The Joy of Dandelions

Sauteed dandelion greens and dandelion blossom tea is on the menu for tonight. I love any kind of bitter veggie - radicchio, arugula, and especially dandelions. Here's a recipe for dandelion blossom tea: Dandelion Flower Tea Recipe

Steep them in a cup of water for about 15-20 minutes.

Add a little sweetener of your choice and your cup of dandelion tea is ready.

One of the key benefits of dandelion tea is that it has a great detoxification effect on the liver

I know my liver could use some detoxification, so I'm going to sautee greens, too - with garlic and sesame seeds. Here's a recipe:

Dandelion Greens Saute 1 lb. dandelion greens 3 tablespoons olive oil 5 cloves garlic 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Wash and slice greens. Blanch in enough water to cover about 1 minute. Drain and saute in the olive oil for 3-4 minutes, then add the sesame and garlic and saute for couple minutes more. Add the sesame oil and serve.

Dandelion is also known as Taraxacum officinale, lion's tooth, blowball, cankerwort, priest's crown, swine snout, and wild endive.

Dandelion has been used for its nutritional value as well as for water retention, regulation of blood glucose, upset stomach, urinary tract infections, kidney and bladder stones, liver and gallbladder complaints, and loss of appetite.

I leave you with this from Walt Whitman, and may your liver quiver with the joy of dandelions!

The First Dandelion Simple and fresh and fair from winter's close emerging, As if no artifice of fashion, business, politics, had ever been, Forth from its sunny nook of shelter'd grass--innocent, golden, calm as the dawn, The spring's first dandelion shows its trustful face. Source: "Leaves of Grass," by Walt Whitman