Edible Plants - Dandelion

Do you have dandelions on your property?


Novya has information for us about an edible plant we should be aware of.


If you have dandelions and they haven't been sprayed with a weed killer or fertilizer you have a versatile, edible plant within easy access.  Dandelions are available from spring until fall.  This makes them easy to find and harvest, at your convenience   Their flavor is usually sweeter and milder in the spring when they are more tender.

Dandelions are also available at many farmers markets and some supermarkets.

The entire dandelion can be eaten when raw and most of it can be cooked and eaten.

The flowers and leaves are often used in salads.  The flower would make a salad with more color.

The roots can be roasted and used as a coffee substitute or tea.  The articles I read say it is delicious.  No one in our house drinks coffee so we can't test that theory on anyone here.

The seeds can be ground and used as flour.  I can't imagine gathering enough of those little seeds to grind and make enough flour to make anything.  Sarafina says it might not be too bad to just get enough flour to thicken gravy or something. 

Dandelions are also used for fritters, pickles, wine, jelly and many other foods.  All Recipes, Martha Stewart, Cdkitchen and other recipe sites have recipes available.


If you need a great source for zinc, calcium, potassium, iron, vitamin A, B complex, vitamin C, vitamin D or Vitamin K the dandelion would be good for you. 

The health benefits are quite interesting too.  But, here we're looking for uses as a food.

Sarafina is going to add dandelions to her herb garden next summer.  She is excited that Novya found a new plant for her add to her collections of herbs.