The 2 Easiest Snacks For Foraging Beginners
Plucking random weeds out of the ground to take home and use in recipes may sound intimidating, but for 30-year-old foraging teacher Alexis Nikole Nelson, foraging doesn't need to be reserved for those with some sort of professional certification or degree. In fact, there are ingredients that are most likely growing around your home that you can incorporate into a delicious dish to serve later on today.
If you are interested in making use of the ingredients at your doorstep, look for dandelions and Japanese knotweed. The two are fairly easy to find, identify, and incorporate in at-home recipes.
Speaking to The Washington Post, Nelson encourages a more conservative, if not hesitant approach when setting out into the great outdoors for the first time looking for food. "My biggest tip for not dying while foraging is to never put something in your mouth unless you're 100% sure about what it is," she says, adding that using the internet to conduct additional research on plucked items is never a bad idea.
Making the most of available ingredients
Over on TikTok, Alexis Nikole Nelson turns collected Japanese knotweed into an icy sorbet that is described as having a tart, lemony taste. In another TikTok video, Nelson explains that dandelions can be delicious when battered and fried. After foraging for ingredients — especially if you're trying dandelions and knotweed for the first time — eat only a small portion to begin and try new items slowly in case any food allergies should unexpectedly present themselves.
@alexisnikole Sometimes a property-ruining weed is hiding under your house. Good thing it's edible! #foraging #wildfood #learnfromme
If you do find that dandelions suit your palate, you can further your experience with the foraged ingredients by making a simple dandelion greens recipe or by trying to mix raw dandelions with other greens to serve a summer salad for dinner. After you've acquainted yourself with the world of foraging, you can begin to gradually expand your culinary repertoire and look for other edible plants that you can take home, wash, and use in fresh recipes.