Wild, Weedy & Edible: Garlic Mustard

*This is a guest post by Lisa Rose Starner. Lisa is an urban homesteader, wildcrafter, forager, gardener, and herbalist who lives in Grand Rapids, MI. She runs a small herbal CSA and writes about local foods and herbalism. Learn more about her work @ Burdock & Rose*

What is the adage, "A weed is a plant that is growing where you don't want it?"

[caption id="attachment_526" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Young garlic mustard shoot"][/caption]

Abundant in areas of disturbed soil—at the forest's edge, along roadsides, and on river floodplains, the Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is deemed by conservationist organizations like The Land Conservancy to be more that a noxious "weed," but an invasive species—choking out native vegetation and spreading wildly across the state. The National Park Service describes the earliest appearance of the Garlic Mustard on the Atlantic coast to be documented in 1868. It is believed that it was brought along by settlers to the area of Long Island, NY for food and medicinal purposes.

Since that time in the 1800s, Garlic Mustard has spread south and west and has wrecked havoc on natural areas throughout the Eastern United States, particularly throughout fields, floodplains, and woodlands here in the Great Lakes BioRegion.

What makes Garlic Mustard able to take over so much area in so little time? Garlic Mustard thrives on disturbed land and areas under development. It is winter hardy and can reproduce lightning fast with its ability to produce hundreds of seeds once it goes to flower. And once the plant sets its seed, the seeds can remain viable in the soil for many years.

Behind Every Vice… The Garlic Mustard's Virtue

And while Garlic Mustard continues to persist throughout our Great Lakes bioregion and threatens to crowd-out wildflowers and native vegetation, we can consider one of its virtues: It is edible!

Like many early spring greens, the flavors of the Garlic Mustard are predominantly bitter. Different parts of the plant, as well the age of the plant can affect the degree in the bitter flavor.

Great Lakes Herbalist Jim McDonald believes that the Bitter flavors of plants, while having a negative connotation to many, may be one of the keys to our wellness. Bitter flavors help stimulate digestion, bile production and can support healthy liver function. Other bitter plants that are beneficial to add into the diet include parsley, arugula, romaine, radicchio, endive, dandelion, and coffee. Best thing about Garlic Mustard as a bitter—it can be easily harvested for FREE with little concern of damaging its plant population!

Forager and wild food expert, Steve Brill, explains early basal roots are more bitter in the spring, the fleshy stems less so—and it is sweeter in the fall after a frost. The roots are slightly nutty, and the second year plant should be harvested just before it flowers… But don't get caught up in these rules—if you are pulling it to preserve other plants in your garden or a participating in a pull, use it and partner it with other flavors like parsley, walnuts and lemon to suit your palate!

One of the most popular ways to prepare Garlic Mustard is preparing it as a versatile, delicious pesto. Variations on pesto recipes can vary to suit personal taste preference and the flavor of the Garlic Mustard that is being harvested.

Want to prepare a large batch? Pesto can be made without the nuts (they tend to taste rancid after thawing) and froze into ice-cube sized portions that will last for several months until the local Basil is ready for harvest here in Michigan.

Need ideas for uses of the Garlic Mustard pesto? The pesto can be added to pasta, used in soups (like a French soup au pistou), served on crackers with cheese as an elegant appetizer, or even used as a base for a wild foods pizza of local Michigan Morels, homemade soft cheese, and wild onion.

Basic Foraged Greens & Garlic Mustard Pesto

What You Need:

4 cups leaves, stems of Garlic Mustard (washed)
1 cup wild chives
1 cup wild garlic scapes
1 cup parsley (if desired)
1 cup walnuts (or pinenuts - though I am not a fan)
4 TBSP olive oil
1tsp sea salt, pepper, squirt of lemon juice to taste

• Add all to food processor, puree.


• Check flavor, add parsley, salt, pepper to preferred taste.


• Serve over crackers, on pizza, pasta, soup… the ideas are limitless and the pesto can be used in similar ways to traditional basil pesto.

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Crafting a Springtime Wild Food Meal

*This is a guest post by Lisa Rose Starner. Lisa is an urban homesteader, wildcrafter, forager, gardener, and herbalist who lives in Grand Rapids, MI. She runs a small herbal CSA and writes about local foods and herbalism. Learn more about her work @ Burdock & Rose*

Local food isn’t a trend. What we’ve been seeing in the marketplace - an increase in organics, profiles of local farmers, talk of healthy soil - these are all important facets getting more attention in a new food and wellness paradigm that is taking shape and is here to stay.

Our culture is starting to shift. We are beginning to understand the connection between healthy soil and healthy people. We are beginning to make choices and invest in good, healthful and local whole foods as part of our health *insurance.* Lifestyles are adjusting to choose values of cooking, gardening, and eating together. It’s a refreshing shift in our community’s way of life.

Springtime in Michigan is an easy time to re-visit your own commitment to living hyper-local for your health. A few popular ideas, if you haven’t considered them already include joining a Community Supported Agriculture program and perhaps cultivating your first herb and vegetable garden.

Beyond gardening, what about learning about the wild plants that live in your yard, neighborhood or nearby fields and forests? The land around us offers many different plants that can be used as wild foods and herbal preparations to keep us well, and spring is an excellent time to learn to forage - There’s nothing more hyper local or healthy!

First course: Re-wilding the Salad

[caption id="attachment_479" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="The nectar rich flowers of the violot, viola spp. A welcoming sign of spring."][/caption]

Violet leaves and flowers (Viola spp), dandelion greens and wild chives mix together well for this flavorful, spring salad of bitter greens. While the wild chives can be found in the wooded areas near your home, you may find these greens as close as your own lawn -- don’t mow these *weeds!*

Assuming you haven’t sprayed your yard with chemicals, these plants can be eaten and are highly nutritious. Don’t be scared off by the bitterness found in the dandelion - the greens are not only packed with Vitamin C, but the bitterness is exactly what our Americanized diets of salt and sweet need.

Bitter greens like dandelion help the stomach in digestion by increasing bile production and it’s a good for the liver, too. We need to integrate more of these flavors back into our processed diets.  The violet greens do not offer the strong bitter profile the dandelion green does - it is a sweeter green, with a bright flavor similar to purslane, but not as strong. It, too, is packed with Vitamin C.

The violet flowers - both white and purple are both beautiful and add a splash of color to the salad.  They are slightly sweet and can be ever so peppery.  They are very fun for children to pick with their little hands.

To harvest - Simply pick the leaves and flowers by hand, and trim the chives with scissors. To ensure maximum sweetness in the dandelion greens, harvest in the cool morning before it gets too hot (same rules apply for all salad greens) and choose the smaller, tender leavers before the plant goes to flower.

Rinse the greens in a water bath and gently dry in a tea towel if you don’t have a salad spinner. Don’t wash the flowers - they will wilt. Top the wild harvested greenery with a zingy lemon-balsamic vinaigrette.

Perfect alone or topped with anchovies for that added flavor and protein. Pairs well with a crisp white wine. I might reach for a local Michigan Riesling.

Main Course: Wildcrafted Nettle Risotto 

Many of us have met the stinging nettle (Urtica doica).  As kids, we most likely encountered them horsing around in the fields of grasses with friends, only to be surprised by those stinging plants.

But what we probably didn’t learn is how nutritious the nettle is! Nettles have great virtues as a wild edible food that nourish the body with plenty of vitamins and minerals. Nettles are very nutrient dense; rich Vitamin C, Vitamin A, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, cobalt, copper, potassium, B-complex vitamins – even protein.  And they are extremely high in chlorophyll.

Look out, spinach. Pop-eye’s got a new superfood.

In seeking out the nettle, go on spring-time (April-June) hunts in areas of nutrient-rich, damp soil. One can often find them in areas that are adjacent to rivers, streams and lakes, or along drainage areas. Take care to know the area from which you are harvesting and it’s history of use -- try to avoid areas adjacent or downstream from large factories and farms.

Wear your harvesting gloves and long pants! They don’t call them *stinging* nettles for nothing! The stinging sensation and hive-like bumps that can occur from handling the nettle are caused from the hair-like needles found along the stem and leaves, and the sensation is similar to rolling in fiberglass.

Fortunately, the nettles will lose (most all) their stinging properties as they dry or are cooked (steamed or sauteed). Choose smaller leaves before the plant goes to flower mid-summer.

Once harvested, nettles can be used either fresh or dry.

If you plan on drying the nettles for use later in the season, prep them by chopping them into large pieces, taking care not to smash the fragile, fresh plant material. And do this immediately upon harvesting - you want to dry the plant in a vibrant state. You don’t want to let them wilt or deteriorate in your hot car on on the back counter.

To dry, spread them out onto racks (screens are easy for this) and let them dry completely before storing them in glass jars. If they are not completely dry before storage, they will most likely mold.

The dried leaves can be enjoyed year round added to soups and brewed as infusions for drinking.  The infusion should be left to steep overnight as to best extract the minerals of this plant.  The flavor can be a bit swampy to some, and blending the nettle infusion with a choice of green tea, jasmine tea, oatstraw and/or red clover makes it less “swampy.” Add a bit of honey to sweeten to taste and it is a refreshing, nourishing beverage that should be consumed daily.

Fresh nettles can easily replace spinach in recipes that call for the greens.  They can be lightly cooked and added to soups, egg scrambles, quiches, or other similar recipes. Bon Appetit!

Wildcrafted Nettle & Michigan Morel Risotto

What You Need:

1/4 pound young nettles (about 3 big handfuls - it will wilt like spinach)
12 oz risotto/arborio rice
1 onion, chopped
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup dry Michigan white wine (an extra glass for the chef)
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped fresh Michigan morels (if lucky) or fresh shitakes
¼ cup chopped, fresh parsley
Salt, pepper to taste

• Heat the stock in a large saucepan.


• Wash the nettle leaves. Blanch for 2 minutes in boiling salted water, drain and chop very finely. Set aside to add at the end.


• Cook onion and morels gently in half the butter in a large saucepan for a few minutes until tender.


• Add rice and cook over a slightly higher heat for 2 minutes while stirring. Pour in the wine, deglazing the pan. Cook, uncovered, until all the wine has evaporated, then add about 1 cup boiling hot stock; leave the risotto to cook, stirring occasionally and adding about 1/2 cup boiling stock at intervals as the rice absorbs the liquid.


• After about 14 - 15 minutes' cooking time the rice will be tender but still have a little 'bite' left in it when tested.  Add the prepared nettles and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring.


• Take off the heat and stir in the remaining butter which will melt and make the rice look glossy;


• Sprinkle with the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, and add salt and pepper to taste. Stir gently and serve immediately.

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Nutritious & Noteworthy Nettles

Stinging Nettle - Urtica dioica

Some plants have adapted to bare mechanisms of protection that humans often find very memorable. Think poison ivy, a blackberry cane, or the notorious rose—all of these plants have superficial similarities. They all let you know of their presence with a scratch, a poke, an itch or couple blood drawing nicks. It's hardly fun or enjoyable for most, and often incites grumbling and cursing. Nettles are in some ways similar to these other plants. They're known for their sting. Stinging nettles, when approached in just the right way, leave a nice burning, tingling sensation on the skin. It's hardly a tear from a blackberry thorn or a full blown poison ivy rash, but it signals something to the passerby that is worth remembering. And I think for good reason. Let us learn why.

Stinging nettle is a great beginners wild food because they are very common, easy to identify, and have a flavor and myriad of uses both delicious and familiar to the green-loving eater.

Botanical Identification

[caption id="attachment_376" align="alignright" width="150" caption="The "hairs" or trichomes that induce sting."][/caption]

Stinging nettle is an herbaceous perennial plant of the Urticaceae family. The most commonly distributed species is Urtica dioica, but many subspecies of this exist across N. America and the world. Stinging nettle is often found in definite clumps, and sometimes large stands, each plant connected via its extensive underground mat of rhizomes and stolons. The plants grow 3 to 6 foot stems which are slightly square, hollow, and have deep grooves running vertically along them. The cambian layer of the stem is comprised of many long fibers, of which the notorious nettle fiber is extracted, and from which it inherits its common name nettle—the strong fibers being used to make nets and ropes. The stem, leaves and petioles are covered with the tiny, notorious barbs or hairs that deliver its ubiquitous sting.

[caption id="attachment_371" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Nettle's leaf pattern"][/caption]

It has 2 to 5 inch long leaves that grow in opposite pairs along the stem and are generally of a dark green color. The lanceolate leaves have toothed margins (thin, long teeth), and have a crinkly texture appearance due to the visibly indented leaf veins. The leaves and petioles range in sized depending on their age and location on the plant—young leaves are short with short petioles (and often a more ovate shape and fatter toothed margins) while older leaves tend to have longer petioles and longer, more lanceolate leave, with finer toothed margins.

The flowers form in inconspicuous clusters at the nodes in mid-summer, giving the plant an almost feathery appearance along the stem. They are small, green and grow 2 to 3 inches in small clumps from the leaf axils. The very tiny seeds ripen almost invisibly in late summer and early autumn in the safety of a dusty fruit.

[caption id="attachment_377" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Ripening seeds"][/caption]

Ecology

Stinging nettle is a plant that wears many ecological hats, so to speak. Any organic or biodynamic gardener or farmers knows their importance in those systems. This is because it is a fairly potent dynamic accumulator. It's vast root mass brings up potassium and calcium and it's leaves contain high levels of nitrogen. The tiny stinging hairs are made of a soluble silica, a key component that promotes soil health. It has also been shown and used in studies to phytoextract and phytoremediate heavy metals such as arsenic. It has also been shown in one study to be an intermediate feeding site for beneficial predators of aphids.

[caption id="attachment_375" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="A typical nettle patch"][/caption]

Nettles generally grow on roadsides, in old field mosaics, meadows, and woodlots. They don't mind shade, and are found in large clumps near trees and mostly in soil of higher organic matter content and moisture. It is sometimes found in areas that receive large amounts of nitrates or deposits of nitrogen (pastures and so forth). Their mat of rhizomes cover soil and their yearly layering of leaf and stem rot produce a rich crumbly humus between plantings. I've also found many a nettle patch growing happily with many other species, the most common combination being stinging nettle and cleavers (Galium aparine). I generally associate the presence of nettles with a past land use and disturbance pattern that was low in compaction or leaching of nutrients—a relatively health soil foodweb and plant diversity. It will gladly and quickly inhabit open soils, especially those in hedgerows, clearings and forest edges.

Nutrition

[caption id="attachment_373" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Nettle & cleavers"][/caption]

Nettles are an extremely nutrient dense food, especially for a green. The leaves are very high in vitamins A, C and K. It is also reputed for its generous supply of iron and calcium and  a significant supply of protein (which some people say gives the smell of cooked nettles a fish-esque smell). The dark green leaves also contain high levels of magnesium and chlorophyll. It also contains

Medicinal Qualities

[caption id="attachment_370" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Nettle tea or infusion"][/caption]

Ask any herbalist what their "top ten" tonic herbs are and nettle is most likely to be mentioned. This is simply because it is a very fortifying herb with a large spectrum of uses and qualities, making it a perfect herb to consume regularly in medium to large dosages. It is especially effective in working with the liver, kidneys, arthritic conditions, allergies, and the nervous and muscular systems. The rhizomes, as I learned through Daniel Vitalis, are potent medicine for men in particular, having many androgenic compounds that aide in prostate and overall male health. The sting is also used therapeutically, and although I have yet to try it, it is reputed to aide in the relief of chronic pain, soreness and weakness associated with things like arthritis or back pain.

My favorite preparation for nettle is a tea made from the fresh or dried leaves (cut and dried in early spring) as a strong infusion. The leaves can be tinctured fresh and taken internally or used externally on sore or atrophied muscles and nerves. The seeds can also be tinctured and used similarly, although I have yet to try this. I will also use the tinctured rhizomes from time to time.

Culinary Versatility

[caption id="attachment_474" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="A skilled forager can harvest a pound of nettle shoots in 5 minutes without any gloves. Attempt at your own risk!"][/caption]

In the kitchen, I find nettles really useful in many dishes and preparations. Often, they're compared to or said to be similar to spinach. I don't think this is very accurate or helpful. Spinach has very juicy leaves, so much so that they wilt under the lightest heat and shrink almost into pulp when steamed. Nettle leaves are not very juicy. They will steam down into a pulpy texture, but overall I think of their texture as much more coarse and dry than spinach. It's helpful to keep this in mind, so that you prepare them accordingly and without expectations of spinach. For these reasons, I will generally prepare them with some liquid and always a fat—preferably butter.
[caption id="attachment_378" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Nice, young, tender shoots"][/caption]
In early spring I pick early nettle shoots when they're only 3 to 12 inches tall. The stems and leaves leaves are tender veryt ender at this stage, and they cook down quickly. I'll sautee them in butter with a touch of onion or garlic (or garlic mustard sometimes)—a little salt to taste and they're perfect.  I also love to boil-steam them in a broth, chicken especially, and serve it with some grass fed butter and miso. Nettle miso soup! You can also steam them and blend them into a pesto of sorts to serve as a spread, dip or on top of your favorite pasta. They are amazing in omelets, lasagna, casseroles, and make a fine creamy soup. I always mix them with other wild and domestic greens to make rich sauteed and steamed greens, which are practically meals unto themselves.

[caption id="attachment_372" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Nettle miso soup"][/caption]

Nettles are very rich, almost fragrant, and very hearty. A tea made from the leaves at all times during the season is refreshing and nourishing. I've heard the tea called broth, as its so much more than just a simple infusion. To make the tea, boil a quart of water. When it reaches rolling boil, drop in a generous handful of fresh nettle leaves, remove it from the heat, and cover it to steep for at least 20 minutes and up to 8 hours (overnight). The longer it sits, the darker and more rich it becomes. Come in on a hot sunny day to a chilled glass of that... The leaves are also used to make beer and last year I mixed nettle with dandelion flower and leaves to make a mead.

Wrap Up

That burning, tingling, bumpy annoying sting. That's one way to think of it. I tend to think of the sting of nettles as a reminder. If we were to use the ancient way of relating to plants and nature, "the doctrine of signatures", we might observe stinging nettles "sting" as a signature of some of its benefits. As mentioned the sting is therapeutic, much like bee stings and venoms. It opens up blood vessels and allows buildup and stagnation to pass through. That burning sensation is a signal of this action. The sting, I also think, is a mechanism for memorization. If you were to pass by a nettle, not knowing anything about it, and received its sting, you would not forget it. I did this once when I was young, ripping out with two hands a nettle plant. I never forgot. But I am not promoting masochism. What I am conveying is that the sting in the nettle might be a sign that it is a plant that has many virtues worth remembering and those little hypodermic needles along the plant are a way it ensures you won't, at the very least, forget its presence.

If all that sounds too metaphysical for you—that's fine. Nettles are still a delicious and nutritious wild food, a nourishing tonic and medicine, and a noteworthy plant worth getting to know—either way, one sting and you probably won't forget it.

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The Delightful Dandelion: Diligent, Delicious, yet Debased

Dandelion - Taraxacum officinale

Eat Here Now is a manifesto of not only eating wild and local foods, but of cultivating awareness and connection to the place one inhabits. We all inhabit different places on this fine earth, and almost anywhere we travel across it, we are bound to run into our long lost friend and ally: the Dandelion. That's why the Dandelion is in many ways Eat Here Now's "mascot". It pops up in peculiar places, where we think we don't want or need it, and always shows off with an attitude of resilience, sunny-bright yellow flowers and an almost indestructible head of wind blown seed. In cracks, lawns, sidewalks, parking lots, driveways and more—it's one of the most well adapted species in the wild world, and more than likely you already know Dandelion, for better or worse. Let's make this relationship one for the better.

Dandelion is probably the best plant to start with when learning about wild food and medicine: It is easy to identify, is versatile in its' consumption, and is a truly powerful plant for repairing those places that need a little or a lot of love—inside as well as out.

Botanical Identification

[caption id="attachment_273" align="alignright" width="124" caption="Top to Bottom: Ray Flowers form Seeds"][/caption]Dandelion is  member to the Asteraceae family—the second largest plant family in the world—the family of lettuce, sunflowers, daisies, and so on. This family was once called the Compositae family; that's because plants in this family have flowers that are composed of many small flowers, called ray flowers. Each ray flower makes one seed, and if we recall the seed heads of a dandelion, we can see visually how each ray flower is pollinated to form each seed, the total of which we call the plants seed head. The widely distributed species most know, especially in N. American, is Taraxacum officinale. Officinale is the species name devoted to plant species used historically in medicinal preparations.

[caption id="attachment_473" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="All 3 of these are dandelion. It has many leaf forms!"][/caption]

Dandelion is an herbaceous perennial. It grows as a basal rossette, forming no true stem. Its' leaves range from 3 to 16 inches long with toothed edges which are, depending on the microclimate it is found in, deeply to mildy lobed (this is where it gets its' name Dande Lion—derived from the Latin phrase Dens leonis—lion's tooth). I often find that leaves growing in moist or shaded conditions will have shallow lobes and more tender characteristics, while those growing in harsh or dry environments will be deeply lobed and generally more tough. Each leaf has a central rib that is often a lighter shade than the leaves, and sometimes tinted with a reddish hue. All parts of the plant exude a white, milky sap when broken.

[caption id="attachment_274" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Basal rosette, penducles, and flower heads."][/caption]
Flower stalks—the penducles—shoot 3 to 14 inches up from the root crown from early to mid spring. These are hollow, unbranched and leafless.The surface of the stalk can be smooth or covered in a very fine white wool, and sometimes, but not always, tinged by a reddish color. Atop of each flower stalk is born one composite flowerhead, made of the many previously mentioned ray flowers. And what a beautiful flowerhead she is. After the flowers are a memory, the ubiquitous downy white seed heads form, each tiny seed equipped with a sail-of-sorts, carrying it on the winds to its new home.

*Interesting tidbit* A group of enthusiastic botanists in Britain have created a subset of field botany called taraxacology, appropriately dubbing themselves taraxacologists. They've identified around 253 unique species in the British Isles alone. Imagine the possibilities for North America![nbcite refID="8" refName="7"]

Ecology

Dandelions are found growing all across N. America, Europe, and Asia. It grows commonly on roadsides, in ditches, parking lots, cracks, farm fields, vegetable gardens, disturbed forests, meadows, old fields and of course, lawns—a poignant ecosystem we'll touch on in a moment. Dandelions are a pioneer species. Pioneers are a whole class of plants whose characteristics and niches are such that they can colonize and grow on degraded lands and effectively prepare the soil and ecosystem for further iterations of succession. For these reasons and more, dandelion is easily found in ecosystems where repair is necessary or where disturbance is evident (or often times not evident due to succession).

[caption id="attachment_300" align="alignright" width="176" caption="Dandelion's effectual taproot."][/caption]Of the pioneer species, Dandelion is a markedly useful and important indicator plant, being that is is a dynamic accumulator. Dynamic accumulators "mine" minerals and substances from deep soil layers of subsoil or weathered bedrock and transport them to the plant parts to be deposited on the soil surface. Dandelions accumulate significant levels of Potassium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Copper and Iron. For these reasons, dandelions are used in Biodynamic compost preparations and in Permaculture systems extensively. It can be grown in gardens to "chop and drop" as a mulch and fertilizer, or fed to livestock as a nutrient dense fodder—which increases milk flow in cows (and humans alike).

You might guess, or know from observation, that the dandelion's taproot is strong and grows deep. With this quality, it is capable of breaking up compacted soils, clay, and hardpans. It can be used in land reclamation and repair. A study conducted in urban Montreal demonstrates dandelion's ability to take up the elements zinc, copper, manganese, lead, and cadmium. It was also observed growing in soils with high concentrations of various metals—leading researchers to believe that it is an effective remediator, having the ability to phytochelate metals out of contaminated soils.[nbcite refID="1" refName="1"](1)

Those little yellow flowers are like sign posts that read "Regeneration in Process". Wherever we see dandelion, we can now associate the ideas of healing, repair and clean-up—the noble act of cleaning up the messes and mistakes of our very own making. Dandelions' ecological associations and functions interestingly enough, translate to its nutritional and medicinal qualities. Lets check those out...

Nutrition

The lovely, lavish, green lawn. Right... Each year millions of dollars are patriotically spent on herbicides and weed killers in attempts to kill dandelions growing in America's most coveted form of waste, the lawn. Because dandelions are relatively indestructible plant, this is a either a fruitless or expensive ritual, but often it is both. These same artificial ecosystems are then pampered by another billion dollar industry of lawn fertilizers and life support programs from multinational chemical companies. Lawn owners go on to spend more of their hard earned money on trucked in, nutrient-less, flabby, flavorless salad greens. Imagine that!

All of this is to elude that Dandelions are one of the most nutrient dense vegetables available to human kind for FREE and literally everywhere. Dandelions are "superfoods" in all senses of the term. They're rich in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients: beta-carotene (Vitamin A precursor), ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), Vitamin D, Vitamine E, Vitamin B6, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, iron, and manganese, to name literally a few. Herbalist Susun Weed calls dandelion the "bendover" vitamin, because one only need bendover, pick and chew two leaves, and will be filled with the daily requirements of vitamin C. About those vitamin supplements you've been buying...

Medicinal Qualities

Dandelions are notorious bitters. As a food plant, they rank among chicory or endive in bitterness— relatively mild and very enjoyable (and trust me, if you've tasted the skin on burdock stems you know disgusting bitter!). As a medicine they are much more mild than traditional bitters such as wormwod or yarrow. For this reason and many more, they are effective in aiding the kidneys, digestive organs, and as a diuretic. The whole plant has been used traditionally as a tonic and stimulant for the liver, kidneys, and urinary system. It has shown effectiveness in various scientific studies for its antimicrobial[nbcite refID="2" refName="2"](2), anticancer[nbcite refID="4" refName="3"](3), antioxidant [nbcite refID="6" refName="4"](4), anti-inflammatory [nbcite refID="7" refName="5"](5), and anti-obesity[nbcite refID="5" refName="6"](6) actions.

[caption id="attachment_277" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Roasted Dandelion Roots"][/caption]

The renowned 17th century herbalist Nicholas Culpeper describes dandelions medicinal qualities as such,

"It is of an opening and cleansing quality, and therefore very effectual for the obstructions of the liver, gall and spleen, and the diseases that arise from them, as the jaundice, and hypochondriac; it openeth the passages of the urine both in young and old; powerfully cleanseth imposthumes and inward ulcers in the urinary passages, and by its drying and temperate quality doth afterwards heal them; for which purpose the decoction of the roots or leaves in white whine, or the leaves chopped as pot-herbs, with a few alisanders (alexanders), and boiled in their broth, are very effectual." (parenthese by me)

The whole plant is used to make tinctures, decoctions, and infusions. My favorite medicinal usage is as a tincture of the root, taken regularly to help tonify the kidneys and liver and promote the elimination of toxins from the blood. Along with burdock, dandelion is my go to blood cleanser—the advantage being that it can be consumed regularly and in large doses. I also enjoy the dried roasted roots steeped in hot water, which some considered the finest coffee substitute—more on this in a moment. Dry the leaves and use them in infusions and broths.

Culinary Versatility

Dandelion is bar none my favorite spring green. The deep, dark bitter greens are welcomed to my spring salads, served steamed or sautéed with butter and garlic, cooked into hearty fall soups and stews, or served as the star in a wilted salad with bacon and honey! They're presence defines spring for me, when I can go out and freely chomp on the leaves, taking in all of those nutrients winters' diet deprived me of. Some folks get turned off by the cunning bitterness of dandelion greens, or bitter foods in general, but I think that with practice and proper preparation this turn off can be transformed into a turn on.

[caption id="attachment_278" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Dandelion Fritter & Wilted Dandelion Salad"][/caption]The herbalist Frank Cook said that while our culture is infatuated with sweet foods, we neglect those bitter things in both our diet and our life—we use phrases like "the bitter end", "the bitter truth", and in many ways downplay the importance of bitter things in both life and food. Bitters are those aspects that force us to grow, those challenging places that alter our perceptions and create change. When I taste a bitter food, I start to salavate, craving more, and on some level know that the bitterness denotes a food packed with nutrition. A very simple way to wean your palate is by starting small: spike a mixed salad with the subte bitterness of a sprinkle of nice, tender, young dandelion greens and a well made dressing. Baby steps...

When they start to flower, I pick them by the bowl full. I use the flowers to make wines, meads, and one of my favorite spring and early summer treats, dandelion fritters. I will also tear the flowers apart and liberally sprinkle the petals on top of salads.

In early spring and late autumn I dig every dandelion root I come across. I then scrub them, dry them, and roast them like coffee. This breaks down the polysaccharides in the root into fructose, imparting a delicious, roasted, creamy, and aromatic essence. I then grind the roasted roots and steep it in hot water to make a wonderful coffee-like drink. An absolute staple!

Wrap Up

Dandelion's are versatile friends—and they are, in my opinion and experience, truly our friends. They work to repair the landscape, following human "foot steps", regenerating those places that are in disrepair. They want to reclaim manicured, artificial ecosystems, kept alive by the life support of a wasteful human era. And they work to nourish and heal our bodies. How many  friends can we say all of that for? And even after being sprayed, ripped out, and bad mouthed, the dandelion still shows up for the job. For that matter, why fight the tide?

Dandelion's are also the gateway into a world unseen, unthought, and untasted. That's because they literally grow everywhere, are easily identified, and most folks already know of dandelions. It is the trip from knowing of to knowing about that alters our perception of this amazing plant. They are inescapable, indispensable, and indestructible plants that I believe we need not only for ecological health and personal wellness, but for the kitchen table. So get on. Let the lovely bitter linger on your palate, the dark mysterious diligence work through your internal organs, and the image of those debased yellow globes transmute in your mind. What a delightful experience.

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