PICKING WITH A PURPOSE

Weeds grow anywhere and everywhere. I'm always amazed that Dandelions will be growing in the cracks even when I head to the cities. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a better reason to pick them than just to HAVE to do it? What if they were edible? Maybe they are!

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According to The University of Minnesota Extension Office, as long as you are picking weeds out of your backyard, it is completely fine to eat those weeds, as long as they are edible, of course!

EDIBLE DANDIES

There are two different kinds of Dandelion that are the most common in Minnesota; The Common Dandelion, called Taraxacum Officinale, (say that 10 times fast) and the Red-Seed Dandielion called Taraxacum Erythrospermum. (let's just call them Dandelions.)

You can eat the flower of the Dandelion and it's described as having a sweet taste, sort of like honey, but if you wait until it's more mature, it will become more bitter over time. It's still edible, but a fresh flower tastes better. You can mix the petals in cake batter, pancake batter, cookie dough, and muffins.

The leaves of the Dandelion are best to eat before the flower blooms. Many chefs use the leaves mixed in pesto or as a garnish on things like baked potatoes.

The roots can also be eaten but are bitter when they are raw, but can be dried and roasted and used as a coffee replacement! How cool!

 

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