This Mother’s Day there was one thing I REALLY wanted to do. Not a break from the kids or a trip to the spa. What I wanted most was to forage for dandelions with my family! To many moms, that may be the last thing on their dream list, especially when it’s windy and threatening to rain outside. But if you’ve been here for a while, maybe you agree! Dandelions are an amazing edible food that is so overlooked by most. Did you know that the entire dandelion plant is not only edible, but full of health benefits? From the roots to the flowers, be sure to get the most out of amazing edible dandelion plants!
I’ve been dying to forage some dandelions ever since seeing this beautiful dandelion cupcake recipe shared by growforagecookferment. The presentation is beautiful and I was so intrigued. I have been following Colleen’s blog for a while and love all she shares about foraging and what to do with all you find. She shares edible recipes as well as medicinal uses for plants.
I have also been eager to use *Carter’s* Christmas present that I finally finished before Easter… a hand made foraging basket! Check back soon for details on how I made this beautiful basket.
I highly recommend the recipe I link above if you need a sweet recipe to try with your dandelions!
What Parts of Dandelion are Edible?
The amazing thing about dandelion flower is that the entire plant is edible (and also beneficial in other ways!). Here are some of my favorite uses:
Roots:
Roasted dandelion root tea. I have heard it is a common caffeine free coffee substitute. I personally don’t drink coffee and have never tried it, so can’t tell you how close it tastes, but I do LOVE drinking dandelion root tea! I prefer mine unsweetened with cream, my husband likes to add real maple syrup or raw honey for a little sweetness.
Flowers:
The dandelion flower cupcakes are a definite must! I’m not a cupcake fan normally, but these were DELICIOUS. I think I would make a few modifications with my personal preferences- I will share those soon!
You can also eat the flowers fresh, maybe thrown into a salad for beautiful color? If doing this, I would try to harvest and eat as soon as possible, as the flowers will close up soon after they are cut.
Leaves:
I have been experimenting here as well! When we foraged flowers for our cupcakes, I grabbed a handful of greens as well.
I used these as greens in sandwiches, mixed them with other greens in a salad, and even cooked them in a creamy soup I made. I got some recommendations to cut them smaller to help with the chewing (so you don’t get all your greens pulling out of your sandwich on the first bite ;).
Where to Find Edible Dandelions?
You can find dandelion anywhere, right? Sort of.
When foraging for dandelion, you want to be sure that they are clean and haven’t been sprayed! With that being said, don’t collect any dandelion you see on the roadside. I would recommend foraging either in your own backyard (if you have not sprayed and know that no one else has) or in nature. It’s best to get away from roads when foraging for edible dandelion in the wild. Be sure that you are not foraging dandelions that have been sprayed and make sure your kids also know if you are involving them in the process!
The amazing thing about dandelions is that they grow almost anywhere and they are easy to recognize!
What Else Can I do with Edible Dandelion?
Not only is Dandelion edible and full of benefits when eaten, but it is also used in many homemade skin products! From homemade salves, to soap and bath salts, dandelion is so diverse! You really can’t go wrong when it comes to harvesting dandelion.
I hope this post inspires you to hold back on the spray and instead put this amazing plant to use. Dandelions are a gift from our mother earth, we just need to remember how to use them fully!
Are you looking for more ways to connect more intentionally with nature? Try these other ideas below and subscribe to my email list for more inspiration!
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