Mmmmm, Nettles! One of my all time favorite spring plants, I love to walk out to a patch, pruners and basket in hand, ready to prune off the vibrant green tops and munch on a few leaves raw.
Raw?!
Yep! They are delicious raw and once you know the trick, they are actually very easy to eat without fear of stinging your tongue.
It’s easy as 1, 2, 3…

First, before picking any leaves, squat down to their level and examine the leaves. You’ll notice the stingers are mainly on the lower side of the leaves, especially on the bigger leaves. The stingers on the tops of the leaves seem to have lost their sting and are not bothersome.

Second, using your thumb nail, grasp the leaf at the base of its stem and pinch it off from the plant.

Third, fold it in half, underside together, once or twice, put it in your mouth and chew!

That’s all there is to it!
Besides eating Nettles raw, there are a myriad of ways to incorporate this delicious herb into your daily meals:
~Chop and add the tops to lasagnas, casseroles, soups and stir fries (fresh or dried)
~Saute and cook like any other greens, add in dandelion leaves if desired. Start with a mixture of red onion, garlic and ginger in a bit of coconut oil, adding the chopped nettles and dandelion leaves once they are softened. Cook for a minute or two and serve.
~Steam and serve over rice with a dash of nettle infused vinegar
~Mince and add to hamburgers, meatloaf and salmon patties (fresh or dried)
When steaming Nettles, save the liquid and drink it! It’s delicious warm or cool and very nourishing.

Enjoy! To learn more about Nettles, purchase the Nettles ebook, Never Enough Nettles.