When abundant flowering of dandelions begins in the spring, take up the fortification of the whole family. Over the long winter, the vitamin reserves of the body were pretty depleted, it's time to replenish them in a simple and affordable way: making dandelion salads. The benefits of this modest plant are enormous, so it is foolish not to use the gifts of nature. Moreover, the dish can be prepared according to different recipes, it turns out very tasty.
Useful properties of dandelions
With the help of a modest dandelion, you can both be treated, and prevent some diseases, and maintain beauty. And all because the composition of the juice of the healing plant is very rich in vitamins, trace elements and biologically active substances.
The composition of the flowers and leaves of dandelion contains vitamin A, E, PP, C, B1 and B2, as well as a lot of iron, selenium, potassium, chromium, calcium. There are antioxidant substances, bioflavonoids, including very rare ones: choline, saponins, triterpene acids, tannins.
Dandelion is actively used in healing practice, as it has antiviral, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, general strengthening, diuretic and antitumor properties.
The juice of flowers and leaves is used to treat such ailments:
• diabetes;
• inflammation of the pancreas, stomach ulcer;
• liver and kidney diseases;
• atherosclerosis;
• vitamin deficiency;
• cholecystitis;
• inflammation of the joints and bones;
• colds, bronchitis, tuberculosis.
Decoctions of dandelion treat obesity and increase the production of breast milk. The plant is used to prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, cleanse the blood and intestines, and strengthen immunity. That's why dandelion salad is so good for the body. Harm from this dish is extremely rare, so cook for health.
Rules for the collection and preparation of dandelions for salad
To preserve all the benefits of nature, it is best to eat dandelions without heat treatment. Salads are the perfect way out.
Spring is the best time to make salads. Young dandelions should be collected until the stems and leaves have lost their tenderness, and the yellow heads have not begun to fluff. It is necessary to tear dandelions on a sunny day, preferably in the morning, when the dew has naturally cleaned the plant, and the daytime dust has not yet had time to stick to the stems and flowers. Do not collect plants near industrial buildings, highways, roads. Dirt and harmful emissions will not add to the dish.
Pour the collected flowers and leaves for half an hour with cold water to leave the bitterness. Another way to make raw materials suitable for food is to blanch in boiling water for no more than a minute.
Dandelion Salad Recipes
Dandelion leaves can be combined with vegetables, eggs, nuts, young cheeses, sweet fruits. In addition, tasty meat dishes with different parts of the plant are delicious. You will get a wonderful variety of dandelion salads, the benefits of which will enhance health, and the composition will not get bored.
Spicy dandelion salad with nuts and lemon
Ingredients:
• a bunch of dandelion leaves;
• a bunch of young sorrel;
• a small lemon;
• small carrots;
• a handful of walnuts or hazelnuts;
• two cloves of garlic;
• salt;
• olive oil for seasoning.
Leaves of sorrel, dandelion, flowers, thinly cut. Pour boiling water over the lemon and grate it with the peel. Chop nuts and garlic with a knife. Grate the carrots on a fine grater. Combine all the components of the salad, salt to taste, season with vegetable oil. Instead of butter, you can take another salad dressing or homemade mayonnaise.
Dandelion Salad with Egg and Cabbage
Ingredients:
• a bunch of dandelion leaves;
• one hundred grams of green onions;
• fifty grams of sauerkraut;
• two boiled eggs;
• salt;
• sour cream to taste.
Rinse the cabbage. Grind all the ingredients, salt and season with sour cream.
Dandelion salad with cucumber
Ingredients:
• a handful of dandelion leaves;
• medium-sized cucumber;
• green onions to taste;
• pepper;
• salt;
• 2 tbsp. spoons of sour cream;
• 1 tbsp. spoon of mayonnaise.
Cut dandelion leaves and green onions smaller. Chop the cucumber into cubes. Mix sour cream and mayonnaise. Combine all ingredients, season with pepper and sauce, and salt if desired.
Dandelion and Bacon Salad
Ingredients:
• three hundred grams of smoked bacon;
• two bunches of dandelion leaves;
• three slices of white bread;
• two cloves of garlic;
• vegetable, best olive oil;
• a tablespoon of fruit vinegar (can be replaced with an ordinary tablespoon of 9%);
• two pinches of black pepper.
Crush the garlic with a knife. Cut the bread into neat cubes. Heat 2 tables in a pan. tablespoons butter, toss garlic and fry. When the slices turn brown, discard them. In garlic oil, fry the bread cubes until a blush, put on a paper towel to glass the butter. Cut the bacon into thin slices and fry each on both sides in a dry skillet. Narrow the leaves of a dandelion with your hands, put in a salad bowl. Next, put the fried slices of bacon, salt and pepper, season with vinegar, and lay out crackers.
Dandelion Salad with Tongue
Ingredients:
• two hundred grams of boiled beef tongue (you can take pork);
• a bunch of dandelion leaves;
• as many lettuce leaves;
• fifty grams of any nuts, but preferably cedar;
• two tablespoons of vegetable oil;
• two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice;
• salt and pepper to taste.
Tear the leaves of the dandelion finely with your hands or cut. Cut the boiled cooled tongue into smaller strips. Chop lettuce leaves. Combine all components, sprinkle with salt and pepper, season with lemon juice and vegetable oil, mix.
Dandelion Salad with Cottage Cheese and Fruit
Ingredients:
• 5-6 dandelion flowers;
• a handful of dandelion leaves;
• green apple;
• an incomplete glass of grained cottage cheese;
• fat cream for dressing;
• a tablespoon of lemon juice.
Finely chop dandelions. Cut the core from an apple, chop it into small cubes with a knife and immediately pour lemon juice on it. Mix all the ingredients, season with cream.
You can replace the apple in this recipe for a healthy dandelion salad with any fruit that is in the house or like. This salad is good with peaches, and with pears, and orange.
Dandelion Salad Harm
Not every person today can boast of the absence of an allergy to a food product, medicine, substance, etc. The potential harm to dandelion salad consists primarily in the fact that an atypical reaction of the body to dandelion juice can be detected.
In addition, there is a list of diseases in which the use of dandelion inside is prohibited:
• stomach ulcer and duodenal ulcer;
• gastritis with increased acidity of gastric juice;
• acute stage of biliary tract inflammation;
• intestinal infections;
• dyskinesia.
The harm of dandelion salad in this case is associated with its choleretic effect. Stimulation of bile and separation of gastric juice in the acute stages of gastrointestinal diseases is undesirable.
Dandelion allergy is very rare. Therefore, for most people, a remarkably tasty salad from the leaves of this plant will bring great benefits: strengthen the immune system, treat internal organs, prevent tumor processes and the development of cardiovascular diseases.
