Many people see the dandelion as a weed that grows on lawns, paths, and sidewalks and near curbs. In fact, the benefits of dandelion and its leaves are enormous. This is evidenced by history and many modern facts and discoveries. It can be eaten while receiving many nutrients that are super beneficial to your health.
The fight against hepatitis, cholecystitis, gastritis, and pancreatitis is very exhausting for the patient. Dandelions are a wonderful plant that is used in the treatment of these diseases. Moreover, it is recommended to use it for joint pain and for those who have problems with the bladder. The composition of leaves and roots includes components that have hemostatic properties. Some gynecologists attribute such decoctions to their patients.
Here are all the ways to cook dandelion and enjoy its benefits.
All forms of dandelions are edible, they are easy to pick and clean, they cook in 5 minutes, they are free and they are excellent for health.
Benefits of dandelion leaves
- Dandelion leaves are very rich in vitamin A: a handful is equivalent to several kilos of pears and oranges and two handfuls of spinach.
- They also contain vitamins B1, B2, C and E, and most of the mineral salts: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chlorine, sulfur, iron, manganese, silicon.
- It is an excellent diuretic and a powerful detoxifier (cf. medicinal uses).
- The dandelion leaf acts on arthritis and rheumatism.
Benefits of Dandelion Roots
The dandelion root, of the pivoting type, has multiple virtues:
- helps the body to eliminate waste;
- promotes the functioning of the digestive system and liver and bile functions;
- stimulates appetite;
- improves the skin condition in case of acne, eczema and psoriasis problem;
- relieves inflammation of joints;
- relieves chronic constipation;
- helps remove cellulite.
Harvest dandelion
- The dandelion leaves are harvested in the spring, ideally before flowering. Beware of roadsides and very well-kept spaces with lots of pesticides and herbicides. Prefer abandoned land, or take it in your garden if you do not treat it. You can also grow it on your balcony, the harvest is guaranteed!
- The flowers are harvested at flowering.
- The roots are harvested in late autumn when the plant has stored the most energy before winter.
Using the dandelion in cooking
Make a dandelion salad
Very popular with connoisseurs, the dandelion salad is often seasoned with warm vinegar. With small bacon, hard-boiled eggs, or pieces of cheese, this plant delights the taste buds with its slight bitterness.
Taste them before they bloom, they will be more tender and less bitter.
- Cut the dandelions at their base, even without protecting the root, you are likely to find it next season.
- Wash them.
- Cut the leaves finely.
- Add boiled eggs cut into small pieces, minced garlic, and grilled bacon.
- Season with a rather spicy vinaigrette, with balsamic vinegar for example.
Cooking the cooked dandelion
- Dandelion can be used as a quiche, pie, herb cake - both as herb and as spinach.
- It can accompany a dish of spaghetti, once sautéed in a pan and cut into pieces.
Dandelion soup recipe
Here is an example of dandelion soup:
- 2 potatoes cooked in a chicken broth.
- 2 handfuls of dandelion and 1 sliced onion returned to the pan with 2 cloves of garlic.
- We empty the pan in the broth and mix everything with a hand blender.
Dandelion jam recipe
The flowers are suitable for making a jam, also known as dandelion honey.
Ingredients:
- 365 dandelion flowers
- 2 untreated oranges
- 2 untreated lemons
- 1 kg lump sugar
- 1 liter of cold water
Preparation:
- Remove the petals from the dandelion flowers. Let them air out for half an hour.
- Put the flowers in a large saucepan or pot full of water.
- Add the oranges and lemons, washed and cut into rings.
- Let the temperature rise, and, at the first broth, lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour.
- Cover and let stand for a few hours.
- Filter the mixture.
- Add the sugar cubes and let the mixture boil.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, skimming regularly.
- As soon as it begins to thicken, put the jam jars.
Cooking the roots
The roots are cooked in boiling water for about twenty minutes, then they are seasoned with oil. Their flavor is close to salsify.
The roots are also used to prepare a drink whose bitterness is reminiscent of chicory.
Even the buttons are good!
The buttons, when they are close to the ground, very firm, have a good nutty taste. If it takes patience to pick them up, the reward comes when they are tasted, accompanied by hazelnut oil and balsamic vinegar, and garnished with strips of smoked duck breast, for example.
Dandelion honey: cramaillotte
Very melliferous plant, the dandelion provides honey of golden color, which surprises by its very sweet flavor, also called cramaillotte.
Ingredients required
- About 365 dandelion flowers
- 1 kg of brown sugar
- 1 orange
- 2 untreated lemons
Preparation
- Pick the flowers, leaving the stem in place (beware, the stems release milk which darkens the fingers).
- Wash them, let them dry in the sun for a few days.
- On the day of preparation, pass the flowers quickly under the water.
- Pour them into a bowl with 1.5 L of water, the orange and lemons cut into pieces.
- Cook for 45 mins at a gentle boil.
- Filter the juice from this cooking with a colander, squeezing the flowers.
- Boil it again with the sugar (about 45 min) until you get a jelly.
- Put it in a pot.
To taste pancakes or sandwiches!
Make cosmetic masks with dandelion
Dandelion juice lightens the complexion and fights against acne, eczema and other minor skin sores. Make it a mask, to apply a few hours before an important outing, a ceremony, a photo session, etc.
Dandelion mask recipe
- Wash two handfuls of dandelion leave thoroughly.
- Pass them in the blender with 1 tablespoon of crème fraîche.
- Apply this puree on the face and neck and lie down for half an hour.
- Avoid the eye area.
- Rinse with a dandelion toner, the recipe for which is given above (decoction).
Dandelion and clay mask recipe
Here is another mask recipe, perfect for softening and rehydrating dry skin that tends to pull:
- In a bowl, put 2 tablespoons of white clay, 2 teaspoons of sweet almond oil and a handful of mixed dandelion greens.
- Mix perfectly, apply as before.
- Rinse with the dandelion decoction.
These two masks are to be used at once. Do not keep them, the leaves will soon lose their virtues!
Good to know: the juice of dandelion stems, applied twice a day, has an action on corns and warts. Start the application slowly, as the latex present in the juice can cause skin allergies in some sensitive people.
There are many recipes for dandelion salads. Here are some of them:
- Young freshly picked leaves are finely chopped, chopped onion, the carrot is added in half rings. Salad is salted, and as a dressing, they use either sour cream or lemon juice with olive oil.
- You can make a salad only from dandelion leaves. They must first be soaked in salted water for a couple of hours, and then finely chopped, add salt and sugar to taste. The dressing can be apple cider vinegar with olive oil or low-fat sour cream.
- Dandelion leaves are washed and soaked in salted water for about an hour. Then boil them for 10-15 minutes until they become soft, then cut and mix with chopped green onions. To greens add salt, spices, and sugar to taste, lemon juice, and olive oil. Within 50 minutes, the greens should absorb the spices. Then, cheese is cut into medium cubes in it, and the salad is served on the table.
- For this salad, take 0.1 kg of dandelion leaves soaked in saltwater in advance, and a few tablespoons of chopped walnuts. Leaves are cut and mixed with nuts. The dressing is honey, which is mixed with vegetable oil.
- 0.1 kg of dandelion leaves are soaked for half an hour in saltwater, then finely chopped. Chopped green onions and parsley are added to them. Pre-boil the egg. Greens are seasoned with apple cider vinegar mixed with vegetable oil. Pre salt and pepper to taste. When serving, decorate the salad with finely chopped dill and chopped egg.
- Soak the leaves of dandelion in salt water to remove bitterness, then finely chopped. Mix with chopped parsley and green onions. Greens are salted and lemon juice mixed with vegetable oil is added as dressing.