Homemade herb seasoning and spice mixes

If you grew your own herbs you can make a few of these yourself, or you can supplement with herbs from the bulk section. It's always 10x cheaper to buy spices and herbs in bulk. If you're worried about spices spoiling before you use them you can put them in the freezer.

I always save the jar lids from canned food to use for storage later. You can't re-use it for canning, but if it's washed and dry it makes an excellent jar lid. I also keep glass spaghetti sauce jars and lids and wash them for later use.

Put some pretty fabric over the top and tie a ribbon around it to keep it on. Voila! A gift! If some of the ingredients came from your own garden that makes it even more special.

Storing vegetables for the winter

We've just bought a house, and included in this lovely, new home is an under-porch root cellar. I've always wanted one, and I even bought books to teach myself how to use one (when I didn't have one and there wasn't even one in my near future- yes, I'm a bit obsessed). They use no electricity, but they can require a bit of attention and maintenance. Most storage-worthy fruits and veggies will keep for 3-6 months tops, depending on the variety and conditions.

Some veggies need a moist environment, and others need a dry one, and some need cooler and others warmer. It can be difficult to provide all conditions in one room. However, the one most important thing that needs to be provided is ventilation. Without that it won't matter if you have everything else perfect.

Two meatball recipes

Pesto meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 bunch fresh basil, leaves only
• 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp black pepper
• 3 TBS coconut oil or butter, melted
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 pounds ground meat

Directions

Bubble and squeak

Also filed under 'things I can eat'...

To modify this recipe you can use sweet potato instead of white potatoes. You can also veg-ify it by substituting vegetarian/vegan sausages and dairy-free margarine

Bubble and Squeak

• Mashed potatoes
• Left over boiled cabbage, carrots, parsnips, sausages (already cooked and chopped)
• Mushrooms and onion (chopped)
• 1-2 eggs (optional) 
• gravy or ketchup (optional)

Summer gardening roundup

It was really tough not having my own space this summer, and not having the money to set anything up at my new place... But, I scrounged together some cash and threw some plants in the dirt.

I started with putting down cardboard on the area that I wanted to use for my first few beds, and I held it down with potted plants. After a couple months the grass stopped trying to fight back and the cardboard lay flat on the ground. By then I had a bit of money, and I bought a cedar board that was on sale at Homely Despot, got them to cut it into lengths, and got some cheap corner hardware to put it all together. Then I filled the center with some hay from my dad, a bag of composted manure, and a couple bags of cheap dirt from the grocery store garden center. It didn't quite fill the box, but I mounded it up on one side and used the other side to trench-compost some kitchen veggie scraps.

Pumpkin soup

Pumpkin Soup

• 2lbs pumpkin (pie variety NOT carving type)
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• butter or butter substitute
• salt and pepper
• cinnamon and nutmeg
• milk
• 1 litre of vegetable stock

Kitchen sink stew

Kitchen Sink Stew


Ingredients

• 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 leek or small onion
• 2 Tbsp flour or thickener of your choice (I use tapioca flour)
• Enough stock to cover the contents of your pot
• 1 cup beans, fresh or tinned (kidney, lima, etc.)
• 1 cup chopped, cooked meat (optional)
• 4-5 cups chopped vegetables of your choice- whatever you have in season in your garden- kale, carrots, beans, potatoes, etc.
• Salt and pepper
• Mixed culinary herbs- fresh or dried to taste (dill tastes good with fish, rosemary tastes good with everything else, but I like to put in a bit of parsley, sage and thyme as well).
• Milk or cream (optional)

Thrifty garden goodness- pea pod soup

Pea Pod Soup

Ingredients
a colander's worth of empty pea pods (use fresh pods from your garden)
water
1 large onion
1 large or 2 small potatoes
a handful of fresh mint leaves (from your own garden if possible)
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
garnish with chopped green onions and/or cream or yoghurt

Garlic mustard hummus and falafels

Garlic mustard is an incredibly invasive species. I'll call them 'weeds', but they're actually incredibly edible, so maybe we should call them 'free food'... It grows everywhere.

So, here are a couple recipes you can use them in. Blanch the plants in a bit of boiling water if you find them too bitter when used raw.


Garlic Mustard Hummus 
makes about 2 1/2 c.

2 cups washed, chopped garlic mustard leaves
1 cup washed, chopped ramps greens, or 1/2 cup onion
2 cups cooked chick peas
5 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp tahini
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cumin

1. Put everything into your food processor and blend until a nice consistency. Add more olive oil if you like it smoother.


Green Falafels            
makes about 35 falafel patties

1 cup packed, chopped raw garlic mustard greens
10 green ramps leaves, or 1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cans chickpeas, or about 3 cups raw, soaked chickpeas
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp ground coriander
2 Tbsp flour of your choice- choose something with a bit of sticking power like tapioca or corn starch if wheat isn't your thing
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 c. breadcrumbs (gluten free if you like, or more tapioca starch)

1. Heat the oven to 375°.
2. Blend everything in a food processor until a slightly chunky paste forms. You may need to add more olive oil as you want the mixture to be scoopable.
3. Form the mixture into patties, about 2 Tablespoons for each patty. Coat the falafel in the breadcrumbs and place on a baking sheet. Spray the falafels with a light coat of olive oil cooking spray.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, flip over and bake 10 minutes longer. Serve with pitas and fillings.

Cauliflower with cheese and bacon

Cauliflower with Cheese with Bacon

• 1 fresh cauliflower
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch or tapioca starch
• 1.5 cups milk
• 1 onion or leek
• 2-4 oz of bacon (approx. 4-6 strips)
• 2 oz cheese (a good way to approximate is look at your index and middle fingers together- that's about the right size)
• salt and pepper
• horseradish or mustard
• blob of butter