Dandelion – commonly known as a weed that needs to be eradicated out of one’s garden. Oh how wrong I was!
Dandelion – what fun I had as a kid, blowing its seeds in all directions. Little did I know that the plant is good for so much more!
Dandelion – is like an item out of a fairy tale, a plant so inconspicuous and yet so powerful in its properties!
Its proper name is Taraxacum officinale, whereby „officinale“ indicates that the plant has been used in the medicinal context for quite some time now. The term itself originated in the medieval ages, when the profession of the pharmacists originated.
All parts of the dandelion plant are edible, the flower petals, the leaves and the root. It can be consumed in the form of tea, juice or you can add it to your salad or even include it in pesto, to name a few suggestions. You can eat it fresh when it is in season or in its dried form. Though the older the plant, the more bitter its taste.
The plant contains a wide range of minerals and vitamins (C, B and E) and is an excellent source of potassium, zinc and copper. It is said to keep the balance in your intestine, aids digestion, promotes bile activities, is known to foster appetite and is diuretic, therefore supporting the body’s own detoxification – so make sure to remember your water intake.
While the plant is eaten fresh in spring and summer, I enjoy it in its dried form during the colder winter months. I have combined dandelion with other herbs and salt, to create my own mix and use it for cooking or to add some extra flavour to my buttered bread.
If you too want some readily available plant power, here is the recipe:
For one small jar of salt I use:
- 1 hand full of dandelion (flower petals and leafs)
- 1 hand full of daisies
- 1 hand full of wild garlic
- 1 hand full of gout weed
- 1/2 hand full of savoury
- ca. 50-100g of coarse sea salt
Remove the stems and any hard items from your herbs and chopp them finely. Add them to the salt and grind all ingredients in a mortar until you have your desired level of coarseness.
Enjoy!!!
-with love-
Corina
Please note: As with all things in life, some things will have ripple effects and the amounts make the difference. So please don’t overdose for example by using too many supplements additionally to a well balanced diet.
Especially if you are on medication, suffer a medical condition, are prone to allergic reactions and during pregnancy it’s recommended to seek medical advisory before starting any self medication.
sown & uprooted 