PARACHUTE & SEED WEED

Are you favoring quiet, reflective moments this holiday season? Most friends seem to be opting out of big, chaotic gatherings for some true chill time.

My plans are to get outside as much as possible and contemplate the simple beauty of nature. This photo is of a parachute seed caught in kinky curls after being liberated from a dandelion seed head by the force of a 3-year old's exhalations.

Human evolution favors the proliferation of dandelions. This perennial weed grows just about everywhere, all over the world, loving open spaces and the full effect of the sun. Think about deforestation, golf courses and the suburbs. Luckily, if we learn to embrace these tenacious plants, so many benefits can be derived from these beauties. Dandelions are an inexpensive medicinal herb whose roots and leaves can be made into tea, cooked or eaten raw. Although bitter in taste, it is flavorful and and cleans your palate as well as your body.

The benefits of this plant are too numerous to mention, but here goes -- iron, calcium, potassium, beta-carotene, almost all the b-vitamins, zinc, among others; check out, www.wildmanstevebrill.com, for inspiring facts and great recipes. Yummm! A slightly sweet dressing or some shaved parmesan helps the medicine go down. However, if you're like me, you'll welcome the bittersweet flavor as part of your culinary salvation. Better still, through properous and frugal times, dandelions can be cultivated for free! The best times to gather them are early spring (before they flower) and late fall.

Drink a cup of dandelion tea each night to keep warm you and fortify. Cook the greens in a low simmer to balance with indulgent holiday meals. However, the most nutrient rich way to eat dandelion is raw. Here's a recipe for a crunchy, tart, sweet salad that's packed with protein, flavors, and textures.

2 C chopped dandelion

(blanch in hot tap water for 5 minutes, drain & dry)

1/2 C cooked french lentils (salt cooking water)

1/2 C pomegranate seeds

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 lemon, freshly squeezed

sea salt to taste