Tag: spring
Wild Leek Foraging and Pasta Primavera
’tis the sweet spring season for Wild Leeks! Their garlic scent and spring onion flavor are a true sign of the season, and I’ve been really looking forward to foraging some of my own now that the weather is beautiful. It truly takes every ounce of self-discipline I have, on days like these, to keep myself indoors and productive during the 9-5 work day. Luckily for me, my boss is a sweet, kind 70 year-old active man who loves and encourages an afternoon walk through the forests in our “backyard.” So on Monday afternoon during my beautiful afternoon excursion, I brought along a butterknife & went foraging.
Garden Planning 2013: Books, Seeds and Layout
Last year I fully intended on building a gorgeous garden on the property we were renting. It was a beautiful old farmhouse, with plenty of green space and great sunlight. One thing led to another and in early May we were told that the landlord’s son would be taking ownership of the house in August. We had 3 months to let go of our gardening dreams for the year, find a new place to live and pack up all our belongings.
What sounds like the beginnings of a sob story actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. We were presented with the opportunity to purchase a beautiful home, right in the heart of the city with ample fenced in space for a backyard garden. This year, in 2013, our gardening dreams will become a reality, but this can only happen with the help of a well thought out springtime plan.
Spring is the perfect time to plan a garden. Not just due to the necessity of a plan, but because by March & April I’m eager for warm weather and itching to get my hands in the dirt. Planning gets my gears turning, excitement brewing and directs my pent up energy to a purposeful & productive task.
One of the most informative and useful books I’ve come across lately has been Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening. This book is PACKED full of helpful information regarding fruit, flower & vegetable gardening. My favorite pages are the illustrated collections of common weeds, pests and beneficial insects which will be absolutely vital to the success of my future garden. The guide is something I’ve been reading through thoroughly but will also be helpful later on as a quick reference for maintenance concerns.
Over the last few months I’ve used information and charts like the one above to determine which vegetables would be “sharing” beds in the coming season. Companion planting is a useful tool to follow, because certain plants have smells or tastes that deter the common pests of another vegetable. In other cases “bad companions” would be those vegetables that share common pests or diseases because if one plant becomes infected the whole bed is likely to be ruined.
I’m incredibly thrilled to be planning a garden in my new backyard. The next step as weather gets warmer is to clean the slate and begin anew. If you’re busy planning a garden or thinking about trying one next year find a friend and plan together. I’m lucky enough to have a dear friend and experienced gardener in town to plan and bounce ideas off of. Tenille has a gorgeous space just outside of town and as the sweet friend that she is, shes shared loads of fabulous seeds with me this year to get me started.
This season, find the potential for growth. Whether it be in your backyard garden, a container on your front porch or a potted herb in your window sill; being a part of growth is a powerful thing.
There’s unlimited potential around you.
love,
tricia
Loaded Broccoli Salad and a Barbecue
- 3 large broccoli heads
- 5 radishes, cut in 3 and dice
- 2 tomatoes quartered and seeded than diced
- 1 apple peeled and diced
- ½ cup of red grapes, diced, drain the juice
- 1 cup green onions (5 green onions minus the white part) diced
- 1 cup medium carrot shredded
- ½ cup dried cranberries (optional, but highly recommended)
- 3 Tbsp sunflower oil or olive oil
- 1 Tbsp mayo
- 1 Tbsp sour cream
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
Carrot and Roasted Garlic Hummus
If you’ve been to a Northern Michigan Farmers Market lately, you’re likely to see fewer greens. There will be plenty of baked goods, jelly & jams, meats & cheeses, but greens are harder to come by in February. Even with advancements in farming infrastructure like hoophouses and greenhouses, the beautiful and at times frustrating reality about growing food from the earth is that mother nature makes the rules.
At the farmers market I attend every Saturday, the majority of fresh produce you’ll find this time of year is carrots. You’ll see me walking through the market selecting my goods from the stalls and chomping on these fresh, local deliciously sweet carrots. Other than the raw form, carrots can be made into incredible soups, heart-warming roasted side dishes and salads. Recently however, I was curious to find a recipe that used carrots in a way I’d never used them before. As soon as I saw the color of this rich & flavorful carrot hummus I knew I had to try it, so I brought it along with me to a friends house last night for dinner.
Let me just say, I LOVE having friends that enjoy cooking and food as much as I do. Last night, was an incredible feast with three women I really enjoy spending time with. Our objective was simply to gather together around food and so we did, lots of food I might add. The carrot hummus turned out smashingly with cucumber slices and pita bread for dipping. My main dish on the other hand, a concoction of beet gnocchi with lemon pesto, while equally delicious was far less ‘picture perfect.’ It was my first time making both dishes and while putting them together I realized I had created a theme unknowingly of colorful and hearty root vegetables in an uncommon form. Perhaps its because of this long cold winter, stirring up a desire for change and the color that arrives with spring.
Our collection of small plate dishes for the night included:
The ‘Life-Changing Loaf of Bread’ from Sarah B at My New Roots! (pictured above)
Beet Gnocchi with Lemon Pesto
Jeweled Rice Salad with Red Grapes, Scallions & Pecans
Guacamole with Sweet Potato Chips
Butternut Squash & Roasted Apple Quinoa
Homemade “Fig Newtons”
Carrot & Roasted Garlic Hummus with sliced cucumber and pita
Citrus Salad
The dishes paired together incredibly and though I packed my plate full of the colorful food, there was nothing but a gleaming white plate left when I had finished.
Carrot and Roasted Garlic Hummus
Makes 1 cup of hummus
Prep time: 25 minutes
Preheat: 400 degrees
Ingredients:
- 1 cup roughly chopped carrots
- 6 cloves garlic
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 3/4 cup cooked garbanzo beans
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1 tbls lemon juice
Directions:
Line baking sheet with foil or parchment, then place chopped carrots in a bowl and coat in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Spread them in one layer on the lined baking sheet and place in the oven.
Wrap the cloves of garlic in foil and place in the oven as well.
Roast for 20-25 minutes or until carrots are tender with a fork. Remove from the oven, unwrap garlic and let cool.
In your food processor combine all ingredients including extra salt or lemon juice to your taste.
Dinner with family and friends or Potlucks of any kind are some of my favorite gatherings. I love having small ‘tastes’ of everything dish and I often find myself experimenting with recipes in these occasions, enjoying the immediate honest feedback from the people closest to me. The dishes I made last night really made me realize how much I’m looking forward to warmer weather and all that comes with spring. The change is in the air and March is just around the corner!
What are some of your favorite, colorful springtime dishes?
love,
tricia