Dandelions

Yes, they are perfectly edible...BUT..you have to be sure they are growing on soil/ground that is not contaminated with chemicals. They are quite bitter in their green form..so if you want something more palatable..there is trick to 'prepare' them.
First..you don't want dandelion leaves that are already in their full size and green. Choose nice rosette/clump..choose 4-6 leaves from outside edge of the clump and cut rest off near (about 1" or so) to the crown. Those few that are left will be helping to feed the new growth that is for you to eat. Give the plant good drink with water and put bucket or large container that blocks the light over the crown leaving those green leaves you left poking out from edge of the container.....and now the easiest bit..just wait the new growth to emerge.
Once the new growth is the size you want...it will be very pale coloured, but has only a little bitterness. You can eat like that or you want little colour...leave them to soak some light as soon as they start 'blushing'/turning little greener, cut them off and use up or put them in plastic back with sprinkling of water and in fridge and they will keep fresh for your few days. Or..you can pick few pale leaves at the time and put the container back on leaving rest carrying to grow on...you can also swap the container into something like large plant pot which has holes in the bottom...it will let some light through and the leaves will plump up, leaf area get larger and greening up little but still be 'not so bitter'. Sometimes if you expose pale leaves into bright light they get scorched..so the plant pot is easy option to do. You might have good success with plant pot on its own..just cover few holes with something to limit the light at first.
If you don't pick those green leaves that was left to feed the crown..you can repeat the process again..water, container over...etc.

Me again..
Some do 'blanching' which similar thing to the info above..but they cover center section of established clump...as the leaves start going paler with lack of light it will reduce the bitterness. It might be easiest and less work for you to start with and you will get to eat them quicker and know if you like dandelions taste in whole.
The info above is similar to 'forcing' that is done to early rhubarb..but you don't get quite as much the actual leaf then.
I'm not awfully keep into bitter flavours, though find it ok in salad mixes. Now 'forced' dandelion is slightly different and I like it in slightly cooked form..which really is just rapid wilting on heat and some seasoning sprinkled over.

Dandelions are an old herbal remedy, and are a strong diuretic - and their French name reflects this: "**** en lit" = **** or wet the bed, so be warned!!

There are other plants and flowers that you can eat in salads - some years back it was all the rage to include nasturtium flowers and the lovely little blue borage flowers in many of the supermarkets' ready prepared salads - I remember M&S selling them. The leaves of both these are also edible, and borage leaves are also used in herbal teas.

Tagging @Administrator (like so) should get the post(s) moved for you.

Robbity

Here's some recipes for you, good luck:-

http://www.thekitchn.com/10-ways-to-use-those-dandelions-recipes-from-the-kitchn-188774

Digger-i-doo said:

Wow Finsky! You sure know your stuff! As I learned this evening, the dark leaves certainly are bitter. I mixed them in with arugula which may not have been ideal since those are also bitter, but it's what I had and once combined with everything else in my salad, wasn't too bad. I must admit that part of my motivation for wanting to eat them was out of spite for them trying to blanket my yard. It's the suburban vegetarian version of staking the heads of invading soldiers.

Click to expand...

Well...I do tend to grow lots of all sorts of edibles, some that are 'not-so-usual' these parts of the world and I'm always open to try what is growing in 'wild'..at least once that is..
My taste buds have always been very bitter sensitive and I don't often find things with that taste very pleasant..but with little training...sometimes those flavours grow on me.
I have enough edible greens growing here to keep my jaws busy enough so I leave dandelions now for my chickens and tortoise.....but the rate they are growing, I might need a goat...
Don't be put off them yet...drop a bucket or something over clump of them and leave them to go paler and try them again..maybe they are your to your liking! Certainly good for you..