Harvesting dandelions offers a myriad of possibilities. The leaves are tasty in salads and delicious brewed for tea. The flowers can be made into a wonderful syrup. And the roots? Perfect for making coffee.
Dandelion coffee is also delicious served hot on a cool night around a campfire. Spike it with a little piece of dark chocolate stirred in and some orange zest. Then add warmed milk. So gooood!
Healthy hit
Dandelions have been advocated to support health in myriad ways:
- very high in calcium
- good source of iron, zinc, and potassium
- filled with vitamins such as A, C, D, and B
Harvest dandelion— not just any old weed
- Choose mature plants, which make for bigger roots. Be sure your plants are from areas that are organically clean and free from pesticides.
- Use a pitchfork and drive it firmly into the ground, taking care not to spear the dandelion root.
- Tip pitchfork backward to lift and loosen soil around the root.
- Then, using your hands, gently pull up plants from the stem, gripping below the leaves.
- Gently shake off excess soil and soak roots in water.
- Use a vegetable brush to scrub roots clean.
- Trim and wash leaves and flowers, and store in refrigerator for another use.
Dandelion Cinnamon-Spiked Iced Coffee
Ingredients
- 2 or 3 mature dandelion roots, washed and scrubbed
- 8 cups (2 L) spring water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) raw sugar (optional)
- Soy, almond, or rice milk (optional)
- Ground cinnamon, for garnish
- Be sure dandelion roots are thoroughly cleaned before roasting.
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories25
- protein1g
- fat1g
- saturated fat0g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates5g
- sugars0g
- fibre0g
- sodium42mg
Directions
01
Preheat oven to 275 F (165 C). Slice roots into pieces and coarsely chop. Thinly spread out roots on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in oven for approximately 2 hours, until deep brown in colour, like coffee beans. Remove and cool. Roasted roots can be stored in a tightly sealed container in a cool place until ready to grind for coffee.
02
To make coffee, grind up enough roasted roots in coffee grinder to measure 6 Tbsp (90 mL).
03
In large saucepan, heat water with cinnamon stick until simmering. Stir in ground dandelion roots. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until liquid is rich in colour and begins to smell like steamed coffee.
04
Remove from heat. Strain through fine-meshed sieve into heatproof container. Stir in sugar, if using, until dissolved. Cool in refrigerator.
05
To serve, pour over ice cubes in glass mug. Stir in some milk, if you wish, and dust with cinnamon.
Irene McGuinness is a writer, recipe developer, food stylist for numerous magazines and corporations, and alumna of the Writer’s Studio at Simon Fraser University
