When I arrived at the farm in spring 2019, we were fully into nettle season. I started dehydrating the nettles for tea, and decided to run a 
batch through the blender to see what the powder was like. It turned out light and lovely green. After that, we started adding it to baked goods and smoothies.
Since then, I’ve been drying and powdering all kinds of leafy greens. Spinach, kale, and chickweed are all favorites. I add the powder to pasta, tortillas, muffins, crackers, or pretty much any baked good I can think of. It adds a colorful, flavorful, vitamin flair. I call any powdered greens “Power Powder” because they’re so packed with vitamins. Nettles in particular are an excellent source of calcium, manganese, dietary fiber, and vitamins A, C, and K.
I originally learned to make power powders from my mom, who dries and powders salad greens from her garden. She uses the powder as a spice topping, or hides it in my Dad’s food. This is the only way she can get him to eat green vegetables!
Ingredients:
Fresh nettles*
Instructions:
If you have a dehydrator, place the leaves in the trays and dehydrate on low overnight or until the leaves are fully dry. Or simply hang the plants in a dry, dark, ventilated place and let them dry naturally.
Put the dry leaves in a blender and blend until powdered. A vitamix will make a nice, fine powder. If your blender does not create this fine of a powder, you can sift the pulverized nettle through a flour sifter (I use 60 mesh stainless steel, which is slightly finer than a standard flour sifter).
Store the powder in a glass jar. Use within a year.
An ounce of fresh nettles makes about one tablespoon dried powder.
Optional Variations:
Try powdering all kinds of leafy greens and edible weeds. You can mix and match to create unique flavors.
*Nettles have fine hairs which can cause a rash or sting when you touch them. Most people use gloves when handling. Pulverizing or cooking nettles destroys the hairs so they no longer sting.
