Harvesting dandelions offers a myriad of possibilities. The leaves are tasty in salads and delicious brewed for tea. The flowers can be made into a wonderful syrup. And the roots? Perfect for making coffee.
Dandelion coffee is also delicious served hot on a cool night around a campfire. Spike it with a little piece of dark chocolate stirred in and some orange zest. Then add warmed milk. So gooood!
Healthy hit
Dandelions have been advocated to support health in myriad ways:
- very high in calcium
- good source of iron, zinc, and potassium
- filled with vitamins such as A, C, D, and B
Harvest dandelion— not just any old weed
- Choose mature plants, which make for bigger roots. Be sure your plants are from areas that are organically clean and free from pesticides.
- Use a pitchfork and drive it firmly into the ground, taking care not to spear the dandelion root.
- Tip pitchfork backward to lift and loosen soil around the root.
- Then, using your hands, gently pull up plants from the stem, gripping below the leaves.
- Gently shake off excess soil and soak roots in water.
- Use a vegetable brush to scrub roots clean.
- Trim and wash leaves and flowers, and store in refrigerator for another use.
Dandelion Cinnamon-Spiked Iced Coffee
Ingredients
- 2 or 3 mature dandelion roots, washed and scrubbed
- 8 cups (2 L) spring water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) raw sugar (optional)
- Soy, almond, or rice milk (optional)
- Ground cinnamon, for garnish
- Be sure dandelion roots are thoroughly cleaned before roasting.
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories25
- protein1g
- fat1g
- saturated fat0g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates5g
- sugars0g
- fibre0g
- sodium42mg
Directions
01
Preheat oven to 275 F (165 C). Slice roots into pieces and coarsely chop. Thinly spread out roots on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in oven for approximately 2 hours, until deep brown in colour, like coffee beans. Remove and cool. Roasted roots can be stored in a tightly sealed container in a cool place until ready to grind for coffee.
02
To make coffee, grind up enough roasted roots in coffee grinder to measure 6 Tbsp (90 mL).
03
In large saucepan, heat water with cinnamon stick until simmering. Stir in ground dandelion roots. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until liquid is rich in colour and begins to smell like steamed coffee.
04
Remove from heat. Strain through fine-meshed sieve into heatproof container. Stir in sugar, if using, until dissolved. Cool in refrigerator.
05
To serve, pour over ice cubes in glass mug. Stir in some milk, if you wish, and dust with cinnamon.
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Freekeh Medley Stuffed Eggplant
This stuffed eggplant is built upon layers of Middle Eastern flavours: smoky freekeh, tender chickpeas, and a herbal tahini sauce. The quick-pickled raisins add a sweet vinegary pop. Sweat it out Salting eggplant before cooking enhances the flavour by allowing eggplant to sweat out its bitterness and breaking its spongy texture.
Turkey Enchilada Stuffed Poblano Peppers
In this enchilada riff, we stuff everything into a roasted poblano pepper shell, rather than tortillas, to pack an extra veggie serving into your meal and trim the starchy calories. If you can’t find poblanos, which are mild, dark green Mexican peppers, you can substitute green bell peppers. Flour power Made from nixtamalized corn (corn soaked in limewater), masa harina flour adds a touch of corny flavour to enchilada stuffing or a pot of chili.
Crab Cap Salad
These crab-stuffed portobello mushrooms can do double duty as a fancy starter for a casual dinner party or a light main course on any given night. Meaty and umami-rich portobellos serve as a holder for a light-tasting seafood salad. Gills begone Even though the gills of mushrooms are edible, they will darken and discolour everything they touch. Besides, after you scrape out the gills, you’ll have more room for stuffing. And don’t discard the stems; they can be saved and used when making veggie stock.
Curried Lentil Stuffed Squash
Serving saucy lentils in squash halves is a sure-fire way to elevate your plant-based menu. And, yes, the whole bowl is edible, skin and all. If desired, you can add dollops of Greek yogurt or sour cream. Spice of life Garam masala, a blend of spices traditionally used in Indian cooking, usually includes cardamom, black pepper, cloves, nutmeg, fennel, cumin, and coriander. It’s great on roasted meats and vegetables.