I'm no Rene Redzepi, but I like to forage for my food when I can. Maybe it's just the fact that I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and I like being outside. Can you believe that there's food growing outside in the forest that you can eat for free! If you're wondering what miner's lettuce tastes like it tastes like lettuce, imagine a lighter tasting spinach, perfect for making a simple salad with. 

When foraging for food only eat items that you're 100% sure are edible. No one wants a destroyed liver or on-the-spot diarrhea. Be sure that the plants aren't covered by any animal waste either. 

Since, it's only February the miner's lettuce that I found was still pretty juvenile. Below is an image of an adult miner's lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata, syn. Montia perfoliata) plant. Latter in the season the leaves will have tiny white flowers, which are also edible!

Foraged Miner's Lettuce Salad

(Yes, I realize that only the miner's lettuce is foraged for, but give me a break I don't have the time to make my own vinegar and oils) 

• 2 cups Miner's Lettuce Leaves washed and trimmed 
• 3 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Lemon Zest

1. Whisk the vinegar and olive oil together in a cereal bowl. Gently add the lettuce and cover each leaf with the dressing. 
2. Make a pile of lettuce leaves in the middle of your plate and arrange some extraneous leaves around the edges if you're feeling fancy. 
3. Add the lemon zest to the pile of leaves.
4. Enjoy!