Monday, March 12, 2012

Wild Harvested Nettles Smoothie


For the past few weeks we've been using fresh, locally harvested raw nettles in our green smoothies almost daily. They are delicious, so nutritious, and easy to harvest and prepare, as long as you wear the right kind of gloves! Also, you can definitely eat raw nettle leaves without stinging your mouth or throat. I was worried about that, but emboldened while at an edible weeds class with Melany Vorass, I pinched a single leaf off a young plant, folded it carefully (touching only the top of the leaf protects against stings, as the barbs cover the underside of the leaves & stems) and chewed it up. The leaves are tasty and surprisingly easy to eat.


fresh harvested nettles edible weeds

I wear a double layer of latex or nitrile gloves when I harvest the plants for smoothies. The first time I did this, I wore gardening gloves and got stung a few times through the fabric on the back of my hands; I've had much better luck with latex or nitrile, which cover my hands more uniformly. Using a pair of garden clippers or scissors, I clip the young plants about 3 inches above the ground, just above the lowest leaves so it will grow new shoots and I can continue to harvest in the future from the same plant.

I take them home and store them in the fridge, in a large plastic bag with a damp washcloth; this keeps them fresh for at least a week. When I want to make a smoothie, I soak a handful or two of the plants in water. Soak for 10 minutes to an hour, just to remove debris or who-knows-what. If your nettles are dusty or near a popular dog-walking trail, you could give them a second quick soak in fresh water. I try to harvest off the trail a ways for the cleanest plants. 


fresh harvested nettles edible weeds


After the soaking, I use scissors to clip all the leaves into my blender, reserving the stems for blending into chicken food, and then add the rest of my green smoothie ingredients. I use a high speed blender, which easily blends greens into a smooth drink, but if you've got a standard blender, just give it a bit longer on high and it will become pretty smooth.


raw nettles green smoothie

These smoothies taste fabulous, and are undoubtedly very nutritious. Nettles are high in protein, iron, and many other minerals and micronutrients. Check out this page on stinging nettles nutrition for further info on their nutritional value. They are also wonderfully anti-inflammatory. We regularly drink nettle tea (click here to see how we make it) throughout the year, but I'm sure having this source of fresh, raw nettles is even better. And what's more, I have one less thing to buy every week for making smoothies.


raw nettles green smoothie

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32 comments

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March 12, 2012 at 9:37 PM

We live on the Family Ranch now and I have loads of Stinging Nettle to work with. Thanks for giving me another way to incorporate this wonderful herb into my diet!

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March 17, 2012 at 12:45 PM

I can't wait for our nettles to break the ground this year, (in CT). I'll have to try them in smoothies. We usually sautee them in olive oil and garlic. Last year, we discovered that we love nettle broth (leaves and stems) so much that this year we're planning on canning some. Thanks for a great article.

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March 17, 2012 at 12:49 PM

Thank you! I love the idea of using nettles for broth as well.

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May 8, 2012 at 11:11 AM

Thanks so much for linking to Tiny Tip Tuesday! I'm just getting into foraging for wild edibles, and did a 2-part post on cooking with dandelions. I only just recently learned about nettles, but unfortunately, they're nowhere to be found in my yard :-( Guess I'll have to venture out a bit farther to find them. I'm pinning this for future reference though, that smoothie looks delish!

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May 9, 2012 at 6:06 PM

I would never have thought of this - what did it taste like?

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May 9, 2012 at 6:28 PM

It's really easy to drink, and I guess the flavor is dominated by bananas. Fresh nettles don't have a strong taste- not like bitter dandelions or anything.

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July 7, 2012 at 5:59 PM

Wow, so interesting! Thank you for educating me on the nutrition of nettles. I have never eaten these before. :)

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August 5, 2012 at 9:57 PM

This is a must try for me! I've been meaning to make a couple of detox smoothies and this one with nettles and its anti-inflammatory property should be perfect for me! Thanks for sharing it at Sugar Free Sunday this week! :)

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August 7, 2012 at 9:36 AM

How much fun is this?! I've wondered about eating fresh nettle, since we take freeze-dried nettle capsules for our allergies. I also drink nettle tea, just for the nutritional benefits. I don't suppose you happen to have seasonal allergies that have been helped by eating the fresh nettle?

Thanks so much for sharing! By the way, I found you on the "Like a Mustard Seed" link-up. :-)

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August 7, 2012 at 10:53 AM

I don't get seasonal allergies, but I do have other inflammatory response issues that I believe are helped. For example, I have always had horrible reactions to mosquito bites, and these days the bites are small and go away before really bothering me. My skin doesn't get as irritated and I don't get rashes as easily as I used to. Also, chronic pain in my foot from an old break has completely disappeared! I drink nettle smoothies in early spring; it's harder to find fresh nettles in good condition around here during summer, as it's all gone to seed. But I drink green smoothies from garden weeds all summer, and drink nettle tea all winter and anytime we seem to need an immune boost.

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August 14, 2012 at 8:37 PM

Thank you for sharing this wonderful post! I drink a nettle tea and just wild harvested some nettle last week to dry for tea. I never thought of having it raw like this in a smoothie!
annie @ montanasolarcreations

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September 30, 2012 at 4:23 AM

Very neat to learn about Nettles leaves! Those little guys must be really sharp! Thanks for linking up!! :)

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September 30, 2012 at 7:08 AM

They really are easy to handle with a pair of medical gloves, and they blend up smooth, no prickles! They are definitely one of my favorite greens for smoothies.

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October 7, 2012 at 3:28 PM

As a farm girl, my experience with nettles hasn't always been good. ;-) But, I love the idea of harvesting and putting them to good use! Thanks for sharing the detail of your method - that helps! BTW, I'm your newest follower. Glad to be here!

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October 7, 2012 at 9:04 PM

Thanks Jen. Yes, we love the nettles now that we know how to use them! It really makes you think about plants differently when you learn more about their benefits & uses.

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October 31, 2012 at 8:46 AM

What a great idea! I've heard stinging nettle is good for a lot of things, but haven't tried them yet. Now, thanks to your pictures, at least I know what they look like. :-)

Bonnie
www.HungryChickenHomestead.com

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October 31, 2012 at 10:04 AM

Here's something else you can do, with dried nettles: http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com/2011/12/we-drink-nettle-tea.html

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January 27, 2013 at 12:46 PM

This is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen! I would have never thought, you can turn them into a drink! Thank you so much for sharing this at Wednesday Extravaganza - see you there again next week with more deliciousness :)

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January 27, 2013 at 1:53 PM

Thank you so much! I hope you try it sometime, nettles really are surprisingly good :)

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February 1, 2013 at 10:29 AM

I always learn so much from you. Thanks for linking this up to Raw Foods Thursdays!

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April 12, 2013 at 6:58 AM

Great post! I have been using the Wild Harvested Nettles for tea & an excellent hair rinse for years now! I have incorporated them into my products I make for my business! Such a wonderful plant! Thanks for another idea! http://www.honeybeeholistics.com

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Anonymous
April 12, 2013 at 6:08 PM

I keep reading about nettles; maybe one of these days I will actually try them.
Thanks for posting at Wildcrafting Wednesday.

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May 16, 2013 at 6:01 PM

Interesting! Thank you for sharing this on Fluster's Creative Muster Party!

Robin
Fluster Buster

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May 21, 2013 at 11:58 AM

I have never eaten nettles before! Thanks for sharing with us at Eco-Kids Tuesday! Hope you stop by again! http://likemamalikedaughter.blogspot.com/2013/05/eco-kids-tuesday_21.html

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May 31, 2013 at 6:18 AM

Great way to use nettle! Thanks for sharing with Simple Meals Friday. This article is featured this week! I hope you join us again.

http://nourishingsimplicity.org/2013/05/simple-meals-friday-33.html

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May 31, 2013 at 6:45 AM

Thank you so much for the feature, Katie!

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June 10, 2013 at 1:07 PM

Thank you so much for sharing your great recipe with Full Plate Thursday and have a wonderful week.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen

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Anonymous
June 19, 2013 at 5:07 AM

I love this! Nettles are by far my favorite green. They are SO delicious. I didn't know you could eat em raw!! I've been stung so many times I was scared it would sting all of my insides haha.

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July 22, 2013 at 5:57 AM

I have never tried nettles, so thanks for putting them on my radar and for sharing on Tuesday Greens!

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August 3, 2013 at 1:00 AM

Sounds great recipes! Yummy and delicious… I just tried it… I always dig up for the great healthy recipes... Keep offering

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