Common Weeds That Are Delicious

People tend to complain that weeds are pests. They tear them out and poison them, trying to rid their yards of the very plants that could feed them in an emergency. Here are some common weeds which not only can provide the essential nutrients your body needs to live, but also can be quite tasty if properly prepared.

Dandelion

Dandelions pop up in early spring, coating lawns with a sunshine yellow before turning snowy white when they go to seed. They are my personal favorite weed, because of the memories associated with them. My mother taught me to wish on them and would herself pause to make wishes and blow the seeds. My children call them Wish Flowers. My father, a more practical sort of man, wouldn’t wish on them, but would eat them instead. Many summer days, while the rest of the family ate store-bought, iceberg lettuce, my father would decline. He’d head out into the yard to collect tender leaves of the dandelion plant and mix them with oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. He would enjoy fresh dandelion salads all summer long. One year my father even made dandelion wine, a most delicious, sweet and light wine. I’ve never tried, but I’ve read that the roots, when dried, are a perfect coffee or tea substitute that can rid the boy of toxins.

Queen Anne’s Lace

I was quite surprised to find out that Queen Anne’s Lace is known as wild carrot. Growing up, this weed proliferated throughout our woods near the blackberry bushes. I would collect the flowers, checking for the queen in the middle, and bring them to my mother for a centerpiece. This weed is member of the parsley family and its root looks and smells – and tastes – like carrot. But be warned, there are many species – such as water hemlocks, fool’s parsley, and poison hemlock – which mimic Queen Anne’s Lace in appearance, but are highly poisonous. True wild carrot has a flat-topped or umbrella-shaped head covered in tiny white flowers. At the center is a single deep purple flower, or the queen. The leaves are feathery and the stem is hairy. The plants grow in dry fields, and the root will smell like carrots. Harvest the roots, preferably of new plants, and eat in salads, grilled over the campfire, or even by themselves.

Lamb Quarters

I have seen lamb quarters growing in my yard, but had no idea that they were edible. These plants have scalloped leaves and are green with a white frosting on them. They grow in well-fertilized areas with rich soil. The leaves are quite similar to spinach, both in texture and taste, so adding them to salads or cooking in water is ideal. This weed is high in iron and potassium, like most dark green veggies. The tender leaves are preferred over the older, tougher ones.

Join Jason Hartman on his Private Investment Market Tour for a one-on-one weekend tour of local markets. You can speak with Jason himself to voice your concerns or learn more of his strategies. The two-night package includes hotel stay at a luxury hotel, transportation, and four meals, which will not include dandelion, Queen Anne’s Lace, or lamb quarters, unless that is what you prefer!