- ½ cup dark cherries, pitted (fresh or frozen)
- 4 cups mixed greens
- 1 handful dandelion greens (optional)
- 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Handful of ice
- Dash of pure stevia leaf or monk fruit, to taste
- Add all the ingredients to the blender, along with enough water to facilitate blending.
- Blend until smooth.
- Taste, and if needed add a tad more stevia to reach desired sweetness. Blend.
- Drink immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Spring is almost here, and those “pesky weeds” invading the lawn may be a great addition to your next salad or smoothie.
Growing up in New Hampshire, mom taught us how to “eat the weeds”—great for families on a budget.
Surprisingly, dandelion greens are loaded with nutrition. And they’re probably growing in your yard right now.
Wild Dandelion Greens: A Nutrient Powerhouse
Dandelion greens provide 535% of the recommended daily value of vitamin K (great for bone health), 112% of your daily vitamin A, and contain a flavonoid called zeaxanthin which protects the retina from UV rays.
Dandelion greens also contain Vitamins C and B6, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, iron (crucial for generating red blood cells), potassium (to help regulate blood pressure and heart rate), and manganese.
Now that’s a superfood.
Other nutrients present in dandelion greens include folate, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper.
It’s like a free multivitamin growing in your backyard.
Just be sure to only harvest wild edibles from an area that does NOT spray weed killers, pesticides, or synthetic fertilizers.
How To Prepare Dandelion Greens
If you don’t have dandelions in your backyard, you can often find dandelion greens at your local farmer’s market, natural grocery store, or community garden.
Dandelion greens are best in the spring or early summer before the flowers bloom.
Because of their bitter flavor, they pair well with rich flavors like bacon and goat cheese. Try them in an omelet or frittata, or add them to a stir fry with strong flavors like garlic and onions.
In a hurry? Try dandelion greens in this rich, filling, antioxidant-packed smoothie! Get the recipe for our Chocolate Cherry Smoothie with Wild Dandelion Greens at the top of this post.
How To Level Up Your Green Smoothie
Want an easy way to get more daily nutrients?
Future Greens is a concentrated superfood powder made of 15 certified organic fruits & vegetables, plus 6 additional superfoods and digestive enzymes. It mixes with water to instantly create a tasty superfood drink, any time of the day.
Whether as a morning drink, a pre-meal drink, or just a snack, you’ll feel satisfied and energized and less likely to eat junk. With a concentrated, broad-spectrum infusion of fruits, veggies, and other superfoods, Future Greens gives you a massive boost of your daily micronutrients—including vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals.
How did your smoothie turn out? Share your favorite green smoothie recipe with us in the comments below!
Actually, i’m busy so i don’t have time to cook. Future Greens is the best way for me, How it taste ? can you describe me ?
Thanks for the question, Julie. Future Greens tastes kinda like berries. We’ve had a lot of people say that it’s the best tasting greens powder they’ve tried, which I’d agree with. We’ve tried a lot, and it’s mine and Abel’s favorite by far.
Especially if it’s something you want to take every day, having it taste good is really important.
What a fabulous post!! Very interesting.
This is a lovely recipe and a very healthy one. The kids loved and we are making this again this weekend.