As a kid I was always partial to dandelions.

From their bright yellow show that announced summer vacation was just around the corner, to all of the dreams that were sure to be granted as I blew those little white parachutes off of the stems after they’d gone to seed.

There was no better flower around.

But somewhere along the way they became the bane of my existence when every summer my chore was to pull all of these beauties (by the roots!) out of our lawn. My parents, as most people, viewed dandelions as weeds and since we lived primarily in military housing there were rules and regulations to be followed when it came to lawn appearance.

More than a few years have passed since I was earning my $2.50 per week pulling weeds. Now, instead of treating these beautiful blooms as weeds to be killed off, I see them as they are—beautiful flowers that feed the bees—and me.

Every part of the dandelion is edible (well, except for maybe those cute parachute seeds) and have been used for thousands of years as cures for numerous aliments—far too many to list here, but if it helps dissolve kidney stones (as it’s been reported) my husband will be one happy man.

Luckily for us we are currently camped at the lovely Echo Basin Ranch just outside of Mesa Verde National Park in Southern Colorado where the dandelions have exploded all over the landscape. And after making fun of my lovely yellow harvest, my husband ate his words, along with about a dozen of my dandelion cookies (which were also vegan, but don’t tell him!)

Best of all, I found a way to use up some of the almond pulp I’d been hoarding since I began making my own almond milk.

Get to baking before all of those luscious blossoms turn to seed!

Vegan Sunshine Cookies

• ½ cup coconut oil, melted
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ½ tsp. salt
• Equivalent of 2 eggs (I used Ener-G)
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1 cup dried almond pulp flour* (or substitute flour of your choice)
• ½ cup dandelion petals, yellow parts only (pinch the green base and twist the petals loose)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix egg replacer and let set-up for a few minutes.

In a large bowl mix together liquefied oil and maple syrup; add egg replacer and mix (a whisk works well).

Add dry ingredients, mix well and let sit for five minutes.

Drop by the rounded teaspoon onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (or a well oiled cookie sheet).

Bake at 375 degree for 13-16 minutes, or until bottoms are golden brown.

Remove and let cool on wire rack.

*To make the almond pulp flour I spread the pulp, left over from making almond milk, onto a cookie sheet and slowly dried it in my oven at the lowest heat setting (for my convection oven it took about 40 minutes at 100 degrees). You can also dehydrate your almond pulp. Once dried and cooled, give it a whirl in the blender until it’s the consistency of flour.

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Apprentice Editor: Amani Omejer / Editor: Catherine Monkman

Photo: courtesy of author