DANDELIONS: NUISANCE OR TREASURE?

Dandelions grow everywhere like crazy. If you are particular about the way your yard looks then this little yellow flower is an absolute nuisance. For everybody else you might be surprised at just how versatile the dandelion is.

As you can see in the chart above dandelions are chock full of vitamins and nutrients. It is also very low in calories. The best part is they are everywhere which makes them a completely free food source!
Every part of the dandelion is safe to eat and there are a number of different ways you can use them in your diet. The root of the plant can be used to make coffee when dried, tea when boiled, and you can even add it to smoothies for the nutritional value. The stem, leaves and flowers can be added to salads or soups. By themselves the dandelion may seem a little bitter but they taste delicious when paired with other flavors. While researching this article I also discovered that breading and deep-frying dandelion flowers are a great snack! Plus there are several medicinal uses for the weed.

The dandelion has so many benefits for your body, both inside and out, and is so abundant in nature that it should be considered a super plant! There are many recipes online for what you can do with dandelions or you can experiment with your own flavor combinations. To turn an already well used phrase: There's no wrong way to eat a dandelion. So go out to your yard, pick a big bunch of dandelions, and find some way to enjoy them. If you stumble upon a delicious new recipe or just want to share how you have enjoyed dandelions leave a comment to this post.

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