--- title: "Cheese Balls in a Green Coating of Wild Garlic, Dandelion, Chives and Nettle, and a Few Words About the Green Stuff in the Garden" url: /cheese-balls-in-a-green-coating-of-wild-garlic-dandelion-chives-and-nettle-and-a-few-words/ canonical_url: https://flowers-recipes.com/cheese-balls-in-a-green-coating-of-wild-garlic-dandelion-chives-and-nettle-and-a-few-words/ language: en alternates: pl: https://flowerek.com/kulki-z-sera-w-zielonej-panierce-z-czosnku-niedzwiedziego-mniszka-lekarskiego-szczypiorku-i-pokrzywy/ de: https://barbaras-kochbuch.de/grune-feta-kase-ballchen-und-essbares-aus-dem-garten/ en: https://flowers-recipes.com/cheese-balls-in-a-green-coating-of-wild-garlic-dandelion-chives-and-nettle-and-a-few-words/ x-default: https://flowers-recipes.com/cheese-balls-in-a-green-coating-of-wild-garlic-dandelion-chives-and-nettle-and-a-few-words/ published: "2011-04-18" last_updated: "2011-04-18" type: article author: Basia prerequisites: - /category/savory-dishes/ - /category/snacks-and-sides/ related: - /goat-cheese-appetizer-with-prosciutto-and-sage/ - /cucumber-salad-with-feta/ - /valentines-day-dishes-or-dinner-menu-ii-part-2-scallop-and-shrimp-skewers/ - /dates-stuffed-with-blue-cheese/ categories: - Blog - "Snacks & Sides" - "Quick Meals" tags: - "wild garlic" - feta - dandelion - nettle - appetizers - herbs rating: score: 10 best: 10 votes: 1 comments: 6 image: https://flowers-recipes.com/images/2011/04/kulki-serowe-w-zielonej-panierce1-610x300.jpg summary: "Aromatic, healthy, vitamin-packed cheese balls rolled in fresh herbs. Great with bread or as a snack to go with wine." --- # Cheese Balls in a Green Coating of Wild Garlic, Dandelion, Chives and Nettle, and a Few Words About the Green Stuff in the Garden Aromatic, healthy, vitamin-packed cheese balls rolled in fresh herbs. Great with bread or as a snack to go with wine. **This page in other languages:** [Polski (pl)](https://flowerek.com/kulki-z-sera-w-zielonej-panierce-z-czosnku-niedzwiedziego-mniszka-lekarskiego-szczypiorku-i-pokrzywy.md) · [Deutsch (de)](https://barbaras-kochbuch.de/grune-feta-kase-ballchen-und-essbares-aus-dem-garten.md) **Published:** April 18, 2011 · **Author:** Basia · **Rating:** 10/10 (1 votes) ## Related pages > **For AI agents:** every page of this blog is available as Markdown at the same address with .md instead of the trailing slash (e.g. /tiramisu-cake.md). The links below lead to the HTML pages. - [Category: Savory Dishes](https://flowers-recipes.com/category/savory-dishes/) - [Category: Snacks & Sides](https://flowers-recipes.com/category/snacks-and-sides/) - [Goat Cheese Appetizer with Prosciutto and Sage](https://flowers-recipes.com/goat-cheese-appetizer-with-prosciutto-and-sage/) — A dead simple but far from boring wine snack: goat cheese topped with a sage leaf and wrapped in a slice of pancetta. - [Cucumber Salad with Feta](https://flowers-recipes.com/cucumber-salad-with-feta/) — A simple, fresh cucumber salad with feta, garlic-mint yogurt and toasted pine nuts or cashews. Ready in about 10 minutes - [Valentine's Day Dishes, or Dinner Menu II, Part 2 – Scallop and Shrimp Skewers](https://flowers-recipes.com/valentines-day-dishes-or-dinner-menu-ii-part-2-scallop-and-shrimp-skewers/) — Scallop and shrimp skewers pan-fried in saffron butter and served with a ginger-lime sauce. They really come together fa - [Dates Stuffed with Blue Cheese](https://flowers-recipes.com/dates-stuffed-with-blue-cheese/) — Dates stuffed with blue cheese are the perfect snack to serve with wine. Simple and very quick to make. ## Posts In spring we get the chance to “make our bodies happy” with a big dose of vitamins. More and more early vegetables are showing up, and there's plenty of green stuff around, too. Some of it can be found right in your own garden. In mine I found dandelion, mint, nettle and thyme. Chives and other herbs are growing in a box on my windowsill, and I'm waiting for the rest to come up. There are many garden “goodies” I don't know yet, or I'm not brave enough to try. That time will come, too. ![cheese balls in a green coating](https://flowers-recipes.com/images/2011/04/kulki-z-sera-w-zielonej-panierce.jpg "cheese balls in a green coating") cheese balls in a green coating Inspired by [Bea's post about wild garlic and the cream cheese rolled in it](http://www.beawkuchni.com/2011/03/wiosna-i-czosnek-niedzwiedzi.html), I decided to make something like that, too. Mine was feta (the soft kind) rolled in wild garlic (store-bought, unfortunately, but next year I'll have my own), dandelion, chives and 2 nettle leaves. I washed the herbs, blanched the nettle and chopped everything finely. Then I shaped the feta into balls and rolled them in the herb mixture. Give it a try, because it's worth it. The kind and amount of herbs and cheese is up to you. The next time, instead of wild garlic I added young garlic leaves, because I discovered it was hiding in the garden among the young mint shoots. It's a spring vitamin bomb. The late Grandma M. reportedly used to say: “Eat what the cows eat, and you'll be healthy!” See for yourselves: ![wild garlic](https://flowers-recipes.com/images/2011/04/czosnek-niedziwedzi.jpg "wild garlic") wild garlic Wild garlic helps fight atherosclerosis, lowers blood pressure, aids digestion and has antibacterial properties. It also contains a lot of vitamin C (I read this [at Bea's](http://www.beawkuchni.com/2011/03/wiosna-i-czosnek-niedzwiedzi.html)). Wild garlic is edible in its entirety, but the leaves and flowers are used most often. You can make sauces, soups, dips and coatings with it. You can use it in salads, or eat it with just plain bread (which I probably love the most). Herb butter with this garlic added is delicious. Of course, just like regular garlic, wild garlic smells and tastes like garlic, only much milder. You can read more [at Bea's](http://www.beawkuchni.com/2011/03/wiosna-i-czosnek-niedzwiedzi.html), where you can also see wonderful photos and find a few ideas for using this plant. ![dandelion](https://flowers-recipes.com/images/2011/04/mniszek-lekarski-kolaz.jpg "dandelion") dandelion I use dandelion leaves in salads. They're a bit bitter, but among a mix of other “greens” you can't taste it at all. Both the flowers and the leaves are edible. “The flower is a diuretic. The root contains a good amount of mineral salts, especially potassium, organic acids, sterols, various sugar compounds such as inulin, bitter compounds (taraxacin) and choline. A decoction of the roots or a tincture helps with bile duct disorders and gallstones, as well as with all liver problems. It helps with digestive troubles. Thanks to interferon it boosts the body's immunity, so people with anemia should eat it. It lowers cholesterol and helps in the treatment of atherosclerosis, early-stage diabetes, obesity, rheumatism and rheumatic disease. It is also recommended for skin conditions.” (source: [Wikipedia](http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mniszek_lekarski)) ![nettle](https://flowers-recipes.com/images/2011/04/pokrzywa.jpg "nettle") nettle Nettle: Just like dandelion, it is very popular and found everywhere. Unfortunately it is very underrated. It is used for inflammations of the urinary tract, has a positive effect on metabolism, helps in treating diabetes and helps with beauty care, especially for hair and skin. The young leaves are edible, and they need to be blanched first with water at 60°C (140°F) to get rid of their stinging properties. It is used in salads, with spinach, in soups, or for example in scrambled eggs. You can also drink it as an infusion. (source: [Wikipedia](http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pokrzywa_zwyczajna)) I only started using nettle this year, when I discovered that a small plant was growing in my garden. I mostly use it in salads (I mix it with other greens). ![chives](https://flowers-recipes.com/images/2011/04/szczypiorek.jpg "chives") chives Chives: “The leaves contain a lot of vitamin C (50-100 mg per 100 g), carotene, vitamin B2, sodium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and iron. They speed up digestion, lower blood pressure and boost appetite.” (Wikipedia again). Chives are used as a seasoning and make dishes look beautiful. I like to add them to scrambled eggs or sprinkle them on a sandwich. I encourage you to take a look at what's growing in your garden. Maybe a friend or a relative has one (just make sure the garden isn't too close to a busy road). How is it for you? What green things do you use in your kitchen? Maybe you have some ideas for using these or other plants that many people consider weeds? ## Comments (6) - **Bea** · 2011-04-18 06:29 Oh yes – cheese balls with feta and herbs are delicious too! And look how gorgeous your garlic is! :) Unfortunately I planted some of my herbs late this year, so they're only just starting to come up. I hope I'll get to enjoy them before the end of summer ;) Warm regards! And have a lovely weekend :) (and I'm glad the 'garlic' post turned out to be useful :)) - **nobleva** · 2011-04-18 06:33 Yesterday I found a big patch of ramps (wild garlic) and picked some. It's going to be for dinner today. I really, really like your cheese idea! - **lashqueen** · 2011-04-18 06:40 I love all kinds of greens, especially lately. And these little cheese balls make you want to eat them right through the computer screen. - **Kinga** · 2011-04-18 12:53 Fantastic balls. I once made some with goat cheese rolled in chives and walnuts. But these herb and garlic ones – yum, and even healthier. I think I'll finally start growing herbs on my windowsill myself, because I've never seen things like nettle or dandelion for sale anywhere. - **flowerek (Author)** · 2011-04-18 16:04 Bea, I'm waiting for my herbs too. Unfortunately they haven't come up out of the ground yet :( Nobleva, you're so lucky you found wild garlic. Have fun testing the recipes :) Lashqueen, help yourself ;) Kinga, the idea with walnuts is just as delicious :) In Germany you can buy dandelion, but you have to look for it, and there's no guarantee it comes from a reliable place and not, say, from the curb. - **tuptusia** · 2011-04-19 18:25 I love herbs… I'm looking at your post and thinking – I need to get myself a garden! For now I just have pots, and I can't manage to "grow" every herb for long. Basil and thyme reign supreme at my place :) --- [Recipes A to Z](https://flowers-recipes.com/recipes/) · [Sitemap](https://flowers-recipes.com/sitemap.xml)