The first of this month my second son turned 20 (can you believe that!?) and for his birthday dinner I made (among other things) fried squash blossoms. What?!? You haven’t tried this yet? What are you waiting for? Here’s the recipe. These are really so very, very tasty and a wonderful way to use the zillions…

No garden should be without kale and collards. These easy-to-grow green leafy vegetables are both  from the Brassica family (which includes cabbage, kohlrabi, Brussel sprouts and broccoli.) What makes these so great? Well, first of, they are packed with nutrition. Studies show that they may prevent several kinds of cancer. And they taste good! These are…

This contrasting flavors and textures of this salad are a great surprise. Your family will ask for seconds. The color of red onion will stand out but you may prefer the flavor of sweet onion. Fennel is so easy to grow. You’ll want to have some all summer long to use in recipes like this.…

Man has used salt to brine or fermenting vegetables for millennia. It is one of the easiest ways to preserve the goodness of vegetables all year long. Sauerkraut is one of the easiest foods you can preserve. There are two ways to make sauerkraut: in a big batch that you later process in a water…

Nettles are one of the first plants to emerge in the spring. They are super-high in Vitamin C and minerals. They also have diuretic properties, so they are considered a good tonic or cleansing green. In other words, this is a super-health food that comes just when we most crave something fresh after a winter…

Our family loves this creamy golden-colored soup. Served with hearty bread, it makes the perfect meal on a cold autumn day. If you don’t have Jerusalem artichokes, just about any root will do: parsnip, turnip, rutabaga or even radish. Ingredients: 1 pound Jerusalem artichokes 2 Tbsp lemon juice 2 stalks celery 1 medium onion, diced…

You thought radishes were just a garnish for salads and vegetable plates, didn’t you? Think again. This creamy, spicy soup is the perfect way to use up the radishes from your garden on a cold fall day. Ingredients: 1 C red lentils 3 C water ¾ – 1 lb radishes ½ onion 1 Tbsp olive…

In 2016 my husband’s Type 2 diabetes was out of control. The doctor said he needed to go onto insulin. Today, his A1C is 5.9 and he takes no medication at all. He’s done this by drastically limiting his carbs. Everyone is amazed at how well my husband has done with just diet. So I…

This easy-to-prepare salad is the perfect way to use kohlrabi. It plays well to kohlrabi’s crunchy-sweet goodness. It will keep well in the refrigerator for several days. Ingredients: 4 C shredded kohlrabi ½ C shredded carrot ½ C finely diced onion Dressing 1/3 C apple cider vinegar 1/3 C olive oil 1½ Tbsp Dijon mustard…

Sometimes it’s hard to get enough vegetables into your family’s diet. You think picky toddlers are difficult? Try stubborn teenagers. One of my favorite ways to hide veggies is using veggie powder. You can put it into soups, casseroles and (my favorite) meat loaf or meat balls. I use it in the place of crackers…

It’s asparagus season and hopefully you have more than you know what to do with and are able to share with family and friends. I use only the very top 5-6” of the spears. If any of the remaining stem is still tender, I save it to either dehydrate or make Cream of Asparagus Soup.…

The joke is “Leave your car windows rolled up in the summertime or someone will deposit a bunch of zucchini in your car.” But the truth is, there is no such thing as “too much zucchini.” Honestly, there are so many amazing ways to use zucchini, why would you ever want to give away this…

This dish is the perfect combination of spicy and crunchy, a great way to use some of the zucchini in your garden. Ingredients: 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 lb zucchini, diced 1 med onion, diced 1 small bell pepper, diced 1-2 jalapeno pepper (depending on taste), seeded and diced 3 C tomatoes, peeled, seeded and…

Once you’ve tasted pumpkin pie made from scratch, you’ll never want the canned stuff again. The flavor is so much better than anything from a can. If you planted pumpkins this year in your garden, you’ll have plenty to make wonderful pies. If you didn’t grow any yourself, you can buy pie pumpkins at the…

This is a great way to serve vegetables during the late summer months, when the vegetables are coming in by the bushel-full. Make a platter-full of Vegetable Tempura, served with some sliced tomatoes and a beet salad and you have a filling meal. Ingredients: Vegetables, cut into strips, slices or cubes ½ C corn starch…

No garden should be without kale and collards. These easy-to-grow green leafy vegetables are both from the Brassica family (which includes cabbage, kohlrabi, Brussel sprouts and broccoli.) What makes these so great? Well, first of, they are packed with nutrition. Studies show that they may prevent several kinds of cancer. And they taste good! These…