Nettle Soup
Nettles, abundant and free, have been used for millennia as Spring’s natural body cleansers, making them the ideal ingredient for this cleansing Nettle Soup or Nettle Tea.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 stick celery finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic or handful of wild garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 medium sized floury potato or 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 litre vegetable stock or water
- 2 tsp Tamari
- grated nutmeg
- medium salad bowlful of nettle tops well washed
- ground black pepper
- chives optional
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and gently saute until soft. Add celery and garlic andcontinue to saute until soft or wilted.
- Add the potato/carrot, veggie stock/water, tamari and nutmeg, bring to the boil and simmer until the potato begins to break apart.
- Add the nettle tops (use your gloves for this part!) and simmer a couple minutes more, just until leaves and stalks soften.
- Blend until smooth, add fresh ground pepper and serve garnished with chopped chives or wild garlic flowers.
Notes
Nettles are rich in vitamin C and gently help us clear toxins. They’re also a natural anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine. They have a natural diuretic effect and for that reason, care should be taken if you’re on heart medication or in cases of renal failure. Choose young, fresh Spring nettle tops, foraged away from high traffic and pesticide areas; use stout gloves or you’ll get stung. Once heated, the sting disappears, but the benefits remain.
Nettle Tea
One or two young nettle tops is plenty for a refreshing, cleansing Spring cuppa. Put the tops in a mug and pour on boiling water. Enjoy once it’s cooled to drinking temperature.
One or two young nettle tops is plenty for a refreshing, cleansing Spring cuppa. Put the tops in a mug and pour on boiling water. Enjoy once it’s cooled to drinking temperature.