Edible Wild Plants for Beginners: The Essential Edible Plants and Recipes to Get Started

I live in Southern California where there is an abundance of hiking trails and campgrounds and I’ve always known that many of the indigenous plants I see here are edible. I discovered from this book that around 500 Native American Indian tribes foraged for food from thousands of wild plants, but I’ve always been afraid to try the berries and nuts and even leaves, flowers and bark that look like food to me, thinking they could be toxic. So my favorite section of the book is chapter four, which actually tells us how to test the roots, stems, leaves, berries and other plant parts by using the “Universal Edibility Test,” which offers simple techniques like rubbing the juice on your inner wrist and holding plant parts to your lips for a few minutes to see if you get a reaction before trying the taste test. The process takes quite awhile, but will keep us wild plant want-to-eaters safe. This book also teaches how identify (and avoid) the distinctive warning features of poisonous plants that make them easy to recognize. There is a great deal of useful information in the book, such as knowing when to forage for and harvest wild plants, what part of day to gather leaves, understanding the changing chemical composition of plants, what tools to use and how to cut the plants, how to carry them, clean them and store them, how to be ethical while foraging, how to protect yourself from predators or bears, how to plant a garden of wild edibles and even how to cook the different parts of your wild plants. To top it off, the book also offers some great sounding recipes, like Garlic Mustard, Prickly Pear Pink Lemonade and Elderberry Dumplings. The photos of numerous edible wild plants are perfect and I love the appendix of Ten Steps to Making Tinctures. Some very good online and print resources are also included. I can’t say enough about this terrific book that is a must-have for anyone interested in foraging for wild edibles or who already forages.

This book is full of useful and fascinating information about wild edible plants, meaning localized plants not commercially grown. They are usually discovered and re-planted in their own indigenous regions where the locals, often the only people who know their value and edibility, cultivate their own supplies. These nutritious and unaltered plants, once carefully harvested, can be used in everything from entrees to cocktails. This easy and enjoyable read explains, succinctly but with important details, what to know before you go, what tools are essential, how to test edibility, and when and how to harvest. Book 2 is an invaluable guide filled with recipes, instructions and illustrations for putting edible plants to their best use, whether it’s eating, drinking, or as natural remedies.

Edible Wild Plants for Beginners is a valuable resource for anyone wishing to incorporate wild plants into their diet. Edible wild plants offer many benefits such as affordable nutrition, variety in cooking, and a fun new hobby. This book will teach the reader where and how to forage for edible plants. It teaches to reader what plants, flowers and weeds are common in their geographic location and what parts of these plants are edible. It provides information on what tools can be used to forage edible plants and common tips for successfully foraging for edible plants. The reader will learn how to prepare and cook with wild plants. Finally, the book advises reader on how to identify potentially danger non-edible wild plants. It is an excellent resource for anyone wanting to learn how to incorporate these delicious and nutrition food options into their diet.

Great product. Nice cover and love the pictures.

Edible Wild Plants for Beginners is positively inspirational. It delivers exactly what the title indicates, offering a solid overview of wild plants, the basics of foraging for wild food, a great beginners guide to some common edible plants, and a fantastic collection of recipes. I’ve always been a little nervous about collecting and eating plants from the wild, but this book has been a great place to start learning what to look out for and how to test for adverse reactions. I also love the plant profiles that explain (with pictures) what specific plants look like and when/where to harvest them. In addition, the profiles include cautionary advice that ranges from how certain plants will take over gardens to what dangerous species look similar to certain edible species. I’m very excited about the recipe section of the book as well. It covers some amazing ideas for meals using wild plants, as well as teas and remedies I can’t wait to try. Though the writing is far from poetic, this book has been a wonderful starting point. As I delve further into foraging, cooking, and maybe even gardening with wild plants, I will certainly purchase more specific, in-depth guides, but I’m glad I began here.

Edible Wild Plants by Althea Press Our ancestors found dozens of edible wild plants to add to meat and fish. "Edible Wild Plants" makes it easy for modern-day man to safely forage for foods in the wild. This informative, engaging book is a must-have for anyone that enjoys vegetables and fruits and is looking for more variety than the limited selection in the market. Covering dozens of plants, it describes the edible parts of each plant including photos to aid in identification. It also offers information on creating your own "wild edible plant" garden, mouth-watering recipes for each plant, and about the medicinal properties found in parts of some edible, wild plants. This valuable book should be taken along anytime you are hiking or camping.

Very comprehensive information regarding wild plants that are edible. Very easy to read and understand. Book gave a complete history of how long humans have been eating wild edible plants. I found it very useful for distinguishing between good edible plants and the ones that could make you very sick or worse. These wild edible plants have not been changed and are very natural. The naturally found nutrients are not altered by chemicals or cultivation in any way. Great information on where to look for, types and identifying characteristics of edible wild plants, in plain language. I didnt feel like I had to have any prior knowledge or experience regarding edible wild plants. The book also broke down the exact parts of edible wild plants that can be eaten and the other parts of the same plant to stay away from. Also, if the plant can be safely eaten raw or if needed to be cooked. This is a great book for a beginner like myself. I was not disappointed with all the information this book contained

Have you ever been out in nature with a friend, only to watch them nonchalantly pick a leaf or berry, or even unearth a root and begin eating it? When you ask what they are doing, they inevitably seem surprised – saying something like “Oh, this is ____, you can tell by the flowers. Here, try some. It’s good.” Have you ever wanted to be that in-the-know, nature-eating friend? If so, this book is for you. Edible Plants for beginners offers a quick primer on foraging history, some rules of thumb and techniques for the activity, and a fairly extensive set of edible plant profiles and accompanying recipes. There are also appendices on making tinctures and the top ten (most common) poisonous plants in North America, many of which are flower garden mainstays. The information is presented well, and there are copious warnings and best practices to keep greenhorn foragers from endangering themselves with look-alike, out of season and contaminated plants. While this is a beginner’s guide, I wish there were more visuals. Cramming the book with multiple photos of every edible would not be feasible. However, the introductory sections about foraging would have been even more evocative with paintings, drawings or photos of indigenous people gathering edible plants into handmade baskets. Stock photos of forests, urban growth, gardens and other environs would also make the activity of foraging come alive in the pages. While the one photo per edible plant is appreciated, drawings or photos of the different parts of the plants would be great too. It also seems a little ironic that the top ten plants that will poison you don’t even get pictures or drawings. It seems to be taken for granted that the reader will have to use the internet or a more comprehensive book to really get serious – “Edible Wild Plants for Beginners” seems to be relegating itself the status of stepping stone in that way. Disclosure: I received this book at no charge.

I liked the photos which accompany the descriptions of the plants. Visual identification is very important, because otherwise the book would not be as useful. Will be reading it properly and making some notes soon.

Brillient, so many plants to eat, of some I was brought up to discard as poisonous but not any more

I ordered this book as a brand-new Christmas gift, and while the pages themselves were not creased, the back cover arrived coated in a thick, sticky, unidentified residue. The substance was smeared across the back of the book, extremely unpleasant to the touch, and completely inappropriate for an item sold as new. It appeared as though the book had been exposed to food, candy, or another liquid substance prior to shipping. Because the book arrived on Christmas Eve, I had no opportunity to return it and receive a replacement in time to give it as a gift. I was forced to clean the back of the book myself under unsanitary conditions, wearing gloves and a mask, and carefully scraping the residue off. Even after cleaning, visible staining remains where the substance had seeped into the back page. This situation caused unnecessary stress during the holidays and should never occur with a new product. While the content of the book may be fine, the condition upon arrival was unacceptable, and I would not consider this item to be truly “new.” Based on the condition alone, this experience warrants the lowest rating possible.

Interesting topic.

To learn about food for free