Dandelion Salad

Every spring, dandelions arrive with unassuming perfection. Vibrant green, plentiful. They fill backyards, empty lots and cracks in the sidewalk. Maybe its their anti-cancer properties, their cheery persistence, or their simple plenitude following the rain that inspires fear. Monsanto (recently sold to Bayer) has spent millions to celebrate chemical “warfare” gardening against them. And yet, these lovely weeds are begging for our attention, as is often the case, what we need is right there in front of us, waiting to be picked.

Absolutely free, overflowing with micronutrients that would be difficult to match in any store bought green. Best yet, if the soil has not been sprayed with chemicals, it’s also the most organic, locally sourced green.

Here’s a salad I made yesterday. It has lots of dandelions, some radish, some carrot, some seeds, a few nuts, half an avocado, salt, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.