Every Green Herb: Dandelion — Herb of the Year

“And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.” Genesis 1:29-30 (KJV)

Now and then, it’s a good idea to take a fresh look at old ideas. Our ideas about life have certainly been turned upside down by COVID-19. Maybe this is a good time to take another look at gifts hidden in plain sight. In fact, there’s a whole bunch of them in backyards, vacant lots and roadsides everywhere. I’m talking about one of the greatest blessings of God’s creation, the dandelion (Taxicum officinale).

Now calm down. Did you know that in the 17th century, colonists planted dandelions for food and medicine? This often reviled plant is a rich source of nutrients, including iron, calcium, potassium, and vitamin A, B1, B2 and C. For centuries, herbalists have treasured the entire dandelion plant, from flower to leaves to roots. And the leaves are delicious raw in a salad, or cooked and drizzled with olive oil, lemon juice and garlic.

Herbalists study a wide range of “helping plants,” but many will advise you to pay special attention to a particular herb each year. Dandelion is my “green ally” for 2020 — the herb that I will focus on, sit with and pay special attention to this year. I’ll write a series of posts about dandelions this year, on topics ranging from recipes to medicinal properties* and folklore.

Take heart when you observe the dandelion. The object of disdain and scorn from many directions, repeatedly poisoned, dandelion is as indestructible as we are foolish. Bright and confident, she graciously offers her healing gifts to friend and foe. Could it be that we can’t “get rid” of her because she knows that she was created with a purpose?

This afternoon, I picked a few very young dandelion greens from our yard and ate them raw. The youngest greens have the mildest taste and are best for a salad. The larger, mature greens have a more bitter flavor that becomes milder when cooked. To get started on our journey with dandelion, here’s a recipe for tasty dandelion greens:

Tasty Cooked Dandelion Greens

(Adapted from  Allrecipes)

2 tsp salt

1 pound dandelion leaves, torn into 4-inch pieces

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and black pepper to taste

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions

Place dandelion greens and 1 tsp salt in bowl of cold water. Soak for 10 minutes and drain.

Fill a large pot with water and add 1 tsp salt. Bring water to boil and add the greens. Lower the heat to simmer and cook the greens until tender, 3or 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Increase heat to medium high and add dandelion greens. Cook and stir until liquid evaporates, about 3 or 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle with lemon juice. 

Be well and be blessed!

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*This post is for information only, and does not provide medical advice. Talk to your doctor before trying medicinal herbs.