This is an excerpt from the article Super Food Nettle Seeds by Lara Watkins featured in the Autumn Vol 3 | Issue 10 | 2024 edition of Botanical Anthology. To learn more about foraging and using nettle seeds, check out the entire article! Our herbal magazine, featuring remedies, recipes and projects with plants for the autumn season, can be purchased as a digital version here and as a printed version here.
Blackberry, Oat + Nettle Seed Energy Bites
Nature shows us that fall is a time to slow down. Acknowledging the flow of the seasons within our own lives can be a positive influence, especially given that so many of us feel so busy these days.
Cozy log fires, snuggly jumpers, and mugs of steaming hot chocolate can be a perfect way to embrace this season. For many people though the transition from warm sunny days to colder, damper weather can bring with it a feeling of sluggishness, fatigue, and melancholy.
Combining nettle seeds with blackberries full of vitamins and antioxidants, protein packed peanut butter and oats that release energy slowly is a perfect way of getting a little energy and mood boost.
Nettle Seed Sugar Materials
½ c nettle leaves, dried
¼ c sugar
¼ c nettle seeds
Nettle Seed Sugar Method
Grind the nettle leaves with a pestle and mortar until you have a fine green powder.
Mix in the sugar and dried nettle seeds. Store in an airtight jar out of direct sunlight.
Energy Bites Materials
1 c oats
¼ c peanut butter
⅛ - ¼ c maple syrup
½ c blackberries
6 apricots
2 tbsp nettle seeds
½ c dark chocolate
½ c white chocolate
Nettle sugar
Energy Bites Method
Blend the oats in a food processor. Add in the blackberries, maple syrup, apricots and nettle seeds and blend again. At this stage the mixture should be well blended and sticky!
Roll the mixture into bite sized balls. Place on parchment paper on a baking tray and pop in the fridge to firm up.
Whilst the energy balls are in the fridge, melt the white chocolate in a double boiler. Once melted, allow it to slightly cool before dipping and coating the balls. Allow to set slightly before sprinkling with nettle seeds and nettle sugar.
Repeat with the dark chocolate. The energy balls can be eaten at room temperature, from the fridge or for an even firmer texture from the freezer.
Notes
Energy balls can be stored in an airtight container for 2 days at room temperature, for 2 weeks in the fridge or for 3 months in the freezer.
The peanut flavor in the energy balls is fairly strong, an alternative nut butter may offer a more subtle flavor.
Swap raspberries for blackberries for a slightly pinker ball.
For a chewier bite leave some of the oats unground.
For those that may not want the chocolate coating, simply roll the energy balls in the nettle sugar.
Lara is a forager, home herbalist & community garden advocate. She lives in a beautiful spot deep in the hills of mid Wales with plenty of woods & quiet country lanes to forage in. See what she gets up to on Instagram @herbsfromthehills and via her website wildaboutforaging.co.uk
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