Dandelion Dining

This afternoon I tried two recipes with dandelion flowers. Dandelions are very nutritious. It's amazing what you can find in your own lawn... We should really be eating more of them. The greens are full of vitamin A, B's and C as well as iron potassium and zinc and are helpful in liver and kidney health. The flowers are an excellent source of lecithin which is great for brain health.



Dandelion Flower Cookies

1/2 cup oil (I used grapeseed)
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs (or egg replacer)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup unbleached flour (I used whole wheat)
1 cup dry oatmeal
1/2 cup dandelion florets

Go out and pick a boatload of dandelion heads. Well, almost a boatload. It took me a good hour to get enough. You only want the yellow and white part so you have to pick off the green bottom of the flower. Hold the florets with one hand and pinch the green flower base very hard with the other, give a little twist and it comes right off. You don't have to be super perfectionistic with it but the less green the better as it has a bitter taste.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Blend oil and honey and beat in the two eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, oatmeal and dandelion florets. Drop the batter by teaspoonfuls onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes. Let cool and eat.

They were very delicious. I think I would probably half the oil next time. It really doesn't need so much in my opinion. Maybe try half the oil and honey, and add 1/2 cup apple sauce instead. hmm.... It makes 24 cookies at 92 calories each if you follow the above recipe.

I also made:

Dandelion Jelly

2 cups dandelion petals
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
2-4 tsp pectin

1. Bring 2 cups water to boil and add dandelions. Boil 10 minutes over medium heat.
2. Strain dandelions and return liquid to pot.
3. Add sugar, lemon, and pectin, then bring to boil again before reducing heat to a simmer. Stir with wooden spoon until syrupy. This may take little time or lots of time, depending.
4. Pour into sterilized jars, seal, and process in hot water bath for 10 minutes. Or you can just refrigerate and eat within a couple weeks. It makes about one pint.

I'm not sure if I added enough pectin or not... I'm still waiting for mine to set, but it still tastes pretty good. It's supposed to be kind of like jellied honey.