Season for Dandelions

Before the grass begins to grow and fill in the bare spots in the lawn, the dandelions emerge. And, once you spot the first yellow blossom, there most likely are dozens, or even hundreds more. You either love them or hate them, but this early season weed has a lot to offer. Saturday morning I grabbed a shovel and begin scouring the yard for the distinct saw toothed leaves which are tasty in salads when young. I know that no matter how many dandelions I pull up, there will still be plenty left for the bees and wasps which also emerge this time of year looking for a first meal.

Dandelions help sustain pollinators in the spring before other blossoms come out.

Typically I make use of the young greens in salads. If I have a lot, I will steam them like spinach. This year, I decided to try and use of the roots as well so it was particularly satisfying when I was able to pull out the long tap root.  This spring has been quite dry, which made the dandelions particularly difficult to pull out of the ground with the root intact.

Tap roots provide benefits by loosening the soil and they aid in the fertilization of other plants by pulling nutrients up that lay deep in the soil.  I was looking forward to roasting the roots and making a dandelion smoothie. After about a half hour of scavenging I had collected a large bucket of plants. When all was said and done, I ended up with about a handful of chopped roots and a couple cups of nutritious greens.

Dandelion root (left) and rinsed greens (right)

To roast the root, I scrubbed them well, then chopped into two inch pieces. I placed them on a cookie sheet and baked in an oven set at 200 degrees for three hours, checking and turning every hour. Once they were completely dried, I cooled and them then ground to a fine powder in an electric spice grinder. It made about three tablespoons.

Add a little bit to your favorite smoothie for a coffee-like flavor and extra health benefits such as anti-oxidant properties and protecting your liver. I added it to the recipe below from Care2. 

Dandelion Almond Smoothie

Ingredients:
1 cup almond milk
1/4 cup cashews ground
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon roasted dandelion root
3 ice cubes
Add all to a blender and serve.