eating dandelion greens
i have recently heard that dandelion greens are supposed to be very nutritious and how ironic it is that people go out of their way to kill this plant - that's considered a weed.
from my understanding, they're super easy to grow, so i was thinking to just get a pot and try to grow some and then use the leaves in salads and stuff.
Does anyone have any experience with dandelion greens that could perhaps shed some wisdom on this for me? Can the flower be consumed, as well?
Shelley mentioned that some managed to find it's way into her yard and below, i've included a picture of the greens. I was thinking to just pluck the greens and eat them in some fashion - wondering if there's anything i need to be leery of before doing so?
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3407/3647412704_eb6f30f4a3.jpg?v=0
I've always thought that dandelions were vicitms of plant racism.
I've seen them for sale...they look pretty much like that. I think they are bitter. Maybe saute in OO and add Salt and Pepper. I say go for it! As long as they don't come from a lawn that is sprayed with chemicals, I think they'd be fine.
I too have felt for the poor, underappreciated dandilion! I eat them (greens and a little of the yellow flower) as long as:
*they are not near a road (so as to be polluted by car fumes)
*they aren't sprayed with chemicals
*they look healthy and young (relatively--just not old and tough looking)
I just eat them on hikes, etc. when I see them in the wild/backcountry. They feel so nourishing and are really nutritious!
I've always thought that dandelions were vicitms of plant racism.
;D So true!!!
The leaves are good for the kidneys and the roots are good for the liver. So it's a great detox food.
It's very bitter, which doesn't bother me, but might bother others. I like bitter food like raw cranberries without sugar. When I buy them at the HFS i just steam them and add some braggs or soy sauce.
We sell them at the hfs for $3.99 for a small bunch that looks very similar to your picture. :o
They are bitter unless you get the young sprouts. If you cut the plant off, the root will make more.
To get rid of some of the bitterness, you can try blanching them--submerge for like 10-15 seconds in boiling water and then whack them straight into cold water. Or soak them in salted, cold water. But blanching is better.
Ever since reading Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine, and having tasted said wine, I look at them with respect. A good dandelion wine, served cold, beats Spanish dry sherry into a cocked hat.
Odd sidebar: Dandelion comes from the French "dent de lion" (Lion's tooth) ref. the shape of the leaf. However I've never seen a snaggle-toothed lion. The common name in France is "pissenlit", literally "wet the bed" because it's a diuretic. Dandelion tea is good for oedema (water retention) and UTIs.
ETA: My mom used to feed us dandelions as a spring tonic: blanched then fried and dressed with vinegar and oil. She fried them with bacon bits and topped with hardboiled egg, but I suppose you could use fakin bacon and/or tofu.
this is *great* info everyone. thanks so much for your comments so far and... keep em' coming :)
i generally have a taste for "bitter" so w/o having tried them yet - it sounds like it could potentially be right up my alley. Right now i'm thinking of a quick simple sautee in vegan butter w/some garlic and onions and adding some lemon juice and/or vinegar to cut the bitterness. I've been hard pressed to find a taste won't give in to such delicious wonder :P.
i took a gander on youtube and turns out, there's quite a few useful videos in regards to dandelions, and other "weed type" plants as well - good stuff.
the follow video wasn't so much useful - as much as it is funny and a bit disturbing - thought i'd share...enjooy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WdKDve8lYw
We pick them in the mountains and arroyos. I would not get ones from a park or anything. Dogs like to pee on them...I just quickly saute them in oil w/ garlic. If you cook them too long, they get tough. The big ones aren't good.
We pick them in the mountains and arroyos. I would not get ones from a park or anything. Dogs like to pee on them...I just quickly saute them in oil w/ garlic. If you cook them too long, they get tough. The big ones aren't good.
Dogs pee on them because the greens smell like pee to them. So they think someone has "marked" there, and they do. Silly dogs. LOL
I have had them in a green smoothie once and i thought it was very yummy. :)
i've purchased a planter and some soil from Wally World. Now i just have to wait until i can find a safe/clean source for the dandelions and then i'm ready for planting. My GF is funny, she says not to worry, just to put the planter on the patio - the dandelions will find their own way in, heheheh
once i complete that step then it's just a matter of waiting...
I use the young leaves in salads so their bitterness is balanced by the lettuce's sweetness. My cockatiels also love them.
My dad used to make dandelion wine out of the blossoms--It was delicious.
I dig up the roots and dry them in the oven, then grind them as a coffee-like beverage. Asian friends tell me that is a very healthy tonic in China and Taiwan.
I use only the dandelions that grow in my yard, as I want to be sure no poisons have been applied to them. I try to avoid the ones growing in areas the dogs--ahem--"frequent".
i've purchased a planter and some soil from Wally World. Now i just have to wait until i can find a safe/clean source for the dandelions and then i'm ready for planting. My GF is funny, she says not to worry, just to put the planter on the patio - the dandelions will find their own way in, heheheh
once i complete that step then it's just a matter of waiting...
Find some that are seeding and plant the seeds. Hey presto.
this is helpful because my csa gave me a bunch of dandelion greens and i have yet to use them. thanks for the blanching suggestion, yabbit. and for the pissenlit trivia :)
They are bitter unless you get the young sprouts. If you cut the plant off, the root will make more.
To get rid of some of the bitterness, you can try blanching them--submerge for like 10-15 seconds in boiling water and then whack them straight into cold water. Or soak them in salted, cold water. But blanching is better.
Yabbit is correct in that the older leaves will be bitter. You can harvest the leaves when they first sprout and the plant will typically grow new young leaves that can be harvested until the growing season is over. I've never grown dandelions from seed on purpose, but you shouldn't have to worry about pulling out the plants by yanking on the leaves; if you don't know anything about dandelions they have long roots that grow deep and strong.
Hopefully next year I'll have some information on edible flowers and can grow me a pretty little garden salad!
Can dandelion greens be purchased this time of year? Wonder if they can be grown indoors?
Thanks, Nelson
Can dandelion greens be purchased this time of year? Wonder if they can be grown indoors?
Thanks, Nelson
The Dandelions that most people eat and that are sold in stores and farmers' markets, are called Italian Dandelion (Cichorium intybus), and aren't a true dandelion, but a chicory, let's refer to it as a vegetable. They aren't the same plant as you find growing in wild in lawns and vacant lots, though they look somewhat similar. The botanical name of the weed is Taraxacum officinale, and it was brought from Europe by settlers who valued it as a medicinal herb. The dandelion found in farmers markets and grocery stores is a delicious (especially when leaves are young and tender) bitter green leafy vegetable. There is a great deal of confusion between the two, and misinformation, even on the web. I often eat the vegetable, but I would be reluctant to eat the weed, unless better food was scarce. There are a wide variety of such weeds (and other weeds that look like them but are other species, as well). The weed has yellow flowers, the vegetable has blue. The Italian dandelion is easy to grow, the seeds are readily available. The book: Incredible Vegetables from Self-Watering Containers says they can be easily grown in medium to large containers, so they can probably be grown indoors fine, but they'll probably need a few hours of sun. They grow here in central coastal California (lowest winter temp is 25 degrees) all year round. Leafy green vegetables are an important source of calcium for vegans, assuming that there is calcium in the soil that the greens were grown in. Italian dandelions are a perennial, the baby plants can be eaten raw in salads at 3 to 5 weeks from transplant, leaves of older plants are usually eaten cooked. When you grow them, please post pictures!
I used to buy dandelions in the grocery store for my rabbits, and though they were larger than the ones growing in my back yard, the taste was identical to me. I eat the backyard ones myself. They are better when younger and more tender. Dandelions are bitter no matter what kind you get, so if you don't like bitter, you probably won't like dandelions.
Can dandelion greens be purchased this time of year? Thanks, Nelson
Yes. Bought some this week, fresh and green. Not sure where they come from though. I live in Florida.
This guy here is awesome
You can check out what wildplants are growing around your area------>http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/
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