I’ll be the first to put my hand up and say that I am truly addicted to caffeine. Every morning, I’m a zombie before my morning brew, and lately I’ve been asking myself: how have I become so reliant on it?
Sometimes, I even find myself craving the taste of coffee in the afternoon. But I also don’t want to be wired all night.
Then I discovered dandelion.
I was sipping my morning brew in the garden when I noticed little yellow flowers popping up everywhere. The cogs started turning. Was there a way I could transform these so called weeds into something for my wellness?
I’d heard about the benefits of dandelions a couple of times before, so I started doing a little research. And it turns out there is much more to this humble backyard plant than I realised. Dandelion root has traditionally been used to aid digestion, particularly for things like bloating, flatulence and that uncomfortable feeling of fullness after eating. It has also been used to stimulate appetite and as a mild diuretic. While modern research into many of dandelion’s supposed health benefits is still limited, the plant contains a range of naturally occurring compounds that continue to attract scientific interest.
And almost every part of it can be used. The leaves can be eaten fresh or cooked, the bright yellow flowers can be used in teas and other recipes. And, even the roots can be harvested, roasted and brewed. For me, that was where things got interesting.
When roasted, dandelion root creates a rich, earthy drink that has long been used as a caffeine free alternative to coffee. Could the answer to cutting back on my afternoon caffeine habit really have been growing in my garden this whole time? Heres how you can harvest dandelion and make your own coffee alternative!.
Step 1: Find your dandelions
First things first, you need to find your dandelions. Mine were hiding in plain sight, scattered throughout the grass in my garden. Look for the familiar bright yellow flower and the jagged, tooth like leaves growing in a rosette close to the ground.
If you’re planning to eat or brew wild dandelions, make sure you’re completely confident in the identification and only harvest from an area you know hasn’t been treated with pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals. Avoid roadsides and other potentially contaminated areas.
Step 2: Dig up the roots
Now for the fun part: getting your hands dirty. Dandelions have surprisingly deep roots, so rather than simply pulling them from the ground, I used a small garden spade to loosen the soil around the plant first.
Dig down beside the dandelion and gently lift the whole plant from the soil, trying to keep as much of the root intact as possible. Don’t worry if yours come out looking a little scraggly. Mine certainly did! The roots are the part we’re going to clean, chop and eventually roast to create our caffeine free brew.
Step 3: Give the roots a good clean
Once I had collected enough roots, I removed the leaves and flowers and gave the roots a really good wash. As you can imagine, freshly dug dandelion roots come with a lot of dirt attached.
I soaked mine in a bowl of water first to loosen the soil, then rinsed and gently scrubbed them until they were clean. Don’t worry about making them look perfect. We’re about to chop and roast them anyway.
Tip: Keep the leaves and flowers if they’re fresh and clean. They’re edible too, so there’s no need to let the rest of the plant go to waste.
Now comes the waiting game. Before roasting, spread the roots out somewhere dry and well ventilated and allow them to air dry for around three to five days. They should feel properly dry rather than damp before you move on to roasting.
Then, finally, it’s time to turn those garden weeds into a brew.
Step 4: Roast the roots
Once the roots had dried, it was time to transform them into something that resembled my beloved coffee. I spread them out on a lined baking tray and popped them into the oven to roast.Pop them into an oven preheated to 175°C and roast for around 20 to 30 minutes, giving them a little stir every 10 minutes so they roast evenly.
Keep a close eye on them towards the end. You’re looking for roots that are dry, dark golden to brown and beautifully toasted, with a rich, nutty aroma. If the pieces are particularly thin, they may be ready sooner, so trust your eyes and nose rather than the timer alone.
As they roast, the roots begin to dry out, darken and develop that deeper, earthy flavour we’re looking for. Keep an eye on them as they cook, as thinner roots will roast more quickly than thicker pieces.
Step 5: Crush the roasted roots
Once the roots have finished roasting, let them cool completely. Now it’s time to turn them into something that looks a little more like coffee.
You can use a food processor or coffee grinder to break the roasted roots down into smaller pieces, or keep things old school with a mortar and pestle. You don’t need to grind them into a super fine powder. A slightly coarse texture works perfectly for brewing.
By this point, those little yellow weeds from the garden are starting to look surprisingly close to my morning brew!
Step 6: Store, brew and enjoy
And there you have it, your very own homemade roasted dandelion root.
Store your roasted and ground roots in a clean, airtight jar somewhere cool and dry, ready for whenever you’re craving a warm brew without the caffeine.
To make a cup, add around one to two teaspoons of roasted dandelion root per cup of hot water and let it steep for around five to ten minutes before straining. You can drink it as is, or add a splash of milk and a little honey if you prefer something creamier and sweeter.
The flavour isn’t exactly coffee, but it has that same rich, roasted earthiness that makes a warm cup feel so comforting. And there is something pretty satisfying about knowing that what started as a little yellow weed in my garden is now sitting in my cup.
