Purple dead nettle is more than a weed. It's rich in vitamins, packed with antioxidants, and has anti-inflammatory properties. People use it in teas, soups, and pestos.

1/4 cup toasted walnuts. Salt, freshly ground pepper, to taste. 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil. For the pesto: Combine the first four ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and blend.

I have purple deadnettle all over my yard. It is a weed with shallow roots, so it’s not too difficult to remove from a garden bed—in other words, I don’t have anything against it. But I didn ...