So on this marvelous day attending another of my friends Julie Taggart and Jane McKay’s wonderful workshops on wild edibles here in Truchas (see previous post Wild and Free: A Feast From the Land), we were preparing Dandelion Pesto with Zucchini Spaghetti for lunch. Whether or not you think this SOUNDS good, it was, indeed, very good. And dandelions are truly amazing in terms of the nutritional value they offer. This recipe is from Katrina Blair’s terrific cook book, Local Wild Life, Turtle Lake Refuge’s Recipes for Living Deep:

Dandelion Pesto

Ingredients

1 cup cashews, pine nuts or walnuts

3 cups chopped dandelion greens

1/2 cup olive oil

3 cups basil or oregano

3 cups sorrel greens

3 cloves (Jane used extra) garlic

2 lemons juiced

1 tsp salt

1 cup divine water

Process and Thoughts

“Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Dandelion pesto is sensational over zucchini pasta. To prepare the pasta use a hand-crank spiralizing machine (found at any raw food store) or a cheese shredder to magically make noodles from raw zucchini or other vegies (carrots, beets, pumpkins, and yams make good pasta too). Pesto can also be used as a spread or a dip for almost anything.





Nearly any fresh herb will make a tasty pesto. Try making an all wild pesto using just greens you find while foraging. Dandelion and wild mint, or wild mustard greens and wild onion, explore the combinations. Wild greens are some of the most mineral rich foods on the planet. Just think: those greens wanted to grow exactly where they did. The conditions for their own nourishment were perfect and now they will pass these nutrients on to you.”





Jeane here: This meal really was a surprise. It was fresh and delicious and packed with nutrients—a killer—rather a LIVING combination!

Love to you all,

Jeane