Delishytown

This was the harvest this morning from our back yard. Yum! I...

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:45:02 -0700

This was the harvest this morning from our back yard. Yum! I went away for the weekend and this is what was growing when I got back yesterday. I picked all these berries, squash and shallots, along with a salad spinner full of baby kale, red lettuce and arugula. I like to use mini kiddy crafting scissors to cut the berries off the plant so I don’t tear at the stems and stress the plant. I’m going to use the baby squash and shallots in empanadas for dinner because I have lots of potatoes on the counter.

The strawberries and blueberries in this photo were so sweet and delicious! I didn’t make anything out of them, I just ate ‘em. It was pretty amazing to come home from a weekend trip and not have to go to the store for fresh food. Yum!

Strawberries like full sun, plenty of rich well drained soil and regular water and weekly or bi weekly organic fertilizer.

Stay tuned for a delicious Empanada recipe.

This is a blooming Artichoke in my garden. I love the way these...

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:10:43 -0700

This is a blooming Artichoke in my garden. I love the way these look when they bloom. I always leave a few on each plant to bloom and set seed. Then I get lots of volunteer artichokes coming up all over the place in the winter. Artichokes are perennial where I live, and they grow easily from seed. And they are delicious! Grow them in cool temperatures, the bloom in the heat. Best plant ever.

Photo

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 11:39:42 -0700

Addicted to Crack Salad I gave my Brother in Law a jar of this...

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 11:29:00 -0700

Addicted to Crack Salad

I gave my Brother in Law a jar of this Miso Ginger Dressing and he said it was like Crack. This dressing is way better than Crack because it won’t leave you dying on the floor in a quivering mass of sadness, regret and heart failure. It also makes all of your vegetables taste amazing, Crack doesn’t do that. I digress.

In a bowl, grate a small nub of fresh ginger root, smash open one fresh garlic clove (you just leave it in the dressing, smashed open and whole, to flavor the dressing but not overpower it), 2 tblsp rice wine vinegar, 1 tblsp miso paste, 2 tblsp tahini paste, 3 tblsp honey or (1 tblsp sugar or brown sugar,) fresh ground black pepper (no additional salt is needed because the miso paste is very salty), a tiny amount of red pepper flakes (you can add more to taste on individual salad plates, this way it’s versatile for different palates) and 1 tblsp salad oil. Mix well and dissolve all lumps, except the lump of garlic. Serve on freshly chopped raw vegetables, I used red cabbage, garden kale, arugula, carrots, cucumbers and green onions. You could serve this with roasted sweet potatoes and cooked quinoa to make it into a full dinner instead of just a salad.

The dressing will store in the fridge for a couple weeks. Take the garlic clove out after a day so it doesn’t overpower the whole thing.

The kale in this salad is from our garden. We have 4 kinds of kale growing in our garden right now; Russian Red, Curly Purple, Curly Green, and Tuscan Lacinato Kale. I love Kale salad! Good thing it’s really good for me because I can’t stop eating it. The great thing about growing Kale is that it’s remarkably heat tolerant and sturdy, unlike softer lettuces and greens, which wither in the heat, get bitter and start to bolt. This stuff keeps right on growing from spring into summer, and is harvestable even during the hottest part of the day. Yum!

Palacinka These Hungarian pancakes are so delicious. This is my...

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 07:11:00 -0700

Palacinka

These Hungarian pancakes are so delicious. This is my version of a German / Hungarian pancake my Nana used to make. I made these using whole wheat and brown rice flour because I was out of all purpose flour. You can use any flour you have on hand to make these yummy crepes. The key is to get the batter very thin and spread it out thinly on the griddle once you pour them. They cook in about a minute and are super easy and soooo delicious.

In a blender: 1 cup milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 cup sifted flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla, 3 eggs, 1 tblps melted butter, melted coconut oil or any cooking oil. Blend until smooth. Pour 1/4 cup onto a hot griddle and gently spread out thinly, I used a pie spatula for that task and it worked great. Cook for one minute, flip and cook for an additional few seconds. Roll up with a little jelly or jam and cut up fresh fruit. Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream, sour cream or yogurt. We used plain Greek Yogurt and it was very delicious. Yum

That cupcakes awesome !!!!👌

Sun, 02 Jun 2013 11:44:16 -0700

Thanks very much! I appreciate it!

Sweet Potato and Roasted Chicken Tostadas I made these tostadas...

Thu, 30 May 2013 11:59:15 -0700

Sweet Potato and Roasted Chicken Tostadas

I made these tostadas for lunch from leftover roasted chicken and sweet potatoes. Holy crumbs! This was so fresh and delicious! I highly recommend this delicious take on leftovers.The sweet potato on the bottom of the tostada gives the whole dish a very nice savory sweetness, yum! You can easily make this vegetarian by eliminating the chicken, maybe swap it out for the black beans on the tostada.

Heat oven to 400.

Crisp organic corn tortillas on a cookie sheet in the oven with olive oil spray, or in a skillet with some oil.

Shred cooked chicken, season with salt, pepper, ancho chili powder, coriander powder, cumin, and smoked paprika.

Chop 1/2 of 1 small sweet or purple onion and mince some garlic, saute for a few minutes in a little olive oil, add the chicken and heat through until fragrant. Set aside.

Spread roasted sweet potato on the crisped tortillas, add the cooked chicken and aromatics. Place on a cooke sheet and add sime queso fresco, bake for a few minutes to heat through.

Top with shredded lettuce, chopped red peppers, chopped avocado, chopped purple onion, chopped tomatoes, chopped cilantro, a little queso fresco and hot sauce. Serve with a side of rice and beans and lemon wedges. mmmmmmmm.

midcenturyblog: pubaiseroug by pilllpat (agence eureka) on...

Thu, 30 May 2013 11:24:07 -0700

midcenturyblog:

pubaiseroug by pilllpat (agence eureka) on Flickr.

Grow Your Own Potato Salad There’s nothing more delicious or...

Wed, 29 May 2013 09:20:00 -0700

Grow Your Own Potato Salad

There’s nothing more delicious or fresher tasting than potato salad from your own homegrown potatoes. These waxy red fingerlings were so fresh and amazing, I can’t wait to plant more of them. They grow great in any container. I love growing them in containers instead of in the ground because I don’t have to have a big trench in my garden, and there’s no danger of putting a garden tool through a perfectly good potato when it’s time to harvest. The last photo here is the potatoes growing in my garden in a fabric pot. Here’s how I like to grow potatoes.

I either plant sprouted organic potatoes from my kitchen counter, or I buy the seed potatoes from Peaceful Valley Supply . I plant them in containers like these smart pots. The smart pots, or grow bags, are great for growing potatoes because potatoes grow in layers of soil and form on the roots. The more roots you have, the more potatoes you will eventually harvest. So farmers hill up the soil around the stems of the potato plants to create more roots. Foldable pots are great for this because when you plant them, you start all the way at the bottom of the bag with the sides folded down and plant the potatoes in a few inches of organic potting soil. This lets the sunlight get to them so they can grow strong and healthy. Once they start to grow and get several inches tall, it’s time to add more soil and “hill them up”. So just unfold the sides of the bag to make it taller, and add a few more inches of organic potting soil. You can do this a few times over the next several weeks, finishing top layer with a thick layer of straw. The straw will shade the potatoes and prevent any of them from turning green, which is toxic.

Grow bags make it easy once it’s time to harvest them too, because you just dump out the bag and find all your delicious taters! I can’t think of anything more fun than harvesting potatoes and root vegetables, it’s like digging for gold.

Happy Summer everybody! We grew the potatoes, salad greens,...

Wed, 29 May 2013 08:43:16 -0700

Happy Summer everybody! We grew the potatoes, salad greens, herbs and shallots in this delicious Nicoise style salad. It was so yummy! I made curried tuna salad to go with the potato salad, and a simple green salad with crispy flatbread crackers to scoop it all up. Yum!

Cook potatoes to desired doneness, I like mine a little al dente. Season with salt and pepper, minced shallot, fresh or dried dill and parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice, plain yogurt and a little mayo. You can also season with cayenne or Ancho chili powder if you like a little spicy kick. Garnish with sliced Olives.

The tuna recipe is similar: Drain tuna, add chopped shallot, minced celery, shredded carrot, a squeeze of lemon, a little curry powder, a few golden raisins, salt and pepper and a little mayo and plain yogurt.

Serve with washed salad greens dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.

Growing Organic Zucchini Here’s a healthy zucchini plant...

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:27:00 -0700

Growing Organic Zucchini

Here’s a healthy zucchini plant growing in my friends garden. Zucchini is easy to grow. It likes warm weather and full sun. The large yellow flowers are edible, as well as the zucchini squash that form from the fertilized flowers.

Conventionally grown zucchini is one of the foods most likely to be GMO in the grocery store, so it’s a good idea to grow your own organic zucchini this summer.

I’ve grown this plant for many years. My main gardening tip for success is that the large leaves tend to be susceptible to fungal diseases. Water them early in the day so that the leaves can dry off. Try to not wet the leaves each time you water, just water the soil if possible. If you do see an outbreak of (usually powdery type) fungus on the leaves, just spray the plant with a milk + water solution, about 1/3 milk to 2/3 water. I planted these with organic compost and organic vegetable fertilizer.

The best thing about zucchini is that it can be harvested at any stage, from very very small with the flower still attached, to XL used for grating into zucchini breads and muffins.

An easy recipe for zucchini are these crispy zucchini rounds. Just coat sliced zucchini with scrambled egg wash, then dip it into bread crumbs mixed with grated parmesan cheese, seasoned with salt pepper and a little garlic powder and paprika. Spray with olive oil spray and bake at 400 for 20 minutes until crispy. Serve with your favorite creamy dressing or organic ketchup. Yum!

Front Garden Edible Landscape Project This is a big, beautiful...

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:20:00 -0700

Front Garden Edible Landscape Project

This is a big, beautiful vegetable and fruit garden I planted in my friend’s front yard. It’s a very sunny, west facing wall / fence. These photos were taken in the morning. This area gets full sun from about noon until sunset. This part of the yard before was weedy trees and viney things. They cleared the area and built the raised beds, which came out great, really tall and sturdy. Then they went to a composting facility, bought a truckload of organic compost and soil, and worked for an afternoon shoveling it all in to fill the raised beds.

The next step was going to the nursery to pick out plants. We made a list of all the fruits and vegetables they like to eat. It was fun plant shopping and we made several trips to various nurseries in the area, including making a stop at Tomatomania, a local Heirloom Tomato sale.

We planted grapefruit, orange and lemon trees, 2 kinds of grapes, 4 blueberry shrubs, lots of strawberries in pots, 8 varieties of Heirloom tomatoes, 3 types of peppers, zucchini squash, 2 kinds of corn, eggplant, cantaloupe, watermelon, pumpkins, cucumbers, green beans, peas, carrots, various lettuces, chard, beets, basil, tarragon, oregano, and cilantro. We also planted some flowers like marigolds, cosmos, lavender, hollyhocks and sunflowers to attract the bees. I added bagged, organic compost containing additional fertilizers, along with organic multi purpose granulated fertilizer, to every planting hole.

It looks really beautiful and everything is thriving. This was a really fun project to work on! I can’t wait to do the next one.

Edible Landscapes for everyone!

Terriers Repel Rodents and 9 other Organic Gardening Tips and...

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:46:00 -0700

Terriers Repel Rodents and 9 other Organic Gardening Tips and Tricks

Here are a few organic solutions to control pests in your garden. I have used all of these methods with great success.

1) Leave saucers of water near plants. Since I started doing this, the squirrels no longer bite into my tomatoes on a hot day. A lot of people think the squirrels are being total assholes for biting into their tomatoes and leaving the rest of it on the vine to rot. They’re just thirsty and they want the juice. OK, they are sorta being total assholes, but it’s not personal. If you leave water in clay saucers in several spots in your yard, they won’t mess with your crops as much, unless they are really hungry. The dishes of water will also give the lizards and snakes a drink, and these guys help control pests. Birds need water too and eat a lot of bugs. If you add dishes of water on the ground, and get a birdbath and keep it filled, you will see a vast improvement in pest control.

2) We used to have a rodent problem, but now we have Terriers. Terriers like to chase critters. It’s their favorite hobby. Get a lovely Terrier from the Animal Rescue, and encourage him or her to chase away rodents.

I have several solutions for killing bugs on plants.

3) Soapy water in a spray bottle. Squirt about 1 tsp dish soap into a spray bottle, fill the rest of the way with water, shake it up and spray it on the undersides of the leaves where the bugs like to congregate. This kills whiteflies, aphids and bugs like that.

4) Another way to get rid of bugs is to sprinkle worm castings on the soil. They sell it in bags at the Nursery. This is a repellant and not a bug killer. It also helps to fertilize the plants, so I like to use this as much as possible. Good for repelling whitefly.

5) If it’s a slug / snail problem, you can make beer traps to kill them. Bury a small container like a yogurt cup up to soil level in any area of the garden where you see plant damage from Slugs and Snails, usually indicated by massive holes chewed in your Chard or greens. Pour some beer into the cup. They will go in and drown. They like beer more than they like to eat plants. So does everybody. You will find a lot of dead slugs and snails in the cup the next day. Dump it out and repeat until you get rid of those bastards. Warning: A container full of dead slugs and snails is completely disgusting. Not for the squeamish.

6) Another way to get rid of the slugs and snails is with Beneficial Snails, called decollate snails, sold in the refrigerator case at the nursery or home improvement store. The good snails eat the baby destructive snails, but don’t eat your crops, because they would rather eat the meaty other slug and snails. This way is good because you pit creature against creature and let them duke it out amongst themselves, thereby eliminating the feeling that you are a bug murderer.

7) Praying Mantis’ and Ladybugs eat bad bugs too, and won’t damage your garden. They sell these guys at the nursery too, in the refrigerator case. Release them at night after a thorough watering of the area where you will release them. They are more likely to stick around if they have a cool drink of water once they get released from their container. I like this method a lot because it’s fun to see the Ladybugs and to be surprised by the occasional freaky-as-hell-looking Praying mantis. Don’t spray any soapy water on your beneficial bugs.

8) Another solution for slugs and snails is Iron Phosphate, which is organic, (it’s just Iron & Phosphorous), they sell it in canisters, usually called Sluggo. But this product will also kill your Decollate snails, so don’t use it if you’re trying to establish beneficials in your garden.

9) Garlic repels most bugs, but doesn’t really kill them unless it’s a strong enough solution. But a very strong garlic solution will also burn your plants.

10) Marigolds repel bugs. Plant them with tomatoes, peppers, squash.

Happy Gardening!

March Against Monsanto: Events

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:28:10 -0700

March Against Monsanto: Events:

Official website for the March Against Monsanto. On May 25, activists around the world will unite to take back our food.

Hey Kids! Don’t forget to go out on May 25th and March against Monsanto! This link shows the location of thousands of events worldwide. See you there!

Here’s what the poppies look like in the garden

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:32:32 -0700

Here’s what the poppies look like in the garden

Vegetable Research & Extension Center

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:29:00 -0700

Vegetable Research & Extension Center:

“Culinary Poppy” Info from Washington State University

Please don’t grow these poppies to make drugs, because you might get arrested and go to jail. Then you will be crying.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins We made these Delicious Lemon Poppy...

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:07:00 -0700

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

We made these Delicious Lemon Poppy Seed muffins for breakfast. Yum they’re so good, I can’t stop!

I harvested the poppy seeds this a.m. from the breadseed poppies growing in the front yard. I woke up thinking about food, and about my garden. I was wondering if it’s ok to eat the poppy seeds from the poppies in the garden, because the front garden is full of ripe poppy seed heads. they are beautiful! When you turn them over and shake them into your hand, the seeds look just like the poppy seeds in the spice jars aisle at the store. I had to know! So I did a search and found out that, yes, you can eat them. The ones I have are culinary poppies. They are the big breadseed type of poppies, not the California poppies. I’m not sure about the Icelandic type of poppies, but I’ll find out. Bread Seed poppy seeds are edible, all other parts of the plant are not edible.

I think the organic spice companies who sell Poppy Seeds for 8-12 dollars a jar will be very sad that I’m telling you this. I hope they don’t cry so hard that they have to wipe their tears with thousand dollar bills.

The lemons were from the tree on the corner. If you live in an area where lemons grow, you’re lucky like me! Free lemons!

Mix 2 cups whole wheat flour, 3/4 cup turbinado sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, lemon zest, 1 tsp salt, 3 tblsp poppy seeds, (lightly toasted)

In another bowl mix 2 eggs, 1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil, 1 tblsp olive oil, 1 cup plain yogurt, 1 tsp vanilla, the juice of 1 lemon

Heat oven to 400. Line a muffin tin with paper iiners.

Mix the wet, sift together the dry, combine them just until combined. Spoon into the muffin cups. Top each one with a few frozen raspberries and a little more turbinado sugar.

Bake for 15 minutes or so

Mix 3 tblsp organic powdered sugar with a little lemon juice and drizzle it on as a glaze. Yummmm!

Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Sweet Avocado Cream Happy Taco Tuesday...

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:31:05 -0700

Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Sweet Avocado Cream

Happy Taco Tuesday Tumblrs! This was our delicious lunch today. The greens and herbs in this dish came from our back garden. It’s getting hot here so I’m trying to use up the salad greens before they bolt. Salad greens like cool weather, and it was 100 here yesterday. I’m still going to try to grow some in the shade this summer. I bet it will work. I love our home grown garden salads. I especially love the Arugula! It’s spicy and delicious and tastes so amazing fresh out of the garden.

Here’s how to make these yummy shrimp tacos:

For the Avocado Cream dressing, blend 1 or 2 avocados with 1 cup plain yogurt, the juice of 1/2 lemon, 2 tblsp Cider vinegar, a small smashed garlic clove, a small handful of chopped cilantro, handful of chopped parsley, a drizzle of honey, and salt and pepper. (This dressing keeps in the fridge for about 5 days.)

Heat a grill pan to high. Heat a few organic corn tortillas on the hot grill pan and set aside.

Marinate the shrimp with 2 tsp coconut oil, the lemon juice from the other half of the lemon, a sprinkle each of ancho chili powder, chipotle chili powder, ground coriander, freshly smashed garlic or garlic powder, salt and pepper. Sear the shrimp on both sides until cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve your tacos with salad greens and chopped tomatoes and the creamy dressing. Yum!

Seared Tuna with Mango Avocado Relish and Frizzled Onions This...

Sun, 05 May 2013 07:28:00 -0700

Seared Tuna with Mango Avocado Relish and Frizzled Onions

This was our delicious lunch the other day. Yum!

Slice 1 sweet onion and reserve 1 or 2 tblsp for the mango relish. Season the rest of the sliced onions with salt and pepper and dust with flour. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a cast iron skillet. Cook the onions in the hot oil until caramelized and frizzled. I used coconut oil and sunflower oil to cook the onions in this photo.

Chop the reserved onions into fine dice and toss with chopped mango and avocado. You can use tomato too, but I didn’t have any. Season with red chili flakes, salt and pepper and dress with lemon or lime juice and olive oil.

Discard the oil and wipe the cast iron skillet clean with paper towels. Add a little coconut oil and heat until hot. Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper and sear on both sides for about 1-2 minutes per side. You don’t want to overcook the tuna, it should still be pink in the middle.

Once the tuna is cooked, serve it with the mango relish, salad greens, and garnish with the frizzled onions. I also added a little drizzle of sesame oil and organic soy sauce.

Baby Artichokes from our garden. We cooked these last night for...

Sun, 05 May 2013 07:14:51 -0700

Baby Artichokes from our garden. We cooked these last night for dinner and they were delicious!