Monday, May 21, 2012

Rule #17: When you can't harvest much, sprout! (Harvest Monday)

So... I was so jealous seeing a neighbor's garden the other day.  She had almost ready zucchini, tons of decent size lettuces and spinach, radishes, and beets.  She planted weeks earlier than me and it proved to be successful.  Her tomatoes already have flowers and baby tomatoes!  Luckily I got some of the radishes!  My garden is really doing pretty good and my transplants better than I though after they were damaged by aphids early in the season while "hardening off." The tomatoes are really taking off and peppers are doing well. The eggplants were devastated by the flea beetle so I will have to buy some.  Luckily, I gave some to my neighbors and theirs are doing well so I will be able to see how the Diamond Eggplant ( Seed Savers Exchange) does.  On to this weeks harvest for Daphne's Dandelions Harvest Monday.  So we are still getting some strawberries, but they seem so be much smaller than when the season started.  Also I got more overwintered swiss chard that I mixed with garlic and oil, some baby beet greens from thinning, celery  and romaine lettuce leaves, some left over spinach mom brought over, basil, and some of my fennel fronds.  Added a splash of lemon at the end.  So yummy....thank you Jaime Oliver. Second time using his recipe in the Jaime's Italy book.  This time I used basil instead of parsley.  Both times were so good.  I always did sauté the swiss chard with garlic and oil, but didn't think adding so many flavors would be good.  I am so glad I tried it.  I especially like the celery leaves added.  Too bad my celery seedlings didn't make it.  I have the hardest time with them and parsley from seed. Any suggestions???? So I went ahead a sprouted my french garden mix and micro greens.  After seeing Mark from Marks Veg Plot sprout peas on wet paper towels a few couple weeks ago, I decided to give it a try with a micro greens packet my mom gave me last year for mother's day!  It worked out, but I haven't seen any more growth from them in a few days so I will use them today.  Thanks Mark!


The micro greens

French Garden Sprouts (still in Sprouter form) and lett over of last nights Swiss Chard Saute

Close up of Swiss Chard Saute 

6 comments:

  1. everything looks so yummy! i am always mixing my cooking greens; sorrel, mustard, chard, whatever is ready to pick at the time. Love it with bacon, onion and garlic; brown the chopped bacon, add a chopped onion and let it cook slow till the onions are sweet, add in the garlic then the chopped greens. yummy.

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  2. My husband would love it with bacon.

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  3. Those micro greens are so convenient for salads. I have some seeds but never remember to grow them, thanks for the reminder.

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  4. I have the Jamie book so I will seek out that recipe - good recommendation - you can never have enough Chard recipes in my book.

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  5. I've done sprouts, but never micro greens. Someday I have to try it.

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  6. That is a very clever way of sprouting! I am going to have to try that!

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