I think my families all time favorite thing to forage for, is also the most widely available, easiest to identify, and grows in almost every yard out there, dandelions.
Dandelions are a powerhouse of nutrition, from root to flower every part is edible. They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
******Word of warning, dandelions do contain a natural latex, so if you have a latex allergy, do not consume without speaking to a doctor first.*******
Dandelion greens can be eaten raw or cooked. They are an excellent source of vitamin A, C, and K, they have a substantial amount of iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, and they contain a small amount of folate, vitamin E and B. They also are high in antioxidants.
The root is often dried and used in tea, but it can be eaten raw in its whole form. It is high in the carbohydrate inulin, which is a type of soluble fiber found in many plants that support the growth and maintenance of a healthy gut flora.
The flower tops are known to contain many of the same nutritional items as the green
Now that you know why you should be eating dandelions, you may be wondering how to add this free food to your diet. I am going to highlight two things we have done with them so far this year, as well as add a few recipes to the bottom of this post.
1. Make Jelly
- My kids adore dandelion jelly. It tastes so similar to honey! It is very simple to make as well.
We follow this recipe for our jelly.
2. Make fritters
- These fritters were delicious. We made them two ways. The first batch was a simple batter, the second was a sweet batter. The first we tried with salt and pepper, and it tasted similar to a breaded mushroom, we also tried it dipped in dandelion jelly.
The second reminded me greatly of a funnel cake.
Simple batter -
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 egg
Sweet batter -
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
cinnamon and ginger to taste
We picked the large dandelions, again only needing the flower tops for this recipe. After washing, and patting them dry, I coated them well in the batter, and deep fried them in oil.
They were a huge hit! My daughter has asked me several times if I will make them again tomorrow for breakfast.
For more facts please visit -
https://www.nutrition-and-you.com/dandelion-herb.html
Other recipes to try -
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/222744/dandelion-greens-with-a-kick/
https://learningandyearning.com/dandelion-root-chai/
https://homespunseasonalliving.com/homemade-dandelion-bread/
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