Mama Essentials, Part 2

Are you ready for my review of life-changing product #2? (Reminder: no one is compensating me for this series of posts.)

Today: Dandy Blend.


This is a caffeine-free, instant, herbal coffee alternative, made from dried dandelion root, chicory root, roasted barley, and beetroot.

Stay with me, now.

Never in a million years would I have believed that a drink made from dandelions would be tasty, nor that I would give up coffee -- and the bulk of my caffeine intake -- in favor of this concoction, with no caffeine-withdrawal symptoms whatsoever, and yet, both things are true. Trust me on this. Dandy Blend is great, and no doubt my body and brain are a lot better off without a ton of caffeine coursing through my veins every day. Plus, dandelion and chicory are full of nutrients and have a ton of healthy properties! Bonus.

So does it taste like coffee? Kind of. It tastes nutty, coffee-ish, and good. I like it, both iced and hot. I tend to use a lot of the powder to make my Dandy Blend strong; this makes it taste richer and more like coffee. It's not bitter or off-tasting like coffee can sometimes be. And it's great both with a splash of half-and-half (my preferred coffee addition) and without.

Like Revitalash, Dandy Blend is pricey. However, I have chosen to view it as a medical expense. Because with my history of mysterious high blood pressure, random anxiety, and stress-related hair loss, let's face it: a stimulant is not what I need.

My only problem with Dandy Blend (other than the price) is that there's no quick and easy way to refer to it. I mean, you can't really say, "Wait till I drink my herbal coffee alternative." Or, "I need to grab a mug of herbal coffee alternative." But if you say "Dandy Blend," no one's going to know what you're talking about and also it sounds....bizarre.

Next up: my miracle hair product. Stay tuned!