Eat Ur Weeds!

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), is an excellent all purpose plant of many uses. All parts of the plant are edible and are delicious any time of year. In the spring, pick the flower buds; fill a jar with the buds, a few cloves of garlic, some grated ginger, apple cider vinegar to make a delicious, healthy condiment to be added in salads, on rice, beans (Check out the recipes page for full directions).

My Daddy’s Grandma used to send him out to pick dandelion leaves in the spring and cooked them up with onions, garlic and bacon grease for a nutritious and inexpensive (read free for the dandelions!) dish. Feel free to substitute olive oil for the bacon grease if you wish.

As the seasons progress, the dandelion flowers infused in oil make a wonderful rub for strains and bruises. The fresh leaves are a valuable addition to salads and to replace pale, nutritionless lettuce. Dandelions stimulate the digestive system and may inspire a desire to eat in those with dull appetites. As a digestive herb, dandelion gently helps those with constipation, blockages and "sour" stomachs.

Your liver continuously performs a myriad functions every day of your life. You could live with one lung, one kidney, lose some fingers or toes, but you could not live without your liver. It produces bile, which is excreted into the gall bladder to wait to be released into the small intestine to aid in the digestion of the foods you eat. The liver also produces hormones, and is a storage room/transfer station for heavy metals and toxins. It filters your blood, removes and breaks down fats, alcohol and more.

Dandelion is the premiere herb to support the liver, allowing it to be strengthened, healthy and available at all times to do the many jobs it is designed to do.

Dandelion acts as a diuretic, removing and moving excess water from the body, adding potassium and other minerals to the body at the same time. Commercial diuretics remove potassium and minerals from the body. Potassium is vital to cardiac health; therefore, dandelions may be the better choice as a diuretic.

In the winter, dig the roots to make tinctures, vinegars and to dry for tea. I find that I can still pick leaves for sautéing with olive oil, garlic and onions as a nourishing winter green. Bon appetit!

Our Love Your Liver Tea contains dandelion root, along with other liver loving herbs: burdock root, citrus peel, milk thistle, and red clover. Just simmer one tablespoon per cup of water for 10 minutes, turn off the heat, let stand 1/2 to one hour and sip to stimulate, heal, protect and nourish the liver and entire digestive tract. One cup per day is great for maintenance, 2 or more cups a day for sluggish digestive problems.

Want to know more about dandelions and other liver herbs? Sign up for Suzanne’s herb walks and workshops as they are offered in the upcoming months!