Dandelion leaves and arugula are both weeds but have astounding health benefits. That’s why I was inspired to create a recipe for Dandelion and Arugula Salad.
Enjoy this recipe!
Dandelion and Arugula Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup Dandelion Leaves torn into pieces
- 1 cup wild arugula leaves torn into pieces
- 1 cup of mixed lettuce I used red radicchio and butter lettuce
- 6 grape tomatoes I found a mix of multi-colored baby heirlooms cut in half
- 8-10 Kalamata olives
- 2 Tbsp of dry toasted sunflower seeds
Dressing
- 3 parts extra virgin olive oil
- 1 part lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp stone ground Dijon mustard
- crushed garlic 1-2 cloves
- 1 Tbsp plain yogurt
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Salad
- On a salad plate, arrange the lettuce, dandelion and arugula leaves.
- Add tomatoes, olives, and sunflower seeds
Dressing
- Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, yogurt, salt and pepper
- Drizzle over the salad and serve
Dandelion, arugula, and radicchio have sharp flavors so I mellowed them out by adding some butter lettuce. I also toasted a handful of sunflower seeds to sprinkle on top, Did you know that sunflower seeds will keep you calm? That’s because they contain magnesium. They help soothe your nerves and ease stress.
I also threw in some multi-colored baby heirloom tomatoes for color and Kalamata olives because they’re so good.
About eating dandelion
I was reading an article on how, in the last 100 years, we’ve been breeding the nutrition out of our foods.
2500 years ago Hippocrates said . . .
“Let food by thy medicine and medicine be thy food”
The article goes on to say that wild dandelions, eaten by Native Americans, have 7 times more phytonutrients than spinach. Dandelion leaves are often used in detox teas because they reduce inflammation of the liver, purify the blood, and act as a gentle diuretic, among other health benefits.
This gives new meaning to “partaking of the weed.”
Forget the Roundup and start munching on the dandelions (weeds) on your lawn instead (That is if your dog hasn’t been there first)
Wild arugula is equally rich in nutrients and has cancer-fighting compounds called glucosinolates that are extremely high in antioxidants.
Find salad bowls on Amazon, here.
What “weeds” do you like to eat? Please leave a comment and let us know.
Leave a comment and tell us what you think