- GrowNYC Education
You Can Eat That? Edible Weeds and More!
Updated: Nov 21, 2022
Watch our virtual workshop from September 22, 2021:
This workshop is to get you started: please do further research and/or work with an expert to learn more about edible weeds and make sure you can positively identify them!
Recipes:
Carrot Top Pesto
1 cup carrot tops
1 cup basil leaves
Juice of ½ lemon
⅓ cup nuts (pine nuts, walnuts, or other)
1 clove garlic
⅓ cup olive oil
grated parmesan or nutritional yeast (optional)
Blend or grind ingredients together. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Tip: spread pesto over roasted carrots!
Sumac berries
Honey or maple syrup, to taste
Harvest the berries from a sumac drupe and rinse. Place in a pot and cover with water. Use your hands to agitate the water and the berries. Bring to a simmer and then turn off the burner. Allow to sit and infuse for 20 min-1 hour. Use a wooden spoon or your hands again to further squash the berries and infuse the water. Strain the mixture through a coffee filter, to remove berries and any fine hairs that may agitate your throat. Sweeten to taste with honey or maple syrup. Chill and enjoy!
Additional Resources
“Food Law Gone Wild: The Law of Foraging” by Baylen J. Linnekin
Meet Alexis Nikole Nelson, The Wildly Popular 'Black Forager' (npr)