Notourious Nettles - Featured Recipe by Jo Balfe

Nettle Tonic

Where do I begin with nettles? They are my number one local, wild and free superfood! The health benefits of nettles are huge, especially high in iron and vitamin C, they are great for anemia or fatigue, especially in women. They are a powerful women's tonic, especially for young girls or older women going through the menopause. They are also a diuretic, increasing the flow of urine thus helping with urinary, kidney and bladder problems. Nettles are a powerful detoxifier, full of chlorophyll which builds red blood cells in the body, and cleanses the blood. They have been shown to lower blood pressure, help colds and flu, treat prostate problems and even stimulate hair growth.

Everyone can find them, and they are just re-emerging through the soil and will grace us until late autumn. Now is the time to get those first young green tips, perfect for juicing, smoothies and soups. You can just pick the first two layers of leaves ( you may want to wear some tough garden gloves to prevent being stung!)  and pop them in your juicer, blend them into your favourite green smoothie or try this super soup recipe, which packs in a good dose of nettles and is perfect for a light lunch or as a new recipe to add to a liquids cleanse.

Nettle tonic soup
Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado

2 packed cups fresh nettle tops

1 spring onion

1/2’’ ginger root

1 stick celery

2’’ chunk cucumber

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp flax seed/hemp seed oil

½ c water

Method:

Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl, top with sprouted seeds and drizzle with oil. Enjoy straight away.