Natural world abounds in edibles
By Joanne Fox Journal staff writer | Posted: Sunday, June 01, 2008
Resource naturalist Chris Anderson pulls down a limb of a hackberry tree at the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. (Staff photo by Tim Hynds)
When it's time for a quick snack, where do you head?
If you're outside, you might see if nature provided you with something to eat.
The natural world abounds in wild edible plants, many of which might surprise you, said Chris Anderson, resource naturalist with the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center.
For example, common plantain -- a plant many would consider a weed in their lawns -- is similar to spinach and even carries more iron than Popeye's favorite entree.
"It tastes somewhat like spinach if you choose the smaller leaves and use them in a salad," Anderson said. "The larger the leaves, the more bitter the taste."
The bane of most people's lawns, dandelions, are not just good ingredients for dandelion wine, Anderson said.
"The leaves are edible like the common plantain, but the roots are as well," he said. "Many dandelions have a substantial root that can be eaten like a tuber."
If you're still looking for a libation from the dandelion, dried, roasted and ground up, it can be used as a coffee substitute, Anderson said.
"During the Civil War when the South suffered for staples during the blockade, lots of people used dandelions for a coffee substitute."
If you're shaking your head at this revelation, Anderson insisted he had tried it.
"I actually took the flower parts, dried them in our oven and discovered what was left was really easy to crumble and use," he said.
For those who have a bit more time, Anderson said another dandelion use is to take the yellow flower, pop it off and deep fat fry it for a tasty treat.
An outdoor edible that will consume a lot of time to make it palatable is an acorn, found on most oak trees, Anderson said.
"Acorns have to go through a leaching," he said of the process that involves boiling the nut repeatedly in water. "That's because they are full of tannic acid that has to be eliminated because it can make you sick."
Because an acorn is a nut, it is loaded with fat, which is important for our bodies, Anderson said.
"One-quarter cup of acorns has as much fat as a double cheeseburger," he said.
Perhaps easier to acquire are walnuts, which are even higher in fat content, Anderson said. One-quarter cup has as much fat as a double, quarter-pound cheeseburger.
A third tree, the basswood, has giant, heart-shaped leaves that identify it. The smaller leaves are edible for salad, Anderson said. The inner bark of the tree, when extracted, can be dried, ground and used for flour.
For those in search of a condiment, a hackberry tree will produce small green berries, Anderson said.
"It has a marginally sweet flavor, but when the berry is ripe, it's a lot like a peppercorn and can be used like that when ground up," he said.
If you'd like salt with that peppercorn, Anderson said you can burn almost any wood and the white ash (not the dark) of any tree is high in sodium and can be used as a seasoning.
If you're thirsty, nettles -- most commonly known for their prickly leaves -- are high in Vitamin C and can be dried and used in tea. Gooseberry bushes produce a berry that, when ripe, works well in wine, Anderson said.
"You can eat the berry as is, as well," he added. "You can also boil it in water and use it in a stew, but most of the time, our 21st century palates don't appreciate the taste."
However, if time is of the essence, fully ripened mulberries are a tasty treat, Anderson said. He cautioned about eating too many of the less ripe, pink berries because they could make people ill.
When in doubt, Anderson said the easiest thing to remember is that greenery that has leaves that lay flat are safe. The worst thing one could do if faced with an unbelievable hunger is to grab a handful of grass and eat it.
"Our stomachs can't digest grass, because it's loaded with silica, which makes grass stand up," Anderson said. "Eating grass will also wear one's teeth because it's like eating sandpaper."
Anderson said the important aspect of passing on his knowledge about the natural edibles was that the more people knew about their resources, the better care they will take of those resources and the less likely they will be to abuse them.
"I just don't want to inform people about the natural edibles," he said. "I want them to learn how to learn more."
Learning opportunity
A "Wild Edibles Hike" will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday at the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center, 4500 Sioux River Road as part of Western Iowa Tech Community College's spring/summer term's Lifelong Learning.
During the class, participants will learn about finding and harvesting wild edible plants, as well as receive some tasty recipes. Resource Naturalist Chris Anderson will teach the class.
Participants should wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather. The class is held outdoors.
There is no charge to attend, but individuals must be enrolled in Lifelong Learning. That fee is $5 for a year. Call WIT registration, 274-6404 and ask to enroll in "Wild Edibles Hike," Course No. 08/FY-CPDV-2460-05..
If you're outside, you might see if nature provided you with something to eat.
The natural world abounds in wild edible plants, many of which might surprise you, said Chris Anderson, resource naturalist with the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center.
For example, common plantain -- a plant many would consider a weed in their lawns -- is similar to spinach and even carries more iron than Popeye's favorite entree.
"It tastes somewhat like spinach if you choose the smaller leaves and use them in a salad," Anderson said. "The larger the leaves, the more bitter the taste."
The bane of most people's lawns, dandelions, are not just good ingredients for dandelion wine, Anderson said.
"The leaves are edible like the common plantain, but the roots are as well," he said. "Many dandelions have a substantial root that can be eaten like a tuber."
If you're still looking for a libation from the dandelion, dried, roasted and ground up, it can be used as a coffee substitute, Anderson said.
"During the Civil War when the South suffered for staples during the blockade, lots of people used dandelions for a coffee substitute."
If you're shaking your head at this revelation, Anderson insisted he had tried it.
"I actually took the flower parts, dried them in our oven and discovered what was left was really easy to crumble and use," he said.
For those who have a bit more time, Anderson said another dandelion use is to take the yellow flower, pop it off and deep fat fry it for a tasty treat.
An outdoor edible that will consume a lot of time to make it palatable is an acorn, found on most oak trees, Anderson said.
"Acorns have to go through a leaching," he said of the process that involves boiling the nut repeatedly in water. "That's because they are full of tannic acid that has to be eliminated because it can make you sick."
Because an acorn is a nut, it is loaded with fat, which is important for our bodies, Anderson said.
"One-quarter cup of acorns has as much fat as a double cheeseburger," he said.
Perhaps easier to acquire are walnuts, which are even higher in fat content, Anderson said. One-quarter cup has as much fat as a double, quarter-pound cheeseburger.
A third tree, the basswood, has giant, heart-shaped leaves that identify it. The smaller leaves are edible for salad, Anderson said. The inner bark of the tree, when extracted, can be dried, ground and used for flour.
For those in search of a condiment, a hackberry tree will produce small green berries, Anderson said.
"It has a marginally sweet flavor, but when the berry is ripe, it's a lot like a peppercorn and can be used like that when ground up," he said.
If you'd like salt with that peppercorn, Anderson said you can burn almost any wood and the white ash (not the dark) of any tree is high in sodium and can be used as a seasoning.
If you're thirsty, nettles -- most commonly known for their prickly leaves -- are high in Vitamin C and can be dried and used in tea. Gooseberry bushes produce a berry that, when ripe, works well in wine, Anderson said.
"You can eat the berry as is, as well," he added. "You can also boil it in water and use it in a stew, but most of the time, our 21st century palates don't appreciate the taste."
However, if time is of the essence, fully ripened mulberries are a tasty treat, Anderson said. He cautioned about eating too many of the less ripe, pink berries because they could make people ill.
When in doubt, Anderson said the easiest thing to remember is that greenery that has leaves that lay flat are safe. The worst thing one could do if faced with an unbelievable hunger is to grab a handful of grass and eat it.
"Our stomachs can't digest grass, because it's loaded with silica, which makes grass stand up," Anderson said. "Eating grass will also wear one's teeth because it's like eating sandpaper."
Anderson said the important aspect of passing on his knowledge about the natural edibles was that the more people knew about their resources, the better care they will take of those resources and the less likely they will be to abuse them.
"I just don't want to inform people about the natural edibles," he said. "I want them to learn how to learn more."
Learning opportunity
A "Wild Edibles Hike" will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday at the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center, 4500 Sioux River Road as part of Western Iowa Tech Community College's spring/summer term's Lifelong Learning.
During the class, participants will learn about finding and harvesting wild edible plants, as well as receive some tasty recipes. Resource Naturalist Chris Anderson will teach the class.
Participants should wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather. The class is held outdoors.
There is no charge to attend, but individuals must be enrolled in Lifelong Learning. That fee is $5 for a year. Call WIT registration, 274-6404 and ask to enroll in "Wild Edibles Hike," Course No. 08/FY-CPDV-2460-05..
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