Nettle Soup

 To most people stinging nettles are a very annoying weed that grows at the end of the garden and stings every time you try to get rid of it. However stinging nettles are also a very nutritious plant full of vitamins and minerals, especially iron. They also contain more protein then any other native plant.

 My girls have been ill for a few weeks now with coughs and colds, so I have made them some very delicious nettle soup to fill them up with goodness.

 Using gloves I picked the tops of some young nettles. I then fried some onion and added a few potatoes and some celery. I added some frozen chicken stock I had made a while ago. After everything was cooked, I added the nettles and let it simmer for a few more minutes.  I used a soup blender to blended it all, this is necessary as the nettles are quite fibrous.  This soup has a really delicious and earthy taste.  You can just taste the goodness as you eat and best of all the girls really love it.