Lamb's quarters/Goose foot

Lamb's quarters/Goose foot

Chenopodium album

   Lambs quarters are an annual plant that can grow up to 7 feet tall (though usually between 4 and 6 feet), it’s a member of the amaranthus family and a close cousin to spinach and chard. It’s high in vitamins A, C, B1, B2 and has a decent amount of iron and protein. The plant can be found world wide even occasionally growing in Antarctica and thrives in fields, clearings and disturbed ground

   Lambs quarters are fairly easy to identify; it’s an upright plant with alternating triangleish shaped leaves roughly shaped like a goose’s foot (hence one of it’s nicknames). The leaves alternate up the stalk. The leaves are a dull green and as with many members of the amaranthus family it has a white to silver coating on the underside of the leaves. Frequently the plant will look almost dusty from a distance due to the light gray coating on the leaves that make the plant essentially waterproof. If you pour water on the plant, the water will bead up and roll off. It should be noted that late in the year the stems can take a reddish hue, especially in drier areas.

   The leaves and seeds of the plant are edible; The young leaves at the top of the plant can be eaten raw and have a flavor similar to it’s cousin spinach. Though it does contain oxalic acid, so it shouldn’t be the base of a meal. Cooking it will destroy the oxalic acid, so if you’re using it as a staple food, you will want to cook it in some manner (boiling, steaming and sauteing are usually the preferred methods).

   Older leaves are still edible, but they are usually fibrous, bitter and contain higher amounts of oxalic acid. Boiling the older leaves for about a half hour and possibly change the water if they are particularly bitter will break down the fibers and destroy the oxalic acid.

   In fall lambs quarter produce a large amount of tiny black seeds. The seeds are high in protein, but also contain saponins. You will want to soak the seeds overnight to leach out the saponins and then rinse them off once more to get rid of any residue. The seeds can then be completely dried and used as a flour. The flour is high in protein and not bad tasting.

   Saponins are a natural soap, so the water that the seeds soaked in can be saved and used as an eco-friendly soap that won’t cause algae blooms in nearby water supplies that can kill your water based food sources.

   While as far as I know there are no poisonous look alikes, there are various versions of the plant. Lambs quarters with a strong smell are usually used as a spice, though still edible they are not nearly as pleasant tasting.

Foraging For Wild Edibles; Miner's Lettuce / Claytonia Perfoliata

Miner's Lettuce / Indian Lettuce / Winter Purslane

Claytonia Perfoliata

    Miner's lettuce is a fast growing annual that gets it's name from the gold miners who came to California during the gold rush. The plant was frequently found in large patches is the same areas that were used for mining. It quickly became a staple food for them that provided vitamin C during some of the colder parts of the year in areas where finding other sources could be a challenge.

    Miner's lettuce can be found in large patches from mid winter (in warmer climates) to late spring in shaded areas with plenty of water. Though native to the western parts of  Canada, The U.S. and Mexico, it's found it's way into gardens and health food stores world wide and can frequently be found growing wild in many areas of the world now.

   The round leaf and small 5 petaled flower or flower bud that grows in the very center of it make it a plant that is fairly easy to identify. Younger leaves a usually spade shaped and for much of the plants life it will have 2 distinct points on the leaf and it should be noted that during the drier times the stalk can take a reddish color. The size of the leaf will also vary greatly depending how much water the plant is getting, some will be the size of a quarter while others can get as big as your palm.

Note the different shapes of the younger leaves.

    Miner's lettuce contains vitamin C, A, iron and even some essential fatty acids. The leaves are usually the part harvested, though the entire plant (leaf, stalk & root) can be eaten. It's best during the younger years of the plants life before it starts to seed, after that point it will become bitter (though still edible). It can be eaten by itself raw or used as a replacement for lettuce in just about anything. 2 salads with a base of miner's lettuce will give 100% of your vitamin C for the day.

Flour From Common Grass Seeds

Making Flour From Common Grass Seeds

Some of you may know, that all grass seed is edible. Some may be bitter and require leaching in water over night and there are many that barely have the calories to justify the caloric expenditure of processing. Still it's a handy fact to know. In this article I'm going to go over some of the more common grasses that you'll find in North America that have a decent nutritional value.

Crowfoot Grass

   Crowfoot grass is a common food in some parts of the world, it can be eaten raw, cooked, roasted or milled into flour. Harvest when the seeds come off with a simple tug, if they come off easily they’re ready to eat.

   Do not eat the grass itself as it can be mildly toxic. The roots are semi sweet and can be chewed to get the starches and sugars out and the remaining fibers spat out (much like sugarcane or cattail root). There are no look alikes to crowfoot grass.

Foxtail Grass

   Foxtail grass is one of the first grains harvested by humans and while now in western society it is considered a weed it is still cultivated in many eastern countries for it’s wheat like grain.  The seeds can be eaten at any stage of their development, though are best once fully developed and dried on the stem (when it changes color).

   It’s important to remove the seeds from the head carefully as to not leave any spike, though they aren’t toxic the will catch in your mouth and throat and can cause cuts or lesions.

   To harvest cut the seed heads from the grass stalk and put them in a paper bag or other container and then wait until the seeds begin to fall off normally, rub the remaining seeds off the head being careful not to get any spikes/chafe in with your seeds. If you are in a rush you can lightly fire them to remove the spikes/chafe and then carefully rub the seeds from the flower head.

   Once you have your seeds rinse and dry them and then give one a taste test, if it’s particularly bitter you can soak the seeds overnight to help with the flavor, but some varieties will always be bitter.

   The seeds can be milled into flour or boiled into a porridge.

Barley

Barley is cultivated around the world in the western world it’s most commonly used as a base for malt beverages, but this cereal can be used to make flour, breads, a thickening agent in soups and stews and even roasted to make and extender for coffee.

   It can be eaten at any stage, though is best when fully developed and about to drop the seeds naturally.  

Wheat

   Wheat is a staple world wide for flours and breads. It can be found growing in all 50 states and can be easily identified by it’s height (up to 5 feet tall). This grass I assume most of you are already familiar with and know it's uses. I'll get into processing at the end of the article.

Oats

   Oats are another staple food crop worldwide. They can be crushed or rolled into oatmeal or milled into flour.

   Oats should be harvested when the first kernels turn a cream color for maximum quantity. If you wait until the stalks are completely ripe you will have lost a majority of your kernels.

Processing Seeds/Grains Into Flour

   Cereals and grains are best harvested when the majority of the crop turns a golden brown color, but still has a few areas of green. Grab handfuls of the stalks and cut them with a sharp blade, make sure you leave enough stalk to work with later. The stalks can be tied into bundles or spread out on a designated surface and allowed to fully ripen and dry. Make sure they have plenty of sun and are in a well ventilated area to avoid mildew, this is especially important with the heads. Once they have taken a golden color they are ready to be threshed.

   Threshing is the process of removing the seeds from the stalks. The simplest method of threshing is to take a handful by the stalks and beat the heads inside a container to knock the seeds free. The remaining stalks are called straw and can be used as such. The seeds/grains are now ready to be winnowed.

   Winnowing is just removing the bits of straw and seed heads (called chaff) that are left with the seeds after the winnowing process. The most common way of winnowing is to slowly pour seeds from on container to another during a stiff breeze. The breeze will blow the chaff away while the heavier seeds pour into the other container. You’ll want to repeat this step a couple times to make sure that all the chaff is removed.

   At this point the seeds can be stored for later use. The seeds store better than flour, so don’t mill/grind it into flour all at once. The seeds should be stored in a airtight container that animals can’t get into and kept in a cool dry area. The seeds can be used for planting next years crop or ground/milled into flour with a mortar and pestle.

Foraging wild edibles; Cattail / Typha

Cattail

Typha

   Cattails are easily recognized by there brown cigar like shapes on the flower spike. They are one of the most useful plants out there as they can be used for food, building materials, insulation and tinder. Every part of the cattail has a use during different times of the year and because of its abundance doesn’t need to be cultivated. Cattails grow in just about any sort of wetlands, finding cattails is a sure sign of water.
   The younger plants can be mistaken for several lookalikes and at least one of them is toxic, so make sure you can properly identify it. An easy way is if you can find the dead growth from the previous year. Also cattails have an oval base whereas others are flattish and cattails don’t have a strong smell and are fairly plain tasting, so if the plant you find is strong tasting or aromatic, you have the wrong plant.

   While young, the green cob like flower head can be steamed or simmered for 10 to 15 minutes. It tastes somewhat like corn and even has a cob. It’s best with something on it like butter and salt.

    The white inner portion at the base of the stalk is edible and tastes kind of like cucumber with a texture of carrot. Separate the leaves at the base of the plant, then grab the inner stalk and pull it out, remove the outer green portion and the white inner core is edible. You can break that portion off and it will naturally break off where it stops being edible and starts becoming too woody. The shoots contain beta carotene, riboflavin, niacin, potassium, phosphorus, thiamine and vitamins A, B, and C.
   The fluffy flower head can be bent over into a bag or container and shaken to collect the pollen. Sift out any other debris and the pollen can be used for a flour, though it won’t rise, so you may just want to add it to existing flours. You can also eat the pollen raw or added into hot cereals or soups.
   The new shoots off the main roots are also edible, they look like a bears tooth or pointed hook 2-4 inches long.

   Cattails are also one of the best sources for starch. In fact no other green plant produces more per acre. You can even harvest the starch during winter while the main plant is dead, though it would require you being in the water during the coldest time of the year.
   To collect the starch pull up the root system of the cattail, it will come up in giant section. Once you gathered your roots give them a quick wash in the water and then peel them. You’ll want to peel them while they are wet because it’s much harder after they dry and then dry them for 3 to 5 days. Once the roots have dried chop them into small 2 to 3 inch pieces. Add your pieces to a contain of clean water and smash them up, then let sit for a few minutes before gathering the fibers out. The water can then be carefully pour off and the remaining powder once dried is your cattail starch and can be used as a flour or added to other flours that lack starch.

   The roots can be boiled for 20 minutes and then you can chew the starch out of them (don’t eat the fibers it’ll give you a stomach ache or you can just throw the root onto the fire until the outside is black then peel it open and eat the starch off the fibrous strands. This method is particularly handy when traveling with minimal gear and nothing to cook with.
   At the end of the season the dried cattails can be used as a slow burning torch the repels insects or the fluff can be can be taken from the from the flower heads. They make great insulation and tinder. It can even be charred in your charbox for a charred material. If you use the fluff for insulation don’t use it directly against skin as some people skin is irritated by it.

   If you find a cattail stalk with a dead leaf, check the base for a grub that is edible or makes a great bait for fishing.
   The leaves of cattails are great for building, the are strong when woven and make excellent  baskets, seating and backing for furniture or used as thatching for shelter.

Acorns Part Two; Cooking with acorns

Acorns Part 2;

Cooking with acorns

    Acorns are a versatile food source with lots of applications. Once acorns are processed (If you haven't read the first post or processing acorns check here), they can be used with many recipes or as the main course. Acorns are high in protein, carbohydrates, magnesium, vitamin B-6 and saturated fats. Making it an ideal food source for giving you energy through the winter. Processed acorns have a sweet, nutty taste that will lend itself to many different foods. They are frequently used to extend squash and potatoes in recipes or replace them entirely when those foods can't be found.

Acorn Flour;
    The most common use for acorns as a food source is simple acorn flour. This is made by grinding or milling the leached and dried acorn meat. This flour is usually used as a 50/50 mix with other flours or meals, but can be used by itself, especially if they were cold leached. If you are using hot leached acorn flour the lack of starches will mean it won't hold together well by itself. Adding starch from another source is recommended, but if the situation doesn't allow for that, then it can be used by itself, just expect a crumbly bread.
    Acorn flour can also be sifted, the collected fine flour is usually actually the starches that can be used as a starch for cooking or a thickener for soups, stews and the like.

This flour can be used like any other to make breads, bannock, dumplings or a thickener.

Acorn Coffee;
    The leached acorns can be diced and roasted over low heat. Once they are roasted, Grind them into a fine powder. This powder can be mixed with other coffees giving them a nutty taste and a vitamin B boost or used by itself as a acorn coffee. Though there is no caffeine, the vitamin B is a good energy boost in the morning.

Roasted Acorns;
    Acorns can be roasted much like other nuts. The sweet taste lends itself well to candies and in some places you can actually find acorn brittle.
    Roasted acorns can also be used to make acorn butter (like peanut butter) by mixing a cup of roasted acorns, 1 teaspoon of oil (preferably acorn oil, but any will work), 1 teaspoon of honey or molasses and a pinch of salt and sugar.

Pickled Acorns;
    Acorns can be used as a replacement to many pickling recipes that use brine. They may work with pickle recipes that use vinegar, but I have never met anyone who's tried it and it seems like it would be a bad mix. I've found the best recipes are actually for pickling olives. Just replace the olives with acorns and experiment with the recipes and ratios tell you find the perfect mix. This will also preserve the acorns giving several more months to enjoy them.

Acorn soup;
    Acorns are used to make acorn soup that can be found in fancy restaurants. There are many recipes out there that use sauteed acorns that are then pureed and used as a base. You can also use acorns in just about any soup or stew recipe as a replacement for legumes or potatoes.

Tannic acid;
    When leaching your acorns, the dark water that you are constantly changing is actually full of tannic acid. You'll get larger concentrations of tannic acid with the hot leaching method, but these can be used to make leather, a process called tanning, but the tannic acid itself has many medicinal uses as well.
If you're interested in the medicinal uses of tannic acid check out webMD's site here.

Acorns Part One; Processing

Acorns Part One;

Processing

    Acorns are the seeds of the oak tree and they can be found all around the world. During most of fall the ground will be littered with ripe acorns (don't eat the immature green ones) anywhere oaks are found. This makes them and abundant food source that with minimal work can be processed and stored to last you through the winter.

Black Oak Leaf

Red Oak Leaf

White Oak Leaf

Oak Tree

    Acorns contain tannic acid that must be removed before consumption. There are various species of oak each with different amounts of tannic acid. Your white oaks have the least amount of tannic acid, while your red and black oaks have the most. A good general rule to estimate the amount of tannins is by looking at how large the cap is in proportion to the rest of the acorn. The larger the cap, the more tannic acid the acorn will generally have. The most common way to removing the tannins is a process called leaching.
    Once you've collected your acorns, you'll need to remove any of the bad or infested acorns. The easiest way to do this is to remove the caps and put them in a container of water and remove any that float. You'll want to stir them around to make sure the healthy acorns aren't stacked on top of a few of the bad ones and let them float to the surface. The good acorns will stay at the bottom of the container. Once you have sorted out the bad acorns, agitate the acorns in a couple changes of water to remove any dirt or bugs that might be on the acorns. Once the acorns are clean you may want to save some of the whole acorns for later. Once dried and properly stored they can last for months in this form. The ones that you want to use at the time should be shelled and the acorn meat collected. They are now ready for the process of leaching out the tannins.

    Leaching can be done in one of two ways with acorns; cold leaching and hot leaching. Cold leaching is usually the preferred method because you won't cook the starches, so your acorn flour will not fall apart as easily and the cooked starches won't bind with the tannic acid that will leave a bitter taste or in severe cases will leave them unusable. Cold leaching however takes far longer. Alternatively hot leaching takes far less time though you will cook your starches, so it won't hold it's form well by itself and you won't be able to use the acorn starch as a binder or thickener.
    For cold leaching, put your shelled acorns in a container of water. Lightly shake the container several times a day and change the water everyday until the water comes out clear. This process can take several days and with red or black oak possibly several weeks. Once the water comes out clear the acorn meat is dried and is ready for use.
    For hot leaching you'll need to prepare 2 pots of boiling water. Once both pots are boiling add your acorn meat to one of them and wait for the water to a dark tea looking color. Once that happens drain the water out (this tannic acid tea can be used to 'tan' leather). Add the acorn meat to the 2nd pot of boiling water then fill the first pot with fresh water and set it to boil again. Repeat this process until the water stays clear. Always make sure the water is boiling and don't let the acorn meat cool down the entire process. Once the water stays clear the acorn meat is dried and is ready to use.
    Native Americans would put the acorn meat in a knit sack or basket and set it in stream with clean moving water until the water stays clear when inspected.

    Now that you have leached acorn meat there is a lot you can do with it. Enough to where I'll dedicate an entire article to the subject next time.

Purple Dead Nettle / Lamium Purpureum

Purple Dead Nettle

Lamium Purpureum

    Purple dead nettle is not actually a nettle, but rather a member of the mint family. The plant contains vitamin C, iron, fiber and other minerals and can be found growing in large colonies through much of the U.S. and Europe. It's considered and invasive weed in the U.S., so do your civic duty and eat up.

    Purple dead nettle is fairly easy to identify because of it's square stem (common among members of the mint family) and small purple to pink flowers that show up in early spring. The plant has opposing pairs of leaves alternating down the stem, usually stopping about half way down.
    By making sure there is a square stem and this leaf structure, it's almost impossible to misidentify making it a fairly safe plant for foraging. Though it is occasionally confused with Henbit for  some reason, that is actually it's cousin and is edible in the same manner.

    The leaves of the purple dead nettle are edible raw or cooked and has a taste along the lines of parley. I have seen people eat the stem and flowers as well with no repercussions, but as the rest has never been said to be edible, I have shied away from them. Something to keep in mind if things get really desperate I suppose, but just in case stick to the leaves.
    The plant was also used for some medical purposes. A poultice can be made from the leaves to staunch bleeding and the plant also works as a natural anti-histamine, so it's good for allergies and inflammation.