Dandelion Rice

Larry was away for a couple of days, so I decided to cook myself some dandelion greens.

Recipes always recommend buying young small dandelion greens, but those never seem to be available at the farmers market. Instead I come home with a big bunch of foot-long bitter greens.

But I was determined to make these taste good, because bitter greens are really good for the body. In part, this is because the bitterness stimulates the taste buds, increasing the production of saliva and digestive enzymes. This means the body does a great job of breaking down the food and absorbing nutrients from it, and quickly eliminates what it does not need.

Dandelion greens in particular are high in vitamins A and C, as well as iron and calcium. They're also  a good liver support. The liver is a major detoxification organ, so we need to keep it healthy as our bodies try to thrive in the polluted environment we live in.

Unfortunately, I am one of those overly-sensitive people who does not like bitter. I find celery and green peppers bitter, so you can imagine how I pucker with a dandelion green.

But I was not to be deterred.

I added a counter-balance of sweetness with a sautéed red onion and some balsamic vinegar. And I added blandness with a couple of cups of leftover cooked brown rice.

It actually turned out really well. I think Larry might have enjoyed it.

Dandelion Rice
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, peeled and chopped
1 bunch dandelion greens, tough stems discarded, washed well and chopped
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 cups cooked brown rice
olive oil
1 tomato (optional)

Sauté the onion in olive oil until soft and golden. Add the greens and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then stir well, making sure to get all the greens coated in the oil and salt - this helps break them down so the body can better digest the nutrients.

When the greens are soft, stir in the balsamic vinegar and the brown rice.

You could probably eat it now, but I was using cold leftover rice and I wanted to warm it through. I spooned it into a casserole dish, sliced a tomato on top, and drizzled with olive oil and a last sprinkling of salt and pepper.

I covered the dish and baked it in the toaster oven at 350°F for 20 minutes until it was warm.

Serves 4-6