Dandelion salad: benefits, how to cook

Dandelion is a widespread, unpretentious plant that can be found everywhere: in the fields, in gardens, and even under your balcony. However, not everyone knows that it can be eaten and sometimes fight with it on their land plots like weeds. And completely in vain, since this plant has medicinal properties. Our ancestors also prepared salads from leaves, and made jam from flowers and made wine. What are the benefits and harms of dandelion salad and how to cook it correctly in order to preserve its medicinal properties.

Dandelion leaf flavor

The greens have a pronounced bitter taste, due to the content of glycosides - bitter taraxacin and waxy taraxacin. It is these substances that give the leaves bitterness. Many people fear the bitter taste of this herb, mistakenly believing that it can be harmful to health or even poison. This is a misconception: the benefits of dandelion for the human body are enormous and are still underestimated by many.

To get rid of this bitter aftertaste, cut the greens before eating and soak them in salted water for about 20 minutes. The intensity of the bitterness can be adjusted by the soaking time: the longer the soak, the less bitter the leaves become.

There is a second way - scald with boiling water. However, in this case, useful properties are partially lost, and the greens themselves will be withered and lose their presentable appearance.

Why dandelion salad is good for you

The benefits of lettuce lie in the unique vitamin and mineral composition of dandelion leaves. The medicinal properties of this plant are truly colossal and their systematic use for food has a positive effect on the human body. It is an excellent choleretic, diuretic and diaphoretic. In addition, dandelion has analgesic, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Dandelion leaf salad will be especially useful for people suffering from the following diseases:

• renal failure;
• vitamin deficiency, scurvy;
• respiratory diseases;
• cardiovascular diseases;
• obesity;
• osteochondrosis, arthritis;
• nervous disorders (anxiety, irritability, sleep disorders);
• anemia, low hemoglobin.

The benefits of eating such a salad are indispensable for lactating women; the properties of this plant improve lactation well. This will not harm a child who eats mother's milk: on the contrary, the baby's immunity will strengthen and sleep will improve.

Dandelion has anti-cancer properties due to the presence of taraxinic acid in the leaves, which inhibits the growth of cancer cells.

Dandelion salad for weight loss

The nutritional value of this plant is extremely low and there are 38 kcal per 100 g of the product, therefore it can be eaten without fear by people who are losing weight. The benefits of dandelion can help you lose weight, and also:

• improve bowel function, reduce the likelihood of constipation;
• normalize metabolism;
• due to the diuretic action, together with excess fluid, wash out toxins and toxins from the body.

Dandelion Salad Recipes

The benefits of this plant for the human body with regular use in food are invaluable. There are many recipes for dandelion salads: here are the most popular and healthy ones.

Classic Dandelion Salad

This recipe is the most common, delicious and healthy recipe, and it is also very simple.

Ingredients:

• a bunch of young dandelion stalks;
• 1 cucumber;
• 1 tbsp. l. sunflower seeds (sesame);
• a handful of rye crackers.

For refueling:

• 1 tbsp. l. olive (or any other) oil;
• 1 tsp vinegar (balsamic or wine);
• 1 tsp soy sauce;
• 1 tsp mustard;
• 1 tsp May honey.

Cooking method:

1. Wash the greens thoroughly, select the spoiled leaves, dry and cut.
2. Without peeling the skin, cut the cucumber into strips or cut into half rings.
3. Prepare a dressing by mixing all the ingredients.
4. Put the ingredients in a bowl, stir and pour over the prepared dressing.
5. When serving, sprinkle with sunflower seeds and rye croutons.

Chinese dandelion leaf salad

This healthy and savory recipe will appeal to lovers of spicy dishes.

Ingredients:

• 0.3 kg dandelion;
• 1 raw carrot;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 1 tbsp. l. sesame;
• 2 tbsp. l. soy sauce;
• 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil.

Cooking method:

1. Finely chop the washed and dried tops, rub the carrots on a coarse grater.
2. Peel the garlic, pass through a press.
3. Add garlic, vegetable oil to the sauce and let it brew a little.
4. In a salad bowl, mix herbs and carrots, pour over the dressing and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Dandelion salad with cucumber

This recipe is a real vitamin bomb and will be very useful after a long winter.

Ingredients:

• 100 g dandelion;
• 30 g of parsley, dill and onions;
• 1 fresh cucumber;
• 3 tbsp. l. any vegetable oil;
• 1 tsp honey.

Cooking method:

1. Finely chop the parsley, dill and onion. Tear the dandelion with your hands. Cut the cucumber into rings.
2. Make a dressing by mixing butter and honey until smooth.
3. After placing the ingredients in a bowl, season with salt and season. Decorate with flowers when serving.

Dandelion salad with bacon

Ingredients:

• 350 g bacon;
• 100 g dandelion;
• 1 clove of garlic;
• 3 tbsp. l. vegetable oil (it is better to take unrefined);
• 1 tbsp. l. balsamic vinegar.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse the stems pre-soaked in salt water, shake to get rid of excess water.
2. Fry the bacon in a preheated dry frying pan, thereby removing excess fat.
3. Tear the herbs coarsely with your hands (you can use a knife), put them in a salad bowl. Lay the cooled bacon on top.
4. In a container, separately mix vinegar, oil and garlic passed through a press. Season the salad and, without stirring, crush the guests.

Dandelion salad with cabbage and egg

Ingredients:

• 100 g dandelion;
• 2 chicken eggs;
• 1 fresh cucumber;
• 300 g of Beijing or young cabbage;
• 1 small onion;
• 2 tbsp. l. sour cream.

Cooking method:

1. Boil eggs, peel and chop with a knife.
2. Soak the leaves, rinse and dry with a paper towel.
3. Cut the cucumber and onion into half rings, finely chop the cabbage.
4. Pickle the onions in water with the addition of vinegar.
5. Mix all the ingredients, except for the onion, in a bowl, season with salt and sour cream.
6. Put in a salad bowl, put pickled onions on top.

Dandelion salad with carrots

Ingredients:

• 100 g dandelion;
• 1 medium carrot;
• juice of a third of a lemon;
• 1 tsp unrefined vegetable oil (flaxseed or olive - a matter of taste).

Cooking method:

1. Rinse the soaked greens, dry, cut.
2. Peel and grate raw washed carrots.
3. Season with salt, pepper in moderation, sprinkle with lemon juice and add a spoonful of oil.

You can decorate the top with flowers: this will add color to the dish.

Dandelion salad with fruit and cottage cheese

Children will love this healthy and bright salad.

Ingredients:

• 4 things. peaches;
• 250 g of granular cottage cheese;
• 200 g dandelion;
• 200 g ripe cherries;
• 50 g raspberries;
• 2 tbsp. l. any oil (vegetable);
• 1 tbsp. l. juice of any citrus (you can take grapefruit, lime);
• 1 tbsp. l. liquid honey.

Cooking method:

1. Rub the raspberries through a sieve. Add olive oil, honey and lemon juice for the dressing.
2. Wash the peaches and cherries, dry with a paper towel and remove the seeds. Cut into oblong slices.
3. Finely chop the dandelion stalks and place on a flat dish. Add fruit and pour over the dressing.

The benefits of such a vitamin dish are multiplied by the presence of cottage cheese in the recipe, which children do not really like.

Dandelion salad with nettles

This healthy light salad will suit even people who are losing weight.

Ingredients:

• 200 g dandelion;
• 200 g nettle;
• 1 fresh cucumber;
• 50 g of onion and garlic feathers;
• 2 tbsp. l. low-fat sour cream.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse the stems, dry and chop finely.
2. Finely chop the boiled eggs.
3. Cut the cucumber into small cubes.
4. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, salt and season with sour cream.

Many diets are harmful to health by avoiding foods that contain many beneficial micronutrients. Therefore, often after diets, the condition of the skin, nails and hair deteriorates. This dish will saturate the body with vitamins and minerals, and eggs and sour cream will give you a feeling of fullness for a long time.

Dandelion salad with nuts

Any nuts are allowed: peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts. You can even use several types at the same time - the benefits of such a dish will be higher, because nuts also have many useful properties.

Ingredients:

• 200 g dandelion;
• 1 fresh cucumber;
• 2 tbsp. l. olive, cedar or flaxseed unrefined oil;
• 1 tbsp. l. lime or lemon juice (you can use balsamic vinegar).

Cooking method:

1. Wash the dandelions and chop coarsely.
2. Cut the cucumber into half rings or rings.
3. Put the ingredients in a bowl, season with salt, pour over the dressing and stir.
4. Arrange on portioned plates and sprinkle with nuts on top.

Salads are prepared not only from fresh leaves, they can be subjected to preliminary heat treatment. Of course, the beneficial properties are somewhat lost, but it turns out very tasty. This dish can be used as a side dish or pie filling.

Dandelion salad video recipe

The harm of dandelion salad and contraindications

From all of the above, it becomes clear that the benefits of dandelion are enormous and it is important to evaluate the possible harm from the use of this plant.

The properties of the salad are the basis for contraindications:

• people suffering from gallstone disease;
• having high acidity, gastritis, or stomach ulcers;
• with individual intolerance and allergic reactions.

This medicinal plant can be harmful if collected in an ecologically polluted area. Toxic substances accumulated in the stems will slowly poison the body.

When and How to Harvest Dandelions for Salad

To maximize the benefits of dandelion lettuce and minimize potential harm, you need to know when and how to harvest the greens.

It is recommended to collect young plants without signs of any disease (yellowness, specks). The harm from eating unhealthy stems can manifest as indigestion, diarrhea, and even vomiting.

In May, greens are practically not bitter, they are tender and well suited for cooking. In summer, the stems have a more pronounced bitter taste, but they are also edible and have the same properties as the spring ones.You need to collect it in the afternoon, when they dry well from dew. Then they can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for several days - the benefits and medicinal properties will not be lost.

You can not collect greens closer than 100 meters from the roadway, otherwise you can cause irreparable harm to your health from eating such a product. The further from the road this medicinal herb is, the greater the benefits from its use and the higher the medicinal properties.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it should be said that the benefits and harms of dandelion salad are very dependent on the place of collection of this medicinal herb. In no case should the plant be harvested in an industrial area: in this case, the benefits will be minimal. In order not to harm your health, it is important to go deeper into the forest or move away from the road: then the gifts of nature will be for the good.