This morning, my nearly-three-year old asked, “Can we make dandelion raisin bread?” Just goes to show how much of an impression it has made on him to be cooking with dandelions this year – and how much he loves raisin bread! While we didn’t make that unique recipe, I did want to share a delicious recipe that we made a few weeks ago: dandelion pesto.
I adapted the lovely recipe from @growforagecookferment, and it was a hit with grown-ups and my children alike. We make a double batch, and share some with our neighbours and close friends. It is fresh and luscious, and easy to freeze so we’ll have a taste of spring and summer in the winter. We have an overabundance of dandelions on our few acres here, so it is no problem to use some of these miraculous plants for ourselves and save countless others for pollinators.
1/2 cup pine nuts
3 cloves minced garlic
2 cups chopped dandelion leaves (loosely packed)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp lemon zest
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan
Place everything except the parmesan in the food processor or blender, whir it all up, and then add the cheese near the end and blend again briefly. Voilà, dandelion pesto!
Like many in this homesteading space, this has been a completely unexpected journey for our family.
Even 10 years ago I would have laughed at the thought of getting up to milk a cow each morning and
canning endless amounts of tomatoes…
I am a Hopesteader. I haven’t always tried to look for the silver lining in most any situation. It’s a skill that has encouraged me to spur on and learn and read and do and gain experience by turning knowledge into wisdom…
The absolute best part of this cheese recipe-there’s no stove work involved, at all! So they’ll be no sweating over the stove, or heating up the homestead during these hot summer months, with this recipe!
Chèvre is my go to cheese! I milk the goats, go inside and filter it right into a jar, and start the cheese from that very point! The doe’s body temperature is just perfect for starting the cheese on your countertop. And it doesn’t get much easier than that!…
As the days grow longer and the hens pick up their laying again, the baskets on my kitchen counter begin to overflow with fresh eggs…
Simple Wheat Bread Recipe
This is a great, simple recipe that can be quickly thrown together multiple times a week for the perfect, from-scratch, whole wheat bread recipe. It’s a half wheat, half white flour recipe with a slightly nutty flavor, a hint of sweetness from the honey, and the perfect texture. I love that this recipe is so versatile that it can be sliced as an addition to a cozy soup dinner or hold perfectly for spread and sandwiches. I make this recipe multiple times a week in our home. If you’re on the hunt for the perfect recipe to jump into making bread at home, you’ve come to the right place.
Greetings! I’m Mandy Vander Kolk, a joyfully married mother of three, suburban homesteader, and sourdough enthusiast! From very early on, I have had a great love for the natural world.
Soon after I began my sourdough journey a few years ago, it quickly became very clear that one loaf was never enough for our family! Between my husband and I and our three children, we can easily devour an entire loaf in one sitting….
This recipe is nothing exciting, there I’ve said it. But I’ve got a lot on my heart and fruit I’m hoping to share will you; it may fill you in ways no dinner can…
Can you believe I had never tasted a beet until I was in my mid-30s? Now, I’m obsessed.
My first exposure to my favorite salad addition was when I enjoyed brunch at my older friend Vickie’s house. She happened to be my OBGYN who delivered my daughter, and we reconnected as blogging friends after an illness forced her to retire…
