It’s dandelion
season!
I have already
picked a few blossoms and made dandelion tea.
My preference is to drink it cold, rather than hot.
I also picked some
whole plants and simmered to make dandelion broth - ended up with 11 cups. It is great for make soup or as the liquid
when you cook rice.
Dandelions are not
only cheerfully bright signs of spring on our lawns, but they are like an
entire pharmacy in one plant.
Every single part
of the dandelion plant is edible from the root to the blossom petals, and each
part has it’s own benefit for the body.
Besides being full
of important vitamins, “dandelion leaves act as a diuretic, increasing the
amount of urine your body makes. The leaves are used to stimulate the appetite
and help digestion. Dandelion flower has antioxidant properties. Dandelion may
also help improve the immune system. Herbalists use dandelion root to detoxify
the liver and gallbladder, and dandelion leaves to help kidney function.” *
There is a good
reason why our ancestors placed so much importance on the dandelion as it
provided a much needed nutritional boost after the cold winters. And as an added bonus, the dandelion is one
of the few early spring plants that continues to grow and produce through the
summer and fall so you can partake of its healthy benefits for months.
As a bitter green,
dandelion is best eaten young and fresh, or cooked, or even steeped as a tea,
with a dash of lemon juice.
Beth
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