April 13th, 2022

One of my all time favorite spring foods I use personally is nettle. Yes, thats right, that stinging "weed" everyone hates is a little powerhouse plant! I love it so much I've spent the last 2 years trying HARD to cultivat3 it in my yard. When I see people dreading it and hosing it down in round up I swear a bit of me dies EVERY TIME. I use this in tea which helps lower my insulin resistance and keeps my blood sugars managable. You can boil it, fry it, stick it in a stew (headnod to Samwise from Lord of the Rings). Literally.

​They literally sting because of the little hairs on their stem. A built in plant defense system if you will. Its not a noxious weed. Its a spring gift from our ancestors! So what are the nutritional benefits? Many!

​Calories: 37
​Potassium: 297mg (8% daily value)
​Carbs(energy): 7mg (2% daily value)
​Dietary Fiber: 6mg(24% daily value)
​Protien: 2.4mg(4% daily value)
​Calcium: 42% daily value
​Magnesium: 12% daily value
​Vitamin B6: 5% daily value
​Iron: 8% daily value

This is simply in 1 cup! It has high pecentage of fiber which helps your gut clean out. It helps your liver, kidneys and can even help reduce inflammation. **I am not a licensed medical professional so....this is informational....*

I personally love the earthy flavor in my tea. Its light, easy to drink and combines GREAT with honey or maple syrup/sugar. Sauteeing it with quail eggs or adding in a stew are also great ways to enjoy this beautiful plant. I always see it as a plant with attitude! Thus when you go to harvest it, make sure you are wearing thick gloves! The stinging effect goes away after the picked leaves have wilted or have been dried for tea.