Dandelion Spring Tonic

This not strictly speaking a clean-out fast but it does have a strong detox action. I have done this several times. It is hand-me-down medicine from my mother and her Puritan ancestry.

My mother cooked them. I think this is awful, but try it, you might like it

My way is this. In the spring as soon as the leaves are long enough, pick a BIG bunch of them and eat them as a salad with just oil and vinegar. Nothing else for dinner: just dandelion greens. For four (4) days. After 4 days your step will have a 'spring' to it that feels like a foot high. You will feel like you are walking on air!

Get the greens before the flowers open up - after the flowers open the leaves turn bitter - quite bitter. The medicinal action is the same but the taste is strong. The unopened flower buds are surprisingly sweet in the salad bowl.

Dandelions are used as medicine almost everywhere in the world. The root is the part commonly used.

Written March '07