Wonderful, Wild Foods: Nettle

There are a lot of ways to celebrate Easter. You can do the church thing or do the easter bunny thing or even the fun and far out Pagan/Earth Ceremony thing (though you probably would have done this a couple of weeks ago on Spring Equinox like my family and I did). Or, you can celebrate by going nettling.

Nettling? What the heck is that? Well, this morning I went to a natural area near my home and gathered nettles. This common, abundant plant is considered a weed and nuisance by many. It also might be the most nutritious plant on the planet. It's full of vitamins and minerals, and a handful of nettles has more nutrition than a bag full of spinach, lettuce, or mixed greens.

Okay, it does sting you when you try and gather it. This gives rise to its other name: Stinging Nettle. But even the sting is supposed to be good for you. A folk remedy for arthritis is to sting the part of the body with nettle to help with circulation and inflammation. You can even dry nettle and drink it as a tea for allergies and asthma.

How do you harvest it? Pretty easily. Just find an abundant patch, wear gloves, and cut off the top four to six inches. It is so prolific that it will actually grow back more fully.

How do you prepare it? You can steam it or boil it for a few minutes to wilt all of the hairs that can sting you. Or you can use it like my wife is doing right now: making Nettle Spanokopita. You can even make Nettle Lasagna or Spaghetti. I have a friend who annually makes Nettle Pasta; he literally gathers nettle and mixes it in with his own pasta dough and then has green pasta!

So, why do I do it? Well, I think wild foods are full of vital nutrients we don't get in our regular diets. In fact, most wild foods are nutrient rich and calorie low, the opposite of our modern diet. It's also a great way to connect to your local place and understand the natural world around. Plus, it tastes good and is fun!

Oh and for all of us spiritually minded folks: the Tibetan sage Milarepa fasted on nothing but nettles for years up in the mountains. He developed vast psychic powers and spiritual attainment which he attributed in part to his continual consumption of nettle!

Go Nettling!