If you can't beat 'em, join 'em...

If you'd rather make love and not war against the weeds in your garden how about putting the fear of God into them and EAT them? I can see it now, weeds shaking in their boots as you approach with fork and knife. Ok, ok, you know where I stand on weeds but one must explore other possibilities so here's some food for thought (literally).

Some weeds can be eaten such as dandelions, chicory and chickweed. Make sure to use the young, tender leaves of any weeds that will be added to salads and other culinary creations. Older leaves tend to turn bitter, tough, and stringy.

Top Ten Edible Weeds

1. Burdock (Arctium lappa) - cultivated as a vegetable in Japan where it is known as gobo. The stalks are scraped and cooked like celery. The roots can be eaten raw in salads or added to stir fries.
2. Chickweed (Stellaria media) - chickweed can be added raw to salads or cooked as a vegetable.
3. Chicory (Cichorium intybus) - chicory was grown as a vegetable in Roman times. The sky blue flowers are also edible and make a terrific addition to salads.
4. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) - the flowers can be made into wine or jelly. The roots are sometimes used as a coffee substitute. The young leaves make a nice addition to salads.
5. Epazote (Chenopodium ambrosioides) - a tropical American weed commonly used in Mexican cooking to flavor corn, beans, mushrooms, seafood, fish, soups, and sauces.
6. Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) - AKA Japanese arrowroot. It is a prolific weed in south Florida. A starch can be made from its roots. This starch can be used to thicken sauces and gravies as you would use cornstarch. The leaves can be battered and fried.
7. Lamb’s quarter (Chenopodium album) - the young leaves can be added to salads.
8. Plantain (Plantago spp.) - the young leaves are edible if the fibrous midribs and veins are removed. The seeds are also edible.
9. Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) - tastes similar to spinach and the leaves and stems can be eaten raw in salads, cooked, or pickled in vinegar. Cooked purslane has a mucilaginous texture similar to okra.
10. Sheep’s sorrel (Rumex acetosella) - the young leaves can be added to salads, sauces, soups, and egg dishes.

Many thanks to Lynn Smythe for the tips! To read the entire article click here.