I’m determined not to allow myself to slip into sleep mode entirely while I’m struggling to get around. Today, I’ve been out for a hugely important meeting that is part of a massive change in my life (talk about taking it all on again – wedding, change of career, kitchen etc etc). I’ve struggled around the place on my crutches, holding up the proceedings terribly and putting DM out because he’s been my chauffeur.

When I got home, I decided that I’d get on and try a recipe that I’d seen on a TV show and is also in a book I already own (wild garlic, gooseberries and me by Denis Cotter). We’ve got lots of nettles in the garden and the field and while every environmentally friendly gardening book will tell you, it’s good to leave some nettles because they provide a great home for moths and other wild things, we’ve got way too many for my liking.

So, rather than just pull them out, I’ve decided to try making them into something we can eat. Hence the pic – 120g (which, by the way, is a LOT) of nettles, being washed ready to be cooked. They’re about to find their way into nettle and potato gnocchi. I’m going to have to modify the recipe a bit because I don’t have any hard goats cheese and also can’t use walnuts because the love of my life is allergic to them, so I’m going to swap out the walnuts and in some pine nuts and some pumpkin seeds and swap out the goats cheese for some Cornish Blue (made less than a mile from home).

DM is, by the way, deeply suspicious of being fed nettles – he thinks I’m completely bonkers and he’s probably right although don’t tell him I have enough doubts of my own.

UPDATE: I made the gnocchi, served it up and it was delicious although I cooked far too much and we ended up leaving some to go into chicken porridge for tomorrow. Actually, that’s given me an idea – perhaps I could just pull up a couple of handfuls each day and add them to the chicken porridge anyway……now there is a good idea.

Also, I am going to get myself a water butt to make nettle soup in for the garden, but that’ll have to wait until I’m in better physical shape.

Please note - I'm now up-to-date for the first time in weeks.