Spring nettle soup

If you are a nature lover, then spring is the right time for you to keep track of the nature awakening step by step. I am one of those people who loves winter and spring the most :), and this is the reason to write today's recipe. I am dedicating this one to the first spring day.

Among the dry leaves, after only a few sunny days, you can find the first tiny nettle shoots. I was really surprised when I found them today, even if they were just few centimeters above the ground. You may be wondering why we are looking for nettle...

I will tell you :). 

Nettle is one of the most therapeutic plant. 

It's a weed valued in both the folk and scientific medicine. Recent studies have proven the age-old use of the nettle as a healthy addition in the daily diet, and it is also used in phyto-therapy.

Nettle (Urtica dioica) is rich in iron, and it's used for anemia caused by iron deficiency. 

It contains many vitamins and minerals. 

You can find many, many other good sides of using nettle in your everyday life. 

You can start from this easy and light meal called Nettle soup.  

Prep time:10 min Cook time:10 min Total time:20 min 

Ingredients:(4 portions)

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped into cubes
• 2-3 tbsp corn flour (if you don't have it, you can use semolina or wheat flour)
• Nettles (volume of 100-200 grams after boiling, to be precisely, 1 hand)
• Water 
• Sea salt and pepper for taste and some vegetable spice if you like
• Lemon juice
• 1 tbsp sour cream

Preparation:

• First, wash the nettle, put them in a pot and cover with water. Boil them. It will take around 5 minutes.
  
  
• Chop onion and carrot, put olive oil in a pot and put copped vegetables in, add 1/2 glass of water, add some salt, cover it and cook it for 5-7  min.
  
  
• After nettles are cooked enough, you will recognize it when you take them out from the water, and if they are soft, that means you can take all of them from the water and put them on a surface for cutting, and chop them on small pieces.
• 
  Don't trow away the water where they were cooked, you will need it later for your soup.
• Check your vegetables, if the carrot is soft, that means it's ready for your next step. Remove the cover and let the rest of the liquid to evaporate. When vegetables start to fry, and get all dry, add your chopped nettles and corn flour and mash it a 'lil bit with a fork, just to mix all vegetables with the flour. Then add the water you used for the cooked nettles and mix it all together.
• Add pepper and more salt for the taste and some vegetable spice if you like, mix it again and let it boil for 3-5 minutes.
• And your healthy spring soup is ready.

Additional way to serve it is with lemon juice and sour cream, so the taste will become richer and refreshing.

Enjoy :)

If you are on UN diet, you can eat this soup on your protein, starch and carbohydrates day.