How To Eat 3 Common UK Weeds

Spring has officially sprung, meaning the list of gardening tasks grows steadily longer.

Pruning, sowing, and weeding are top of many gardeners’ minds – though the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) recommends against using harsh chemicals for the last task, as they can accidentally throw off the balance of your backyard wildlife.

“Many organisms labelled as pests are a natural part of the garden ecosystem and a food source for other wildlife; many so-called weeds are UK native wildflowers that boost the biodiversity of our gardens,” the RHS adds.

I’ll go further; a lot of “weeds” are actually delicious, too.

So, we thought we’d share some of the most “delicious and nutritious” backyard bounties out there – though as The Woodland Trust warns, never, ever eat something you’re not sure of, and make sure the area you’re foraging from hasn’t been sprayed.

1) Dandelions

Michigan State University says that young dandelion greens make a great addition to a salad (the older the leaves, the more bitter; sautée them to banish more of the harsh taste).

Placing washed yellow flower heads in ‘a flour, egg, and milk batter’, then cooking them in oil ’til golden brown like pancakes, leaves you with “dandelion fritters”.

This is an Appalachian classic; it’s best served with honey or apple sauce.

2) Nettles

“Similar in taste to spinach, nettles make a great addition to soups, pesto and pie fillings, and are also a tasty toast topping,” BBC Good Food writes.

Boiling, blanching, or drying the leaves should rid them of their dreaded sting. Do not eat them raw, and try to choose tender, younger tips.

Once cooked, you can use them wherever you can use spinach; spanakopita, soup, and pesto are all welcome options.

Additionally nettle tea, which involves steeping fresh leaves in boiling water for five minutes or so, has numerous potential health benefits.

3) Garlic mustard

A flowering Garlic Mustard plant, Alliaria petiolata, in springtime.

This plant, with its toothed, vaguely heart-shaped leaves and white flowers that crowd the edge of its branches in spring, offers both delicious leaves and roots, The Woodland Trust writes.

Younger, vibrant green leaves have a ‘mild, peppery garlic flavour,’ and are perfect for ‘soups, dressings, casseroles or sauces’ (and also reportedly lovely in a cheese sandwich).

Meanwhile the roots of older plants ‘can be chopped in place of horseradish.’

Who knew so much deliciousness was hiding in your back garden?

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