To me green is life. It’s all around us. The color that feels good under our feet, brings us joy when we look at it, that animals feast on, and contain some of the most powerful nutrients on Earth. I make a point of including something green every day of my life especially in the kitchen. Whether in Beverages Iced Minty Matcha Green Tea Latte or Pasta Cucumber Pasta with Creamy Kale Sauce and Parmesan “Cheese” or in this beautiful bowl of plant goodness, green dominates my menu.
This salad is delicious, light and refreshing, perfect for detox programs but satisfying enough to keep you energized and vibrant throughout the day. The ingredients are accessible and simple, and as nourishing and virtuous as food should be.
One particularly virtuous food I included in this recipe is dandelion greens which have their own unique and impressive story to tell. These once overlooked beauties offer so much and deserve the many accolades they receive. Somewhat bitter in taste, dandelion greens are one of the most potent in the leaf world. They also blend well with other earthy flavors, making this dressing a powerhouse of both flavor and nutrients.
When I was growing up I had a neighbor who did his own landscaping. He was very diligent about it, working in his yard almost daily. He had an obsession with weeds in particular: just hated them; especially dandelions. Every day I could see him out there on his hands and knees chopping or digging the dandelions out of his otherwise perfect lawn.
To this man, they were common weeds to be annihilated out of existence. To make sure he removed the entire plant he would even whip out his pocketknife and literally dig them out. Those little guys were really resilient. Knowing what I know now about dandelions, I would have been right behind him scooping them up for dinner.
Dandelions greens have come a long way since those days when they were viewed as nothing more than pesky yard invaders. And even though they haven’t taken center stage like the trendy kale yet, ongoing research is turning dandelion more and more into leafy superstars. Now referred to as a medicinal plant (as it once was) the health benefits read like a who’s who of the plant world.
Dandelion greens belong to one of the largest plant families called sunflower which includes the daisy…..yes, that beautiful little flower that looks so pretty and uplifting. Interestingly, the flower, leaves, and root of the dandelion are all edible, although you mostly see just the greens in grocery stores.
Dandelions grow wild and are determined little guys. In fact, you pretty much have to dig out the root to get rid of them. I suggest eating them instead.
Dandelion greens are safe to eat since even in the wild they have no poisonous look-alikes.
Dandelions truly are a pillar of virtue and vitality. But just in case you’re still not convinced, here are a few additional reasons to go out and pick and include dandelions into your diet:
- Dandelion greens grow wild all over the world making them both accessible and a perfect choice for those looking for non-hybrid foods.
- Dandelion greens contain a mere 25 calories per cup.
- Dandelion greens are a natural diuretic so don’t indulge just before bedtime.
- Dandelion greens are one of the best detoxifying and cleansing agents. They help cleanse the liver, diminish bloating, and can even banish PMS.
- Dandelion greens are high in: vitamins such as A, C, and K, antioxidants, minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, omegas 3 and 6, protein, fiber, and carbohydrates.
I hope you enjoy this delicious, clean, and highly nourishing salad. A bevy of green Earthy goodness from nature.
This recipes is raw/gluten/nut-free and serves 2 persons.
Glowing Green Salad w/ Peppery Dandelion Dressing
Glowing Green Salad:
- 1 head of lettuce of choice, chopped (about 6 cups)
- several celery stalks (tender inside stalks with leaves is best)
- several Roma or other variety of tomatoes, sliced
- 1 cup chopped or sliced cucumber
- 1/2 cup assorted berries of choice (optional)
- small handful of chopped fresh herb of choice
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions
- sliced avocado (optional)
- Arrange salad vegetables in a large salad bowl.
- Set aside or refrigerate until ready to add the dressing.
- Yields about 7 cups.
Peppery Dandelion Dressing:
- 1/2 medium avocado, pit removed
- 1/2 lightly packed cup of chopped dandelion greens
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped lemongrass or 1 – 2drops lemongrass essential oil (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 – 4 Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 tsp sea salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste
- Add all ingredients to a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
- Yields about 2 cups.
- Can be stored refrigerated up to 3 days.
To Serve:
- Pour Peppery Dandelion Dressing over Glowing Green Salad.
- Garnish and enjoy.
Thank you! This looks sooooo healthy!
@DeanaS Your welcome! I hope you give it a try. :)
@Adira Links made it tonight, so easy, very tasty, love simple but satisfying dishes like this. thanks!
I love the look of this salad, so simple but stunning, just like you. I am going to try this as soon as I get my hands on some dandelions this weekend. Thank you oh beautiful one!
Oops, didn’t mean that you were simple, just the stunning part. :)
@AdamGroban No problem :). Let me know how it turns out.
will make this after Father’s Day. starting raw foods on monday. so excited! my first recipe thanks!!
So sorry I missed this comment. I hope you enjoyed the recipe and are enjoying your new lifestyle. Have a great evening!
just lovely. i want to jump into that salad! believe it or not i’ve never even had dandelion. look forward to trying it. i hope to make next week. thanks so much!
Your so welcome. I hope you give it a shot. Have a great day!
What a gorgeous salad! I want to eat this right about now. Just discovered yur site and am agog at the images here. Looking forward to trying out as many recipes as I can. I’ve been eating raw foods for about a month & needed some new recipes. this looks so delish. thanks!
Your very welcome! I’m so glad you are enjoying the site and recipes. Have a wonderful day!
simply beautiful.
Thanks so much. I hope you enjoy it. Have a great day!
So beautiful. Your recipes are very appealing. I’m an old lady who hopes to make many of your dishes. My daughter is already eats mostly raw foods and is going to help me. I have some health challenges and want to feel better. Thank you for your kindness and generosity. I think if I eat all of your food I will be like a young girl again!
Thank you for the kind words. You are never to old to get young! You are very fortunate in your daughter and I hope you get better very soon. Enjoy the recipes and have a wonderful day!
wow making it better and better. luv this! get rawkin!
Thank you. I’m hope you enjoy it! Have a great one!
cool. so clean. i am starting a cleanse next week and this will be on the menu for my return to foods. wish me luck. i hope to change my life!
You are certainly starting out on the right foot! I hope you enjoy the salad. Have a wonderful day!
stunning. looks so healthy. making it for dad tomorrow. too much cake needs a good salad!
I agree salads are a great accompaniment for cake! I hope both of you enjoyed it. Have a wonderful day!
i think i’m in love. are you married? you are gorgeous and talented.
Thanks so much for the compliment. Yes I am happily married for over 10 years now. I hope you have a great weekend.
i want to make this but i don’t have dates. can i use another fruit? i love your website.
Thank you for the kind words and for stopping by. You could try adding 2 tsp of a natural sweetener like coconut sugar or maple syrup instead of the dates. I hope this helps and that you enjoy it. Have a wonderful day!
i am so glad i found your site! i am starting today for the raw foods. the recipes here look phenomenal. i hope to make many of them. i have many of the same health issues you had and with a little help from your website and my raw foods will be rid of them soon. thank you for your kind inspiration. many hugs to you!
Thank you for the kind words. I hope you enjoy great health very soon and hugs right back to you! Have a wonderful day!
wow just stunning. i need to lose weight lol like everybody. i need this salad. thanks for posting!
Your so welcome. I hope you enjoy it. Have a great evening!
i was recently diagnosed with diabetes. my doctors urged me to eat more animal protein but i decided to not follow the advise and eat a healthy whole foods vegan diet instead. after one week i felt better than i had in years. my blood sugar is starting to stabilize finally after 4 years of being sick almost daily. my first recipe was your beta carotene drink which i really liked. i was surprised at how good it was. i’ve tried several recipes since that first one and each one is delicious. thank you for taking the time to make all those vegan recipes. i still dream about the sweet potato pie which i have to make again! a giant hug from me!!
I’m so sorry to hear about your health issues but glad to hear that you are taking steps to help yourself. What an amazing journey you have already had! Congratulations and keep up the good work! I’m so glad you are loving the site. Have a wonderful evening!
gorgeous. looks so healthy. i really like this.
Thank you. I hope you enjoy it. Have a great day!
just found you site. i started raw foods last month but find that most of the recipes use agave. i noticed that you don’t recommend it. you seem to know more about using better ingredients. i think its bad and won’t use it. thank you for being so inspiring. i want to eat everything here! :)
Thank you so much for the kind words. Agave doesn’t work for me so I don’t use it although others are okay with it. Each person is different. I hope you enjoy the recipes. Have a wonderful evening!
i discovered your site via tumbler. wow beautiful collection of recipes here! and your photos are stunning. am on my way to the store for some dandelion now. thank you!
You are so welcome Becky. I hope you enjoy the recipes. Have a great evening!
Lovely lovely makes me want to dive in! Great shots. I’ll be trying this. Thanks although mine can’t possibly look as good!
Thank you for the sweet words but don’t underestimate yourself. I’m sure yours will look wonderful too. Have a great day!
looks so beautiful. your writing is very professional. everything here is so beautiful. such a special place. i spend two hours here and now i want to make everything! thank you.
Aw, thank you for the kind words. I’m so glad you are enjoying the site and hope you enjoy the recipe. Have a wonderful day!
yum! salad looks so beautiful. currently doing low fat high carb vegan and this is perfect. thanks so much!
Your so welcome. I hope you enjoy it! Have a great day!
i need to make this. looks too pretty to eat. yummers!
it has such a happy feel to it. looks amazing. i want to dive in and eat it but it’s almost too pretty to eat. i have to try the dressing, always looking for nut-free dressing. thank so much for posting!
Your welcome. It may be pretty to look at but it’s even nicer to eat. :) I hope you enjoy it. Have a great day!
Such a lovely salad and looks very very healthy. I have not seen dandelion greens nearby but see after reading your post that it must be included in my diet. I love recipes such as this, simple yet beautiful. Your photography is excellent. Thank you.
You are so welcome and thank you for the lovely compliments. Have a wonderful day!
I have gone through you entire website and honestly have to say it’s a real jewel among recipe blogs. All of the recipes are interesting and unique and seem very well thought out. The pictures are stunning and the directions and information are flawless. I can’t find anything to complain about. And that’s saying a lot! I am looking forward to trying many of the recipes and plan on keeping your site bookmarked for both myself and everyone else I know. A beautiful collection of truly healthy and unique recipes beautifully presented. I am salivating over each and every one of them. A job well done Adira! P.S. I also love that there is no advertising or distractions. One can focus on the food and peacefully enjoy the process.
This looks so healthy. Just the kind of salad I enjoy in the summertime. Dandelion is a bit bitter so wondering if the dressing will taste sweet enough for me. I guess I could add more dates. Thanks much!
If you wanted a sweeter dressing you could certainly add another date or two but I would monitor it closely. It’s not a bitter dressing because of the other ingredients included so you may be fine with it as is. I’m not crazy about bitter either! Either way, I hope you enjoy it. Have a great day!
Thank you for the response. It was very good per your recipe. I’ll be making this often when I can find dandelion.