Tag: dandelion

A mixed bean salad

Vegan, oil free, gluten free, delicious.

This oil free recipe gets its creaminess from the Violife ‘white’ and the borlotti beans. red beans will also work. Carrot adds sweetness and cucumber a delicious coolness. The rucola is used as a herb as it is strong and peppery in flavour, all offsetting the slight bitterness from the chicory. Thus giving a wonderful easy to eat oil free salad containing all the nutrients needed.

For gallbladder and liver health it is also possible to add dandelion leaf finely chopped, it goes well in this dish adding it’s own flavour in-between the chicory and rucola. It is possible to forage dandelion almost anywhere, be careful to choose clean plants not near busy roads but in meadows or parks where the air is cleaner. Or like I do simply grow it in your garden as it is a healthy nutritious plant.

The lemon juice and salt bring out all the natural flavours of the fresh ingredients and with the rucola and the dandelion leaf you don’t need pepper.

red chicory, finely chopped
spring onion thinly sliced
grated carrot
dandelion leaf finely chopped
a small tin of green borlotti beans (red kidney beans are also good)
greek white ‘goats cheese’ Violife, in small chunks
rucola, very finely chopped (arugula)
red cayenne chilli very finely chopped
cucumber in small chunks
paprika, orange, sliced and chopped (bell pepper)
lemon juice to taste
salt  to taste

 

Dandelion salad with artichokes

Super simple super nice

seriously good for your gall

Why?

Well – dandelions have been famous throughout history for helping the liver and gallbladder, this little plant is also a diuretic, thus great for the kidneys and helps the immune system.

I have used the plant before in salads, it’s a bit like rucola, nice and pungent and bitter. It adds a lot of fresh flavour to salad dishes.

It is also delicious, I used the leaves chopped and the flower petals scattered over the dish.

And artichokes are scientifically proven to help the liver and gallbladder, to help with nausea and vomiting, and is also an antioxidant. I’m on firmer ground here as some of this has actually been studied. And is thus now considered proven scientific fact, which we like.

I got the artichokes out of a tin as they are not quite in season yet here, though I recommend them fresh if you can be bothered to prepare them. They are one of my favourite foods when in season.

You know you can even order artichoke on your pizza if you want, it’s all good.

Sprinkle on some lemon juice and a pinch of salt on the salad and you’re good to go.

That’s all you need.