The Mighty Dandelion

**Luckybustert** · 12-27-2009, 03:50 PM

Every time we go to a restaurant that serves salads containing dandelion, my hubby threatens to go harvest the back yard. (I've seen what the dogs do back there so I'd just as soon not!) Have never tried dandelion jelly....what was it about the jelly that you didn't care for?

**MaryinFL** · 01-01-2010, 10:18 AM

When I was growing up in Ohio my mother use to go out in the yard to pick dandalions and she cooked them. If I remember correctly, she cooked them just like any other greens (collard, kale, etc)

I live in Florida now, no dandelions. I was pretty excited when I saw one growing in the yard and wouldn't let anyone pick it. I know they are a weed, but I always liked the yellow flowers. I use to pick them by the bunches when I was a kid.

**Ali Lee** · 01-21-2010, 01:21 PM

I remember picking dandelion when I was a kid with mom. She would cook it on top of the stove & would use the bacon/vinegar dressing. She also used the buds. Washed & soaked in salt h2o, dried, dipped in egg & flour & fried. Tasted like mushrooms. Thanks for bringing back memories.

**dkmommy** · 01-21-2010, 01:39 PM

I love dandelion! If you don't like the bitterness, you might keep trying it every now and then. You may find that like me, you get addicted! The western diet is greatly lacking in bitter tasting foods. When we taste something bitter, it causes our digestion to kick in. Stomach juices flow, gall bladder wakes up, etc.

One great way to ease into dandelion is to make green smoothies in the blender with them. I often use a banana, maybe 1/2 an apple, some orange juice, and a large handful of big dandelion leaves. You don't notice the bitter this way, and the more acclimated you become to the taste, the more you can add. Or add it to a mixed green salad so you're only tasting a little.

I now crave dandelion greens like I crave dark chocolate, no lie! It's that same gotta have it feeling. We pick it here from spring until fall, and it's fantastic. Even the flowers are great added to cookies and pancakes! (Shred them up first - very pretty.)

Oh, and my beverage of choice? Dandy Blend. It's made from dandelion root and I use it as my coffee substitute.

**Charles C** · 01-22-2010, 01:54 PM

I have to print some of these out one of these days, not today, black ink is out on the printer, so I can let my wife read, it's easy to get the roots out of my garden, and wouldn't bother me, because they are invasive, so will never get rid of them as I never spray the yard. Would have greens too, they really grow big in the garden, have mentioned it to the DW but she hasn't cottened to the idea just yet. I'm ready to try though

**EarthIncentives** · 02-13-2010, 06:06 AM

Originally Posted by paul wheaton

Dandelion helps almost any other garden plant. It is especially good with fruit trees. The deep taproot brings up calcium and water (during drought) and through mycellium in the soil, shares that with other surrounding plants.

It's far better to have dandelion growing around a fruit tree than grass.

Wow! That's news to me!
I've had dandelion salads a few times, and it's good with the right ingredients.
It really is a pity that most people poison them with toxic chemicals. I mean, it's free food! lol
I also like nasturtium. It adds a nice pepper flavour to salads (we eat a LOT of salad) We'll have plenty growing in our greenhouse and around our pond this summer, so if anyone is interested, let me know!

Also, swamp-growing cattails. The entire plant is very nutritious, and there are a whole lot of recipes for it. Cattail pollen pancakes and biscuits are wonderful!