Picky eaters

I remember working with juvenile delinquents when I was younger.  There were a few dare devil kids who I loved to take into the woods around the home where I worked as a resident counselor.  They were always game to experiment with wild foods that we could gather together.  I think that is a powerful tool when trying to get kids to eat healthy.  If they learn about it, gather it, and learn to cook it in a flavorful way, it is something they are more likely to taste and eat and hopefully, carry with them into the future.  I have talked to parents who without prompting, told me that after reading the book with their child, the child asked to do research on wild things they could eat from their back yard.  They told me that they found that redbud blossoms ( and seed pods ) were both edible and they had already gathered and eaten some.  Kids are curious by nature.  Cash in on that curiosity and join them in the wilds of your own back yard!

Foraging.... well kind of... Water melon rind pickles

Well if foraging is finding and using the often over looked.... maybe this will qualify.  I remember these from my childhood.  Mom was never one to let something go to waste... a hold over from the depression era... and watermelon rind was one of those useful things the people often threw out after eating the melon.  All I had to do was google a couple recipes and I was on my way.  I took out some of the sugar, added a little stevia and some heat ( red pepper ), and a bit more turmeric than called for, and I had a pickle that I loved.  Very pretty too.

Keep Picking the Poke!

I just keep snipping off the new shoots from my poke plants and bringing them in.  That way they produce well into the summer and I do love poke greens  Please remember to boil 2x and pour off the water each time.  or you may be sorry ... pictured here too are my purslane plants that look as big as cultured purslane.  I kept seeds back last year and threw them into a planter and garden  and have beautiful plants this year.  They are super high in nutrients.  Add to salads, soups, greens.

Elderberry Flower Fritters

I went outside this morning and was greeted by a sweet smell that I traced to the pretty elderberry flowers in the corner of my yard.  I know the birds are going to get most of the elderberries ( they usually do) but I remembered that you can make delish fritters ( pancakes ) using the flowers.  So I picked some that were fully blossoming and then my husband was late coming home so they kind of lost their flat selves but I decided to make us a desert w them anyways and they were very good!  Basically I just threw together some pancakes using some coconut flour and wheat flour... basically pancake batter, dipped the blossom ends in and there you have it.  If I were doing it again I think I would strip off the flowers and throw them in the mix as we didn't eat the stems.  Oh, sprinkle w confectioners sugar when hot.