Nettle Tea to the Rescue!

When I was a little girl, I grew up in the country.  While we weren't farmers or growers of crops of any kind, we did harvest wild blackberries, find orphaned baby calves to keep alive from the neighboring farm, catch tadpoles and frogs, had forts to build and many other fantastic things.  But one thing I remember vividly, was the sting and itch and burn of nettles, all three sensations at once.  I was not a fan.  I remember tears running down my face as my mom would try to sooth my searing skin.  My siblings and I would shriek and warn each other whenever we encountered some in our play.

So, you can imagine, when I heard about Nettle Tea, I was a bit apprehensive.  I was given some from a good friend's mom and it has been sitting on my shelf.  This week changed my mind about the plant I once hated so.  

My oldest (as you may have read earlier) has food allergies and oxalate sensitives.  He had a super bad flare this week, and we are not quite sure from what.  His muscles hurt all over, he wasn't sleeping well, his poor little joints ached.  And right along with all of it was the poor concentration, crabbiness, irritability and low frustration level.  One day his beautiful brown eyes were all blood shot.    The final straw was a nice red, puffy, dotted rash on his truck, thighs and neck.  As I did my google research to try and find a new set of skills/tricks to sooth my poor boy (since the normal ones weren't working) I had my memory jogged about the nettle tea up on the tippy-top shelf in my cupboard.  I raced over, pulled it down, blew off the dust (just kidding, no dust, but it sounds better doesn't it?) to make some for my boy.

I did not have the proper tools to make it, but as I glanced around my kitchen, I spied my french-press coffee maker.  I grabbed it and proceeded to make the tea.  Once it was made, I approached him gingerly.  You see dear Internet friends, I given my kids all kinds of good stuff.  My boys now put on the "sniff, barely sip, how awful will this one be?" face when I approach them with something new.   But all that worry was for naught.  He loved it!  AND most importantly, it gave him relief.  Rash has subsided, mood is better, muscles and joints feel better, and we both got to sleep through the night.  Let me tell you, I have a new view about the nettle plant and I like it.

My French Press, not only does it make great coffee but great tea!

To use the French Press, first temper it with hot water from the tap.

While the press is tempering, heat your filtered water to almost a boil.

When your water you have been heating is ready, empty out the tempering water and put in the Nettle Leaf

Add your almost boiling water and let sit for 10-15 minutes or whatever your desired strength is.

When your tea is done seeping, press down until the press is all the way down.

Once my brew has finished seeping, I put it in a glass jar.  I keep it in the fridge and reheat it as needed or drink cold.

Have you ever had a complete mind change about something you hated disliked?