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“If dandelions were rare and fragile, people would knock themselves out to pay $14.95 a plant, raise them by hand in greenhouses, and form dandelion societies and all that. But, they are everywhere and don’t need us and kind of do what they please. So we call them weeds and murder them at every opportunity.” Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

Dandelions are likely the most abused hyper-healthy plant on the planet. More often than not, they are seen as the ruination of the perfect-lawn look. As a result, frighteningly, an estimated 80 million pounds of pesticides are used to eradicate them.

Although dandelions have a long history as a foodstuff and a medicine, it is only recently that the plant’s health and epicurean benefits have begun to be tapped in America. And springtime is prime time for harvesting emerging dandelion greens.

Many purists feel the first dandelion leaves of the season are the tenderest; best for adding to salads or stir fries. The flavor of early-season dandelion leaves has been likened to arugula.

If considering harvesting dandelions, it is imperative to assure the plants are free from human adulterants – and those tons of pesticides. They are best picked in the wild, or at least in areas set off from human impacts, including roadways.

Interestingly, dandelions do not aggressively thrive in the wilds. Where a groomed lawn can quickly entertain a veritable army of emerging dandelions, a less tame, woodsy environment greatly limits dandelion populations. However, those picked in the wilds often have a rich flavor, which can vary slightly with the soil and nearby environment.

Dandelions can also be grown from seeds, allowing them to thrive in the safety of a controlled garden setting. Dozens of varieties of organic dandelions seeds are now available. Many can be found on Amazon and eBay.

Though seeds are best planted in spring, to assure maximum blossoming – one of the plant’s finest aspects — they will germinate throughout the summer.

While dandelion leaves are a spring treat, all parts of the plant are edible, offering varying usages throughout the plant’s growth cycle. In fact, as the plant matures, so do many of its health and nutritional benefit. And those benefits are remarkable.

Per Mother Earth News, “(Dandelions) have long been used as a liver tonic and diuretic. In addition, the roots contain inulin and levulin, starchlike substances that may help balance blood sugar, as well as bitter taraxacin, which stimulates digestion …”

According to “Green writer” Heather Levin, “One half cup of dandelions contain more calcium than a glass of milk, and more iron than spinach. One cup of dandelion greens contains 19 mg of Vitamin C, and the leaves contain more Vitamin A than carrots. And if you need some Vitamin K in your life, there’s no better source than dandelion leaves; 55 mg of leaves contain a whopping 535% of your daily value.”

Possibly the sweetest use of dandelions is making jelly from the plant’s brilliant yellow blossoms. A great deal of the dandelion’s nutritional benefits are retained in the jelly.

Here’s a taste-tempting recipe from teaspoonofspice.com:

Dandelion Jelly

Makes about 5 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

• 3 cups packed very fresh dandelion blossoms (from unsprayed plants!)
• 4 cups water
• 4 cups sugar (don’t use less or jelly won’t gel)
• 1 box powdered pectin for recipes calling for less sugar
• 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice (fresh lemons have varying acidity – so use bottled)
• 1 drop yellow food coloring’ if desired (without this coloring, the jelly is a bit more greenish)

Directions:

Using your thumbnail, cut and pluck the yellow blossom out of the tiny green leaves holding it. (Your thumb will get sticky and the flower will separate into petals.) Remove as much of the green as possible because green is bitter and turns the jelly green; I had just a tiny bit of green on almost each blossom.

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add 1 1/2 cup blossoms; turn down to low and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off water and steep for about 15-20 minutes. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain out and gently push on blossoms to remove some of the water. Add water back to saucepan and bring to a boil. Add remaining blossoms; simmer for 10 minutes and strain out blossoms, pressing to remove water.

Measure steeping liquid to 3 cups; add sugar, pectin, lemon juice and food coloring and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil for 1 minute, then skim off foam with a wooden spoon.

Pour into hot sterilized half-pint jars leaving 1/4-inch headspace and store in the refrigerator – or process according to canner manufacturer’s instructions.

May is here! The birds are chirping loudly, the days are getting long and warm, and I was happy to be waking up in my own bed. I was reflecting, thinking about how special spring is. I was also thinking about my recent trip and all I had learned.

My thoughts where bopping all around and then one stuck. It was how important everyone in an  organization, or business, is. No matter what their status or position, they are extremely important. As a leader, you need to recognize that every touchpoint with a customer or consumer is incredibly important, and ultimately, your responsibility.

The reason this thought was gaining momentum is that I’d just come off a 10-day business trip. It felt pretty long, with meetings in four cities from coast to coast. While enjoying the birds chirping and the Southern California sunrise, I felt compelled to tell you the story of “Rosie”.

Last Friday, I had meetings in Bentonville, Arkansas, but needed to be in New York by Monday. So, rather than flying back and forth to San Diego, I stayed in Dallas at the Za Za Hotel. It was a cool, kinda hip place, and had a great, positive energy that helped me stay at 35,000 feet. But, as I reflected on my stay, the most incredible thing about that experience was one particular women who worked for the hotel’s housekeeping staff. Let’s call her “Rosie”. My first morning there, I ran into her on the elevator. I asked her how she was, and she said with a big smile, “Fantastic!”

I was blown away. I smiled and said, “That’s my line!” And then we both started laughing. By then, the elevator was opening and she was walking along beside me and she told me that she comes up with a positive word everyday and uses it all day. I immediately asked her what her word for tomorrow would be, and she said, with that big smile, “Awesome!” Then I said, “OK, then I will be extraordinary!”  Then she said, “Fantastic,” and quickly walked on.

I was kinda shaking my head with delight, not sure I wanted her to leave. It seemed crazy to me, how this women in a maid’s uniform, had transformed the attitude of the entire multi-million dollar hotel, and did it better than the sharply dressed concierge or even the front desk people.

Later, having a cup of coffee at a little table outside of the hotel restaurant, I couldn’t help but reflect on how the manager of this hotel probably had no idea how special this women is. How much she made my morning, and probably did the same for a lot of others, not to mention keeping the spirits of the housekeeping staff upbeat and positive.

Then, I thought about all of the touchpoints businesses have with their consumers, and asked myself, what if you could assure that every interaction with your consumer could be as fantastic as mine was with “Rosie”? What if there where no call centers, just real people, with genuine concern, and real skin in the game? What if you had motivated employees, at every touchpoint, no matter what the particular business is? What if you had a positive word, everyday —like

fantastic, awesome, extraordinary — that you asked all of your employees to use for the entire day?

Well, I am going to start with the month of May, and would like anyone reading this (Hi, Mom!) to  do something for the entire month of May, and that is… drum roll please…  Let’s be Marvelous in May!

So, when anyone ask you how you are doing you are not just “good”, you’re “MARVELOUS!”

Upon my departure from the hotel, I saw a women, on her hands and knees, cleaning the marble floor in front of the elevator. Guess who it was? Yup! (Who could have written the script?) It was Rosie, and I asked how her how she was doing, and she looked right in my eyes and said, with that big smile, “Awesome!” I thanked her, and at that moment, as I walked to my car, I thanked God for Rosie.

What if a consumer walked away from your brand, your business, or your institution and said, “Thank God for your business”? Now that would indeed be Marvelous!

Onward…

AZ

Red Kidney Beans Nutrition Tidbit

Red Kidney Beans rank #3 on the U.S. Department of Agriculture list of foods highest in antioxidants, even more than blueberries, and have more fiber per serving than whole grains, so get your fill!

The Nutritional Benefits of Wild Oats Organic Red Kidney Beans:

Nutritionally Authentic:

USDA Certified Organic food product

The darker the bean, the higher amount of antioxidants

Nutritionally Affordable:

Fat-free

High in antioxidants and fiber, available at an affordable price

An inexpensive protein source

Nutritionally Accessible:

Shelf-stable pantry solution, easy to store and use quickly in recipes

Medical Nutrition Therapy Tips and Solutions:

Pregnancy: Red kidney beans are high in B vitamins, especially B-6. Vitamin B-6 can be used to treat nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.

Anemia: Red kidney beans are high in iron, and eating foods rich in iron prevents against anemia.

Vegetarians: They are an excellent source of protein for vegetarians.

Children: Bump up your child’s fiber intake by serving by making this Red Beans and Brown Rice recipe for dinner.

Athletes all of ages: Easily digestible fuel source for before or after exercise.

Cancer: Consuming beans may lower your risk for certain types of cancer.

Elderly:Beans are naturally a soft texture, and also can be pureed and consumed without teeth. A great way to add bulk to stools for those suffering from constipation.

Diabetes: Red kidney beans have a nice balance of carbohydrates and fiber, so they won’t spike blood sugar rapidly.

High Blood Pressure: Rinse the canned beans to wash away added sodium.

Apples are one serious staple in the All-American fruit category!  And we have all heard the phrase “An apple a day keeps the doctor away!”  Just recently, researchers at Dartmouth published their findings from a study that looked specifically at this issue … does eating an apple a day have any effect on the number of doctor’s visits?

The study included over 8,000 adults who completed food and health questionnaires. The “apple eaters” ate at least 1 small apple daily,  Here are the results:

• 9% of the participants ate “an apple a day”
  ● the number of doctor’s visits was about the same for both groups
  ●   the number of overnight hospital stays was about the same for both groups
• the number of prescription medications used was lower in the “apple” group
  Here is the Study Conclusion: “Evidence does not support that an apple a day keeps the doctor away;  however, the small fraction of US adults who eat an apple a day do appear to use fewer prescription medications.”

OK, so we finally have a scientific answer to this burning health topic!  An apple a day doesn’t keep the doctor away.   Now, maybe we will see the research study that looks at whether “An organic apple a day keeps the doctor away!”  No, I’m serious about this.  Both fellow Oatie, Aisleagh, and I wrote about “why organic apples” last fall.  Aisleagh’s post opens with this sentence …. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away is a familiar refrain to us North Americans, but what happens if the apples are covered in potentially harmful chemicals”?  Her post is fantastic!  My post “Speaking of apples – organic really matters”  goes into a lot of other detail, including the fact that non-organic apples rank #1 on the Environment Working Group’s Dirty Dozen !

If non-organic apples rank #1 in pesticide residue, do we think the health benefits of apples might be better if the apples were organic?  Right, that is an easy question to answer.  Apples are a deliciously healthy fruit choice.  Fellow Oatie, Chelsea wrote a wonderful blog about apples.  So, from here on out, I’m changing what I say to “An organic apple a day keeps the doctor away!”