Here they come! It's dandelion season - although this mild winter has had spring's yellow-headed weed popping up here and there all season long. Soon, however, lawns will begin to truly shine with the sunny faces of the dandelion.WebMd.com concurs that dandelion is used widely for medicinal purposes, neither proven nor disproved. "Dandelion is used for loss of appetite, upset stomach, intestinal gas, gallstones, joint pain, muscle aches, eczema, and bruises. Dandelion is also used to increase urine production and as a laxative to increase bowel movements. It is also used as skin toner, blood tonic, and digestive tonic. Some people use dandelion to treat infection, especially viral infections, and cancer." It works, according to this website and many others, because this plant "contains chemicals that may increase urine production and decrease swelling (inflammation)."Roger Doiron, writing in the April/May 2008 Mother Earth News, "Dandelion roots can be harvested during any frost-free period of the year and eaten raw, steamed, or even dried, roasted, and ground into a coffee substitute. The flowers are best known for their use in dandelion wine, but they also can be added to a salad, made into jellies or dipped in batter to make dandelion fritters."

This will cause misery to those who love perfect lawns, of course. Annihilating this persistent flower means a full attack using pesticides, or digging out each plant, long tap root included, one by one. Or, you could just think of your lawn as a giant salad bowl. Declare a truce and appreciate this plant for what it is: a wonderful source of nutrition.

My grandmother recognized the value of this early spring green. I was a fussy eater, though, and did not think her side dish of wilted dandelion greens (wilted lettuce later in the season), slick with bacon and tangy with a splash of vinegar was anything I wanted to eat. (Once again, my mother's voice echoes accurately in my head, "You don't know what you're missing." )

Dandelions are nutritionally superior to many foods we buy in supermarkets. Just a quarter cup of the raw greens provides 112 percent of the recommended daily value for vitamin A; 32 percent of vitamin C; ten percent of calcium (and dairy free, I might point out); 9 percent of the recommended daily value of iron. It is a good source of folate, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, potassium, and vitamin B6, as well as numerous other minerals and vitamins.

What's so great about all that? Well, vitamin A fights cancer of the kinds of tissues in the mouth and lungs, and keeps eyesight keen; calcium is important for healthy bones; and B vitamins aid in reducing stress. Vitamin C is required to help the body repair tissues and form skin-firming collagen, and helps fight off infections, among its other virtues.

Used for centuries to treat a variety of illnesses,

It is not solely the greens that are edible. The dandelion is consumable from tip of the tap root to shaggy flower. According to

It is the greens, however, that are most commonly tossed raw into salads, or steamed or sautéed as a side dish.

The first step to harvesting any part of the dandelion is to make sure the harvest area has not been subjected to pesticides and fertilizers. Dandelions growing near the road should be avoided as well, as they may have been tainted by road salts and other runoff from the asphalt.

The very early spring leaves, before the plant flowers, are the most desirable. These tender little leaves are generally not bitter, as can happen with the larger leaves, or after the plant flowers. (Blanching will decrease any bitterness of the larger leaves.) Snip them off close to the base of the plant. As you might suspect, you don't have to worry about killing the plant - if that was all it took to be rid of dandelions, lawn care experts would go out of business.

You'll need to collect a fair amount of leaves for cooking. Like all greens, dandelions have a way of shrinking into a tenth of the amount you put in the pan.

The flower buds can be tossed into stir fries with other vegetables, and are gently flavored. Flowers in bloom can be eaten, as well, generally dipped in a light, tempura-like batter and deep fried.

I'm not a bacon eater, so Grandma's recipe is merely a fond memory for me. Instead, try quickly sautéing the leaves in olive oil and garlic, with a shake of crushed red pepper and salt. Then squeeze some lemon juice over it all, and gobble them down. A sprinkling of feta or blue cheese would not be a mistake.

The greens are a great addition to soups. Add them during the final minutes of cooking to retain the greatest nutritional value.

Turn the raw leaves into a dandelion pesto, pulverizing the young leaves with garlic, lemon, parmesan cheese, salt, and olive oil. Your pasta will be as happy as your taste buds. Toss dandelion leaves into a medley of greens for a refreshing spring salad, or make a green yogurt dressing by blending dandelion leaves with scallions, yogurt, lemon, garlic, salt and pepper, and a dash of cream.

Only your imagination limits where you can go when dining on this herbaceous plant. Have a dandy spring!