One of the best things about knowing your wild edibles is that you can tend your gardens and prepare your meals at the same time.
Last year, I let a lot of mustard go to seed near the house. As a reward, I've been blessed with these spicy salad greens popping up all over the yard. It was time to weed these ones out of one of the flower beds, and since it was nearing dinner time, these went in my belly instead of the compost.
The red-stemmed seedlings here are Kiss-Me-Over-The-Garden-Gate, a very showy flower that obviously plants itself each year. I know that the birds enjoy the seeds, but I'm not sure if these sprouts are edible, so I'll have to take a little time separating them from the mustard.
I mentioned the violets in an earlier post. We get these 'reverse' ones in a few spots in the yard, and they add a nice touch of extra color to the salads. If you've never eaten one of these violet flowers, I highly recommend them.
I also threw some of our Frankenmint in here, but just a few leaves, that stuff is powerful when it's fresh! Putting dressing on a salad this tasty would ruin it, IMHO. All by itself, it is quite spicy and fairly complex. The mustard and mint will light up your tastebuds, then the violets with their celery-like crispiness and mildly sweet flavor will cool it all down with a perfect finish. You'll be left with a full belly, and fresh breath!
Thanks again for looking! For more great information on wild edibles I highly recommend checking out Eat The Weeds. It is a fantastic resource on wild edibles from all around the globe.
Hope to see you all back for the next post!