Have you ever eaten stinging nettle? Until recently, I had no idea that we could eat it! When I was a little kid living in France, all I knew about stinging nettle is that my grandma would tell me to stay away from it, because if you touch it, it’s almost like poison ivy, you will get a rash and be itchy like crazy for a while, so the thought of eating it had never crossed my mind! Then one day, I was watching an old episode of a Jamie Oliver’s cooking show and saw him using nettle to make some sort of a quiche, and realized that it was edible. I then remembered that nettle tea is a medicinal tea that has been used for centuries… so, it only makes sense that it’s edible!
Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica and the closely related Urtica urens) has a long medicinal history. In medieval Europe, it was used as a diuretic (to rid the body of excess water) and to treat joint pain.
Stinging nettle has fine hairs on the leaves and stems that contain irritating chemicals, which are released when the plant comes in contact with the skin. The hairs, or spines, of the stinging nettle are normally very painful to the touch. When they come into contact with a painful area of the body, however, they can actually decrease the original pain. Scientists think nettle does this by reducing levels of inflammatory chemicals in the body, and by interfering with the way the body transmits pain signals.
Stinging nettle has been used for hundreds of years to treat painful muscles and joints, eczema, arthritis, gout, and anemia. Today, many people use it to treat urinary problems during the early stages of an enlarged prostate (called benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH), for urinary tract infections, for hay fever (allergic rhinitis), or in compresses or creams for treating joint pain, sprains and strains, tendonitis, and insect bites. (Source: University of Maryland Medical Center)
While it’s raw, you will want to use gloves, or tongs, to touch it, but after cooking for 8-10 minutes, it’s totally safe to handle, and of course eat! It kind of tastes like spinach, in case you’re wondering 😉
Enjoy!
ECP xo
Sweet Potato & Nettle Gnocchi with Simple Tomato Sauce | Low or Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free
Learn how to make your own gnocchi with a healthy twist. Sweet potato and nettle gnocchi with simple tomato sauce that will please the whole family
Ingredients
- 2 large organic potatoes (white or yellow flesh), peeled
- 1 large organic sweet potato peeled
- a big bunch of fresh nettle (use as much as you'd like, I had a huge pile)
- 2 organic free-range egg yolks (keep the whites for another use, except for GF option)
- 2 cups spelt flour Gluten-free option: use brown rice flour and use the whole eggs
Tomato Sauce
- 796 ml diced organic tomatoes 1 large can
- 1 large onion minced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano or 2 Tbsp dry oregano
- 1/4 cup rice milk
- 1/8 tsp ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- extra-virgin olive oil for cooking
Toppings
- 1/4 cup raw walnuts quickly toasted in a hot, dry, pan
- 1/4 cup cheese of choice (vegan or organic dairy)
Instructions
- Cut the potatoes and cook them in boiling water until fork-tender (approx. 15-20 minutes), and drain completely.
- Cook the nettle in boiling water for 8-10 minutes, drain really well.
- While the potatoes and nettle are cooking, in a large pan over medium heat, sauté the onion with olive oil until nicely golden, about 4-5 minutes, then add the garlic and oregano, and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Add the can of tomatoes, and cream and cook for another 5 minutes to reduce a bit, then turn heat to low.
- Put the potatoes and cooked nettle in a bowl and mash until really well mixed (alternatively, you could put everything in a food processor). Add the 2 egg yolks, mix. Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time, and mix until it's not sticky anymore. You will have to use your hands in the end.
- Put a large pot of spring or filtered water to boil. Add a generous amount of salt.
- Divide the dough into 6 or 8, roll the dough on a floured surface (you can make it as big or small as you want), and cut pieces with a knife.
- Put into the large pot of boiling water. They will sink to the bottom, once they all float to the surface, cook for an additional 30-45 seconds.
- Drain, and serve immediately with the sauce on top, grated cheese (either dairy or vegan) and toasted walnuts
Note: I do not believe anyone should worry about counting calories, but here is the nutritional information for one serving
Calories: 597kcal | Fat: 18g | Saturated fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 484mg | Potassium: 1373mg | Carbohydrates: 87g | Fiber: 22g | Sugar: 8g | Protein: 22g | Vitamin A: 6850% | Vitamin C: 34.4% | Calcium: 685% | Iron: 11.8%
I have never cooked with stinging nettles before, but I love the idea of incorporating them into gnocchi. I love different ways to eat greens, especially ones like wild nettle that are so accessible!
It was my first time cooking with nettle too. We should take advantage of more wild foods! That’s as local as can be. Like eating dandelions from our backyard in a salad (hence the importance of not using any pesticides around the house). 🙂