Getting started with dandelion recipes
When I was raised I was encouraged to stay away from dandelion. The clocks were tremendous fun to blow, but this was the bane of the lawn loving gardener. I now know the huge benefit dandelion holds and regard it as a star amongst the weeds. I wanted to share some beautiful dandelion recipes to get you started with this amazing plant.
Every part of the humble dandelion is edible and it can produce some beautiful dishes, enriched with medicinal and beneficial properties. Rich in Vitamins and antioxidants it is highly nutritious and as the whole plant can be used, can offer variety in the way it is prepared.
The post contains links to other sites. Many are just great links but there are some affiliate links too for products I’d recommend.
Medicinal parts: Root, leaves, flowers (basically all of it)
My Favourite recipes
Drinks and tinctures
This is the first year I have harvested roots for this purpose. I am trying to reduce my caffeine intake but coffee is my guilty pleasure. Let me know how you get on with this recipe or if you make any variations!
If you haven’t the time to go out and forage your dandelion roots, you can purchase it already prepared and roasted for you.
3. Dandelion wine (yes this right…wine!)
Dandelion wine is a traditional drink, easy to make and if brewed correctly will give you a wine with about 12-13% alcohol. Not bad for this humble weed.
Tinctures offer a concentrated dose of the benefits of plants. This link it to an alcohol free tincture. As dandelion is good for reducing inflammation, balancing blood glucose and lowering blood pressure this tincture could be hugely beneficial if you are not keep on the recipes. As always, before introducing any tincture or herbal remedy into your routine, check with your GP or medical herbalist.
Other dishes
5. Dandelion Honey Recipe (Vegan honey made from the flowers)
Harvest your dandelion flowers. This should ideally be done in the morning after the morning dew has evaporated. For this recipe you’ll need around 20 flower heads. I love making this recipe. It smells divine and captures the golden yellow of the flowers throughout. Don’t forget to compost your flower heads after they have been used.
6. Foragers salad
The leaves can be a little bitter, but as with all delicious dishes, a meal is all about balance. Taking this into consideration, there is no reason why the leaves cannot be pairs with the flowers to add some sweetness. If you are introducing dandelion leaves into your salads, its a good idea to pick a base leaf that you enjoy eating, then build up the dandelion leaves eat time so you become familiar with the flavour and figure out the right balance for you. Don’t forget your dressing!!
7. Creamy Dandelion Quesadillas
The link to this recipe cites spinach as the greens ingredient but as dandelion is a great substitute for spinach you can easily forage this part of the dish. With this in mind, think of all the other dishes you can incorporate the greens into.
Sweets
This is a vegan treat which is worth a try. delicious crumbly cookies. This particular recipes has a Kale drizzle. Why shouldn’t dessert be loaded with B vitamins?
As soon as I discovered this recipe I knew I had to try it. I made shortbread almost every weekend as a child so this recipe was a dream come true. The shortbreads look beautiful too with the yellow petals seen through the crumb.
Who doesn’t love a cupcake and this recipe incorporates the beautiful dandelion into a sweet treat favourite.
This is just a small selection of recipes for dandelion and is intended as a taster for those of you that want to learn more about foraged foods. Dandelion is so common so identification is really easy. Just remember not to forage on areas which are commonly used for animal toilets.
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