Ingredients
- 3 kalamata olives
- ¼ cup olive brine
- ½ cup fresh stinging nettle
- ¾ cup fresh sage leaves, tightly packed
- ½ small avocado
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 2 cloves garlic (optional but adds depth)
- ½ small lemon, juiced
- ¼ tsp salt
- Optional: ¼ cup raw cashews, soaked if possible, for added sweetness and body
Instructions:
- Place olives and brine into a food processor.
- Add nettles, sage, avocado, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and salt.
- Blend until creamy and smooth, scraping sides as needed. The sting of nettle disappears with a thorough whirl in the processor (blanching first is optional if you prefer).
- Taste and adjust salt or lemon.
- Toss with warm pasta for a nutrient-rich sauce. It also works as a dip or sandwich spread.
Why This Dish is Super-Healthy
- Deep-rooted nutrition: Perennial plants like nettles and sage sink their roots farther each season, drawing minerals and micronutrients from soil layers that annuals can’t reach. That’s why they’re richer in calcium, iron, magnesium, and trace elements.
- Mineral-rich greens: Nettles are one of the top plant sources of calcium and iron, while sage adds vitamin K and protective antioxidants.
- Medicinal power: Sage has long been used to support memory, digestion, and immunity. Nettles build blood and bone strength. Together they bring food and medicine into one bite.
- Healthy fats for balance: Avocado and tahini provide monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, and sesame lignans, all of which protect heart and hormone health.
- Savory depth with benefits: Olive brine and garlic deliver antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds, rounding out the flavor while supporting gut and immune health.
- Living continuity: Because these greens return each year, the dish isn’t just seasonal—it’s part of a long rhythm of nourishment that gets stronger as the plants mature.