Free gifts from nature
We were not allowed to feel that much from summer in 2024, and yet in nature it is slowly about "species preservation", that is, about the warding. Right now we can collect many free gifts from nature.
Collect only the female seeds
The seeds of the large forest fuel arms rise up 1m in some places and stretch their seeds of the sun. The female seed stands are full of good things for our health in the approaching autumn and winter. I very much like to sprinkle the seeds as a nutty mineral source over my winter salad. Even a teaspoon a day is good for the body - more of it, namely up to 2 tablespoons of daily and you are properly packed with power for winter time!
How do you recognize female seed stands?
Very easy to recognize, as shown here in the photo. The female seed stands are rather brownish and point down - mostly they lie flat on the plant. The male seed stands are rather brighter and stand from the plant, mostly horizontally.
The most important ingredients of the seed fruits
The seed contains 30% oil - especially linoleic acid - a lot of vitamin E (up to 0.1%) mucus and carotenoids. They also contain magnesium, potassium, iron and silicon like the leaves.
And now it comes:
Nettle seeds contain a lot of protein!
Shelf life and storage
Well dried and closed in glasses, the seeds last a few years. I found this spring a small remnant from 2022 - at the very back in the closet - and sown in 2 buckets. The plant grew perfectly and so I have had a great replacement for spinach since May, which can be used for many dishes, such as soup, for omelet, pancakes or simply like spinach (with and without cream). Two recipes with nettles below!
Nettle tea for bladder and kidneys
Of course, I diligently dry the leaves and can buy a winter supply of nettle tea, which I drink as a autumn and winter cures for 4-6 weeks as a afternoon tea to rinse my water-conducting organs. In general, the nettle is beneficial for urinary tract infections, but also generally with inflammatory processes in the body such as gout or other rheumatic diseases.
Power package nettle
And how powerful this plant is also shows this photo that I recently took on a walk.
Until recently, there was a whole "bed" of high forest burning nettles. The community employees "cleaned" everything nice and finely. The mown nettles stayed for a few days before they were removed.
After about 14 days, the plants are again 10-15 cm high in the same place - and that in early August ... Really a power pack of these nettle.
Recipe part:
Delicious and strong nettle lasagna - like lasagna with spinach only delicious!
The ingredients for 4 people. For the sauce:
40 g butter
50 g flour
500 ml milk (or plant milk)
150 g Parmesan
A portion of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper at will
Dried about 150 g of lasagne plates
250 g ricotta
For the vegetable filling:
150 g nettle tips
50 g leaves of other wild vegetables or spinach or other nettle. I also like to use fountain cress, nasturtium or normal cress in summer. Then the whole thing gets a little sharpness.
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
3 Essl. olive oil
The preparation:
We first need a Béchamel sauce. To do this, we let the butter melt in a saucepan and please do not let it get brown. Then we put the flour in, pull the pot from the stove and then immediately stir the whole thing with a small whisk.
Then add the milk and continue to stir until everything has connected and is smooth.
Then take the sauce from the stove and stir in a good 2/3 of the Parmesan.
Season everything with nutmeg, salt and freshly ground pepper.
Wash the nettle and all other vegetables, drain and cut them into small pieces. Peel, cut the onion and garlic, cut them into small pieces and steam until glassy with the olive oil.
Then add the entire vegetables and steam for 5 minutes.
Then stir in the cheese sauce and season again.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 180 degrees of hot air. Spread a thin layer of vegetables and sauce in a baking dish and then add lasagne plates to the baking dish.
Alternately layer with the ricotta until everything is used up.
Finally, sprinkle the rest of the sauce and the remaining parmesan.
The lasagna for at least 40 minutes in the oven - covered it can also take 50 minutes - look before taking it out whether the lasagne plates are soft.
Let it steep for about 10 minutes before serving.
Nettle soup - lots of vitamins and minerals all summer
Ingredients for 4 people and preparation
Pour around 200 g of nettle leaves with 1 l of boiling water.
Then strain.
Peel 1 onion and cut into fine cubes.
Steam neutral oil until glassy to the onion.
Roughly cut the nettle leaves - if you are still nettle, then drive briefly with a dough roller. Add to the glassy onions. Briefly steam.
Pour 1 tablespoon of flour over it
Gradually stir with about 1 l vegetable broth and fill in the soup.
Salt, pepper, nutmeg
Add 100 g of cream and puree the soup with the mixing stick.
Season again. Mmmmmmhhhh ...
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