Nettle blanks for the winter: recipes

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Nettle is a perennial plant of the Nettle family. It is popularly considered a weed plant, although it surpasses many plants in composition and benefits. The healing properties of nettles became known at the beginning of the 17th century. Then it began to be used in medicine to treat patients. Special threads were made from the plant, ropes, nets for fishermen were made. Fabrics were also made from nettles. Shamans and sorcerers used a burning weed to expel evil spirits from people. Also, various amulets and brooms were made from it to expel damage from the premises. Nettles in the yard were never destroyed for the same reason. Allegedly growing in the yard or garden, the plant also protected its territory from dark forces and all kinds of evil eye. Parents used weed instead of a belt to punish small children. Now nettle is widely used in medicine, cooking, cosmetology. She goes to feed the pets. Many people make nettle preparations for the winter. The plant is pickled, s alted, juice is made. Nettles can also be frozen or dried.

Useful properties

The first and most important advantage of the plant -in its blood-purifying properties. Nettle favorably affects the vessels of the human body, keeps them in good shape. It has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect. Nettle contains a large amount of minerals, and in terms of its nutritional value, it is not inferior to legumes. The composition of this plant is rich in vitamins.

• B - B vitamins strengthen the nervous system, improve mood, relieve fatigue. Prevent the development of insomnia and various neurological diseases;
• С - group C vitamins have a beneficial effect on the immune system, thereby protecting our body from various viruses, bacteria and fungal diseases. In addition, these vitamins have antioxidant properties and well cleanse the body of toxins;
• E - vitamins of this group mainly affect the skin. Maintain an optimal level of moisture in the body. Its deficiency causes dry skin, the formation of cracks, non-healing wounds. With insufficient intake of vitamin E in the body, premature aging and the formation of wrinkles can begin.
• K - K vitamins are essential for the absorption of vitamin D in the body. In addition, they allow blood to clot, which is essential for various skin lesions. A lack of this vitamin can lead to excessive bleeding and poor wound healing.

In addition to vitamins, nettle contains the following minerals:

• selenium;
• phosphorus;
• copper;
• zinc;
• chlorine;
• phosphorus.

Foodnettle value per 100 grams:

• fats - 0.5 gr;
• proteins - 3.7 gr;
• carbohydrates - 5.4 gr.

Nettle successfully treat diseases of the blood, liver, urinary system. It can help you get rid of dark circles under your eyes. Nettle has an antimicrobial effect, so it treats various purulent wounds. It can also stop bleeding.

Contraindications

But can everyone use this plant, or are there any contraindications? The main contraindication to the use of nettle is the presence of thick blood, prone to the formation of blood clots. The plant improves clotting and thus can exacerbate the problem. Nettle is also contraindicated in people with high blood pressure. In diseases of the kidneys, it is also not used. The most categorical contraindication of nettle is pregnancy. It can provoke premature birth or miscarriage at an earlier date.

Winter preparation for birds

Harvesting nettles for the winter for chickens is very important. Domestic birds love to eat nettles. For them, it is no less useful than for people. Thanks to the addition of nettles to chickens, they rush all year round. In addition, animals are less likely to get sick with various infectious diseases. As you know, such diseases often infect the entire brood, and the animals die. Everything is easier in summer. Weed grows in almost every area. But what to do in the cold season? Harvesting nettles for the winter for birds will help here. Do itnot difficult. You just have to follow a few simple rules. There are several options for harvesting nettles for the winter, but for animal and bird feed, drying is the best option.

So, it is better to collect a plant in the spring, when young shoots appear. In May, it contains much more vitamins. You must wear gloves to protect your hands from the stinging plant. Then the collected nettles are collected in a colander and rinsed abundantly with cold water. When all the liquid has drained, the twigs must be laid out on a horizontal surface. Dry the nettle in a dark and dry place. You can collect it in small brooms and dry it by hanging it above the ceiling. That's all. Such a blank is stored in bags made of fabric or paper.

How to freeze nettles properly

Freezing is a very popular preparation of nettles for the winter. Recipes for many dishes include it in their composition. The frozen plant is widely used in cooking. Nettles are added to soup, salad and more. This type of harvesting nettle for the winter retains almost all of its benefits. How is this nettle made? So, harvesting for the winter - freezing nettles.

• For freezing, as well as for drying, spring leaves are needed. Cut branches are thoroughly washed under running cold water;
• after they need to be dried and cut;
• nettle is laid out in a thin layer on a dish covered with plastic wrap and aged for 2 hours in the freezer;
• after that, in a frozen form, it is transferred to the place of itsstorage.

This completes the process. If you first make preparations for the winter of nettles, then you can enjoy its delicate taste all year round and get he alth benefits.

Nettle juice

Harvesting nettle for the winter in the form of juice is becoming more and more popular every year. This drink has all the beneficial properties of a fresh plant, has a mild, delicate taste with a light aroma. Excellent thirst quencher. To prepare such juice, 1 kilogram of fresh nettle is taken (preferably from May to June). It is passed through a meat grinder and 0.5 liters of cold water is added. Then it is mixed. All this is squeezed through gauze, and the remains of the plant are passed through a meat grinder again and another 0.5 liters of cold water is added. The first and second juice is mixed and bottled. After it is sterilized for 15 minutes at a temperature of 70 degrees.

How to prepare sorrel with nettles for the winter

Very often a combination of sorrel and nettle is used in conservation. Preparations for the winter from these products are usually used to make borscht or as a filling in a pie. For cooking you will need:

• nettle - 1 kilo;
• sorrel - 2 kilograms;
• water - 1 liter.

Sorrel and nettle are washed in cold water. Cut into small pieces. All this is poured with water and boiled for 5 minutes. Then everything is packaged in jars and more sterilized in them.35 minutes.

S alted Nettle

Perhaps the easiest way to harvest nettles for the winter. For 1 kilogram of nettle you need 50 grams of s alt. Young sprigs of nettle are washed under cold water and cut into pieces. Mix with s alt, put in jars and close the lids. Everything, the nettle is ready, almost all useful properties remain in it. The only drawback of this method is the excess s alt, which can spoil the taste of some dishes.

Preserved nettles

Such harvesting of nettles for the winter is common and with the use of marinade. For the preparation of ordinary nettle, take 1 kilogram of the plant. It is collected in May, and only the tops. Then the leaves are washed with cold water and cut. Pour nettles with 330 ml of water and bring to a boil. Put in pre-washed jars and pasteurized for 20-30 minutes. After the nettles are rolled up with lids and lowered into the cellar.

There is also pickled nettle. Harvesting for the winter - conservation in this form - is also done in the spring. For 1 kilogram of nettle you need:

• water - 1 cup;
• sugar - 1 tablespoon;
• s alt - 1 tablespoon;
• vinegar - 50 grams.

Fresh nettles are washed in hot water and placed in jars. It is poured with boiling water and infused for 10 minutes. Then the water is drained into a separate container, where s alt, sugar and vinegar are added. The marinade is brought to a boil and poured into jars of nettles. Sterilized for 5 minutes and closed with lids. Now you will have nettles in winter. Harvesting for the winter - freezing, preservation or any other kind, as you can see, the procedure is simple.