Tuesday Takehome + a Recipe

I haven't picked up my CSA share this week yet, but I DID shop at the Farmers' Market, of course.

I came home with:
2 quarts cherries
1 quarts blueberries
1 pint sungold cherry tomatoes
8 oz mozzarella cheese

Nom nom nom nom! I need to get out there and do some serious fruit picking for my canning plans. In the mean time, this amazing stuff will definitely do.










I've also been harvesting a good deal out of the garden lately. Here's a photo of yesterday's harvest- 3 leeks, and handful of Provider green beans, 7 Yukon Gold potatoes, 2 giant kale leaves, some sprigs of thyme, rosemary, and oregano, and a pinch of the first dried cilantro seeds of the summer (called corriander)!!

I'm patting myself on the back- I've been doing a good job of picking what I need for dinner each night, rather than harvesting a whole bunch just because I'm excited to see it all laid out. It's helped me get more time out of each crop I've grow.
I'm starting to have post-harvest holes in the garden- I'll need to fill those in with fall veggies! I've already planted some acorn squash as well as several cucumber plants and a watermelon, but it'll be time to seed carrots and spinach and fall greens before we know it.






I'm too inspired by fresh fruits and veggies to share a recipe today. My recipe for today is simply this-

• Go find some locally grown veggies and fruits
• Cut them up and prepare as minimally as possible
• Eat :)

Here's a photo of my plans for dinner on the right.

What have you been harvesting out of your garden lately or enjoying most from your local Farmers' Market?

Make your window into a Greenhouse!

 Last year, I discovered by accident that the plastic that you tape around your windows to seal them up actually creates sort of a mini-greenhouse effect between the plastic and the window! I decided to put some of my plants in that space, and they enjoy the warmth there. It also allowed me to save some money on the electricity I would have had to use to put all these plants under lights.

Last week I decided to put up some of the window plastic, and put some of the dinky tomatoes out there. I think it's helping them to perk up a little bit- hopefully they'll start to grow!



I don't currently have a greenhouse or any hoops over my beds, or even a coldframe outside to transition warm season plants. I think those are all projects for the future, but right now, this will do!


What kind of season extension do you utilize at your house? 


How are your plants growing so far?

Asparagus with Olive Oil & Lemon

If you're in the S.E. Michigan/Northern Ohio region, chances are that you've gotten your first taste of fresh asparagus for the season already- yep, it's that time! I swung by the Ann Arbor market this past Saturday and there was a long line for fresh asparagus at the two booths selling it.

Being the formerly picky person that I am, I only recently started liking asparagus. By liking, I mean actually trying it. At any rate, I always want to buy it- it's one of the first green veggies in season in the spring that's not in the leaf greens family. I haven't accumulated that many go-to asparagus recipes; I hope to find 5-6 new ways to prepare asparagus this season. Here's one of them!

Asparagus with Olive Oil & Lemon

Ingredients
15 stalks medium sized asparagus
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest 

1 teaspoon lemon juiceSalt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Prep the asparagus by rinsing them well and cut off white bottoms and compost/trash them. Cut into 1 to 2 inch sections, slicing the asparagus at a slight diagonal angle.
• Fill a medium sized saucepan half way with water, and bring to a boil. 
• Add the asparagus and reduce heat to a simmer. 
• Boil the asparagus for 2 minutes, then drain the hot water. 
• While the asparagus are still hot, add olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice to the pan and mix.
• Add salt and pepper to taste

Serve and Enjoy!


What's your favorite way to enjoy asparagus?

Book Review- Eating for Beginners by Melanie Rehak

I stumbled upon Eating for Beginners by Melaine Rehak at my local library, and decided to give it a read. It met my selection qualifications (which are an eye-catching book spine, and an enticing cover), and it got bonus point for the topic of eating/food!

Eating for Beginners is a non-fiction account of a period in the authors life, and her foray into conscientious eating, which coincided with her beginning a year of interviewing/shadowing/working at applewood restaurant in Brooklyn, NY. applewood is owned by a couple, a family really, and they allow Melanie to essentially intern in the kitchen with no previous experience, in order for her to immerse herself in the world of restaurants, sourcing local produce, and appreciation of food. 

During her experience year, Melanie visits several farms, a cheese maker, a Famers' meat co-operative. a produce delivery company, and a fisherman, all of whom supply food to applewood restaurant. The reader also gets to hear about Melanie's successes and trials in the kitchen, and favorite recipes are included as well.

I enjoyed the candidness of the book, as well as the opportunity to "visit" the different locales that Melanie went to- as someone who thinks carefully about each food decision I make, I really learned a lot from Melanie's trips, and I identified with her learning process and struggle to make informed eating choices.

In the end, Melanie seems to strike a healthy balance of making conscientious food decisions while knowing that everyone has to decide what's right for them. If you like to cook, if you're getting into the world of local, organic, and sustainable food, or if you're simply a thoughtful eater, I'd recommend this book to you!

Happy Reading!

Pasta with Spinach, Feta and Garlic

This dish is another great way to enjoy spinach, my favorite spring leafy green! A little olive oil, some garlic, add a dash of balsamic vinegar, and crumble some feta cheese over it all and you've got a quick, light, healthy(ish) pasta dish.

Pasta with Spinach, Feta and Garlic

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 garlic cloves
3 oz uncooked pasta
2 cups spinach
3/4 cup feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Bring a small pot of water to boil- when boiling, add pasta
• Meanwhile, mince the garlic, and place in a small frying pan with the olive oil on medium heat
• Chop up spinach into small 1" pieces, and set aside
• When pasta is ready, drain and add to the frying pan with the garlic and olive oil
• Add the balsamic vinegar to the frying pan, and then add the chopped up spinach
• Lastly, crumbled the feta cheese over the frying pan. Mix ingredients together, and add salt and pepper as desired

Serve and Enjoy!

Sticking it out until Spring

It's March, friends. The time where I start pretending its Spring, even though it is still 39 degrees outside. Once I see little crocus shoots poking up out of the ground, It Is Spring- thermometer be damned!

In my life as a gardener and a local eater, March is that fun time between growing and harvesting: I've got seedlings started, but they're not large enough to do anything with yet. I am down to my last 3 heads of backyard garlic, I am slowly but surely using up the potatoes and carrots in the root cellars outside. I have a few lonley sweet potatoes and squash still holding on in the mudroom, and have enough onions to last me right up until it's time to harvest my own!

One of the positive part of eating so much more seasonally this year is that I will really appreciate each new veggie as it comes into season.

I will be relying heavily on the Ann Arbor Farmers' Market, our local Ypsi Food Co-op, and Mix Marketplace will get me through, grocery-wise until my little seedlings are out there in the garden, growing and producing.  I can proudly say, that after eating only seasonally-available veggies when at home, that I am tired of storage carrots, onions, and potatoes. I could really use some fresh lettuce, a green onion, some chives, a strawberry, a tomato.... mmm. I'll have to dream for another couple of months.

What fruit or veggie are you most looking forward to eating when it comes into season?