Usually in the spring, before anything else can be grown in our gardens, dandelions are
Dandelion Greens - Leaves
seen popping up everywhere. It’s a sustainable edible plant, wild greens, that are not only pretty to look at– but are fun to eat! Dandelions are super healthy and nutritious for us too.
Dandelion Nutritional facts:
Nutritional facts by National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
Release 24 Software v.Release 1.0 3/30/12
Nutrient
Unit
Value per 100.0g
# of Data Points
Std. Error
cup, chopped
55g
Proximates
Water
g
85.60
–
–
47.08
Energy
kcal
45
–
–
25
Energy
kJ
188
–
–
103
Protein
g
2.70
–
–
1.48
Total lipid (fat)
g
0.70
–
–
0.38
Ash
g
1.80
–
–
0.99
Carbohydrate, by difference
g
9.20
–
–
5.06
Fiber, total dietary
g
3.5
–
–
1.9
Sugars, total
g
0.71
–
–
0.39
Minerals
Calcium, Ca
mg
187
–
–
103
Iron, Fe
mg
3.10
–
–
1.70
Magnesium, Mg
mg
36
–
–
20
Phosphorus, P
mg
66
–
–
36
Potassium, K
mg
397
–
–
218
Sodium, Na
mg
76
–
–
42
Zinc, Zn
mg
0.41
–
–
0.23
Copper, Cu
mg
0.171
–
–
0.094
Manganese, Mn
mg
0.342
–
–
0.188
Selenium, Se
µg
0.5
–
–
0.3
Vitamins
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid
mg
35.0
–
–
19.2
Thiamin
mg
0.190
–
–
0.104
Riboflavin
mg
0.260
–
–
0.143
Niacin
mg
0.806
–
–
0.443
Pantothenic acid
mg
0.084
–
–
0.046
Vitamin B-6
mg
0.251
–
–
0.138
Folate, total
µg
27
–
–
15
Folic acid
µg
0
–
–
0
Folate, food
µg
27
–
–
15
Folate, DFE
mcg_DFE
27
–
–
15
Choline, total
mg
35.3
–
–
19.4
Vitamin B-12
µg
0.00
–
–
0.00
Vitamin B-12, added
µg
0.00
–
–
0.00
Vitamin A, RAE
mcg_RAE
508
–
–
279
Retinol
µg
0
–
–
0
Carotene, beta
µg
5854
–
–
3220
Carotene, alpha
µg
363
–
–
200
Cryptoxanthin, beta
µg
121
–
–
67
Vitamin A, IU
IU
10161
–
–
5589
Lycopene
µg
0
–
–
0
Lutein + zeaxanthin
µg
13610
–
–
7486
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)
mg
3.44
–
–
1.89
Vitamin E, added
mg
0.00
–
–
0.00
Vitamin D (D2 + D3)
µg
0.0
–
–
0.0
Vitamin D
IU
0
–
–
0
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)
µg
778.4
–
–
428.1
Source: Nutritional facts by National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
Release 24 Software v.Release 1.0 3/30/12
Summary: There are various ways to cook dandelion greens, an edible weed, this post includes two of them- plain with butter or olive oil and tossed with bacon. When I make these recipes I use dandelions out of my yard that has not been treated with any chemicals, also I use organic butter, organic extra-virgin olive oil, organic hot red pepper flakes, and uncured nitrite and nitrate free bacon with no artificial preservatives.
Ingredients
Dandelion Greens
Bacon
Hot Red Pepper Flakes
Salt
Pepper
Butter
Olive oil
Instructions Recipe 1
Gather, wash, and cook greens.
Drain cooked dandelion greens well.
Serve with butter or a drizzle of olive oil.
Dash of salt and pepper, to taste.
For serving dandelion greens w/ bacon & hot red pepper flake follow directions for cooking dandelion greens.
Cut-up bacon in 1-inch pieces, cook well.
Add drained dandelion greens to bacon, toss.
Add a sprinkle of hot red pepper flakes.
Dash of salt and pepper, to taste.
Preparation time: 30 minute(s)Cooking time:
Number of servings (yield): 8
My rating 5 stars: ★★★★★ 1 review(s)
Recipe 1
How to Cook Dandelion Greens – Wrap your hand around the dandelion greens and make your cut at the base of the plant.
About Dandelion Greens
Dandelion Greens – Pick a Bag Full
In the spring of the year dandelion greens are found everywhere you look. It’s one of the first edible weeds that you can eat from the blossom (head) to the root.
How to Cook
It’s a simple wild green to fix, and can be used in many ways. Everything from tea to sauteing the roots. To get started, go find your dandelion patch– First, wrap your hand around the dandelion greens and make your first cut at the base of the plant. I use sharp kitchen scissors and cut leaves enough to fill a plastic shopping bag full.
Last week I cooked up a batch of wild greens for the family, yummy—they are already asking for more!
Every spring we harvest this free delectable wild green, when there isn’t anything else growing.
Once I get our bag of greens, I clean one side of the kitchen sink, then fill it with cold water.The leaves are placed in the water and cleaned by swishing them well. I use a very large kettle with a lid to put greens in.
Large Kettle | for cooking dandelion greens
Dandelion Blossoms | Flowers (Head)
You can just taste the healthiness in these wild greens, and is a great edible weed that you can forage for in early spring!
Dandelion Greens w/ Bacon & Hot Red Pepper Flakes | Recipe 2
Follow all the same directions for cutting, cleaning, and cooking your greens. Drain. You should have about 4-cups of greens once boiled down.
Cut-up bacon in 1-inch pieces to cook dandelion greens in.
Cut-up bacon in small 1-inch square pieces, fry until done.
Take your 4-cups of well-drained dandelion greens and place them in the fry pan with cooked bacon and grease; toss.
Serve dandelion greens hot; with a sprinkle of hot red pepper flakes, and a dash of salt and pepper.
When you go out hunting for your dandelion blossoms, you will need certain tools, scissors and a 2-cup measuring cup to collect blossoms in.
Pick blossoms just before using, as the blossoms will close up quickly after cutting. Cut
Cutting Dandelion Greens | Blossoms
dandelion blossoms right under the base of the head, avoiding bitter stems. Fill a bowl with water, put blossoms in and rinse well; place on paper towels and gently pat dry.
Beat the egg, and milk in medium size bowl; add flour, pepper, onion powder, garlic salt, and savory herbs– cumin and basil. Mix well. Dip each flower head into the batter, one at a time.
Sauté flower blossom in olive oil, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels, or a clean brown paper bag. Serve hot.
Eating “Wild Greens” from your own backyard in the spring of the year is a delicacy to some and a foreign idea to others. Some people see Dandelions pop up in their yard with their fluffy yellow flowers and think it’s time for the weed killer. Think again. STOP! Don’t kill the Dandelions. If you haven’t ever eaten the sharp toothed leafy green, try it. While you are at it, eat the blossoms too!
In my next few recipe posts on The Recipe Weekly, I’m going to include “How to Cut, Clean and Cook Dandelions,” and include Recipe(s) like my family’s favorite Batter-Fried Dandelion Blossoms. This post is all about sustainable eating. Hopefully I will turn you into a wild greens eater like my family!
Have you ever thought about the “What if’s?” If so…Do you know what type of plants you can eat safely to help subsidize your food budget if it is necessary? I came across an article on the web site called The Art of Manliness; it is very interesting, great photos, and super useful information.
What if…food gets priced so high you can’t afford to buy it– but you still have yourself and a family to feed? Do you know how to forage for edible wild greens? Are you prepared for sustainable eating? The information in this article will show you how to find, cut, and prepare a wild green that is a powerhouse of nutrients! Go no further than your back yard this spring and cook-up a batch of Dandelion Greens!
Dandelions (Taraxacum officianale)
You can eat the “whole” dandelion plant—the flower, leaves, and the root. As a matter of fact, what one might discard generally as a weed and poison with herbicides, can be used and eaten like you would any other greens you are familiar with (i.e., Swiss chard, Spinach, Collards or Beet Greens).
Dandelion root is used as food, and is a culinary treat boiled, cut-up, and stir-fried in olive oil, and sprinkled with a little garlic salt. It is also used for medicinal purposes.
Dandelion roots can be washed, and used to make tea.
The fresh tender Dandelion leaves of early spring can be cut, washed, and eaten fresh in salad, or boiled, then served with butter, salt and pepper.
Dandelion Flower Blossoms can be battered up and sautéed to a crispy golden delicacy.
Usually in the spring, before anything else can be grown in our gardens, dandelions are seen popping up everywhere. It’s a sustainable edible plant, wild greens, that are not only pretty to look at– but are fun to eat! Dandelions are super healthy and nutritious for us too.
Dandelion Nutritional facts:
Nutritional facts by National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
Release 24 Software v.Release 1.0 3/30/12
Dandelions are a slightly bitter tasting green but are chock-full of nutrients, these sharp toothed leaves offer an excellent source of calcium, vitamins A, C, E and K, as well as fiber, to name just a few. Dandelion greens are available for harvest during spring and early summer and up until fall of the year; be on the lookout in your own backyard.
Herbicides are the downside of this article…when you go out and collect dandelion greens, an organic plant that grows in nature most naturally all over lawns—be sure and get them from a clean source. Check in a neighbor’s yard, and talk with the owner to make sure the dandelion greens are “non-treated” (without herbicides).
Herbicides, (also commonly known as weed killers, are pesticides used to kill unwanted plants.)
Dandelion greens are a good source of protein; you get 2.7 grams of protein per one cup serving. That is more than in ¼ cup of pecans, which delivers– 2.5 grams per serving.
Eating just one cup of dandelion greens gives your body 187 mg of calcium; a cup of milk has (300 mg). When you eat dandelions you are getting a good portion of your bone building calcium right in your greens. For those who are lactose intolerant, getting your calcium in your greens is a real nice benefit.
Cut, wash, and eat young dandelion tender leaves (raw) in a fresh garden salad.
Dandelion greens make a wonderful addition to other garden veggies in you already have in your salad. Cooks note: the young leaves are not as bitter. Save the larger leaves for boiling or pan-frying.
These tidbits about dandelion greens are only a couple of the nutritional facts that I collected—dandelions are definitely a powerhouse of antioxidants and other nutrients as you can see in the nutritional chart I’ve included.
Many people destroy dandelions on their lawns with herbicides each year. Please start looking at dandelion greens differently…STOP! Now go grab your scissors, measuring cup, and start eating dandelions the “wild greens” that are a super nutritious food!
Honeybees & Dandelions The dandelion is one of the earliest plants that are available for human consumption in the spring as I’ve discussed previously, and it is one of the earliest plants available for an amazing insect, and one of our greatest pollinators, the honeybee.
Now, when you look upon Dandelion Greens– I hope you have a better respect for this weed, which is such a nutritious plant and an antioxidant powerhouse. Don’t take out the poison to kill this plant. If you aren’t fond of dandelions, pass them on to someone that would enjoy this delectable wild green– or leave them for the pollinators. Mow, if you must- but eat a few batches first, and save a patch for the pollinators.
