Stinging Nettle Pesto

Throughout the years I have made so many different versions of pesto utilizing different seasonal herbs. Stinging nettle pesto feels like a celebration of the flavors of spring! Here’s the recipe (more or less, because I measured with my heart)

STINGING NETTLE PESTO RECIPE (nut free, dairy free)

Ingredients:
-1/3-1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds
-1/2-1 cup extra virgin olive oil
-3 cloves garlic
-6 cups fresh stinging nettle (loosely)
-zest of 1/2 lemon
-1 tsp sea salt
-splash of dandelion infused ACV or juice 1/2 lemon

Steps: toast sunflower seeds at 350 F for 15 min or until golden and let cool. Peel garlic and pulse in food processor with olive oil. Add sunflower seeds, pulse. Add half of the nettles and pulse till chopped. Add the rest of the nettles, salt, zest and ACV and pulse until unified. Taste and add more salt as needed. Store with olive oil on top in airtight container in fridge. Serve with local baguette and veg, on pasta, with eggs or rubbed and baked on chicken thighs. A simply delicious way to incorporate this nourishing wild green into daily meals.