winter harvest

it's been on my list of things to do: build a small hoop house covered in plastic for a winter garden. we didn't get around to it last year, but we've still got some kale, carrots, arugula, beets, and rutabaga to pick. once the snow comes the greens will most likely die, but the root veggies should be ok underground.



in the spring the hoops can serve as a frame to cover our greens with netting, to keep the moths from laying eggs on the leaves. it's been such a process to use kale from the garden, since each leaf has been covered in bugs. as someone who doesn't like to kill anything, i feel bad when i see drowned caterpillars in my salad spinner. fingers crossed we can keep that situation under control in 2015.



this pretty sweet william perennial has me so excited for spring. don't get me wrong, i'm enjoying winter and the break i'm having from garden work, but it's about that time to start thinking about seeds again.

and look what nick the mailman just brought as i was typing this post...the stars are aligning my friends!:) will you be gardening this year?

xoxoxo

winter pansies



less than three more months til spring, but who's counting? despite the cold winter temperatures, our fall pansies still have blooms. the books are out and i'm drawing up plans for the 2015 garden. planting in the spring is less overwhelming when you plan a little each week or so, and it helps me beat the winter blues, to envision a lush warm green garden bursting with every color of the rainbow. the pansies help too.

 

we've been balancing our unhealthy holiday eating with supplements, juices and smoothies. the delicious smoothie above had banana, mango, celery, frozen cranberries and raspberries, spirulina and chlorella. it really did taste good - you can't go wrong with bananas and raspberries in your smoothie.

 

our goal is to cut way back on processed foods (especially sugar) in 2015. it's going to be tough, but we've done it before. i'm learning the tricks - it's just putting the energy in each day. keep the kitchen stocked with fresh produce, and use it!

 

wishing you health and much happiness in the new year and beyond!!! xoxoxo

roasted sweet dumpling squash with rosemary and garlic

winter squash did nothing for me until i tried the different varieties grown by our csa, and now roasted squash may be my favorite thing about fall (next to the colorful leaves and coziness of the season, of course:) i like kabocha, delicata and sweet dumpling squash best as they all have a nice sweetness and texture to them that make them delicious simply roasted with just a bit of salt - and their skin is edible (and very good) - so no peeling (which is not always easy with squash)!

this dish came together pretty effortlessly as i just picked through the fridge and garden for ingredients. in my opinion, all veggies taste great together roasted, especially squash and root vegetables! to make sure those tough veggies got tender when baked, i added just enough water to fill the bottom of a glass casserole dish and covered with foil to steam them through.

the sweet dumpling squash, purple potato and carrots were baked with a nice sprinkling of salt, three chopped garlic cloves and two sprigs of rosemary for 25 minutes in a 425° oven. then i removed the foil, added broccoli and a drizzle of olive oil, then roasted the veggies uncovered another 20 minutes.

while the vegetables were cooking, i picked and made a kalad (which i just accidentally typed but have decided to leave and coin as the new term for kale salad :) it would have been a quick and easy salad had every single leaf not been covered in eggs, tiny cocoons and cute little caterpillars hiding in the curly ends! after the little guys were freed, the chopped kale was washed thoroughly, massaged with olive oil and salt, then sprinkled with hemp seeds and dried cranberries.

 

you know it's a good meal when hubba wubba says to leave out the rest because he plans to go back for seconds!:) which vegetables do you enjoy in the fall?

xoxoxo

delicata squash and wheat berry soup

this seasonal soup is a beautiful balance of sweet squash and savory herbs, with a nice chewiness from the wheat berries. had i known how delicious it was going to be, i would have noted my exact measurements! what i can do is give you some rough estimates to help you create a similar tasty soup in your slow cooker.

DELICATA SQUASH & WHEAT BERRY SOUP

1 cup wheat berries, rinsed

1 delicata squash, cubed

2 carrots, sliced into half moons

1 red pepper, diced

3/4 cup dried chick peas (or 1 1/2 cups cooked)

2 garlic cloves, minced

about 4 cups water or vegetable broth

pinch of cayenne pepper

salt and pepper, to taste

dried oregano and/or fresh thyme

place ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. if using cooked chick peas, stir those in towards the end. since the measurements aren't exact, start with about 3 1/2 cups water or broth and add more as needed. let me know if you have any questions - i'm happy to help!

xoxoxo