Wild Woman's Garden: From the Radical Weeds Test Kitchen


Dandelion Taraxacum officinale, Lion's Tooth Tonic effects: Dandelion leaves and flowers are naturally diuretic and high in potassium, helping you to shed excess water without electrolyte imbalance. The roots stimulate the production and flow of bile from the liver, improving digestion and supporting elimination. High in Vitamins A and C, Dandelion is a springtime natural, rich in compounds that help to regulate the hormones. To harvest: You can begin harvesting Dandelion leaves when they first appear, up to the time the plant flowers. After that, although you can still eat them, the leaves taste bitter. Early spring is when the roots are most nutritious, too. Dig roots before the flower stalk appears. To use the buds, snap them off the stem while they're still tightly closed. To use flowers, take care to separate the petals from their green base, which also tastes bitter. To use: Eat the leaves raw, as you pick them -- just three 6-inch Dandelion leaves will supply your total RDA of Vitamin C! Toss the fresh young leaves in salads and soups, steam them with grains like couscous, or stir fry them in olive oil with garlic and onions. You can use Dandelion flowers in salads and stir-fries, too. For more delicious and health-giving Dandelion recipes, check out En Garden!

Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale, Lion's Tooth

Tonic effects:

Dandelion leaves and flowers are naturally diuretic and high in potassium, helping you to shed excess water without electrolyte imbalance. The roots stimulate the production and flow of bile from the liver, improving digestion and supporting elimination. High in Vitamins A and C, Dandelion is a springtime natural, rich in compounds that help to regulate the hormones.

To harvest: You can begin harvesting Dandelion leaves when they first appear, up to the time the plant flowers. After that, although you can still eat them, the leaves taste bitter. Early spring is when the roots are most nutritious, too. Dig roots before the flower stalk appears. To use the buds, snap them off the stem while they're still tightly closed. To use flowers, take care to separate the petals from their green base, which also tastes bitter.

To use: Eat the leaves raw, as you pick them -- just three 6-inch Dandelion leaves will supply your total RDA of Vitamin C! Toss the fresh young leaves in salads and soups, steam them with grains like couscous, or stir fry them in olive oil with garlic and onions. You can use Dandelion flowers in salads and stir-fries, too. For more delicious and health-giving Dandelion recipes, check out En Garden!