I love adding color to my salads. Most of the year, I do this with vegetables – carrots, red, orange, & yellow peppers, beets and tomatoes. When spring flowers start blooming, my salads start to look like a rainbow. I cannot resist, as the blossoms are so beautiful and packed full of nutrients.

Redbud blossoms

The Redbud (Cercis canadensis) tree blossoms are spectacular. Before the leaves appear, the magenta blossoms develop along the branches. The flowers look similar to pea blossoms and actually taste a bit like a pea. Not only are the blossoms beautiful, they are high in Vitamin C and antioxidants as well as linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid.

Common Blue Violets (Viola spp.) blossoms and leaves are lovely additions to a salad. I prefer the young leaves, as they are more tender. Violets are high in vitamins A and C.

YUM!

Always remember, when foraging to make sure the area hasn’t been sprayed with any chemicals or by the family dog.

All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.