The Magic French Weed: Dandelion

I don’t know if it is the same for you, but growing up as a kid in France, Dandelion has always been a magic plant to me.

We used to run around trying to pick up as many as we could in order to blow its beautiful seeds away. The legend says that if you can blow all the seeds in one breath, your wish will come true.

Dandelion has been known as an herbal remedy in Europe, Asia and North America for hundreds of years; its latin name Taraxacum means “disease remedy”.

As for its English name, it comes from the French description of its leaves: sharply serrated like a “lion’s tooth” = “dent de lion”.

My favourite name for it though is the French one; not because of an excess of national chauvinism, simply because it is funnier. Knowing the plant to be a good diuretic, it was called “pissenlit” – litteraly “pee in the bed”.

With the improvement of science and our modern ability to impartially test its medicinal properties, I feel like Dandelion deserves its magical reputation more than ever.

From improving liver and bile functions, to treating indigestions and loss of appetite, this plant is more than a simple diuretic: it is a magic formula for health!

It is a powerful detoxifier and contains good levels of inulin: a dietary fibre key to helping the good bacteria in your gut.

Leaves, flowers, root, everything is good and edible in dandelions, as long as they haven’t been sprayed with toxins and grew in a clean environment.

Here are 3 recipes to help you make good use of your weeds!

Dandelion Wine to help digestion

2 cups of whole, young dandelion flowers
1 bottle of your favourite wine (preferably Cabernet)
½ tsp of ground ginger
1 sprig of fresh rosemary leaves

In a bowl, cover the flowers in water and set aside to soak overnight.

Using a colander, drain then rinse the flowers under cold running water. Transfer the blossoms to a blender and add the ginger, the rosemary, and half the wine.

Blend on high speed until puréed. Using a funnel lined with a coffee filter, strain the mixture back to the original half-filled wine bottle. Re-cork and let sit in the fridge for at least a night before starting to use.

Drink 3 to 4 oz before dinner or a heavy meal.

The wine will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

 

Dandelion salad to help with bloating

1tsp of mustard seeds powder
3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
½ red onion chopped
2 medium tomatoes diced
1 bunch of dandelion leaves (about 10 oz)
Juice of 1 lemon freshly squeezed
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

In a bowl, whisk together the mustard, oil and lemon juice. Add the onion, season with some salt and pepper and mix again.

When ready to eat, add the tomatoes, the dandelion leaves, and toss to coat well. Serve immediately!

 

Dandelion stir fry to help cleansing

3tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
2 cups of red onion chopped
2 cups of Shiitake mushrooms chopped
2 cups of Maitake mushrooms chopped
10 cups of dandelion leaves
Juice of 1 lemon freshly squeezed
Sea salt and black pepper

Heat a cast iron pan over medium heat and sauté the garlic and onions together until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook until slightly browned. Add the dandelions, season with salt and pepper and cook for just a minute. Finish by adding the lemon juice and it’s ready to serve.

 

All these recipes come from the book: Power Plants, simple home remedies you can grow
from Frankie Flowers and Bryce Wylde.

It is organized as a plant dictionary that explains how to grow different types of plants, their heath benefits, and how to use them. A great source of information!

Enjoy!