What is more Paleo than foraging for your food like a true hunter and gatherer? Stinging Nettle Paleo Pesto satisfies all the parts of your tongue and is packed full of nutrition, adding to any dish.

I have to admit, I cheated.

I didn't go out and forage the stinging nettles unless you count strolling the aisles at the farmers market as foraging. Maybe it was more of a gathering action? But someone did forage these, it just wasn't me. At least not this time.

Foraging for Fun

Raj said to me “remind me I want to forage”. I would assume that he means when his body is healed. So in case I forget to remind him, I'm counting on the rest of the team to help me help Raj.

Have you ever foraged? I used to go out with my grandfather. We would leave at dawn and make it home well after dark. Picking buckets of wild berries, or hunting deer and grouse. Some days all we came home with was sunburns and black fly bites. Other days we came home with buckets full of glorious (packed full of nutrients and flavor) berries and or wild game.

Plants, herbs, and mushrooms were never his thing, but we live in an amazing area that is diverse (11 microclimates within 100 miles) so there are many healing and nutritious plants indigenous to the area.

Morel Mushrooms and Other Delights

Can you believe it is already the middle of MAY!!?? As spring rolls rapidly into summer I look forward to more recently discovered lambs quarter and miners lettuce, morels, (check out our recipes here, and here) stinging nettles and more. And chances are at least for the rest of this year we will continue to outsource the foraging.

Why Stinging Nettle?

Stinging nettle is full of nutrients and has a list of potential health benefits. And it tastes amazing, with a subtle almost cucumber flavor. This pesto has great balance, combining sweet, salty, and bitter when paired with meat or mushroom, leaves your tongue satisfied. Makes me wonder why I haven't been using this Stinging Nettle Paleo Pesto for years.

It also freezes well, so make up a big batch and enjoy all thru the summer!!

Stinging Nettle Paleo Pesto

Author: Holley
Total Time: 26 minutes
Yield: 2 cups 1x

Print Recipe

Description

What is more Paleo than foraging for your food like a true hunter and gatherer? Stinging Nettle Paleo Pesto satisfies all the parts of your tongue and is packed full of nutrition, adding to any dish.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups stinging nettle, lightly steamed (4 min or so is what I did).
1 cup cashews soaked (12+ hours) and drained
2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp salt
2.5 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp minged garlic
4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil

Instructions

Put steamed (and drained) stinging nettles, soaked cashews, and toasted pine nuts in a food processor.
Process on high-speed until smooth.
Put into mason jars or containers that have a lid.
Use immediately or pop in the freezer for later.

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 6 min
Category: sauce
Method: blender

Keywords: stinging nettle, pesto, paleo