Dare You Eat Suburban Dandelions?
Dandelions comprise a wealth of chlorophyll and nutrients, but what about their environment? Do you dare trust that the good outweighs the chemicals? How safe to consume are these tempting-looking greens? It seems a shame to just pull dandelions without using some of their bounteous offerings.
Last time I was in Whole Foods Market, the going price for a 4 oz bunch of cilantro was .49. Getting raw dark greens for free can at last save you a nice number of money.
With Due Caution, You Can!
It is inherent to treat dandelion greens to take off much of the pesticides, kill bacteria and fungi, and make them fairly accepted food. You may not be able to get organic furnish in your area, and commonly consume commercially-raised vegetables, which do comprise pesticides. Dandelion leaves in the suburbs aren't that distinct from industrial produce, and have a much higher nutrient content.
Many years ago while living in a suburban environment, I commonly foraged for all kinds of wild greens and felt that they enhanced my well-being. Usually, I found them in empty woodlots (using the detox below, you don't have to worry about, ahem! if any dogs wandered straight through the weeds - or for that matter, your yard)!
Suburban Dandelion Shoulds and Shouldn'ts
Don't under any circumstances eat dandelions from a chemically treated lawn, and/or from the roadside where they are exposed directly to auto exhaust! Also, if you are chemically-sensitive, it is best not to eat suburban dandelions at all, and to stick to organic produce.
Ideally, you minimally treat your lawn with natural or the least toxic products, and/or make sure your lawn assistance does the same.
Dandelions settled under the foundation plantings (assuming you don't have your foundation sprayed for ants, or use chemical insect killer on the shrubs) can be utilized. If they are far from the street in a quiet suburban neighborhood, so much the better. After harvesting a compassionate salad bowl full, you can detoxify them. Here's how:
Dandelion Detox
If you don't have clean well water, you will need a consolidate gallons distilled water on hand.
1 - Rinse all dirt off with regular tap water. This may take up to 4 or 5 rinses, but can be done rather quickly. Put the dandelion leaves in a large bowl in the sink and fill with water. Swish the leaves colse to and the dirt will fall to the bottom. Slowly fish the leaves out and put in another bowl while emptying and cleaning the bowl used for rinsing. Repeat until rinse water has no dirt in it.
2 - Now, put the dandelion leaves back in the big bowl, add 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon Clorox bleach and fill with 1 gallon distilled water. Make sure to swish leaves colse to to distribute Clorox, and cover them thoroughly with water. Let stand for 5 - 10 minutes.
3 - Drain Clorox solution out of bowl and lift leaves to let excess water drain from them. Put leaves back in bowl and pour just sufficient distilled water in to cover, pressing leaves down into water. Rinse, refill bowl, and let stand for at least 10 minutes. Because distilled water contains no minerals or other substances, just pure H2O, it is essentially a vacuum that will draw other substances into it. Water is also one of nature's most efficient solvents, so the distilled water alone has some good cleansing properties.
4 - Drain distilled water out of bowl. Your dandelion leaves are now ready for the salad spinner.
A Quick Dandelion recipe for You - Italian-Style Dandelion Salad
Here's a quick and easy recipe that takes me only around10 minutes to make. Serves one (just double or triple it, etc. For more people).
Large handful tender dandelion greens, 1/4 cup chopped Vidalia onion, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and pecans, 2 sliced radishes. Dressing: just the juice of a lemon wedge, one egg yolk, and 1 tablespoon first cold-pressed olive oil. A compassionate sprinkling of grated Peccorino Romano.
Mmmmm.....
You will find more recipes in the full-length graphic record on my blog (address below).
Dandelions - Natural health Benefits Even in the Suburbs?
