Why This "Forager's" Cookbook Almost Killed Someone

Johnna Holmgren is a hugely popular Instagram star known as "foxmeetsbear" who's built a following around her natural, raw diet so it seemed natural to release a cookbook. The new book Tales From a Forager's Kitchen hit shelves but was quickly removed after it was discovered some of the recipes weren't just wrong but lethal.



One recipe that got a lot of attention was Dark Chocolate Dipped Morel Mushroom. The recipe calls for the mushroom to be washed and eaten raw. Wild mushrooms are recommended to be cooked because there might be poisonous debris inside it or chitin which is hard to digest but breaks down in cooking.

Even worse, there are mushrooms called "false morels" which are hard to distinguish between real morels and can cause dizziness, confusion, and coma. In other words, going around to pluck what you think are morel mushrooms and eating them raw is horrifically bad advice.

The mushrooms are not alone. There's also the elderberry smoothie which can be poisonous and the recipe that recommends soaking but not cooking wild rice, which makes it almost inedible.

Publisher Rodale Books has recalled the cookbook from shelves, and Holmgren has taken a major hit in the reputation department. It's almost as if getting food advice from some chick who lives in the woods with no medical or culinary expertise is a bad idea.

The funny thing is she admits this on her own website with the disclaimer:

While I strive to be 100% accurate, it is solely up to the reader to ensure proper plant identification. Some wild plants are poisonous or can have serious adverse health effects. I am not a health professional, medical doctor, nor a nutritionist. It is up to the reader to verify nutritional information and health benefits with qualified professionals for all edible plants listed in this web site and any published content.

 Then why are we listening to you at all?!

More aliens and planets lie ahead as the journey continues in Heart of the Nexus, part two of the Nexus Trilogy!!