Why Dandelions are Awesome

The first house I ever lived in was a fairly large, very old farmhouse on a large plot of land in a rural town in Connecticut. Our doctor lived just up the road and our neighbor old man Probst would visit from time to time. It was nice, quiet living for my family of five.

I have a very distinct memory of my dad bringing me outside with a bucket, and he told me to pick the dandelion leaves. I was confused at first but then he popped one in his mouth and ate it! I had no idea, but he’s my dad, so I followed suit. Maybe this is where I got my leafy greens addiction.

I hate when they are called weeds. Dandelions are not weeds. They are a healthy, harvestable edible plant that could save your life if you’re ever lost in the woods with no food! And they literally grow everywhere. Everywhere.

Roots: You can use the roots to make tea. You just can cook them and eat them. You can also use them to make a tincture. The roots can help to detox the kidneys, alleviate skin problems, fight fever, aid in digestion, and a multitude of other issues.

Greens: SALAD! Of course. Put ’em on a pizza, put ’em on a sammich, you can do anything with these greens. They are slightly bitter but seriously delicious.

Flowers: Yes, you can eat these bright bursts of sunshine. You can use them to make wine. Dandelion wine. It sounds like something teeny little sparkly fairies would drink from a chalice made out of a buttercup. You can make syrup, jelly, or you can just fry them up!

Here is a link to a list of 40 things to do with dandelions:

http://wildcraftvita.blogspot.it/2013/01/things-to-do-with-dandelions.html

Always make sure you are using plants that have NOT been sprayed with chemicals or pesticide!

 

Sinus Combat!

It’s definitely that time of year…I would have posted something like this earlier but here in NC we finally got winter in January!

But this dry weather is wreaking havoc on my sinuses. It’s been awful. I won’t go into too much detail about my gross sinuses.

I’m not one to reach for pills or chemicals too often (unless it’s something serious), so I went online and found something I could make in my own kitchen, with natural ingredients I already had!

This recipe is from Popsugar. You can find the original here.

Apple Cider Vinegar Brew

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste

lemon juice

Boil water. Combine water with apple cider vinegar in a small glass. Stir in honey and cayenne and top with lemon juice.

Voila! Now this stuff is a little intense…if you’re not used to the kick of apple cider vinegar and cayenne pepper, proceed with caution. The honey definitely takes the edge off, and honestly, I find it quite delightful albeit just a little bit rough. Keep a spoon or something to stir it with nearby because the pepper that doesn’t dissolve will settle and it’s better to keep everything swirling around.

I’m drinking it right now as I type this and my sinuses are already feeling a lot better. I’m breathing just a bit easier and the inside of my nose doesn’t feel like it’s about to crack!

Thank you, little miracle brew!

 

 

PS: As always, try to use organic products. I’m going through my last bottle of not-organic vinegar before I buy the kind I prefer. Of course, if you can’t, generic is fine. This shouldn’t be used as medicine if you have an actual sinus infection. Left untreated, sinus infections can lead to much bigger problems. If you think you have a sinus infection, please go to the doctor and try this after you get medicine to ease the symptoms.

Be well, my friends!