casseroles, quiche to soups lasagna. Some of the recipes in which Dandelion greens particularly dominate are Pumpkin Dandelion Soup , Cream of Dandelion Soup , Dandelion Pasta Salad and Dandelion Egg Salad .

The buds of Dandelions can themselves act like small vegetables. They should be reaped when they appear to be compactly sealed and sort of round in shape. The moment they grow white wooly stuff in them or get elongated to become oblong in shape, they should not be harvested as then they are of no use. Although the most excellent buds can be found deep embedded within the rosettes of leaves which look like very sweet, tender and pale green in color.

The buds can be nicely cooked with garlic and butter or can also be sautéed into a creamy sauce and then can be spilled out over rice or pasta. They can also be added to soups as they give a delightful texture to soups. One can also steam them slightly and then chill them to marinate into tasty vinaigrette.

Buds are of immense importance as far as cooking is concerned and hence they should not be ignored as wild vegetables. They have a comparatively short growing season but they can be found in abundance in the months of April & May when the Dandelions are in their full bloom. In the other months of the year, they can be barely seen and hence it becomes difficult to reap them in large quantities. Some of the very appetizing soups that can be prepared with the help of dandelions are Cream of Dandelion Soup and Split Pea-Dandelion Soup .

Flowers:

Dandelion flowers make the most delicious desserts like the Dandelion Blossom cake, Dandelion back lava etc. The flowers should be harvested when they appear to be wide open on a beautiful sunlit day. This is due the reason as in stormy or cloudy days, they have a tendency to shut down to become very compact and tight and that’s why they are also known to be a weather forecaster.

It should be kept in mind that twice the amount of flowers should be harvested for the amount of dish that is actually required i.e. if a dish requires 2 mugs of petals of dandelions ,one should reap a minimum of 4 mugs of petals. After the flowers have been harvested, one should separate the petals (feathery yellow in color) from the sepals which are green in color. The petals, thus obtained, can be put into just any kind of mix or batter like pancakes, cakes, cornbread and muffins. Even if they are poured in high quantities, one can’t really point out their addition.

Few drops of Dandelion Blossom Syrup can also be used in these recipes where it acts as a sweetening agent. Though this blossom syrup is not made with only flowers, it contains white sugar also hence it is not exactly pure and is rightly known as a kind of a Dandelion junk food. Even though, it is not pure, it contains nutrients which make up for its adulteration. This syrup doesn’t go well with honey.

This healthful syrup can act as a substitute for honey in any kind of a dish like Dandelion Blossom pancakes Roasted Dandelion Root coffee (as a sweetening agent) or can be rushed over vanilla ice creams. It can also be used as a dressing for mustards and wild salads. Thus a number of different varieties of recipes can be made with the help of Dandelion flowers, like for instance, Dandelion Vinaigrette, Dandelion Mustards, Dandelion Cornbreads, Dandelion Blossom Pancake, Dandelion Blossom Cakes, Dandelion Blossom syrup and Dandelion Back lava.

One can reap large amounts of the Dandelion roots every time in early part of the month of May with the help of which one can make healthy Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee . This remarkable coffee acts as an amazing alternative to the sunrise java schedule. It tastes quite similar to coffee and is extraordinarily nutritious which helps in providing a lot of nourishing components to the body with no side effects at all.

The bitter taste of dandelion kindles the whole digestive system and the appetite thus starting the day with a healthy nourishing breakfast. Dandelions happen to be a rich source of micro-nutrients and minerals which assist in building up strong bones and teeth and also helps in keeping the body metabolism in equilibrium.

Dandelion roots are well-recognized as diuretics which are way better than any drug. Also they comprise of high quantities of potassium which help in problems concerned with potassium deficiency (normally the problem that arises due to high intake of diuretic drugs).

Dandelion roots also hold within them a high amount of substance which helps in stabilizing blood sugar.

One can really experiment with Dandelion to prepare variety of delightful nutritious recipes, like Chai recipes and other kind of beverage mixtures. Another delicious recipe that can be made from Dandelion roots is Roasted Dandelion Root Ice Cream.

The roots of Dandelion can also be sliced and then boiled just like any other vegetable, but in this method the bitterness generally dominates hence this process should be avoided. Even then this method can be employed to make healthy herbal vinegars every year. Hence dandelion is of immense importance, both as a food and as a medicine.

The importance of Dandelions has been explained in a number of books. One of them is ‘Just How Good Are Wild Foods’ which is written by Euell Gibbons. In this book, it has been said that human beings take a number of vitamin and mineral supplements and destroy dandelions when they ca get all the nutrition from these dandelions.

Dandelion wine is also very famous and is prepared in the month of May which is the main blossoming season of Dandelions. The wine is then allowed to age till the Winter Solstice and this moment of the year is celebrated with the prepared bottle of nice liquid sunshine.

Dandelion in the Ecosystem

Dandelions have been found to be useful for many purposes. Not only for food purposes, have they made a remarkable medicine too. The weeds that are found with the crops in plants are recognized as destroyers but actually they are not. On the contrary they act as a healer to the disturbed and ravaged grounds.

They function as nature’s rot tiller by simply rupturing, aerating and then forming drainage canals in the tightly held soil particles. They also draw attention of earthworms towards them which are an excellent rot tillers themselves. One can always see a lot of earthworms adhering to the surface of dandelions.

Another function of dandelions is to bring back the mineral and nutrient health to the depleted and damaged soils. It has been noticed that the main reason behind destruction of nature of soil is generally modern agricultural techniques employed by farmers .Dandelions also happen to be a great source of food for a minimum of 90 varied species, bees, wild birds with a number of animals both domestic and wild.

Not only animals but plants like orchid also get benefit from the existence of Dandelions. This is because; Dandelions give away a gas which helps in ripening of fruits for harvesting process.

Some farmers prefer to use unusual preparations made from Dandelions in the fields and also tend to invent various methods which can be added to the compost piles which, in turn, helps in their activation.

Violets (Viola Odorata and other supp.)

As the spring arrive the Dandelions blooms in the roadsides, fields and lawns but the Violets adds the grace to the woodlands by growing there. This plant tends to grow at the side of the tracks and ends of woods. This plant grows in bunch and groups and attracts the passers by to pluck them. Since these plants are found in bunches, they look like a basket of violets. The flowers of this plant are found in variant and different colors like yellow, white and purple. No matter what the color of the flowers is, they are all equally good and nutritious to eat.

Many people love these beautiful Violets so much that they have formed special societies which provide information through newsletters and websites and conduct meetings to discuss qualities and worth of Violets.

Violets are used widely not only as a vegetable but also as a medicine. The flowers of Violets are so beautiful that they add charisma and attraction to the salads. The leaves of violets are extremely enriched with many nutrients and especially with vitamin C. These can be added fresh and raw in the salads as well as in the soups to add the nutrition value of that dish. These leaves are somehow sticky and slimy after cooked so the recipes should be chosen with care and accordingly.

Violets leaves are mild in flavor and they are good enough to use as a substitute to the lettuce for salads. These leaves should be finely chopped as they as big in size for serving in the form of salad. The most attractive and known way to chop Violet leaves is to cut the handful of leaves into thin and slim ribbons. This way they look more attractive. These leaves could also be blended easily into spreads, dips and dressings for salads. Some very well known recipes for Violet Leaves are Spring Salad , Creamy Violet Dressing and Violet-Mint Salad . These recipes not look good but also taste good.

Some people crystallize the Violets and make recipes from those violets. These also taste and look good but need professional and experienced hand to make such wonderful recipes. These crystallized violets could make recipes wonderful and great by decorating themselves on the cupcakes, cakes and many more recipes alike. These recipes are irresistible for anyone to eat.

This plant of Violets has a wonderful quality which is hard to find in any other plant. This plant is not harmed by plucking the harvest as it hardy produces any seeds. So this plant is a little different from other wild plants with flowers. In fact there is one more quality which his beautiful plant bears. The more the flowers of this plant are plucked, the more it will grow and this makes this plant absolutely unique and different from other plants.

Jelly from the flowers of Violets can also be made. The flowers of this plant actually do not have much taste but gives a bright and attractive royal purple color and in form of jelly. Since these flowers are very small in size, the plucking could be boring and tiresome. It is always good to have a crew of people to help in plucking up these flowers of Violets. With a crew, this job could be fun and time saving.

Violet syrup made from the flowers of Violet plant is also available easily in the market and this could be made easily at home too. The mucilaginous assets of Violets are used to make cough syrup. The whole plant which includes roots, leaves and flowers are used to prepare this syrup. The mucilaginous properties of this plant are widely known for its coating and soothing qualities which is for internal organs and for skin. This syrup made from the Violet plant is very well known for soothing a sore throat, calming a cough and coating an acidic stomach.

Morels

Wisconsin celebrates May as Morel season. This beautiful plant blooms to the fullest in this season and gives an ideal and wonderful reason for visiting those fully Morel bloomed beautiful valleys. The temporary gardens which especially are set up for Morel plants and even the forests are open to visit these blossomed plants. Till the end of May, These plants are so lushly grown that it is hard to resist for anyone to watch them.

Collecting Morels is very much enjoyed by the local people there and everyone loves to do the harvesting. The local people watch the biological phenomenon and climate changes that may influence the plant. It is said that the first batch of Morels bloom when the wild plums bloom and the leaves of oak tree grew as large as squirrel ears. Morels bloom to their fullest with the lilacs. This plants seasons till May but by the end of May, only the underbrush are found and it becomes very difficult to find the proper and fresh Morel plants.

Morels are considered to be one among the four safe mushrooms which are impossible to keep unrecognized as they as well known for its taste and nutrition factor. Morels are well known and irresistible among the food lovers and this plant is available at a high price in the local markets. Morels are so famous that every year many Morel events are organized to celebrate the harvesting of Morels. Many Morel seekers earn a pretty decent seasonal income by little fungi. Since this plant is very famous among the locals, it is very difficult for them to control the temptation for Morels.

Morel hunting need some experience and only a trained person can harvest this plant. Untrained and unseasoned seekers are avoided. Only trained and experienced hunters can smell the Morels. These trained hunters develop those intense eyes to find out the right plants with that sharp and accurate timing and well sharpen hunting tools. All these things help these Morel hunters to find the right Morel plants from the fine southern point and lower lands and slopes of the North at the time when season for this plant ends.

Morel can grow at anyplace. They do not need any special beds ready for themselves. This plant can be found at anyplace, like in the forests and backyard. This plant can be mostly found around apple trees, no matter whether they are in the orchard or uncultivated. This plant can also be found near dead trees of elm which have their barks falling down from their trunks. By the end of season they could be found easily near narrow valleys and stream banks. At these above places this beautiful Plant of Morels can be easily found and could be harvested.

Morels should be discarded if they are soft, spongy or off-colored. The stems should be cut from the base and then should be washed properly as this plant cling a lot of dirt in their stems. The stems should be washed thoroughly as they might contain dirt and slug in their countless and numerous cracks. The finest way to wash this dirt off is by soaking the stems in slat water for sometime. This would help removing all the critters from those cracks.

There are many dishes which could be made from Morel. Making dishes from Morels is as enjoyable as hunting them. Morels can be used in each and every mushroom dish. Morels have empty center and so it can be stuffed to add the taste.

Morels can also be preserved for the winter season. Preservation can be one by drying them or canning them or by freezing them. Some people preserve them be cooking or frying them nicely and then by storing them up in the freezer containers. This is one of the best ways to preserve the Morels for a long time. There are many other methods available for preserving Morels. This is a wonderful dish and should be preserved so that it may be enjoyed in other weathers too.

An article “ A Word About Mushrooms ” is well known and should be studied for the precautions and advices to be followed while harvesting the wild mushrooms.

Wild Asparagus

This plant is not kept as a secret by the local people. No assessment can be done for the marketable and also for many garden range Wild Asparagus varieties. Wild Asparagus is a huge plant and could easily be found as tall as 2 feet and as thick as an inch and it is mostly tender and soft in its length. This plant is not only known for its nutritious contents but also for its impressive size. This plant is harvested in a wide range and varieties. Wild Asparagus is apt to grow beside the country wayside in the area surrounding to the farms and grassland. Wild Asparagus can also be found at the places like green riverbanks in the Washington State.

This plant blooms in the middle of May and tall huge plants with feathers with immense height can be easily seen over the herbs and grasses along the countryside ways and look beautiful and worth watching. They are likely to grow outside the fence and it is good for the harvesters as they don’t need to climb and cross those pointed wires of the fence for the harvesting of Wild Asparagus.

Wild Asparagus have feathery ferns which are known as asparagus spears are not eaten. These spears are quite mature and open out their reproductive parts and leaves. It is very difficult to locate these spears before everyone else does as it can not be seen because it does not grow in large patches. So a spot should be marked to see the Wild Asparagus spears. This plant does not spread in large fields.

A Wild asparagus plant with feathers should be pulled carefully inside 3 to 4 feet of the plant from the grasses and should be cut from the base. It is better to cut the Wild Asparagus spears a little before as plants which look pale or brown or having any other color than bright green could need roadside spray.

It is very difficult to locate a wayside Wild Asparagus plant patch which is not revived by chemicals. These roadside plants grow in pale and brown plants very soon and they need chemical spray n them so that they may be good enough to eat. It is very difficult to find organic Wild Asparagus and there is desperate need of chemicals to grow this plant.

Wild Asparagus should be used just like any other plant to eat. This plant should be lightly faded or blanched with steam. This would make it tender and soft and no other ingredient should be used. Just a small quantity of garlic butter could be added to add the taste to this recipe. There are many other types of Wild Asparagus which are very much different from each other and should be kept in mind while cooking any of those different varieties that they are cooked in a different manner.

Root of Wild Asparagus is also used as a herb. This herb is used to prepare medicines as diuretic and is very famous and used by Chinese people. This herb when used as a medicine, cleanse the body like any other spring herb. These spring herb washes out all the body impurities which were collected by the body all over the winters. All the spring plants are good for the body and should be eaten to stay healthy. This plant is not only nutritious but also attractive. Wild asparagus is not only known for its good and different taste but also for its herbal qualities.