I have discovered that I am very good at growing nettles! Apparently nettles like a nitrogen rich soil and they are very prolific in my raised beds so I decided that rather than dig them all up, I would let them grow, and eat them to harness the awesome power of nature and reap the benefits.

Nettles have been eaten in many cultures around the world and used for their medicinal properties, long associated with health and vitality.

Nettles have extraordinary nutritional value, packed with A, C, and B vitamins. According to Francois Couplan the French ethnobotanist, nettles have three times more iron than spinach, seven times more vitamin C than oranges, calcium rivalling that of cheese, and a protein content on a par with soya beans. In effect, nettle has three times more nutrient density than anything you would buy in the shops, and it grows literally everywhere, for free.

Best eaten in spring, although it can be harvested from shady areas later in the summer, nettle leaves can be steamed or dried, used in soup and teas, eaten like spinach, or blitzed into a fabulous pesto, baked in a loaf, or used in pakora in these fabulous recipes below.

Later in the summer when the leaves are not so vibrant the seeds can be harvested, dried, and used all year round as a pick me up and nutrient boost.

There is nutrient dense food literally under our noses and most of us either ignore it or destroy it.

Forage

There is no better way of increasing diversity in our gut microbiome than by eating seasonally foraged greens. I am stating the obvious here but nettles will sting, so wear gloves and take a pair of scissors to snip the tops of the nettles. Do not pick the older leaves, just the young growth at the top. Try to pick away from traffic pollution, grass verges, or areas likely to have been sprayed with chemicals, and avoid nettles at dog level which may well have been peed on!

Nettle Pesto

This pesto recipe is vegan: nutritional yeast flakes and lemon juice replace the cheese, nuts and seeds provide protein and fibre, and olive oil gives a good dose of omega 3. Feel free to mix up the types of nuts and seeds you use according to what you have available; hazelnuts, brazil nuts, walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, linseeds, and sesame seeds all work well. I add the zest of a lemon too since the zest contains loads of polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals which our gut bacteria love.

What you need:

• a colander full of young nettle tops
• 45g nuts
• 45g seeds
• 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
• 3 cloves of garlic or fermented garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil or rapeseed oil
• 1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)

How to make it:

1. Wash the nettles then add to a large pot of boiling water, boil for 2 minutes.
2. Drain and refresh in cold water.
3. Squeeze out as much water as you can. I put the nettles in a clean tea towel and twist the towel to wring the excess water out. You could also spin them in a salad spinner.
4. Add nuts, seeds, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and garlic to a food processor and blitz to a grainy texture.
5. Add drained nettles and pulse a few times.
6. With the food processor still running, drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto is your desired consistency. You may need more or less than 1/2 cup stated in the recipe.
7. Check seasoning and add more lemon juice, salt or pepper to your taste.
8. Transfer to a glass jar and store in the fridge for up to a week using it as you would any other pesto.

Nettle and Lemon Loaf

This rather delicious nettle and lemon loaf is a vegan loaf, simply blend the blanched nettles with some plant milk to make a gorgeous vibrant green puree. The vitamin C from the lemon allows for better absorption of the iron adding to its health benefits.

This is really simple to make, it is moist, intensely green and delicious, and the joy of essentially using the weeds from the garden to make a delicious health affirming cake is off the scale!

What you need:

• around 100g of nettle tops
• 250g plain flour
• 200g caster sugar
• 200ml plant milk
• 75ml neutral oil like sunflower or olive oil
• pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• a few drops of lemon essence
• zest of a lemon

For the icing:

• 50g caster sugar
• juice of 1/2 a lemon

How to make it:

1. Steam or blanch the nettles for around 4 minutes, then refresh in cold water.
2. Squeeze to remove most of the water.
3. Add to a blender or food processor with 200ml plant milk and a tablespoon lemon juice.
4. Blend until you have a vibrant green smooth puree.
5. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add 75ml of oil and mix well.
6. Add the flour, caster sugar, pinch of salt, and bicarbonate of soda. Mix well then add the zest of a lemon and a few drops of lemon essence for a more intense lemon flavour.
7. Transfer to an oiled loaf tin with a strip of baking paper for ease of removing from the tin.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for 55 minutes – a skewer inserted should come out clean.
9. Remove from the tin and transfer to a serving plate.
10. Heat 50g caster sugar with the juice of 1/2 lemon until the sugar has dissolved. Pour over the loaf and decorate with edible flowers.

This is a lovely moist cake and keeps well in a covered container for a few days.

Nettle Pakora

I do not often deep fry food but I make an exception for these totally delicious nettle pakora and this is a very tasty way to use nettles. Served with a nice cooling raita or yoghurt dip, these make an impressive starter to an Indian meal or a delicious snack.

I recommend either rapeseed or sunflower oil for deep frying as both these oils are stable at high temperature, and pakora really is more crisp and delicious when it is deep fried.

The flavours in these are complex with ginger, coriander, chilli, and coconut. The red onion is prebiotic, so there are many nutritious and beneficial elements in this recipe.

What you need:

• 2 red onions, cut in half then thinly sliced
• 2 or 3 chillies, finely chopped
• a colander of nettle leaves, steamed for 3 to 4 minutes
• 1 and 1⁄4 cups of gram flour (chickpea flour)
• 2 tablespoons rice flour, cornflour, or semolina
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon zested ginger
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons coriander leaves, chopped
• 10 mint leaves, chopped (optional)
• 2 tablespoons desicated coconut
• 1⁄4 cup cashew nuts, soaked for 15 minutes then drained or a small potato grated
• water to mix
• chat masala or garam masala to serve
• rapeseed or sunflower oil for deep frying

How to make it:

1. Put the onion, steamed nettles, spices, ginger, and salt in a bowl, and leave for 5 minutes to release some moisture.
2. Sprinkle flour, coconut, cashews or potato and mix well.
3. Add water 2 tablespoons at a time until you have a thick batter. Do not over mix, just add water a bit at a time until there is no more dry flour and the ingredients have come together.
4. Add oil to a small pot, at least a couple of inches depth and heat the oil until hot. Test the temperature by adding a small cube of bread or the pakora batter to the oil. If it immediately floats back to the surface, then the oil is too hot, ideally it should take a couple of seconds to float to the top.
5. When the oil is around the right temperature, add spoonfuls of the batter, cook for a few minutes, turning with a slotted spoon until evenly browned and crisp.
6. Keep the pakoras hot in the oven until you make the rest.
7. Sprinkle with chat masala or garam masala and serve with a nice cooling raita dip.

As a qualified food scientist, gut health guru, supporter of plant-based locally sourced seasonal food, a fermentista, and foraging fanatic, Janice Clyne is passionate about inspiring, informing, and motivating change in health and eating habits – delivering vibrant good health through her Wellness Hub and ‘Nourished by Nature‘ skills, expertise, and experience.