Dandelion greens have a delicious slightly bitter taste that can be prepared in many ways!
Younger plants tend to be less bitter as well as more tender. The older greens should be parboiled to cut the bitter flavor.
Salad:
The young greens can be eaten raw, in a salad, mixed with other greens.
Smoothie:
Add dandelion greens to your smoothie. A few leaves, not too much or else it will be bitter.
Juices:
Add to your favorite green juice for energy and to stimulate your liver.
Stir Fry:
Add chopped leaves to a vegetable stir fry and sauté until tender.
Grains:
Mix chopped raw or parboiled greens into rice or quinoa. Add olive oil, chopped red onion and a few walnuts.
Stews and Soups:
Stir chopped leaves into soups and stews for additional green nutrition.
Sautéed: Dandelion greens sauté beautifully with sliced onions and garlic.
Beans:
Mix chopped dandelion leaves into hot or cold white beans, with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Dandelion Flowers:
The florets or just open flowers have a honey like taste and can be added to salads or rice dishes. In the bigger flowers, pick off the yellow parts, because the green sepals at the base of the bloom can taste bitter.
Making Wishes:
The mature dandelions that have turned into magical white puffs should always be used for making wishes.
In Conclusion: Love your dandelions the way the French and Italians do. Once you start eating this beautiful green vegetable, it's so tasty, you'll find you have a new perspective on a weed you once considered a problem.
