Recipes - Dandelion Root Coffee

Sheet pan
Heavy-duty blender or grinder

Ingredients:
Dandelion roots

Directions:
Harvest dandelion roots that are at least as thick as your pinky and at least 4 inches long.

Wash roots thoroughly, removing the wispy root fringes, as well.
Lay out roots on newspaper or on a drying rack.
Dry the clean roots until they crack when bent but do not break (3 - 6 days).
OR
    Lay out roots on a cookie sheet and place in warm 150-200F degree oven with the door open until the roots dry (2 - 3 hours).

Place dried roots onto baking sheet.
Place in 300F degree oven, leaving the door slightly open to allow moisture to escape.
Roast roots until they turn nutty brown and snap when bent. Do not over cook to the point they crumble.
Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Drop roots into blender or grinder and process down into the consistency of coffee grounds.
Store in the freezer in an air-tight jar or thick/doubled freezer bags.

Prepare as you would regular coffee or tea.

A great hot beverage alternative without the caffeine or calories!

This beverage has been reported to have a mild diuretic effect. Please be sure to consult your health care professional before using this beverage if water loss may negatively affect your health.

When using a drip coffee maker and filter, we have brewed 2-3 pots of water through the ground dandelion roots before there was a noticeable reduction in flavor.

Use a fine mesh filter tea ball when brewing in-the-pot or by-the-cup dandelion root tea.

Used dandelion root grounds make a fantastic addition to compost or used as fertilizer around plants.