Botany - need ideas for fun things to eat

[Cynful]

At co-op this week, I'm teaching our Botany class. I'm getting over pneumonia and my voice is basically gone. I was going to talk all about medicinal botany but since I can't talk much, I want to do something fun. So I thought of maybe bringing in some interesting, weird, fun botany-related things to eat but I need to them be easily purchased at the grocery store.

 

Any ideas? I'm at a loss for some reason and too tired to think.

[FloridaLisa]

That's pretty broad. What part of botany are you studying right now? Fruit, seeds, stems, leaves, something else?

 

Lisa

[Cynful]

They've finished the Apologia Botany book. This is just for fun at the end of co-op. since I don't have much of a voice, I thought they'd have fun eating/trying different plants.

 

[fairfarmhand]

Candied violets are fun. You can use pansies too, but make sure that whatever you get, it hasn't been sprayed with anything. (I have violets in my yard right now )

[Cynful]

You can eat those? Cool!

 

Any other ideas?

[lailasmum]

Are you able to go for a walk and forage for food. There are lots of guides online for things you can find. Around here the wild garlic is out and there will be elderflower in a couple of weeks. There are hawthorn leaves and beach leaves that aer edible when young. Lots of spring flowers are edible. Maybe just google foraging in your area.

[fairfarmhand]

You can eat those? Cool!

 

Any other ideas?

 

yup. We've done it! If you do a few ahead of time, the kids can try some the day of and make some to take home for later.

 

 

 

Here are the ones that I made last spring.

[Cynful]

Those candied flowers are a great idea. Off to see if I can find someone to donate some flowers for us. :D

 

Any other ideas would be great too. I'm thinking lemonade with mint leaves might make a nice drink to go along.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I would choose a fruit/veggie from each plant part- roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruit.

[Cynful]

I would choose a fruit/veggie from each plant part- roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruit.

 

 

Great idea too. Does anyone have any good ideas for each part?

 

Thanks for all your help,

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

The only stem I can think of is celery or Swiss chard. Lots of choices for the others.

[Lori D.]

Great idea too. Does anyone have any good ideas for each part?

 

 

A veggie tray with a couple of dips could work, and print off some pictures of the different plants as they appear while growing! And DO remind students that MANY plants that have an edible part also have toxic parts, and to FIRST research a plant before sampling ANY part.

 

roots:

- carrots (see if you can get the loose carrots that still have the greens attached)

- radishes (again, just wash well and serve with the greens attached so they see it's the root part)

- jicama (sweet and crunchy -- great vegetable!)

- turnip

- parsnip

 

seeds:

- pine nuts (not in the nut family, so not an allergic reaction threat)

- sunflower seeds

- pumpkin seeds

- sesame seeds

- ALLERGY ALLERT: peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios...

 

sprouts:

- bean sprouts

- alfalfa sprouts

 

stems:

(list of edible stems)

- celery

- asparagus

- rhubarb (but the leaves are TOXIC!)

 

bark:

- cinnamon sticks are curled, dried bark portions of the cinnamon stem

 

leaves:

- spinach

- lettuce (at our grocery, I think it's Bibb lettuce comes in a plastic container with water in the bottom, and the roots are still attacked to the head and down in the water -- so students could see the whole plant and pluck the leaves)

- various herbs: mint, rosemary, parsley, basil, oregano, sage, chives, cilantro... (maybe have a selection and have on a plate for people to gentle rub a leaf and sniff/taste)

 

flowers:

(list of edible flowers)

- pansies (slightly sweet to tart)

- violas/violets (slightly sweet)

- pineapple guava bush flowers (tastes like fruit)

- nasturtium flowers (edible, with a peppery flavor; great in salads)

- squash blossoms (especially great when batter dipped and deep fried!)

- artichokes (they are the bud of the plant, and if you let them open they are incredible blooms -- the edible part is the fleshy bit at the base of each "petal"; steam and dip in melted butter with a little salt, thyme and lemon juice stirred in -- mmmm!)

 

fruits:

try going for different types of fruits

 

 

PS -- And, another energy saver for you to fill class time -- you might allow them to "dissect" some plants while you're at it, and have some magnifying glasses available for studying any flower, fruit, leaf, etc. especially once they cut it open. Esp. with fruits and flowers, that can be quite interesting to see the parts that you've studied. Plastic disposable picnic knives will work on most food items if you have young ones participating. :)

[fairfarmhand]

aren't broccoli and cauliflower the flowers of those plants? and beans and corn are seeds too!