Creekside Kitchen and Garden
Sustainable Gardening and Creative Food
From Pod to Pot – Beans are the Best!
Beans are an unsung hero of both the garden and the kitchen. Easy to grow, good for the soil, super nutritious and delicious!
This was the first year I went all in on beans that weren’t the standard green bean. Oh, I grew those too! Easy to grow and cook beans!
Pole Beans vs. Bush Beans
These are different. Think black beans, lima beans, kidney beans…..then think fresh, not dried! What I grew were 1500 Year Old Cave Beans I ordered from Baker Creek Seeds. Planting for Spring!!!
I tried to do this as a traditional Native American garden planting corn, beans and winter squash together. Total fail. Well — not quite total — I got a lot of beans but they smothered everything else. They even tried taking out some sunflowers but those beauties were mostly tough enough to stand up to them!
I’m not blaming the historic design, though. Operator error, I’m sure! I just planted too much. Combining square foot gardening with a Native American design and I overwhelmed the corn and smothered the squash!!!
But I got plenty of beans! The flowers weren’t as showy as the peas were. I didn’t even think I had any beans on the plant. Then as I looked closely….Voila!!! They were all over.
If you pick them very young, you can use them like green beans. Wait until the pod fills out, though. I got the most beautiful white and Burgundy colored beans! I picked them and either cooked with them fresh or blanched them for three minutes in boiling water and froze them. They are creamy and delicious and SOOOO much better than store bought.
When I finally pulled the beans because I wanted my garden paths back, I found a few pods that had dried on the plant. Inside was a dried bean that I’m sure I could have stored through the winter. (I just added them to my soup, however, a little earlier than the fresh beans and they cooked up just fine. Dried they had more Burgundy with streaks of cream.
I’ll definitely be planting these babies again next year but on a bean trellis!
In the meantime, a hearty fall soup featuring 1500 Year Old Cave beans.
Cave Bean Soup
This is a pretty standard and easy recipe for soup. But to make a really good soup, it starts with the stock. Choose a good stock that is low in sodium or better yet, make your own!
It begins with a basic sauté of onion, carrot and a couple of small hot peppers (omit if you are heat sensitive). Sauté until the onion is soft.
Then in went some tomato paste.
I sautéed it until it was slightly deeper in color.
Next went in some chopped tomatoes, soy sauce or tamari and rosemary (from the garden, of course!).
When everything looked combined and smelled aromatic, in went six cups of vegetable stock. Then I added the beans from the garden. These were fresh beans and took about 30 minutes to become soft and buttery. I brought the stock to a boil, reduced to a simmer and let it go for about 30 minutes until the carrots and beans were cooked and the flavors melded.
If you used dried beans here, I would cook them before hand and add them in during the last five minutes of cooking just to warm them through. Same think if you’re using canned beans. If using pre-cooked beans, you probably will only need to let the soup simmer 15 to 20 minutes until the carrots are soft, then add in the beans.
Meanwhile, chop 8 ounces of your favorite sausage. Mine is a vegan sausage — either Field Roast Italian or Beyond Sausage Italian are my favorites. Chop it into bite sized pieces and sauté until it’s a little crispy and browned, then add it to the soup.
To make it a full mean, a side salad and either a crusty bread or corn bread would work really well. This soup filled me up and is one of those end of summer fall is coming treats!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 3/4 cup diced carrots
- 3/4 cup chopped tomatoes
- 2 small hot peppers, chopped (optional)
- 1 Tbs. olive oil
- 2 Tbs. tomato paste
- 1 Tbs. Tamari or soy sauce
- 1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 1/2 cups beans
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 8 ounces vegan sausage (or sausage of choice)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Sauté onions, carrots, pepper and a sprinkle of salt in a bit of olive oil until the onion is just soft. Add the tomato paste and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the paste begins to darken slightly, about 5 minutes. Add in chopped tomatoes, rosemary and soy sauce. Let simmer for just a minute until fragrant. Add stock and fresh beans. (If using pre-cooked or canned beans, wait until just after carrots are cooked and add them in then.) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for 30 minutes until the beans are cooked but not mushy. (If using pre-cooked beans, you’ll probably only need to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the carrots are tender.)
Meanwhile, sauté the sausage until browned. Drain any excess fat that has accumulated. If using vegan sausage, you’ll have very little if any fat and will need to add a little bit of oil to your pan to brown the sausage.
When the soup is cooked, add in the sausage. Taste and adjust seasoning for salt and pepper. If you like your soup spicier than this, add in some red pepper flakes or hot sauce.
Enjoy!
Success with Chocolate Peppers
Chocolate Peppers came in strong in the garden this year. Nope. They’re not actually chocolate. Wouldn’t that be nice! Growing ready to eat chocolate straight from the garden bed!! (Milk chocolate or dark?) But seriously! Chocolate peppers are a type of bell pepper that ripens to a brownish – greenish – red.
Growing bell peppers is not easy in my area. Despite a relatively warm and long growing season, some years they just don’t do a thing. Usually I have far more success with hot peppers. This year, except for my Chinese Five Color peppers, my hot peppers didn’t do much while my three bell pepper plants were the champs.
Peppers need the standard items. Loamy well draining soil. Regular watering and fertilizing. Attention to pests to catch them early and as I mentioned before — plenty of heat. They take a long time to mature compared to many other vegetables. I think that’s why when you buy them in the store, they are either from Mexico or they are hothouse grown — frequently from Canada.
Off of my three plants I’ve had about 12 peppers and several of them have been large enough to stuff. I love peppers many different ways. Sliced into strips and sautéed with onions and added to green beans or vegan sausage — eaten raw in salads or as a dipper for hummus — as a star ingredient in a frittata! I could go on and on but instead I’m celebrating my large enough to stuff chocolate peppers with a recipe for a stuffed pepper.
Chocolate Peppers stuffed with Black Beans and Chorizo
My first step early in the day was to soak a pound of black beans for six hours in cold water. I drained them and then put them in a large pot covered with water two inches over the top of the beans. I added a stalk of celery, half an onion and a carrot for flavor. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and anywhere from 30 minutes to 90 minutes later you will have a TON of black beans.
Start tasting at 30 minutes. It will probably take at least an hour but how quickly they cook is really variable. When they’re done, remove from heat. Add a couple of teaspoons of salt and let them sit for about 20 minutes. If you add the salt earlier, the beans will become tough. You can omit the salt altogether but I think they taste better with a little salt.
You can also just use a can of black beans in this recipe but I use a lot of beans in my cooking and think the home cooked taste better and they are certainly cheaper!
On to the peppers!!
When the beans are ready, wash and cut the tops off of your peppers. You can also cut them in half if they’re really big. Your choice!
Rub the peppers with a little olive oil, turn them cut side down in a pie plate or casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until they just start to soften.
In the meantime, sauté a half a cup of onion with some salt, pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, thyme and oregano in a skillet in a little bit of olive or avocado oil. I also added three of my red Chinese five color peppers for some heat. Omit if you’re not into hot stuff. After that has softened, add 1/2 lb. of chorizo or hamburger. I am using a new Vegan meat from Abbot’s Butcher. It has a really good texture and flavor and is made primarily of pea protein and mushrooms. https://abbotsbutcher.com
Next add in 1 1/2 cups of black beans (about one can) and heat through.
Add in 1 cup of corn, fresh or frozen and 1/2 cup of vegetable stock.
Remove the softened peppers from the oven.
Turn them over and fill with stuffing. Then bake in the 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes just to let flavors meld and the peppers to get thoroughly soft.
I stuffed two of my chocolate peppers and two store bought red bell peppers and had plenty of stuffing left over! The stuffing will go in the freezer so that a second batch of stuffed peppers at a later date will be a snap!
I served these with some cashew cream on top and a side of red cabbage slaw. (See https://creeksidekitchenandgarden.com/peas-in-the-garden-pasta-primavera-in-the-kitchen/ for a cashew cream recipe.). Cheddar cheese (vegan or otherwise) would also be a good topper.
This wasn’t the prettiest dish I’ve ever made. But it tasted soooo good!
Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers
- 1 1/2 cups black beans
- 1/2 lb chorizo – vegan for me (or ground beef)
- 1/2 cup onion
- 1 cup corn
- 1 or two hot peppers to taste (or omit for heat free)
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock
- 1Tbs. olive or avocado oil
- 1 1/2 tsp. cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. thyme
- 1 tsp. oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Early in the day soak and cook black beans (or have one can on hand).
- Wash and cut the top off of four bell peppers. Oil lightly and bake in a 350 degree oven with about 2 Tbs. of water in the bottom of the dish for cut side down for about 20 minutes or until just soft. Remove from oven and and flip over to fill.
- While peppers are cooking, start stuffing. Saute onion with hot peppers and spices until onion is just soft. Add chorizo and brown. Add black beans and warm through. Add corn and vegetable stock and simmer for just 5 minutes until warmed through. Taste and adjust seasonings. More salt? More heat? Now is the time to add it!
- Spoon stuffing into peppers and bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Top as desired with vegan cashew cream and/or vegan cheese.
Enjoy!
Last Word
These chocolate peppers have been so amazing. This weekend, the fringes of hurricane Ian rolled through my neck of the woods. A stem loaded with four peppers snapped off when I tried to right the plant.
Amazingly, there is even a bud on this branch which, had it been given a chance, would be another pepper!
Easy to grow and cook beans!
Green Roma beans, yellow beans and edamame. All did really well this year and tasted unbelievable! Fresh from the garden. So tender. What joy!
Unlike the peas I grew earlier this spring, the flowers on my beans were not as pretty. But the plants were prolific and pest free. Who could ask for more!
Beans as nitrogen fixers
Many things I’ve read encourage gardeners to use a nitrogen fixing powder to inoculate beans before planting. I’ve tried that but didn’t get good results with the plants. That could easily be due to gardener error but this year, I decided to just put the beans in the ground. Even without the inoculation, beans are supposed to return nitrogen to the soil, helping plants that grow there after them.
Second crop
My first crop did so well, I decided to plant again in late July. A few plants are up and it looks like I’ll get a second — or really, a third crop. I went to pull my first bean plants today (mid-August) and low and behold, they had a second crop of beans on them! Most of them were small and I probably should have left the plants in the ground for them to mature but they were looking pretty worn and tired. Next year, I’ll know!
Heading for the kitchen!!
One of my favorite ways to cook beans is to just cooked them for about five minutes in a little water. Let that evaporate in the pan and added a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Sometimes black pepper, sometimes a red pepper with mild heat like Aleppo. Sooo, easy and sooo good!!
They were really good in this Thai inspired dish that also used Thai basil which is doing very well in the garden beds.
Basil Ginger Tofu with Garden Beans
First I made a quick marinade for the tofu that will double as a sauce for the dish. It combines 2 Tbs. Tamari, 3 Tbs. lime juice, 1 Tbs. of brown sugar and 1 tsp. of Thai ginger hot sauce. I used a very hot hot sauce. If using something milder, like Sriracha, you might want to add more to bump up the heat. Or, if you are heat adverse, omit it altogether.
Cube the tofu in about one inch pieces and put them in the sauce.
Next I got all of my chopping out of the way. About a half a cup of the yellow beans cleaned and trimmed. Half a red pepper sliced thin. Half a cup of onion sliced thing and about a half a cup of broccoli florets. I also sliced about two tablespoons of ginger very thinly. That’s a fair amount of ginger but I love the flavor.
Into the pan they went to sauté until just softened — about five minutes.
All the veggies went into a cast iron skillet. I have a wok but sometimes I just like working with my cast iron. I have a fair collection of cast iron even after giving each of my daughters a pan or two when they moved out on their own:-). Most of it was purchased for a dollar or two at thrift stores and yard sales. By the markings on some of the pans, a few of them are over 150 years old. I think it’s so cool that something that old is still not just in use but doing better than ever!
I added some salt to the veggies. How appropriate is Thai ginger salt that my daughter brought me from a trip to San Diego! But any sea salt will do.
Remove the veggies from the pan and add the tofu, reserving the marinade.
Sauté them until they are crispy and brown.
Add the vegetables back into the pan, the remaining marinade and about a tablespoon of chopped Thai Basil.
Sauté just a minute or two to rewarm.
Chop additional Thai Basil to top the dish.
I served this over brown rice and it was super good!
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- hot sauce to taste (I used 1 teaspoon of very hot Thai ginger hot sauce
The rest of the dish
- 8 ounces of tofu cut into one inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon of a neutral, high-heat oil (I used avocado)
- 1/2 cup of snap beans, green or yellow
- 1/2 cup red pepper
- 1/2 cup of thinly sliced onion
- 1/2 cup of broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons of ginger
- 1/4 cup of Thai basil (If you don’t have Thai Basil, use regular basil with some mint added.)
Directions
Whisk the lime juice, tamari, brown sugar and hot sauce together in a bowl large enough to hold the tofu Cube the tofu into about one inch pieces and drop it into the marinade. Heat a wok or a skillet and add about 1tablespoon of a neutral oil. I used avocado oil because of its health properties added to its ability to take high heat. Add the onion and lightly salt it. Sauté for about two minutes and then add the sliced pepper, ginger and broccoli. Sauté for about 4 minutes more and add the beans. Cook for about three more minutes until the veggies are crisp tender. Remove the veggies from the pan.
Add a little more oil to the pan if needed and sauté until the tofu is browned. Add the veggies about 1 tablespoon of chopped Thai Basil and the marinade into the pan cook for just a minute or two until heated through. Top with more chopped Thai Basil
Serve over rice or rice noodles or udon or just enjoy by itself!
Notes
Almost any vegetable would work in this. I think summer squash or cauliflower would be excellent. I did not put garlic in this because the hot sauce I used had a LOT of garlic in it but garlic would be a great addition, just add it at the very end of the vegetable cooking time so it doesn’t burn.
I am primarily vegetarian but this dish would also work with an animal protein. You would just need to adjust the cooking time — less for shrimp, more for chicken
A bowl full of sour cherries!
A bowl full of sour cherries is a beautiful thing! And the cherry tree in bloom is even more beautiful!!
My husband was not a huge fan of cakes and never wanted one for his birthday but he loved a sour cherry pie. When we lived in Northern Virginia I could get sour cherries at the farmers market from Kuhns Orchards at the end of June/beginning of July just in time for his birthday. Made it a no-brainer!
When we moved to Mathews and laid out the garden, we planted two fruit trees. A peach, the travails of which I have already written about (https://creeksidekitchenandgarden.com) and a sour cherry.
Two years ago we netted the tree and harvested 4 gallons of fruit. Last year was the first summer after my husband Jim had passed and I let the birds have it all. It just seemed right. This year, I tried to strike a deal with the birds and let them have all the fruit out of my reach if they would leave me the cherries on the low branches. They didn’t understand — but it worked out fine. I had enough cherries for one pie or two tarts and I went with the latter.
Cherry tree canker has recently attacked my cherry tree and I’m not sure I’ll be able to save it. But in the meantime…cherry pie with an olive oil crust.
Sour Cherry Pie
First, de-stem, wash, pit and drain your cherries. There are several ways to pit cherries. They sell cherry pitters, which I have never used so I can’t comment on how well they work. I used to have an old fashioned metal potato peeler the end of which was perfect for pitting cherries. One day I had a brain cramp and tossed it because it wasn’t peeling well anymore. *sigh* I regret that as I’ve never found another one that works like that one did. Fortunately for me, my thumbnail also works really well and what’s a few cherry stains on your fingers! It fades in a day or so 🙂
Let the cherries drain for about 15 minutes. Save the juice for another purpose. (How about adding a bit of sugar and some club soda for a special cherry soda?) When the cherries are drained (you should have about 1 cup per tart or 4 cups for a pie) mix them into a bowl with flour, cornstarch and sugar. You will need about 1 tablespoon of flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of cornstarch and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sugar for every 2 cups of cherries.
Roll out the pie crust of your choosing (more on that below) and fill with your cherry mixture. Dot with butter. I used Miyokos vegan butter, which I love!
I did a lattice top for this pie but you could do a regular full crust.
Bake at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes.
Choose your crust
I had a ball of olive oil pie crust in my freezer which I used for these tarts. That made the crust super easy. You can use a pre-made crust, there are some really good ones out there. I also like the old fashioned crisco crust but I find the olive oil crust has a really good flavor and skips the trans fats found in shortening.
I’m also sure this is my issue but I’ve never been able to make a good coconut oil pie crust. They always turn out hard as a rock. (I should just keep trying, I guess but I like my olive oil crust.). If you’ve had success, let me know!
The cherry pie recipe used here is adapted from Jim Forbes Old Fashioned Baking cookbook which I’ve now had for more than 30 years and the olive oil pie crust is straight out of the Moosewood Kitchens New Classics cookbook.
Sour Cherry Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 6 cups of sour cherries for a pie or 2 cups for a tart
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sugar (2 tablespoons to 1/3 cup granulated sugar for a tart)
- 2 tablespoons flour (2 teaspoons per tart)
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch (1 teaspoon per tart)
- pinch of cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons chilled butter cut into bits (about 2 teaspoons per tart)
Directions
Adjust a rack to the middle of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees.
Rinse the cherries and pull out any stems. Remove the pits. Place cherries in a strainer and let them drain for about 15 minutes. Reserve the juice for another purpose or discard. Mix the drained pitted cherries with the sugar, flour, cornstarch and cinnamon. Place the cherry mixture into the prepared pie crust and top with either a standard or a lattice crust. If using a standard crust cut some vents in the top crust. Place on a backing sheet (I line mine with foil to make cleanup easier) and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes until the pie begins to brown and bubble. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and cook until golden brown about 20 to 25 minutes longer.
Olive Oil Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached white flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup olive (or other vegetable) oil
- 1/2 cup water
Directions
Stir the flour and salt together in a large bowl. With a fork, stir in the oil and water. Shape the dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about a half an hour. Roll out and line pie pan with dough or divide dough and roll out if making tarts. Refrigerate until ready to bake. Double the recipe for a double crusted pie.
A sad farewell
This will be the last sour cherry pie to come from my garden for a while. Sadly, cherry tree canker progressed throughout the entire tree and it had to be removed. A neighbor did it for me while I was away so I didn’t have to see it. It had to come out and that is life in the garden and I will remember the cherries with joy.
Peas in the Garden – Pasta Primavera in the Kitchen
The peas are just beginning to produce their first tender pods and the strawberries are giving me enough fruit for a bowl with breakfast about every three or four days. Their bounty heralds a swift pick up in the pace of the garden.
Seasons change FAST!
It was HOT here this weekend. Mid-May and temps in the high 80s/low 90s! With that kind of heat, I may only get a FEW peas. Peas do not like heat and will just shut down. I seeded them in March but next year may try to get them in even a month earlier.
The warming temps (not THIS extreme until this weekend) signals getting seedlings in and direct seeding done ASAP!
Busy season in the garden starts!
In mid-May I took a week off from work, in part, to be able to cope with the numerous tasks that late Spring brings. It is time to finish getting all the tomato plants in the ground. I went overboard with 10 plants this year. Keep your fingers crossed tomato blight doesn’t do them in before I get some good tomatoes.
Then pepper seedlings went into the ground. I headed each of my six main beds with a Chinese Five Color pepper. They have been prolific producers for me in the past and the plant produces peppers in five different colors all at the same time! They look like old fashioned Christmas lights on a tree. (Although definitely not a pine tree!). Also in are poblanos, ghost pepper, chili Lombok and a sweet pepper.
Finally eggplant seedlings went in. Purple Opal Basil seedlings, Genovese Basil and Thai Basil rounded out my basil choices for this year. Just a week in the ground and the Purple Opal shot up four inches! I can’t wait!!! I love fresh Basil with garden tomatoes and a good Balsamic Vinegar.
Time for direct seeding too.
Summer squash was direct seeded and came up in just 7 days. They’ll grow fast and hopefully produce early.
I also took one of my beds and tried a Native American garden. I direct seeded corn with pole beans then a winter squash or pumpkin at their feet. I’ll let you know how it goes.
With a handful of peas, the last cuttings of the asparagus for the year and garden tomatoes from the freezer, it seems like a good night for a pasta primavera.
Odds and Ends Pasta Primavera
I started with about 1/4 cup of peas
Chopped up about 1/4 cup of onion and 1/4 cup of bell pepper. Yellow was what I had on hand.
Next came 1/4 cup of asparagus. Some of the last from this year’s garden.
I had a bit of broccoli in the fridge so I threw that in as well.
Sauté the onion and bell pepper with a little olive oil. When it is soft, add the chopped broccoli and a clove of chopped garlic. I also had a frozen cube of basil pureed into olive oil from last year’s harvest and in it went. You could also use dried.
Add a splash of white wine so the broccoli can soften. If you don’t have wine, water would work also. But this particular bottle also went well in a glass with dinner!
Also out of the freezer came two tomatoes from last year. Extra tomatoes either from my garden or the farmers market get rinsed and cored and dropped into freezer bags. When you take them out, run them under some water and the skins will slip right off. They thaw quickly in the microwave and you’re good to go!
I chopped the tomatoes up and added them in at the end with the asparagus and peas. I didn’t want a tomato sauce as much as just their hint of sweetness and acidity. Everyone simmered together for about five minutes.
I added cashew cream and pasta water for a little creaminess and topped it with a cashew parmesan. (If you don’t have an issue with dairy a little cream and regular cheese would obviously work as well.)
Toss with whatever pasta you like. I used a linguine. For me, about an ounce and a half per serving. But I like a higher veg to pasta ratio than most people do. The typical amount would be two ounces per serving.
Dinner is served in under 30 minutes! My kind of dish.
Odds and Ends Pasta Primavera
Makes two servings
- 1Tbs. olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 Tbs. frozen basil or 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 1/4 cup diced bell pepper
- 1/4 cup peas
- 1/4 cup asparagus, chopped
- 1/4 cup very small broccoli florets
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 1/2 cup cashew cream (see below)
- 1/2 cup pasta water
- 3 to 4 ounces dry pasta, cooked according to package directions
Directions
Start a large pot of salted water for the pasta and cook according to package directions. After all your veggies are chopped, it will take about 20 minutes to cook them. Try to time out your pasta to finish about the same time. If you have to drain the pasta, be sure to save some pasta water.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add diced onion and bell pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes until softened. Add broccoli to the pan along with basil and garlic and a splash of white wine. Simmer until broccoli begins to soften, about five minutes. Drop in peas, asparagus and chopped tomatoes and simmer for another five minutes or so until asparagus is crisp tender. Add cashew cream and a scoop of pasta water, stir through and remove from heat. Stir in pasta and add more pasta water if the mixture seems dry. Top with your favorite parmesan or Romano cheese and a little cracked black pepper. Enjoy!
Cashew Cream
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 1 cup water
- 2 Tbs. cider vinegar
- pinch of salt
Soak cashews in water to cover for six hours OR bring enough water to cover the cashews to a boil, pour the hot water over the cashews and soak 20 minutes. Drain the cashews. Add everything to a high speed blender and whirr until smooth. Keeps in the refrigerator for about a week.
Asparagus is up and lands on the grill!
Asparagus is coming up fast and furious. It has a short but prolific season and since I love it, it’s easy to find ways to use it.
Asparagus is a Perennial
When we first put in the garden I knew I wanted an asparagus bed. Asparagus is a perennial vegetable and if you grow it from seed, you need to wait four years for the plants to get strong enough to harvest. Since I didn’t want to wait that long, I bought four year old bare root plants.
After digging my trench and setting my asparagus in one fall, I waited patiently (or impatiently depending on the day) for those green shoots to break through the soil the following spring. Sure enough they did!
Harvest Time!
I didn’t harvest that first year they came up but left their four-foot billowy fronds to gather strength for the new plants. The following year I harvested for four weeks. The year after for five weeks an then, finally, the recommended maximum, six weeks of harvest time.
To harvest asparagus, wait until the stalks are about 12 to 18 inches tall. Cut them off just below the surface. I find a sharp serrated knife works best for me. Don’t wait until they are too big or their tender tips will start to open into fronds. Not my idea of good eats.
Pest in Paradise 🙁
This year for the first time I had some Asparagus Beetles munching on the tips of my asparagus. I reached for my trusty Rodale Press Organic Gardening book. https://www.amazon.com/Rodales-Ultimate-Encyclopedia-Organic-Gardening. This is an updated version. Mine is from the 1980s! The guide said to handpick early in the morning and in early evening or spray with an organic pesticide. I hand picked and dropped into soapy water for about three days and was rid of the infestation. Yea!!!!
Local Tastes Best!
While you will find asparagus in the grocery store year round, the local season isn’t going to be more than a couple of months. Since I love fresh asparagus, I use it many ways. In stir fries, sautéed as a simple side and my favorite — on the grill.
This is an adaptation of a recipe I found on Epicurious. The original called for green beans and the avocado and mango weren’t grilled. Great recipe but I really like my version too.
Cooking with the Garden’s Gifts
Grilled Asparagus and Tofu Wraps with Mango, Avocado and Chili Lime Sauce
Heat a grill to medium heat. I still use a charcoal grill but gas is obviously good or you could do this indoors on a grill pan or a skillet. I love the flavor real hardwood charcoal imparts to food. It’s probably not good for you but sometimes you gotta live dangerously!!!
While the grill is heating, make the chili lime sauce and toast some cashews.
The chili lime sauce is easy. Chop a pepper of desired heat. Anything from a bell pepper for no heat to a ghost pepper for pain. I chose a Chili Lombok from last year’s garden that I froze.
Finely chop the pepper.
Add 1/4 cup of lime juice, 1 Tbs of sugar, honey or maple syrup, 1 Tbs soy sauce and a teaspoon of neutral oil and whisk to combine. You’re done!
Toast and chop the cashews (peanuts would also work or you could omit entirely).
Cut a mango off it’s pit and leave it whole. Ditto for the avocado.
Brush the tofu with a little oil and some of the chili lime marinade/sauce. I don’t usually marinate tofu as no matter what I do, it doesn’t seem to impart much flavor. I prefer to use either a thicker sauce that sticks to the tofu or a flavorful dipping sauce like this one.
Cook the tofu on the grill to the desired doneness and remove.
Place the avocado and mango on the grill cut side down and cook until just softened and with a few grill marks.
While the mango and avocado are heating, add the asparagus to the grill either using a grill basket or using care not to lose them between the grill grates!
I was able to use lettuce from the garden to make the lettuce cups — yea!! Heap a little of everything into the lettuce cup, using a spoon to get some avocado with each one. Top with some toasted cashews for crunch, dip into sauce or drizzle it over the lettuce cup filling and enjoy!
A light spring grilling dish! Leftovers are good for lunch and don’t even need to be reheated.
Ingredients
- 1 – 2 peppers of desired heat (about a tablespoon chopped)
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 Tbs sugar, maple syrup or honey (choice of sweetener will affect the flavor, pick what you like)
- 1 Tbs soy sauce
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. of oil plus more for grilling
- Half a 14 ounce block of tofu cut into four planks
- 1/2 a pound of asparagus, woody bottom portion snapped off
- 1 ripe but firm mango
- 1 ripe but firm avocado
- 2 Tbs chopped and toasted cashews or peanuts
- Lettuce leaves for wrapping
- Fresh cilantro chopped to top (optional)
Preparation
Combine chopped pepper, lime juice, sweetener, soy sauce, salt and oil and whisk to combine. Toast cashews. Slice the tofu and brush with the marinade and a little extra oil. Oil the grill.
Add the tofu to the grill and cook for two to four minutes per side depending on how done you like it. Remove and set aside. Add halved mango and avocado to grill and toast until warm and slightly charred. Grill asparagus for three or four minutes until slightly softened.
Put everything on a platter with lettuce leaves to act as a wrap for eating. Slice the mango, avocado and tofu to make it easier to put on the wrap. Alternately just scoop a bit of the avocado onto the wrap if it is too soft to slice.
Add a little bit of everything to a lettuce wrap, top with toasted cashews and cilantro (if using). Pour a little bit of the reserved sauce over the wrap or dip the wrap into the sauce and enjoy!
Spring’s First Planting is Easy and Early — Peas!
Peas go first!
Peas are among the easiest and earliest plants to go in the ground in Spring. Most seed packets say four to six weeks before the last expected frost. For me in growing zone 7B that means mid-February. (For an explanation of growing zones, check out https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.)
I planted three different types of peas this year. One is a traditional English or garden pea called Liallian’s Caseload. That’s the kind that comes in your typical bag of frozen peas. Of course, the ones from the garden are in the pod so you must shell them. I actually remember when I was a little girl, sitting in the backyard of our home in California shelling peas with my mother. It’s a lot of work for a few peas but the taste! Yummmm!!!
I’ve also planted a sugar snap pea called Mammoth Melting Sugar. Those are the kind that are in many Asian recipes and are delicious just sauteed or stir fried for about five minutes and seasoned.
The one I’m most intrigued by is called Magnolia Blossom Tendril. I just planted this pea. After just two weeks in the ground, the plant is about two inches tall and it has flowers!! I don’t even care what the peas taste like the plant is so pretty.
Maximizing space
I purchased a pea vine trellis from Gardeners Supply https://www.gardeners.com and attached it to the hoops over the bed I planted the peas in. The peas are planted an inch deep in fertile well drained soil. As the weather warms, I’m hoping to be able to plant some cucumbers and summer squash in the rest of the bed and some cooler weather vegetables like lettuce, chard and beets in the area underneath.
I’m trying to make the most of my space. Left to their own devices squash and cucumbers and even peas can take over an entire bed and not leave much room for anything else. I’m not sure if the pea vine trellis will be sturdy enough for them but time will tell.
Right now the garden is a wash of yellow with the cabbage and broccoli left from the fall/winter planting in bloom (see https://creeksidekitchenandgarden.com/strawberries-in-the-ground-cooking-peppers-from-the-freezer/) as well as daffodils and forsythia.
Grow early!!
I’m hoping the peas will be prolific early because one of the problems with growing peas in my area is it gets too hot for them rather quickly. At least in the last few years it seems to be increasingly common to have winter — a week or two of spring — and then dive right into summer. Peas simply cannot take the heat and humidity of summer in my part of Virginia. In an area like this, it’s crucial to get them in the ground as early as possible.
About 12 weeks after going in the ground, I should start getting peas. (Fingers crossed)
Even though peas are in the ground with no protection, I’ve had to put plastic covers over my early planted lettuce and cilantro as the night temperatures – even in late March – have dropped below freezing. That means I’m still cooking with hardy greens, the freezer and the pantry.
This recipe is a quick use of frozen peas, although any spring vegetable would work as well.
Creamy Spring Peas and Pasta
In place of a traditional cream sauce, this pasta dish uses one of my biggest cooking mainstays – Cashew Cream. While I do not claim to be Vegan, I am primarily vegetarian – and I have a dairy allergy. Milk, butter and cheese are strictly off limits for me. This Cashew Cream can stand in for sour cream, heavy cream, half and half, milk and buttermilk. It all depends on how much tang and how much water you add to the mix. You can find a variety of Cashew Cream recipies on the internet. This is my go to:
Easy Cashew Cream
- 2 cups of cashews, soaked
- 1 cup of water
- 2 Tbs. cider vinegar
- 1/2 to 1 tsp. salt
Soak the cashews for six hours in cold water to cover or bring water to a boil, pour over the cashews and soak for 20 minutes.
Drain the cashews and add everything to a high-powered blender. Blend until smooth and a loose sour cream consistency.
I make mine a little thinner than sour cream because it makes it easier to get out of the blender and the mixture will thicken up as it sets in the refrigerator.
Creamy Peas and Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 leek sliced, white and light green parts only
- 1 Tbs. olive oil
- Two veggie sausages (may be omitted or regular sausage used)
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 8 oz. dry pasta cooked according to package directions
- 1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
- 1 cup cashew cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Chop the veggie sausage and brown in the olive oil. I used two links of Field Roast Italian Sausage.
When the sausage is browned, remove from the pan and set aside.
Slice the leek and sauté in the remaining olive oil.
Sprinkle with a little salt to help them soften. After they are soft, add about a quarter of a cup of white wine to deglaze the pan and scape up any browned bits. (You could also use water with a little bit of lemon juice if you don’t want to use wine.)
At the same time, cook 8 ounces of dry pasta according to package directions. I chose Orecchiette because the little cups hold the creamy sauce and the peas.
When the pasta is done, lift it from the water with a strainer or a slotted spoon. Add it to the pan with the leeks and the veggie sausage.
Add 1 ½ cups of frozen (or fresh) peas to the pasta water. Cook just a couple of minutes until tender. Using the slotted spoon, add the peas to the pasta.
Add about 1 cup of cashew cream to the pasta and enough pasta water to make a smooth sauce.
Stir. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Strawberries in the ground — Cooking peppers from the freezer
I LOVE strawberries! And, I have a pretty good record of growing them. The bunnies also have a VERY good track record of eating them. This year I hope to foil the bunnies with my new deer and bunny proof fence!
Foiling the wildlife!
Last May I ordered a seven foot high deer proof fence from Deer Busters. As the monster truck rumbled into the neighborhood to deliver it, I wondered if I’d done the right thing. I always liked the way the garden flows into the yard and the yard transitions to the creek bank and the water. However, after three years of harvesting pretty much nothing from my garden, I decided I either had to give up growing food, or give my plants a fighting chance.
It took three people a good two days to get the fence up but because of it, I now have 50 strawberry plants in the ground.
Planting time
I purchased 25 June bearing strawberries and 25 ever bearing strawberries bare root from Stark Bros. Before planting, I pulled back the pine straw covering the beds and added some vermiculite and compost to the soil. In went my strawberries about 10 inches apart. Then a light covering of pine straw went back overtop to mulch.
For my area, they went in mid-February. That seems really early but Strawberries are actually cold hardy. My garden zone is 7B and getting warmer all the time it seems. The berries I bought are rated for zones 3 to zone 8.
Now I wait. You are supposed to clip off the strawberry blooms the first year to help the plants put their energy into growing strong. I will try but I don’t know if I have the patience. I did read that if you clip the flowers from the ever bearing plants in June and July, you can harvest the berries produced from then on.
Veggies make beautiful late winter flowers
While I wait with impatience for Spring to arrive, I can still enjoy the beauty of the garden.
This is the last of the Pak Choi I planted last fall and harvested all winter. I like to let one or two of these stay in the ground to see what their flowers look like.
Some of these plants have such pretty flowers, it’s a wonder we don’t grow them as ornamentals! Broccoli in particular is gorgeous. Covered with tiny yellow blooms.
Harvesting the freezer
I also have a bounty of things in the freezer to use from last summer’s harvest — including a gallon bag, almost full of assorted peppers.
I pulled out some Trinidad Perfume and Chile Lombok to chop up for an omelette.
First I sautéed some onion, then added the peppers.
When they were soft, I removed them from the pan, wiped it out and added two eggs that I had whisked. After the edge of the omelette had set, I took a silicon spatula and went around the edges, tilting the pan so that the liquid eggs on top could slide underneath and speed up the cooking.
When that was done, I put a loose lid over the top of the eggs to get the top set before the bottom burned.
I had half of a roasted delicata squash left over and when I scraped it out of the shell, it was a paste consistency. I spread that over the omelette and added some vegan cheese.
The sweetness of the squash and the mellowness of the cheese, smoothed out the heat from the peppers.
Finally my sautéed onion and pepper went in, the folded the omelette and it was time to eat!
A hint of summer heat for my end of winter Sunday brunch.
Pepper Omelette
- Two eggs
- 2 tsp. water or milk
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 1/4 cup diced bell pepper
- 2 Tbs. diced hot pepper (use your judgement on the level of heat)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp. of thyme
- 1 Tbs. roasted winter squash
- 2Tbs. vegan cheese (or more to taste)
Chop the onion and peppers and add them with the seasoning to a little olive oil and sauté in over medium heat. When they are soft (about 5 minutes) remove from pan. Wipe out pan. Whisk eggs with a little bit of water or milk. Add a small amount of oil to the clean pan and return to heat. When the pan is warm, pour in the beaten eggs. When the edge is set, use a rubber spatula to slide under the edge and tilt the skillet so the uncooked egg runs underneath the set edge. Move around the edge of the pan until all the liquid egg has been transferred to the underside of the omelette. Cover with a lid for a minute or so to help set the top. All the squash and the cheese. Cover again for a minute or so to soften the cheese. Add back the peppers and fold the omelette.
Notes: I just happened to have some left over delicata squash to use up and I liked the flavor with the hot peppers. The omelette would be just as good without it. You could also use just bell peppers for a zero heat experience. My hot peppers were about medium for my taste buds but I know some would find this too hot and others too mild so make it your way!!
Planting for Spring!!!
Even though we’re still slogging through winter here along the southern Chesapeake, spring is coming. Bulbs are popping up, birds are beginning to lose their drab winter colors — and that means one thing! It’s time to start seeds!!
Inventory of Seeds
The first task is to look at what’s left over from previous years, decide if I think they’ll sprout one more time or if it’s time to replace them.
Then the fun begins. Looking through the multitude of seed options that are out there. Two of my tried and true favorites are Annie’s Heirloom Seeds https://www.anniesheirloomseeds.com and Southern Exposure Seed Exchange https://www.southernexposure.com. Southern Exposure is actually located fairly close to where I live and has an awesome online garden planner as well.
This year, though, I found an exciting company that is new to me — Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds https://www.rareseeds.com. They had some very cool choices, including some seeds I’d tried before, had good luck with, but couldn’t locate again.
Starting seedlings
I usually plant at least three small pots of each seed just as insurance in case some don’t sprout. This year instead of using small plastic pots, I used 4″ cow pots. Cow pots are made of compressed cow manure. No — they don’t smell! And it’s less plastic in the environment. I also hope to head off the transplant shock that can happen as you try and pull the little plants out and repot them or get them into the ground. I’ll wait to determine which sprouts are the strongest and then carefully clip off the ones that are weaker.
Adding warmth and light
I mixed water into my potting soil before filling the pots, added my seeds, covered them and got them under grow lights. The warm season veggies like tomatoes, peppers and eggplant go on heat mats to help them germinate. They get covered with a plastic dome to help them sprout but as soon as the first seedling are up, off comes the plastic to prevent mold and diseases.
I put together pots of lettuce, broccoli and cilantro. They will go into the ground in about a month or so with some protection. The warmer season veggies are all getting a head start as they need a long growing season. When they’re big enough, they go outdoors into the cold frame.
Planting and Planning for Spring
Gardeners really are planners when you think that February is when I planted tomatoes I’ll be lucky to pick in late June or July!
The cherry tomato seeds from Baker Creek were the first ones up! Also up are a yellow tomato and a Cherokee Purple. The later two are from seeds my neighbor gave me that she purchased from Jefferson’s gardens at Monticello.
While I dream of warmer days and a wide variety of produce, the reality is, it is still winter. I spent an entire Saturday afternoon planting seeds and now I need a quick dinner that will use up the pak choi I harvested earlier this week. https://creeksidekitchenandgarden.com/the-paradox-of-winter/
Quick sautéed gochujang tofu with spicy cashew topped Pak Choi
First I separated the leaves from the stems of the Pak Choi. I have about a cup of each.
Next I combined a tablespoon of avocado oil with about a quarter cup of Gochujang sauce. (Gochujang is a slightly spicy Korean chili paste.)
I sliced half a block of extra firm tofu that was pressed to remove excess moisture into four pieces, coated it with the sauce and dropped it into the pan with a small amount of avocado oil. I cooked them for about five minutes a side until just browned. After the tofu is out of the pan, add a quarter cup of raw cashews to the same pan with some of the left over Gochujang sauce and lightly toast them.
The Pac Choi stems go into a separate pan and are sautéed in a little olive oil until just tender, about five minutes. The leaves go in next for just a minute to wilt them. Finally the cashews top the asian greens.
While I was cooking the tofu and Pak Choi, I roasted a butternut squash half at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes and served it alongside with a little bit of butter. Dinner in under 30 minutes!
There was enough left over for lunch the next day.
Spicy cashew topped Pak Choi with quick sautéed Gochujang tofu
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of extra firm or firm tofu, pressed
- 2 Tbs. avocado oil, divided
- 1/4 cup Gochujang sauce
- 2 cups Pak Choi or other asian greens
- 1/4 cup cashews
Wash the Pak Choi and separate the leaves and stems. Chop both and set aside. Slice tofu into four pieces. Combine 1 Tbs. avocado oil with 1/4 cup of Gochujang sauce on a plate. Coat tofu in sauce, sauté in pan with 1/2 Tbs avocado oil for about 5 minutes per side. Remove tofu and coat cashews in some of the remaining sauce, sauté until just toasted. Meanwhile in a second pan heat remaining 1/2 Tbs. avocado oil, add the Pak Choi stems and a little bit of salt and sauté for about 5 minutes until tender. Add the Pak Choi leaves and sauté for just a minute until heated through. Top Pak Choi with cashews and serve with tofu.
The Paradox of Winter
Winter in the garden is a time of renewal and growth. Growing hardy greens in the snow can be done and they make delicious comfort food on snowy nights. Looking out at this snowy scene you wouldn’t think anything could be growing in the vegetable bed. But there are some plants that can face the cold and the snow with a little protection. Other plants, like many fruit trees, won’t produce unless they get a certain amount of cold. But winter can also be destructive.
We have had three storms roll through in the last month.
Our first storm brought lots of wind but only an inch of snow. That wind took out plenty of tree limbs and the frame of hoops I had over two of the garden beds. It also ripped the plastic cover off the one bed I had set up. I managed to piece it back together before the next storm…but it doesn’t look nearly as pretty!
The next snow we had gave us about two or three inches that melted off in two days. I harvested one of my Pak Choi before number three hit. Try to harvest when the temps are above freezing and your vegetables are not frozen, otherwise you’ll lose quite a bit as you handle the frozen leaves.
Then number three came in and dumped about six inches. But my trusty row cover is hanging in there!
I don’t put as much effort into the garden in winter but it’s nice to know I can still get a few veggies. Also growing under my little protected bed are broccoli and Savoy cabbage. All hardy plants but they need a little help during the coldest days.
When I trimmed off the leaves that had frost damage and those that had been eaten by slugs, I still had enough for at least two meals. The first one I made was a Red Thai Curry.
First,I separated the Pak Choi stems from the leaves as they have far different cooking times.
Next, I chopped up the rest of my ingredients. About half an onion and half a bell pepper went in this recipe. I also had Miatake and Shiitake mushrooms about a cup of each. Finally, I cubed up half a container of tofu (8 ounces).
I used a pre-made curry paste. Mike’s organic. I like the flavor, although it is not as red as many other brands, I think because there is no added food coloring.
First into the pan went the onions, bell pepper and Pak Choi stems and a sprinkle of salt.
After sautéing in a little avocado oil for about five minutes, I added the mushrooms.
They also got sprinkled with a little salt and sautéed for another five minutes or so.
When they were done, I removed them from the pan and set them aside.
Next another 2 teaspoons of avocado oil and the curry sauce went into the pan. I sautéed it for three or four minutes then added one can of light coconut milk. (You could use full fat for a richer taste and creamier mouth feel but I like the light coconut flavor better. Not as heavy.) I like HOT food so I added in about a half a teaspoon of some ginger infused ghost pepper hot sauce to increase the heat. TOTALLY optional. I realize that for most folks the curry paste is hot enough. Then all the veggies and the tofu jumped back into the pan and everything was brought to a simmer.
The last step was adding the Pak Choi leaves. They were basically just stirred in to wilt them a bit. I added a little fish sauce to intensify the Thai flavor. If you leave it out, this meal is Vegan. It feeds three or four depending on how hungry everyone is!
Finally, it was time to eat! I served this over brown rice but it would also be amazing over jasmine rice or rice noodles. Whatever makes you happy.
Even in winter, kitchen and garden working together to bring in a great and comforting meal for a snowy evening.
Thai Red Curry with Pak Choi
- 4 tsp. avocado oil – divided (or any neutral oil)
- 1/2 cup of onion
- 1/2 cup of bell pepper
- 1/2 cup of pak choi stems sliced
- 1 cup maitake mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup shitake mushrooms sliced
- 1/4 cup thai red curry paste (I used one packet of Mike’s)
- 1 can coconut milk (your preference of full fat or lite)
- 8 oz. of firm or extra firm tofu cubed
- Pak choi leaves
Sauté onions, bell pepper and pak choi stems in about 2 teaspoons of oil. Sprinkle with salt. Sauté about 5 minutes until just beginning to soften. Add mushrooms and another sprinkle of salt and Sauté about 5 more minutes until mushrooms soften. Remove from pan. Add 2 more teaspoons of oil and curry paste. Sauté for 3 or 4 minutes until fragrant. Add coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Add vegetable back in along with tofu and simmer 5 minutes longer, heating through the vegetables and tofu. Add the Pak Choi leaves, stir and serve. I served over brown rice but jasmine rice or rice noodles would all work well.
Notes: If you can’t find pak choi any other asian green or mild cabbage will substitute. I added a bit of an asian flavored hot sauce as I like my food quite spicy. I also added about a teaspoon of fish sauce at the end to increase the depth of flavor. Omit it or use soy sauce and the recipe is vegan. A little added ginger with the onion or a squeeze of lime at the end would also be nice touches. I did not sauté my tofu as I like it soft in a curry but if you prefer it crisper, sauté it before adding it in. If you want you could also substitute another protein like chicken or shrimp. Finally, I prefer a more veg forward curry vs. lots of broth but if you like more broth, halve the vegetable and tofu amounts.