“Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them.” – A.A. Milne
This recipe requires an ingredient commonly found in your backyard. It is considered by many to be a pesky weed – the mighty dandelion. Dandelion leaves have more beta-carotene than carrots and more iron and calcium than spinach.
It is said in plant folklore that dandelions promote inner and outer transformation. Every part of the dandelion is edible – the leaves, roots, and flowers. They are considered nutritional powerhouses – rich in beta-carotene, fiber, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, B vitamins, and protein. They are also in rich in a substance called inulin, which may help diabetics to regulate blood sugar. Dandelion roots are often used to treat liver disorders, touted as a safe and natural drying herb diuretic.
FINDING DANDELION GREENS
The best time to harvest dandelion roots is early spring and late fall, when temperatures are cool. Using fresh young dandelion leaves for this recipe will avoid the overtly bitter taste of older leaves. If you don’t have an area to harvest dandelion leaves near you (such as your very own backyard) just head into the grocery store at this time of year and they are almost guaranteed to be stocked with them (if not, you can ask for them to be ordered in!). They can be found in the fresh produce section right next to kale and spinach and are bunched together as such:
COOKING WITH DANDELIONS
Every part of the dandelion is edible – leaves, roots, and flowers. For the flowers try using them in a salad, steaming with other vegetables, or making wine. For the roots you can boil them to make a tea, dry roasted to make a coffee substitute, added to soup stock or miso. For the leaves, add them in salads, sauteed in a stir fry, or make a dandelion pesto!
DANDELION PESTO RECIPE
So alas, we create a wild-crafted, nutrient-dense pesto with this majestic plant – an especially great way to incorporate these fresh greens into your diet. And our favorite part – no cooking required!
Ingredients:
- 2-3 cups young dandelion leaves, chopped
- 2-4 crushed cloves of garlic
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (vegan) or freshly grated parmesan cheese
- lemon juice from half a lemon
- 1/4 cup ground nuts (We enjoy using pumpkin seeds)
- Sea salt and pepper for taste
Instructions:
- Using a blender or food processor, place oil, garlic, pepper and salt in the blender along with half of the dandelion leaves.
- Blend well and add the other half of the leaves. When finished blending, it should be a paste-like consistency though still a bit runny.
- Add the rest of the ingredients: desired amounts of nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese, ground nuts, lemon juice and blend.
Get creative with your pesto and don’t forget to share this nutritional powerhouse with your friends and family!
Enjoy!
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