Dandelion Magic: Wild Spring Greens & Tarragon Pesto (Plus a Bonus Healing Herbal Salve Recipe)
My “lawn” would make many a homeowner cringe. But every time I step outside and say hello to all my botanical friends, I’m filled with so much gratitude and joy.
I see a field of yellow, purple, and green. I see buzzy bees and fertile soil. I see such a happy yard that even lettuce and arugula from last year’s garden are sprouting up next to mallow and mustard. I see a small patch of chickweed thriving under my blue spruce. I see my sweet woodruff blooming just in time for Beltaine’s Maywine. I see emerging violets that will add a pop of color to my spring salads.
Spring greens emerge after each winter’s slumber with offerings of fresh vitamins and minerals. Their bitter green medicine helps reset our digestion after the heavy foods of winter.
my backyard weeds/pharmacy ;)
This year, I’ve felt even more grateful for the fresh greens that have been emerging in my yard since early March. With a growing pandemic and shelter-in-place orders—and a pantry full of beans—I’ve been able to avoid unnecessary trips to the store and thrive on wild greens.
Even if you don’t have a yard, many of these plants grow in disturbed areas, cracks in the sidewalk, parks, trails, and alleyways...just be mindful of pollution and pesticides.
If you’re new to foraging, triple check your identification and do your research on the location for safety and sustainability. There is a ton of info on this online—please be responsible!
Dandelion Magic
I love dandelions. Not only are they one of the first sources of pollen of the year for our beloved bees, they provide us with both food and medicine. The entire plant is a gift.
Allowing dandelions to spread in your lawns is actually beneficial to the soil health. Their deep roots prevent erosion and draw nutrients to the surface. Their leaves shade the soil so more microbes can flourish. And their sunny blossoms attract pollinators that benefit the entire garden.
Medicinally, dandelion is a great lymph mover, liver cleanser, and supports digestion with its prebiotic roots and bitter greens. The flowers are also wonderful for the skin and contain pain-relieving properties.
As a food, dandelion gives us a power-packed dose of minerals and vitamins—including iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, folate, manganese, and Vitamins C, A, E, K, and B6.
Energetically, dandelion offers us the gift of resilience. No amount of pavement can stop these spring beauties. No matter how depleted the soil, dandelion can help restore health. Dandelion’s sunny countenance connects us with the healing energy of the sun, which can support us in letting go of behaviors and thoughts that no longer serve us as we come more fully into the present moment.
Embrace the healing gifts of dandelion with these recipes for the whole plant.
DANDELION ROOT
Dandelion Root is a tonic herb that supports our liver and digestion. Harvest the roots in the fall and use them as any root vegetable in soups and stir fries. They also make a wonderful tincture.
Perhaps the best known use of dandelion root is for herbal coffee—gather, clean, chop, and roast. Then brew for a rich coffee substitute. If you do well with a bit of daily dandelion, you can add 1 part roasted dandelion root to the recipe found here.
Note on the coffee: The root is so incredibly cleansing that my body prefers to have it only on occasion rather than daily, but many people seem to do well with a daily dose. Listen to your own body :)
DANDELION LEAVES
The leaves of dandelion are nutritive and bitter, making them a healthy food that supports digestion...and is free! Plus, they’re wonderful for nursing mothers.
Greens are less bitter in the spring and can easily be substituted for any green in a recipe, cooked or raw. Here is one of my new favorites, just created this spring ;)
Spring Green, Tarragon, and Walnut Pesto
vegan, gluten-free
This versatile green sauce is packed with nutrients and wild food goodness. Though it doesn’t look like much tarragon, the flavor is just right. I used a wild greens infused ACV for even more wild goodness.
Ingredients
2 cups loosely packed spring greens (dandelion, blue mustard, chickweed, etc)
¾ cup walnuts, lightly toasted
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
2 cloves garlic (more or less depending on how garlicky you want to go)
2 tablespoons capers
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon ACV
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until pesto-like texture is achieved.
Serve over pasta, on flatbread, in salad dressings, or with roasted vegetables.
I served this with a spaghetti squash primavera topped with Rancho Gordo Christmas lima beans and it was absolutely divine.
DANDELION FLOWERS
Another edible part of the plant, dandelion flowers are great for the skin and have pain-relieving properties—plus they make a lovely flower essence.
Dandelion Salve
Begin by infusing freshly wilted dandelion blossoms in oil. Any type of oil will do—jojoba, sunflower, sweet almond, coconut, olive...use what you have.
Place the dandelion flowers in a mason jar. I like to allow them to wilt just a bit—this gives little bugs a chance to escape and takes out a bit of the water content. Then, cover in a mason jar with oil and let sit in a dark place for a week or two. No need to take off the green bits or measure precisely—this is folk medicine :)
After about two weeks, strain the flowers from your oil using a cheesecloth or other fine strainer.
Here’s the general ingredient ratio for the salve:
You can adjust this based on how much oil you’ve made.
¼ cup (2oz) oil
1T beeswax or a vegan wax alternative
30-40 drops essential oils (optional)
To make the salve:
Heat the oil and wax in a double broiler.
Stir until the wax is totally dissolved and remove from heat.
Quickly stir in the essential oils.
Pour into containers.
If you’re making a skin salve, essential oils such as immortelle, carrot seed, and rose are lovely. If your salve is for pain, try peppermint, basil, and lavender.