Friday, May 13, 2011

Making Dandelion Juice



We LOVE dandelions. Every spring we get very excited when we spot the first burst of yellow outside. For the past four years we have enjoyed making dandelion prints. This year we thought it would be fun to try making dandelion juice too! Dandelion juice is known for being highly nutritious -- it has a high iron content, quadruple the carotene content of lettuce plus it is rich in calcium, potassium, and vitamins C and E. We enjoyed a beautiful afternoon outside earlier this week to gather dandelions for our juice.

Grace and Jack brought their dandelions inside to gather the petals and place them in a pot.


Grace added some water (approximately 3 cups) to the dandelion petals and a very small amount of agave nectar. Our goal was to let the dandelions simmer on the stove for approximately two hours then sieve to remove the petals and let the liquid cool. In the end we all ended up having a good laugh because all of the water ended up evaporating and we were left with a pot of burnt dandelion petals! We will be making more dandelion juice next week but we will be sure to add more water next time! :)

Eve looked so sweet sleeping with her dandelion stained cheeks while Grace and Jack worked on making dandelion juice. While we were outside Grace and Jack kept picking dandelions for Eve to hold, to look at and to smell. They tucked several dandelions behind Eve's ear after she fell asleep. Eve was a little extra tired from having received several immunizations at her 4 month old wellness visit earlier that day.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I learn so much from your experiments, especially to keep an open mind. Dandelion juice! I can't wait to hear the results of the taste test. I'll share with a few friends who enjoy dandelion greens; I'm sure they would be interested.

Grace, Jack, and particularly Mommy, are so industrious. You never stop. That could not have been an easy task to pick enough dandelions to fill a pot.

The pictures of the children in the green field with the brilliant yellow flowers and the blue sky are gorgeous. They are gorgeous in any setting.

Love, hugs, and kisses to each of you,
Memere

Maddy, said...

I know what Memere means...for I learn so much from you all the time, also!

I love your story in both words and pictures. My, those children are just so amazingly beautiful. Grace looks so grown up these days. And, Roo, well, can Roo get any cuter?!?! Then there is our Evey Pie, she is the s-w-e-e-t-e-s-t and those yellow stained rosy cheeks, oh my! Rebecca, we have a very similar photo of you with a dandelion behind your ear when you were a baby.

Do, please, share the results and the words the children use to describe the dandelion juice next week. I'll be waiting to hear all about it.

I'm positive that the burnt pot provided another avenue of learning and discussion for your family. For you are always learning!

Happy Weekend in mid-May fill it up with all beautiful things,
Maddy

Got Gracie, Jack & Eve?