One thing I look forward to in the Spring time are Dandelions. After a long Winter without fresh wild and home garden grown foods my body is CRAVING these blood purifying greens. When I spy a good looking Dandelion plant I immediately begin to pluck those leaves while I'm drooling on myself. The roots of Dandelions can be dug up and slow dried or roasted then ground into a powder for a coffee substitute. I ,personally, have yet to try this but lots of people do. You can look it up on You Tube sometime. I use a blend of Dandelion root, chicory root, red beet root, barley and rye called 'Dandy Blend' found at http://www.dandyblend.com/ I love this blend it contains over 64 trace minerals and other healing and nutritional qualities. While traveling to work one day with a friend in the morning I shared this wonderful hot drink. He was surprised later to find out that it was NOT coffee and he said that it was even better than coffee. I would agree as I have been drinking it for years and do not even like the taste of coffee anymore. Over the years I have become very fond and appreciative of the Dandelion 'Weed' as some call it. The way I look at it is if they think it is a weak weed and they continue to try to eradicate it why is it so prolific. If I can be as strong as a weed then I'll surely eat them. I think that Dandelions know that I favor them because right now if you were to look at my front lawn it seems to be more Dandelions then grass. Their blooms have gone to seed and in the morning light with the dew ever so lightly set upon them they appear to be an existence of a certain utopia themselves. I have heard that you can make Dandelion Wine from the yellow blossoms and also a Dandelion honey kinda more like a jelly, really. I always feel so clean inside after I eat a Dandelion salad. I love to pick a bunch early in the morning ,while playing ball in the back yard with Max, and stick them in a bowl ready for an early morning salad or lunch. Early in Spring you could pick the leaves before the blossoms come out. The greens are less bitter then. I have gotten used to the more pungent leaves after the blooms by covering them up with the sweetness that comes from the Balsamic Vinegar I use to dress them. I love to chop them up well with maybe some Violet Greens , some Day Lily Greens and some fresh Chard from the Garden. Sometimes I'll throw in some fresh mint or cilantro as well. I'll add some green onion or wild garlic a hard boiled egg, some nutritional yeast (for a Parmesan like feel & taste) and some dried prunes or other dried fruit like raisins or cherries and a few walnuts or raw pumpkin seeds. Dandelion greens are packed with Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium,Vitamin A, Iron, and other minerals. Adding Wild Green Salads to your diet is something that might take some getting used to , but once you do. . there is NO turning back you will rarely go to the grocery store again for your greens. Your body will crave their medicines. Eat them up YUM !