I was surprised to find out I could eat sweet potato vines—yes, that’s right—the VINES. I went to a friend’s house and she had a huge bowl on the table of greens sauteed with garlic. After eating them, her son said, “Bet you didn’t know these are sweet potato greens.”
Well, he was right. I didn’t know. I’ve grown sweet potatoes for years but always dug up the sweet potatoes and tossed the vines. So I did a little research to find out if there were other edibles we accidentally tossed because we didn’t know they were edible either. So here they are:
Surprise Edible Plants
Did you know you can eat:
Garlic Scapes
Yes, those leafy green tops to garlic are just like onion scapes, except they have a mild garlic flavor.
Nasturtiums
We know the flowers are edible, but so are the leaves. They have a lovely mild peppery flavor that goes great in salads, so grow them in your garden. Bonus: The flowers attract pollinators, and the foliage may help repel some insects with its peppery taste.
Carrots and Radish Tops
We all know that the tops of beets and turnips are edible, but so are the tops of carrots and radishes. You can chop them and toss them into salads.
Cucumber and Squash Leaves
Cucumber and squash plants are edible. You can eat the foliage! Saute it lightly. Be careful not to over-pick young leaves, as this can interfere with veggie production.
Broccoli and Cauliflower Leaves
Yes, another case of the whole plant being edible. You can swap them out for collards or kale if you like.
Beans and Peas
Pea and bean foliage is edible. Bean leaves are best eaten when young because they tend to be a little stringier as they mature, but peas are great any time.
Pepper Leaves
This one surprised me because peppers are related to potatoes and tomatoes, and you should NOT eat their foliage. You can eat the leaves, but only after they are cooked. Both hot and sweet pepper leaves are edible. Hot pepper foliage has a very mild pepper flavor.
New Culinary Adventures Ahead
I think of all the years I tossed all these in the trash can in my kitchen. Now I know better. I’m going to try these. I guess I’ll have a bit of an adventure ahead.