Blueberry Nettle Smoothie

Stinging Nettles are a healthful and delicious green, so don’t be afraid of using them in a recipe – However, you need to use caution when handling them raw. Nettles are covered in tiny hairs of silica that can irritate the skin, but those hairs are easily broken down through cooking or blending. I throw on a pair of kitchen gloves when I harvest my nettles and then cut them directly into the blender with scissors. These earthy-flavored plants are full of iron, silica, calcium, and vitamins A, D, and K and they work wonders to soothe allergies, regulate the blood sugar and improve circulation.

 In terms of U.S. fruit consumption, blueberries rank only second to strawberries in popularity of berries. Blueberries are not only popular, but also repeatedly ranked in the U.S. diet as having one of the highest antioxidant capacities among all fruits, vegetables, spices and seasonings. Antioxidants are essential to optimizing health by helping to combat the free radicals that can damage cellular structures as well as DNA.

Lemon balm is a member of the mint family and is considered a calming herb. This herb is also known as Melissa officinalis, and it has been used for centuries to reduce anxiety, promote sleep and improve symptoms of indigestion. Lemon balm has been researched by experts and found to offer many great health benefits

Lemon balm is often grown in herb gardens to attract bees which help pollinate the rest of the garden. The plant grows up to two feet and has light yellow flowers that grow where the leaves meet the stem. The leaves are similar in shape to mint leaves and have a tart and sweet smell like lemons. I always have a patch of lemon balm growing in my garden.

Ingredients

1 cup coconut milk
1 cup fresh nettles
½ cup blueberries
1/8 cup Justamere Tree Farm Maple Syrup or more to taste
The juice of ½ a lemon or 10 leaves of lemon verbena

Hemp seeds to garnish.

Directions

 Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass, sprinkle with hemp seeds and enjoy!

You are doing your body a favor by drinking this delicious smoothie!