Red clover

Leaves and young flower buds can be eaten both raw and cooked. The young leaves are harvested before the plant blooms and can be used in salads, soups, and other dishes. They can also be cooked as a vegetable on their own, similar to spinach. The leaves taste best when cooked, but they can also be dried, ground, and used as a powder, for example, sprinkled over cooked rice. The seeds can be sprouted and added to salads. They have a crunchy texture and a strong flavor, which is different from that of alfalfa (Medicago sativa). The seeds contain trypsin inhibitors that can affect digestive enzymes. These inhibitors are usually destroyed when the seeds first sprout. The flowers and pods can be dried and then ground into a flour for baking. The young flowers can also be eaten raw in salads. The root of the plant can be cooked, and a delicate sweet herbal tea can be made from the fresh or dried flowers. Additionally, dried leaves can be used to give cakes a vanilla flavor.