Are you looking for some greens to add to your smoothie or salad? If yes, look no further than the plants mentioned in this blog post. You might have mistaken them for weeds.
Weeds are not always harmful. Certain types of weeds are not only safe to eat but are also packed with antioxidants and micronutrients.
However, before picking a weed for consumption, consult a professional to avoid consuming something toxic by mistake. Here is a list of edible weeds you probably didn’t know existed in your garden or yard that can be more free food.
Dandelions
Yes, dandelions are edible and are an excellent source of potassium, magnesium, B vitamins, and zinc. Since they have long taproots, they store high calcium and iron content.
Dandelions are one of the first to flower in spring. You can use them in cooking or add them to your salads. We recommend picking them before they grow flowers to avoid the bitter flavor.
Cooking them also minimizes their bitterness. They are also an alternative to arugula; you can add them to your pizza.
Purslane
Purslane is another type of edible nutritional weed you can try. They are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals and are also an excellent plant-based source of omega-3s.
You can either stir-fry them or add them to smoothies. While searching for this weed in your garden or yard, keep an eye out for spurge. Spurge is a harmful weed you can easily mistake for purslane.
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Chickweed
Chickweed can withstand some cold. So, you can find it in your garden in the late fall when everything else has died off. You may also find it in early spring before you can plant seeds. You can use chickweed in cooked items and salad.
It is also rich in calcium, potassium, iron, vitamins A, D, and C, and other minerals. In addition, you can use chickweed to prepare a healthy pesto before your basil is ready.
Violets
Violet flowers and leaves offer beauty and flavor to salads. Moreover, they are also used in many dessert recipes. Violets look wonderful on top of desserts like ice cream or cakes.
You can also freeze violets in an ice bowl to make your food presentation more aesthetic and appealing. Violets are known to calm nerves and ease coughs when brewed into tea.
Nettles
Gardeners often rank nettles at the top of their lists of favorite weeds. Nettles make for a healthy and delicious early-season green. You can add them to your stews and soups for flavor and nutrition. You can also prepare tea from its leaves which offers a remedy for allergies and respiratory conditions.
Nettles have recently gained popularity as a culinary ingredient that you can add to frittatas, pestos, and other recipes where you would find spinach or other leafy greens. Since nettles are among the earliest weeds to emerge in the early spring, people value them as they are the first greens to appear after winter.
