Spring...one of my favorite times of year! This is the time for renewal, opening all the windows in the house and letting everything air out from the long closed up winter days. The birds are singing, the flowers are coming into blossom and the trees are sprouting their leaves to soak up the sunshine. It's a rebirth! This salad comes as a perfect way to add some of your favorite spring blossoms into a meal for an even more enjoyable way to celebrate the flowers of spring. They add wonderful fragrance and color. Use whatever flower is available to you. I have used wisteria here but if you don't have a wisteria, you can just as easily add some bougainvillea petals, rose petals or pansies. You can google edible flowers and find all kinds of information about which ones to use and how to use them. Wisteria and bougainvillea are not on the lists that I saw but they are edible (I did my homework before eating them.). I also added some of my bougainvillea petals (stamen and pistols removed), before eating this salad. This was a really lovely dish and I will definitely be having it again! You’ll discover that these ingredients all come together with great flavor and an exotic appeal. Another special ingredient in this spring salad is dandelion greens. They are full of nutrition and are very tasty. In the scheme of leafy greens, dandelions are up there with the highly beneficial kale. Dandelions are known to be high in calcium, rich in iron and full of antioxidents. They are also a great detoxifying green, full of minerals and trace elements as well as being high in protein, more so that spinach. I will be adding some of these to my juicing and smoothie regimen as well. You can use dandelion greens in many ways. I have seen recipes for sautéing them, you can also use them in a pesto, toss them in salads, soups and stews. They are not just a weed but a beneficial green to add to your green & healthy diet. This salad is casual and lively, a great way to bring in the spring...

Spring Salad: Edible Flowers and Dandelion Greens

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