Quinoa Salad With Zesty Vinaigrette

If you've got a lot of tomatoes, green peppers, and cucumbers that you'd like to use up from your garden, this is an excellent recipe from allrecipes.com.  It's been a bit hit with our family for years, and it's one of those recipes that just says, "It's summer!"  It seems to get better with time as it sits in the fridge.  I tend to use less oil than the recipe calls for, and I tend to double the veggies and it turns out fine.  It's a very forgiving recipe.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/quinoa-veggie-salad-with-zesty-vinaigrette/

Enjoy!

Canning

Looks like I've got some canning in my future!

The tomatoes have been coming fast and furious lately.  I can't keep up!

The Dirty Dozen...Updated!

The Environmental Working Group has updated their Dirty Dozen list!  This list helps you figure out which produce items have the highest concentration (and more numerous kinds) of pesticide residue. If you have to pick and choose which produce items to buy organically (and let's face it - it's tough to swallow a higher price for the organics!) then stick to the Dirty Dozen.

http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/list.php

Number One on the Dirty Dozen list?  Apples.

The good news?  Consumers are using their dollars to vote.  Whenever I am at the grocery store and I flinch at the thought of paying more for organic produce, I remind myself that every dollar I spend is a vote.  A vote that sends a message: we want ORGANIC produce!  Here's something from the EWG's site that gives me hope for the future:

"The USDA findings indicate that the conventional fruit and produce industries are ignoring a striking market trend: American consumers are voting with their pocketbooks for produce with less pesticide. USDA’s Economic Research Serviceestimates that the organically produced food sector, though just 4 percent of all U.S. food sales, has enjoyed double-digit growth in recent years. The trend is particularly strong for sales of organic fruits and vegetables, which account for the lion’s share of all organic food sales: USDA economists reported that organic produce sales spiked from $5.4 billion in 2005 to an estimated $15 billion last year and increased by 11 percent between 2013 and 2014."

Dreaming of Summer...Organic Gardening Services

Does this cold weather have you dreaming of summer?  If so, now is a good time to start thinking about this year's garden!  Winter is the perfect time to dream about your garden and plan what you want to plant.  My seed catalogs have arrived and are sitting dog-eared, brimming with possibility.

If you or someone else needs help planning your garden this year, contact me!  I am available for help in every aspect of gardening: planning, implementing, trouble-shooting.   My services make a great gift for someone who might be hesitant about starting gardening and want a little help to get started.  Perhaps you are looking for guidance on how you'd like your garden to grow, or maybe you have a garden pest that is inhibiting your excitement about getting out there this year.  Whether you are starting from square one or you have years of experience already under your belt: I am here to help!  Contact me and let me help you love gardening.

Quiz: What's better than a restaurant-quality, ciabatta panini sandwich with organic tomato, zucchini and basil from your own garden?

Answer:
When your husband cooks it for you :)

MMMmmmmm.....

This time of year I'm always feeing overwhelmed with trying to come up with different ideas to use up the zucchini and tomatoes that we pick daily.  My husband always does such a good job of stepping in with different and yummy ideas.  I am good at growing the stuff but he is so much better at getting it on the table in creative ways!  Tonight's meal was no exception - it was wicked good!