Veggie Garden Time!

Truth be told, I actually have already grown a few veggies since our move to St. Petersburg, Florida last November. A few months ago I decided to grow some kale, lettuce and broccoli in a small bed at the front of our house. The results were mixed, kale being the clear winner. While I am super-excited about a longer growing season(s), it is still very new to me. I am navigating my way through it by trial and error.

I should have plenty of sunshine in my backyard and have already built a raised bed. I began growing my seedlings in our sunroom. Not all sprouted (yet, anyway) but most have.
This round of veggies will include:
-cherry tomatoes
-beefsteak tomatoes
-wax beans (not yet sprouted)
-corn
-zucchini
-watermelon
-peppers

A few of the seedlings should be ready to go outside very soon.

Vegan Un-stuffed Stuffed Cabbage

File this one under "Hotel Cooking Challenges".
My partner and I are currently mid-move to our new home. His contract in Virginia was unexpectedly extended until the end of this month so here we are in a "charming" Extended Stay America for a few more weeks. A friend who recently had a similar experience asked me if I was working with one of those kitchens that belongs in her daughters' doll house...maybe, if it had an oven and a few more pots.

So what vegetarian/vegan delights can I whip up in this 2 range/2 pot kitchen? Last night I attempted Un-stuffed Stuffed Cabbage. A high school friend posted a recipe a few weeks back. I was reminded of how much I love stuffed cabbage and how long it's been since I had it so I decided to tweak it a bit and make it vegan.

Fair warning:
Some of the photos in the weeks to come might not be magazine-ready given the circumstances. I do guarantee that pretty or not, I will not post a photo of anything unless my culinary adventure was a success and the result was YUM!

Vegan Un-Stuffed Stuffed Cabbage

Ingredients:

-1 lb vegan/vegetarian "beef" crumbles

-1 tbs oil

-1 medium/large onion chopped

-1 small cabbage, chopped

-1 clove garlic, minced

-1-2 14.5 can (I used 1 1/2) diced tomatoes

-1 8oz can tomato sauce

-1 cup water

-1 vegetable bullion

-1 tbs Goya Adobo Light (or to taste)

-black pepper to taste

-2-3 cups cooked white (or brown) rice

1. In skillet, heat oil over medium heat and add onions. Sauté until translucent, then add garlic and beef crumbles. Season the beef with Adobo. Brown, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes. 

2. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil (add water or diced tomatoes as needed and to taste). Cover and simmer on low/med low for about 20 minutes, stirring ocassionally. You will know it's done as soon as the cabbage is tender.

Enjoy!

SUPER EASY Tomato "Pizza" Bites

There is really no need for me to give any specific measurements or even ingredients here since you can make these up as you go along. The suggestion to enjoy some just-picked  fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes is enough. The rest is up to you.

Tomato Pizza Bites

Ingredients:

-Fresh picked (if you have the option) organic tomatoes

-Fresh basil leaves

-Shredded mozzarella (or vegan alternative)

-salt, pepper & garlic powder to taste

-1 dollop of pesto spread per tomato bite

1. Wash and slice each tomato widthwise. Don't cut the slices too thin. You want them to be sturdy.

2. Sprinkle garlic powder, salt and pepper on the tomatoes.

3. Place a dollop of pesto on each, followed by a sprinkle of cheese, a whole basil leaf and topped with more cheese.

4. Broil on low for approximately 5 minutes, until cheese begins to brown. 

EAT UP!

These tomato bites make delicious and visually appealing appetizers. They are also great as a sandwich. Just spread some pesto on a bun and enjoy.

Pesto Caprese Sandwich with Balsamic Asparagus

This easy-breezy sandwich is both refreshing and full of flavor. Perfect for summer dinners (or lunch) after a long day of gardening (hopefully growing your own veggies!) and yard work under the sun.

Pesto Caprese Sandwich

Ingredients:

Fresh Mozarella Cheese (or vegan substitute)

Roma Tomatoes

Pesto Spread of your choice (I use Trader Joe's Genova Pesto)

Fresh green or purple Italian Basil leaves (Mine came straight from my garden!)

Rolls (Ciabatta are ideal, but I happened to have some fresh Keiser ones in my kitchen so I used those. Save money, use what you have!)

I won't provide directions on how to put these ingredients together because if you can read my blogposts without assistance, you have the skills necessary to put a sandwich together on your own. 

I believe in you!

Steamed Balsamic Asparagus

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh Asparagus

Olive oil (to taste)

Balsamic Vinegar (to taste)

1 tsp dried Italian Seasoning

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Kosher salt (to taste)

Also super-simple! 

1. Wash and cut Asparagus stalks into two or tree pieces.

2. Steam until tender, but not soggy (about 5 minutes, checking frequently).

3. Drain. Combine and toss all ingredients in a bowl.

4. Let cool and serve at room temperature.

YUM!

PS. Confession: While 1 serving is perfectly satisfying, I ate two sandwiches all on my own. 

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Front Yard Veggie Garden

This weekend I finally got around to planting my summer veggie garden. I usually plant mid-April, but we've had some crazy weather in Northern Virginia this year. There is too much shade in our current backyard for me to succesfully grow any sun-loving plants so I have to do it out front, where space is more limited. I look forward to a much larger vegetable garden and more flexible warmer planting zone in the near future.

This will be a bit of a hectic summer for us so I kept things a bit simpler this time around. I planted 5 varieties of tomatoes; Roma, Pink Brandywine, Better Boy, Mr. Stripey and Lemon Boy. Herb-wise, purple and Thai basil are two things I can't go without.

I also can't go without cucumbers, but in years past they didn't do as well at this location so I opted to put them in containers this year. Aside from herbs I haven't done much container gardening, so it's a bit of an experiment for me. I rigged the containers to allow the vines to climb. I also planted yellow bell pepper in a pot.

Happy gardening!