Lion's Tooth

Dandelions are thought to have evolved about thirty million years ago in Eurasia.  They have been used by humans for food and as a herb for much of recorded history and were introduced to North America by early European immigrants.

The dandelion, corruption of French dent de lion meaning "lion's tooth" for the coarsely toothed leaves, is also known as blowball, cankerwort, witch's gowan, milk witch, lion's-tooth, yellow-gowan, Irish daisy, monks-head, priest's-crown and puff-ball, faceclock, pee-a-bed, wet-a-bed, swine's snout, white endive, and wild endive.

In the spring we are blessed with beautiful blossoms which make a wonderful jelly that tastes like jellied honey!  I also appreciate the blossoms and young leaves as fresh additions to salads.  Young leaves also make a nice green to add to sandwiches.  However in the summer the older leaves can have an increased bitter taste which some find unpalatable.  Yet this food source is so plentiful, it is worth the little effort to blanch the greens, leaching away some of the bitterness and creating a cooked green; the taste reminds me of spinach.

How to:  gather leaves, cut into inch long pieces, place in a pot.  In another pot heat water to just boiling then pour over greens.  Let sit for about ten minutes.  Pick out a green and test to see if enough bitterness has been removed for your liking.  If they are still a little bitter, heat another pot of water to boiling, drain the greens in the other pot then pour the fresh hot water over them.  Let them sit another ten minutes. 

I have found a regular sauce pot full takes two times, while the large soup pot shown here took three 'baths' to reach my liking.  Now you can use the greens the way you would use any other cooked greens; as a side dish, in soups, salads and sandwiches.

Let us not forget the medicinal properties of the dandelion:  http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/d/dandel08.html

Lamb's Quarter/Goosefoot/Pigweed

Lamb's Quarter/Goosefoot/Pigweed

Scientific name: Chenopodium album
What: young leaves, young stems, seeds
How: Young leaves/stems raw, stir-fried, steamed or boiled; seeds boiled like couscous or grind for flour
Where: yards, fields, disturbed areas, sunny
When: Early spring through early fall
Nutritional Value: high in vitamins A,C,K,B, minerals, and protein

 Here is my volunteer patch of 'wild spinach,' aka Pigweed and Goosefoot.  I use it mostly as fresh greens in my salads, however there is a lot coming fast and furious.  It can take over and stand over 5 feet tall if you let it.  I will harvest, blanch and freeze this wonderful and nutritious gift of my land!