Hello there ...
Today saw me go in search of weeds...
I've been feeling a little 'under the weather' since I had that dose of flu ... so I thought I would benefit from a tonic... a free and tasty pick me up ... growing just outside my door.
I found a nice big clump of fresh healthy looking nettles growing in the hedgerow ... well away from any traffic and high enough up ... on top of a wall ... to avoid the attentions of dogs and their toilet habits.
Nettles are a wonder plant ... richer in nutrients than the likes of spinach and broccoli...providing high levels of both iron and vitamin C.. of which the body needs to absorb the iron.
Anyway I don't want to go on about all the science-y stuff ... you can easily look it up if you are interested .... needless to say ... I like nettles and they are good for you ...and they are FREE!
Good veg growing free.
I gathered a pan full of nettle tops ... they are getting a bit big and tough now ... perhaps I should have harvested them sooner .. or looked for younger/smaller plants ... but hey ho a girl has to use what she can find.
At this point Hubby P walked into the kitchen ... I saw that look of uncertainty ... unease ... and perhaps ... slight panic ... flit across his face. Poor Hubby P ... as you know he sometimes has a difficult relationship with veg.
I assured him this crop was for my use ... I want to dry some for tea ..... and try freezing some to add to soups and the like.
Not that he would notice anyway .... if I added some to a pie ...or something.
Using the kitchen scissors I snipped off the topmost leaves ... discarding the tough stems and larger leaves ... and of course any iffy damaged bits.
I made some tea from the fresh leaves ... it was rather delicious with a drop of honey.
And I have spread the leaves on trays to open freeze ... hoping I can bag them up loose-ish ... and just grab a handful to add to soups and whatnot.
I filled a paper bag with the leaves and tied the top with string.... this I have hung in the inglenook above the wood burner ....hopefully they will dry nicely and I can crumble the leaves for tea.
I do so enjoy my herbal teas ... I seem to have gone right off milk ... milk in tea and whatnot ... eversince I had the flu.
So whats free and frugal in your world ...anyone else out foraging yet?
xx
