How to Cook with Nettles

Spring is a great time to utilise the free and abundant nettles. You can make friends with them and use them in soups, spreads and stocks. They are amazing leaves and in spring they are sweet and soft. If you can pick your own this also gives you the lifestyle nutrition of fresh air, exercise and sun light. They are naturally slug, rabbit and deer repellent and are easy to cultivate in your own garden. Change your mind set from weeds to naturally abundantly growing leaves for you to eat. Only eat the young ones so keep picking them or cut them back. Over time you will master the art of picking them without being stung by using your fingers like tweezers as you hold the leaves. If it is too much, buy dried nettle but here are some amazing properties that might inspire you to pick you own:

• Nettles counter act dampness, drains water and are a great tonic, cleansing the body of toxins.

• Their vitamin C content ensure iron is absorbed properly and they are rich in magnesium, calcium, chromium, potassium, phosphorus and zinc.

• Nettles have been shown to reduce histamine production and so are good for hay fever. It has been known that a detox in spring reduces hay fever symptoms in the summer.