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Often, when I come through the front door, I see little yellow-flowered plants scattered across the lawn.
I’ve heard more times than I care to remember that dandelions are weeds and should be controlled.
But think about this: What is a weed? It is nothing more than an unwanted plant growing in a certain environment.
Take for example the area of a farmer’s garden or field. The only thing the grower wants in this area is to plant food plants. Anything that grows in this area drains resources from food crops, and we consider it a weed.
So if I don’t like roses, but they grow in my garden where I don’t want them, I consider them weeds, and I think most people would find that absurd.
So I started to see most plants not as weeds, but in terms of their potential benefits. And dandelions, as nutritious as they are, should be on your radar, especially since they seem to grow everywhere.
Nutritional information about Dandelion
It takes a lot of effort every year to eradicate these little yellow-flowered plants, which is a bit confusing because they contain a lot of nutrients.
They are rich in minerals, vitamins and fiber.
The green part of the dandelion contains vitamins A, C, K, E, B and folic acid. This herb is also rich in minerals, especially magnesium, potassium, iron and calcium, not to mention the carbohydrates found in the root.
Dandelions have other benefits as well:
- Contains antioxidants
- May help with various health problems, including maintaining blood sugar levels, inflammation, and digestive problems.
Dandelion harvest for prescription
The leaves of dandelions are soft and are best eaten raw in early spring, when the weather is cool and the air not very humid.
Parts of dandelions
The flowers can be harvested in mid-spring and the roots all year round.
One thing to consider when harvesting wild food is the environment in which it grows. Some contaminants, such as chemical sprays, industrial wastewater, and other pollutants, can make otherwise edible plants unfit for consumption.
Therefore, care must always be taken to ensure that the area where game is harvested is safe. This requires knowledge of the history and current use of the area being mined and the surrounding land.
It is also important not to forget the importance of proper plant identification. There are often different types of plants that are very similar. It is always best to use a field guide to accurately and safely identify structures in the wilderness or to teach someone who knows the subject well.
Tools
When it comes time to harvest dandelions, there are a few tools to help with the harvesting process. Think about it:
- Cutting blades. This makes it possible to cut different parts of the plant.
- Putty. A small excavating tool, e.g. B. trowel, helps to dig up all the dandelions and expose the roots.
- Collector. Unless you only want to harvest a handful of dandelions, you will need a container to transport the plants from the field to your home. A small basket, bucket or kettle works well.
Preparation of dandelions
Once the dandelion is harvested, the next step is to wash it.
They can be washed, just like the vegetables you pick at the store or in the garden. Simply hold the dandelion under a jet of hot water and gently wipe it to remove dirt and other debris.
Another option is to wash the dandelion in a mixture of water and vinegar, which should drive out the bacteria.
After washing, place the wet dandelion on a towel and dry it. Then use cutting tape to remove the necessary parts, flower, stems, leaves and roots.
Separate the different parts of the plants for use in different recipes. The following bread recipe will use only flowers.
But since you did all the work of harvesting and cleaning the dandelions, don’t throw away the leftover pieces! After the bread recipe, there is a small section where you can eat other parts of this plant.
Dandelion bread recipe
This dandelion recipe comes from AskAPrepper.com.
Everything you need:
- Enough dandelions to fill about a cup.
- Two cups of flour
- Two teaspoons baking powder
- An egg.
- A little salt.
- 1 ¼ cup milk
- 3 tablespoons butter (choice)
- Add ¼ cup honey, sugar, or other sweetener of your choice.
- A small loaf pan that can be greased or lined with parchment paper can be used.
The first step is to preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Then cut the yellow flower from the stem and add the flowers to the flour with the salt. You can chop the flowers, but they will separate when you mix them.
Once all the above ingredients are present, add the egg, butter, sweetener and milk. Stir all ingredients until everything is well mixed.
Pour the mixture into a greased or parchment paper-lined loaf pan.
Put the pan in the oven for at least 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 25 minutes.
After the last twenty-five minutes of baking, remove the pan from the oven and let the bread cool. Cut into pieces and enjoy!
Like most homemade breads, this bread tastes best when eaten as soon as possible. Warm bread straight from the oven, sprinkled with your favorite crumbs, is the best way to eat. However, once the bread is packaged, it can be stored for several days for later consumption.
Other ways to eat dandelions
Dandelion leaf can be picked raw and eaten or added to a salad full of other tasty vegetables. Green vegetables can also be used in sandwiches or as a side dish.
After digging, the roots can be boiled in a pan of water or fried in a frying pan.
According to Lisa M. Rose, author of Midwest Foraging 115 Wild and Flavorful Snacks, from burdock to wild peach1, dried and roasted dandelion root can be added to a tea mixture to give it a sweet, nutty flavor.
Dandelion roots can also be roasted, ground into powder and used to make what some call an excellent coffee substitute.
Completion
Wild foods are all around us, they are free and can be very nutritious.
The dandelion, like many other plants, is vastly underestimated in its usefulness, not only for the environment, but also for us as a source of matter and food.
By learning about this free food source, we can stop thinking of many plants as weeds, but instead consider them as healthy alternatives that we can put on the dinner table to create and maintain a healthy diet.
Thanks for reading and keep up the cooking!
Have you ever made dandelion bread or eaten dandelions? Tell us in the comments below and let us know!
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how to bake bread in a can, is dandelion good for pain relief, flowers you can drink nectar from, what is a dandelion
