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Based on a conversation with RavenCroft Garden's Director, Sally King, CCH.

Dandelion is a bright yellow herald of spring and the most nutritious cost-free food on the planet. Has there ever been a plant so helpful and yet so thoroughly unwelcome? Sally King recommends dandelion as an excellent way to support our bodies during the shift of seasons. I could use a kick-start into spring. If there was one plant that we could eat every day for greater health — whether blossom, leaf or root — this is the one.

Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale — Greek for "the official remedy for disorders." In western herbal medicine, if you're not sure what's out of sync in the body, you treat the liver. "The liver is the general: it runs the show," Sally says. Dandelion is a supreme liver tonic and strengthens the whole digestive system, including stomach, pancreas, kidneys, gall bladder and intestines. The fresh root helps to relieve chronic constipation and urinary problems. In many cultures, bitter drinks or foods such as dandelion are served before the meal to get digestive juices flowing. It also stimulates the appetite.

Dandelion is an essential part of any cancer-prevention-or-recovery diet, a friend to those with AIDS-related illnesses. Regular use lowers cholesterol, brings down high blood pressure and stabilizes blood sugar. Renowned herbalist Susun Weed notes that dandelion is an indispensable aid to breast health, and its flower oil is wonderful for breast massage — promoting deep relaxation and the release of held emotions. It will also ease pain and stiffness in arthritic joints.

Root at the ready: There's a reason why dandelion is so nutritious. Its taproot reaches 2 - 3 feet into the ground, mining deep into mineral-rich subsoil. Fall-dug roots contain an immense amount of minerals and starches.

"If you can't beat ‘em, eat ‘em" is RavenCroft founder EagleSong's advice about transforming our relationship to weeds. Peter Gail, Ph.D. adopted her saying as a slogan for his work with dandelion. Peter is the author of The Dandelion Celebration: A Guide to Unexpected Cuisine. His studies reveal that they are one of the most complete plant foods on earth, with "more beta-carotene than carrots, more potassium than bananas, more lecithin than soybeans, more iron than spinach and loads of vitamins A, C, E, thiamin and riboflavin, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium."

Let me count the ways... If the idea of eating that plant that you've been removing for so long is stifling your creative juices, try these ideas: Fresh in a spring salad: Mix the leaves with other greens, add fresh chopped root and sprinkle on flower petals. As a cooked green: Add to lasagna or spaghetti, or stir-fry with onions and mushrooms for an omelet. Cut-and-sifted root*: Toss a pinch or two into soup stock or a pot of long-cooking grains or beans. Mineral rich vinegar: (See box.)

Lion's Tooth: Dandelions long and jagged leaves, pointy petals and sharp root, earned the plant its name "lion's tooth." It's single yellow blossom and fluffy, white seed clouds are familiar, but you'll either harvest the leaves before those buds swell or after the flowers have gone to seed. The leaves grow stalkless from a center point and can pass for chicory, except that their backs are hairless. The flower stalk is hollow and contains a white sap that carries the plant's medicine. Dab the sap on skin conditions such as warts, corns, blisters and hard pimples — even ones you've had for years — and they will soon disappear.

Dandy Latte: While we were talking, Sally offered me a steaming cup of Dandy Blend, an instant caffeine-free drink made of extracts of roasted barley, rye, dandelion root, beetroot and chicory root blended together as a powdered coffee substitute. Sally suggests a summer version with cold water, a drizzle of maple syrup, milk and ice cubes. I've lived in the Seattle area for over ten years and as a non-coffee drinker, sometimes I feel something missing as I sip my tea. This drink fills the gap. Contact Goosefoot Acres for a list of retailers or to buy direct. (See resources.)

Life in bloom: Beyond its superior nutrition and healing qualities, resilient dandelion reminds us to live life to its fullest. As Sally says, "It's not just about the minerals, it's about vitality — enough that you can survive and bloom in between the cracks in the sidewalk."

* cut-and-sifted: root that has been dried, cut into small pieces and sifted clean of debris.

Healing Wise and Breast Cancer? Breast Health!
The Wise Woman Way
by Susun S. Weed. See www.susunweed.co

The Dandelion Celebration: A Guide to Unexpected Cuisine
Peter A. Gail, Ph.D.,
Contact him through Goosefoot Acres at 800-697-4858 or www.goosefootacres.com

Located near Monroe, WA, RavenCroft Garden is an educational center connecting people, plants and the earth. It is home to founder EagleSong, Community Centered Herbalist (CCH) and Director Sally King, CCH, who work with herbs as a foundation for creating health. Contact EagleSong and Sally at (360) 794-2938 or www.ravencroftgarden.com.

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