The Power Of Nettles

Fresh nettles are something I look forward to each Spring.The whole plant is used for medicine, but, in the Spring it's the nettle leaves that shine as a mineral rich food which strongly echoes the principal of, "food as medicine".  Nettles are our most nutrient dense wild herb and used for building and cleansing the blood.

They are rich in iron and regarded as a premium Tonic herb at this time of year.

We'll be talking about the benefits of nettles in my upcoming class on Spring Allergies at the 92Y, but if you can't make it to the class on April 6th, then, keep an eye out for the nettles over the coming weeks as you will start to see them appearing in your farmer's markets in about a month.

See below for one of my favorite ways to use this Springtime treat.

Nettle Pesto

3 Cups of Nettles
1 cup of flat leaf parsley
1/3 cup walnuts, (preferably soaked overnight)
1/2-3/4 cup of olive oil
1/3 cup of parmesan.

Blend everything (except the cheese), together in a food processor.
Add the cheese at the end or not at all if you want to freeze and store for future use.Use as you would any pesto.

Its particularly delicious on a crunchy piece of toasted sourdough.