Dandelions

As you might have noticed, I haven't blogged as regularly recently, and here is the reason: The gardening season has begun ! We have been eating our own spinach and green onions already, planted a lot of stuff and worked on our other garden beds to prepare them for what will soon be planted in them.

Tomorrow we will harvest a particular crop that grows unasked, but certainly not unwelcome, and in abundance: Dandelion greens.

Dandelions have roots that go very deep into the soil. Thus, they draw lots of minerals and nutrients to the surface of the soil, and store them in their greens too. Therefore, they are a very healthy addition to our, and your, diet, if you take the time to pick them.

All parts of the plant are edible, really, here is a list of uses (via About.com):

• Dandelion root can be roasted as a coffee-substitute, or boiled and stir-fried as a cooked vegetable.
• Dandelion flower can be made into a wine, or boiled and stir-fried as a cooked vegetable.
• Dandelion greens (i.e., the leaves) can be boiled, as you would spinach, and used as a cooked vegetable, in sandwiches or as a salad green with some "bite."

After cutting them, wash your dandelion greens well, and cook them like spinach. A little bit of garlic and onion goes well with it, and if you add Parmesan cheese when you serve it, I am sure you will like it, too.

Gather your dandelions while you may.