Ready to whip up some crispy dinner rolls enriched with the plethora of vitamins and minerals in one of our most nutritious herbs? Let’s get making then! In this recipe and video find out how to make your own Nettle & Hemp dinner rolls and enjoy them with a hearty bowl of winter soup or a dollop of butter. Hmm Hmm!
Nettle is a traditional nutritive, and held a sacred place as a herbal medicine since the Bronze Age (2-3,000 years BCE). It’s been used in the treatment of rheumatism, gout, anxious eczema, first aid for bites, stings and hives as well as anaemia (iron deficiency). During wars it was eaten in soups as stock, partly because it contains so many essential minerals and vitamins, including fat soluble vitamins. That’s what makes it such an amazing cooking herb – all those fatty constituents called phytosterols! It’s also rich in flavonoids which reduce inflammation, tannins which tighten tissues (which is why Nettle is SO GREAT for wrinkles) and amino acids which reflects its protein dense profile. It’s a great building food and wonderful when you need that extra little energy boost.
Herbalists use Nettle as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and its official use in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia is for nervous eczema (eczema caused by stress and anxiety). Seeing as it reduces levels of pro-inflammatory mediators like interleukin-6 (IL-6) and c reactive protein (a marker sign of body inflammation), it makes sense that Nettle would help relieve an inflammatory disorder like eczema.
Clinical trials prove Nettle helps in diabetes
Along with St Mary’s Thistle and other select herbs, Nettle features in contemporary research for the prevention of type two diabetes. Diabetes affects at least 1.2 million Australians and global prevalence is increasing. Diabetes caused 1.5 million deaths in 2019 worldwide. When I’m working with clients on health I’m always on the lookout for blood glucose status and ability to regulate and maintain healthy blood glucose levels. Because chronically elevated glucose levels translates into faster ageing, more inflammation, poorer cognitive focus, more PMS and the list goes on….So here we have a herb that’s been shown to significantly reduce complications of diabetes and bring down levels of fasting blood glucose, triglycerides and HBA1c levels (the marker test for diabetes) in clinical trials. I think freshly baked, tasty bread rolls is a pretty good way to get Nettle into the diet so let’s do this!
A fabulous lactation herb
Nettle will always hold a special place in my lil’ green heart. I remember talking about this plant to lots of pregnant couples and describing it as a green multi. Not only is is great during pregnancy but it’s also a fantastic breastfeeding ally, helping to improve the flow and volume of breast milk. We can’t lay claims to improving breast milk quality, but really when you think about it, all those nutrients going into the body must somehow make their way into the breast milk right?
Nettle for BPH
You may have heard about the benefits of Nettle for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia too, however its the root that’s usually used for that condition and here we’re using the leaves and stem.
So how about this recipe then…
Nettle & Hemp dinner rolls
Caption
You’ll have to allow some time for this one, so that the mix can rise. Perhaps a good book, cup of Ashwagandha latte and some time nature bathing in between! I managed to do a few chores and hit the pavement ofr a run in while making these tasty rolls. Here’s what you need…
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 Tbsp yeast
- 1/4 cup Caster sugar
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 600g bread flour
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 cup lukewarm milk
- 50g unsalted butter (melted)
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- 1/2 cup fresh Nettle leaves (chopped)
- 50g or more Hemp seeds
- Oil of your choice
METHOD:
- Combine the yeast, water and 2 tsp of the sugar in a bowl and mix. Put to the side.
- Combine the flour, rest of the sugar, salt in another bowl and mix. Then create a well in the middle and pour in the milk and eggs.
- Once these are mixed together, grab that yeast mix and pour it in to the flour mix.
- Mix together well, and form into a large roll. Cover the bowl with a wet tea towel and leave to sit for 1.5 hours.
- After the sitting time, it will have risen. It’s time to form into balls. Divide the mix up as you please and pop into a baking tray. Allow space for the balls to expand, as you’re going to cover them with a tea towel again and leave it to sit and rise for another 40 minutes.
- Once this second sitting is complete, take off the tea towel and bake in an oven at 180 deg Celsius for 18 or so minutes.
- They’re ready when their golden and crispy on the outside.
These rolls disappeared pretty quickly when I baked them last. They’re good! Enjoy and let me know what you think. And if you made you’re own version I want to hear what you did! Comment below.
References:
- Mehri A, Hasani-Ranjbar S, Larijani B, Abdollahi M. A systematic review of efficacy and safety of Urtica dioica in the treatment of diabetes. International journal of pharmacology. 2011 Feb 15;7(2):161-70.
- Rajput P, Chaudhary M, Sharma RA. Phytochemical and pharmacological importance of genus Urtica-a review. International journal of pharmaceutical sciences and research. 2018 Apr 1;9(4):1387-96.
- Kianbakht S, Khalighi-Sigaroodi F, Dabaghian FH. Improved glycemic control in patients with advanced type 2 diabetes mellitus taking Urtica dioica leaf extract: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Clin Lab. 2013 Jan 1;59(9-10):1071-6.
- Behzadi AA, Kalalian-Moghaddam H, Ahmadi AH. Effects of Urtica dioica supplementation on blood lipids, hepatic enzymes and nitric oxide levels in type 2 diabetic patients: A double blind, randomized clinical trial. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine. 2016 Nov;6(6):686.
- Namazi N, Esfanjani AT, Heshmati J, Bahrami A. The effect of hydro alcoholic Nettle (Urtica dioica) extracts on insulin sensitivity and some inflammatory indicators in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized double-blind control trial. Pakistan journal of biological sciences: PJBS. 2011 Aug 1;14(15):775-9.
- Men C, Wang M, Aiyireti M, Cui Y. The efficacy and safety of urtica dioica in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines. 2016;13(2):143-50.
Hey there! Welcome to my world of totally natural and powerful healing medicines. Medicines from nature. Medicine from Source. I’m a naturopath and herbalist with extensive clinical experience working with a range of health conditions including hormonal, metabolic, mental health, sleep and more.
I’ve brought together years of clinical and teaching experience, academic skill and curiosity to bring you this blog. I hope you enjoy it! If you do, leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!
