Nettles, Nettles everywhere. What's a girl to do?

Pick 'em of course. My fingertips are still buzzing, from what happens to be the first true sign of spring to me in the Pacific Northwest. At first, I see them along ditches and moist roadways. A few weeks later, they start to pop up in damp forests...by the hundreds.

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) are quite nutritious and cleansing--perfect for a spring tonic after the roots, sweets, and bready delights of winter. They cleanse the kidneys, provide allergy relief, enrich the blood with iron and other nutrients, and thicken the hair. They help reduce blood sugar levels, reduce high blood pressure and treat anemia.

Guess what? They are tasty too!

To deactivate the "stinging quality", they can be dried, blanched, or pureed.

This weekend we had friends over for pizza night. Guess what made it onto the pies?

NETTLE PESTO.

3 cups of nettle leaves
3/4 cup of nuts (almonds, pecans, pine nuts, walnuts...)
2-3 cloves of garlic
3/4 cup of olive oil
1 TBS of lemon juice
1/4 to 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (optional)
salt and pepper

Puree it all in a food processor. Add additional oil to thin it to your desired consistency. Add more nuts or cheese to balance the nettle flavor to your liking. You can also add a handful of basil, cilantro, or parsley if the nettle taste is too strong for you. Enjoy.

SPRING NETTLE SOUP

3-4 cups of fresh nettles
2 leeks (chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
2-3 roots (potatoes, carrots, parsnips) chopped
1-2 TBS butter or oil
4 cups of veggie or chicken stock
4 cups of water
1 cup of quinoa
2 TBS miso paste
cayenne, salt, and pepper

Saute leeks and garlic in butter. Add chopped roots and stock. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add quinoa and water. Bring to a rolling boil until quinoa is cooked. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne.
Turn off heat. Add nettles and miso. Serve and enjoy.