First Green of Spring: Stinging Nettle

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Craving fresh greens?  Don’t want to shop?  Look for a patch of Stinging Nettle, (Urtica dioica).  

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Wear gloves, or use the tough parts of your fingertips to pinch off the tender tops, being careful to not let your wrist brush against the little stinging hairs which line the stem.  Don’t eat raw!  It may kill you.  But even a small amount of heat renders it harmless.

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Saute` in butter.   I missed the next step, but Isabel added mushrooms and onions.  Delicious!

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3 Responses to First Green of Spring: Stinging Nettle

  1. All the pioneers knew about greens like this, with all the chemicals and pesticides in our food today and with what’s happening with this virus and our food supply so fragile, everyone needs to learn what they can eat in their yards to stay nourished. Thanks for reminding us about that Mathew.

  2. Mary says:

    Yay Isabel!
    Foraging is the way to go.

  3. Anonymous says:

    And of course, there’s nutrition . . .

    This website ( https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/stinging-nettle#section1 ) says:

    Stinging nettle’s leaves and root provide a wide variety of nutrients, including:

    Vitamins: Vitamins A, C and K, several B vitamins

    Minerals: Calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium

    Fats: Linoleic acid, linolenic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid

    Polyphenols: Kaempferol, quercetin, caffeic acid, coumarins

    Pigments: Beta-carotene, lutein, luteoxanthin and other carotenoids
    What’s more, many of these nutrients act as antioxidants inside your body.

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