HERBS: Dandelions - Can't pick a better weed! (RECIPES, REMEDIES, FORAGE)

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Can't pick a better weed

Dandelions ease and please whether in coffee, tea, or tincture

By ELIZABETH BROMSTEIN

Dandelions used to be the exclusive food of hillbillies who like to

smother 'em in bacon dressing and called it good eatin'. But now

everyone's on about the magical health and cleansing properties of the

shaggy yellow flowers.

While lawn addicts still revile them, folks in Alt-health land maintain

they're top of the list in nature's pharma: roots, leaves, petals and

stems. Be careful where you harvest them, though. Citified plants near

roadways can be drenched in heavy metals and other nasties.

Besides tincture, capsules and salads, they work in pizza, fritters,

soup and wine. Such a versatile gem of a weed.

What the experts say

" If you're going to eat plants out of the ground in the city, you want

something young, not something that's been sitting around gathering

pollution. You can tell how old a dandelion is by how many leaves it

has. If it's got one, then that's a new dandelion - go ahead and eat it.

But if it has several you might want to leave it. Dandelions are an

amazing spring food. They act on all the organs of elimination - the

liver, the kidneys. They have tons of nutrients and chlorophyll that

detox your body. Before they flower they're less bitter, but bitter is

amazing for detoxing. The flowers taste great in a stir-fry. "

MONIKA GHENT, herbalist, Toronto

" The root is especially good for supporting good liver function, and the

leaf is good for the urinary tract , though they both do both. The stem

is not usually used internally, because the internal latex is irritating

to the gastrointestinal system, but it can be dabbed on warts and

pimples to help them disappear. The flowers are used like the leaf or

root but are a much gentler medicine that would be good for someone with

a delicate constitution.

Dandelion is used for arthritic and rheumatic conditions because it

increases the removal of metabolic waste from the body. Dandelion root

coffee makes a very nice bitter beverage. It's an incredible food, rich

in vitamins A, B, C and D. It's mineral-rich, too, with potassium,

calcium, iron and copper. "

DANETTE STEELE, herbalist, Toronto

" Mix a cup of dandelion flowers, a half-cup of flour, a quarter-cup of

chopped onions, half a teaspoon each of garlic powder and salt, a

quarter-teaspoon each of basil, oregano, thyme or other Italian

seasoning, something to wet it with - milk or water. Then deep-fry the

mixture as balls or patties for the best vegetarian burger you've ever

had. Gather flowers when they've closed up for the night. Get big ones.

Pinch them at the base to loosen up the yellow florets. We like to dry

dandelions and just throw them in soups , stews , casseroles. Because

they're bitter, you want to put something on them that's sweet. If

you're making a salad, don't dress them with Italian dressing, but with

a raspberry vinaigrette. Dandelions are the most nutritious vegetable I

can imagine. "

PETER GAIL , ethnobotanist, president, Goosefoot Acres Center for

Resourceful Living, author, The Dandelion Celebration, The Great

Dandelion Cookbook, Cleveland Ohio

" The root works wonderfully on the liver and gallbladder. It increases

bile flow and eliminates toxins . People develop sluggish livers after

the winter months and need to remove chemicals or pollutants. Cleansing

the liver helps with constipation, a number of skin issues like acne or

eczema and joint issues like gout. The leaf is a powerful diuretic and

useful in reducing the volume of fluid, helpful with high blood

pressure. Conventional blood pressure medication depletes potassium, but

dandelion leaves are high in potassium. You can juice the leaves, eat

them cooked or raw. They can be used in dried form or capsules. Roots

can be used in capsule or tea form. "

JODY PRENTICE, naturopath, Toronto

Here is a soup recipe

Ingredients:

4 cups diced spuds with skin

1 stalk celery

1 medium carrot

1 large onion

1 small chopped green pepper

2 cups chopped tender dandelion greens and stalks

2 or more cloves garlic chopped

2 tablespoons oil

1 cup dry yellow split peas

salt, black pepper, oregano, thyme, mustard powder

In a large pot, barely cover the spuds with lightly salted water. Once

the water boils, turn heat down, simmer for 10 minutes. Add veggies,

cover and cook slowly till tender. Boil the split peas separately and

then add. Add 1 teaspoon black pepper, a generous pinch of oregano,

minimum pinches of thyme and mustard powder. With a hand blender, whirl

till smooth. If serving immediately, add the chopped dandelions and

squirts of lemon. If storing for later, add the dandelion after

reheating.''

SUNNY RAJA , chef, Vegan Delights, Toronto

NOW | MAY 4 - 10, 2006 | VOL. 25 NO. 36

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