Dandelions: What can you do with golden balls and juicy roots?

Dandelions can be used to create a complete menu for the entire day; of course, they alone won't be enough to prepare a delicious meal. However, it's quite possible to create a three-meal plan consisting of salads or omelets for breakfast, various soups for lunch, and fish with dandelion puree for dinner. These flowers make amazingly delicious jams and wines, medicinal syrups, and infusions.

Breakfast

For breakfast, you can simply eat finely chopped dandelions with sugar or syrup. To remove the bitterness, soak the flowers in salt water for half an hour.

An omelet is delicious and healthy. Rinse the dandelions, removing any unopened buds, then fry them over low heat with butter. Next, prepare the omelet in the traditional way, then stuff it with dandelions and serve. You can also make pancakes and top them with dandelion syrup.

For morning coffee, roast finely chopped roots without adding oil. When browned, remove from heat. Let cool. Grind in a coffee grinder or mortar to a powder. Pour boiling water over the powder and simmer. Milk and sugar can be added for flavor.

Dinner

During the day, it's common to eat liquid dishes. For lunch, you can prepare a wide variety of soups. All of them are rich in vitamins, nutritious, and healthy. Dandelion, included in their ingredients, will have a beneficial effect on the stomach, normalizing its function. And thanks to the rich vitamin content, the body will receive a composition that will give strength and energy. Such dishes should be eaten fresh, meaning they should be prepared immediately before eating.

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Lemon puree soup

It has a delicate texture, making it easy to digest. To prepare it, you'll need a blender and standard utensils. The broth, as a base, can be prepared in advance, for example, the night before, and kept in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

• medium lemon - 1 piece;
• broth – 500 ml;
• leaves – 500 grams;
• onion – 1-2 heads;
• flour – a tablespoon;
• heavy cream - a glass.

Recipe:

1. Puree the leaves in a blender.
2. Fry the onion in oil until golden brown.
3. Add onion, cream and milk to the broth.
4. Add dandelion puree, stirring.

After boiling, pour in lemon juice, stir and you can eat!

Bean soup

This dish is high in protein. You can use dried beans instead of canned ones. This will take much longer to prepare, but the soup will have more nutritional value.

Ingredients:

• broth – 1 liter;
• cauliflower – 150 grams;
• shallots – 5 stems;
• canned beans – 1 can;
• leaves – 250 grams;

Recipe:

1. Chop the onion and mix with butter.
2. Separate the cabbage into leaves and mix with onions.
3. Add crushed garlic to the mixture and pour in the broth.
4. Make a puree from the beans and add to the soup.

Cook for 10 minutes, after cooling – ready.

Dinner

The evening meal should be light but nutritious. It should ideally be eaten no later than 6:00 PM. Dandelions can be picked immediately before cooking or 90 minutes beforehand. This herb will impart a distinctive aroma to dishes, making them softer and healthier. However, overdoing it should be done with caution, as this can have the opposite effect. Alternatively, you can prepare one dish with dandelion and the other without it.

Fish with mashed potatoes

For dinner, you can prepare fish with dandelion puree. This will provide you with easily digestible protein, essential dietary fiber, and a range of vitamins and minerals.

Ingredients:

• fish - 150 g (for example, silver carp);
• carrots – 5 g;
• parsley – 3 g;
• dandelion puree – 100 g.

Recipe:

1. Boil the fish.
2. Add vegetables and puree.
3. Prepare the puree in a blender, first soaking the leaves in salted water to remove the bitterness.

Noodles

Dandelion noodles are an unusual dish. But if prepared correctly, it's sure to please the whole family. Store-bought noodles can be substituted with homemade ones. In this case, make them in advance, about a day in advance.

Ingredients:

• noodles - 3 cups;
• nettle - 1 glass;
• radish leaves - 1 cup;
• dandelion leaves - 1 cup;
• plantain - 1 glass;
• onion - 1 head;
• allspice - 2-3 peas.

Recipe:

1. Throw finely chopped onion and spices into boiling water.
2. Then add the noodles.
3. After cooking, drain the water.
4. Add a salad of chopped greens to the noodles. You can also stir in tomato paste or sour cream.

Drinks and jam

Dandelions can be used to make drinks for fresh consumption and for long-term storage. These juices and infusions are excellent thirst quenchers and provide the body with beneficial components. However, they should not be consumed in large quantities or constantly. One glass a day is sufficient. Otherwise, instead of benefit, you may experience indigestion. Popular dandelion drinks include teas, infusions, and wines. Raisins, lemon, and herbal mixtures can be used as an addition.

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Tea

This drink is a great thirst quencher and can be enjoyed at any time. It's easy to prepare and provides significant health benefits.

For tea you will need:

• water - boiling water;
• dandelion petals;
• oregano herb4
• sugar or honey.

Preparation:

1. Wash dandelion and oregano petals.
2. Mix in equal proportions.
3. Place in a teapot and pour boiling water over it.
4. The lid of the teapot should be covered with a thick cloth.

The tea will be ready to drink in 10-15 minutes. You can sweeten it with sugar or honey if desired.

Wine

Fill a liter-sized jar with dandelion heads. Add raisins for better fermentation. Once prepared, store the jars in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.

Ingredients:

• dandelion heads;
• boiling water;
• lemon juice;
• sugar syrup.

Preparation:

1. Rinse dandelion inflorescences under running water.
2. Then transfer to a large saucepan and pour in 4 liters of boiling water.
3. Bring to a boil again. Then strain the liquid through cheesecloth.
4. Add lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons) and 1 liter of sugar syrup.
5. Pour the liquid into jars, install water seals and rubber gloves (pierce one finger) or, if available, a gas vent system.
6. Fermentation continues for about two weeks, once all the gases have evaporated. Then, the drink must be strained from the sediment and poured into jars.

Jam

This is a good option for winter storage. This product is especially useful during cold season. It contains many vitamins, so it can help fight illness or act as a preventative measure.

For the jam you will need:

• opened flowers – 150-250 pieces.
• sugar – 750 grams.
• lemon – 1 pc.
• water - half a liter.

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Method of preparation:

1. Wash the flowers, dry them, and place them in a saucepan.
2. Pour boiling water into the pan and cook for 10 minutes with the lid closed.
3. Remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes.
4. Drain the water and squeeze out the dandelions.
5. Make a lemon infusion.
6. Mix the pulp, lemon broth and sugar.

Dandelions can be used to create a variety of interesting dishes, many of which you can invent yourself. They can be used as an alternative to traditional greens and vegetables. However, don't get carried away with cooking with dandelions, as most people's digestion isn't designed for such a food, and the taste isn't particularly pleasant; even after soaking in salt water, a bitter aftertaste lingers. However, tea, wine, honey, or jam are very healthy and delicious.