Hoooray! Summer is here. Yes, I know it’s not June 21. Yes, I know the Memorial Day holiday doesn’t officially signal the start of summer.

Yes, I know it was 52˚ yesterday here in New York. But over the last two weeks we have been harvesting our organically homegrown vegetables. That’s how I know summer is here.

First, we harvested some beautiful Buttercrunch lettuce. It is absolutely delicious as the main component of our daily garden salad. The leaves have a luscious buttery texture. There is simply no comparison between homegrown lettuce and lettuce bought in a store, even if it is organic. 

The next week or so looks like excellent weather for lettuce. One of the advantages of Buttercrunch is that it’s supposed to tolerate the heat pretty well. I’ll let you know how it is doing next month.

Next, we picked some kale and put it in the chicken soup Barbara had just made. Wow, that really gave the soup a hearty taste. I realize that chicken soup is not really a warm weather meal, but a few of us are still recovering from nasty spring colds.

This Russian Red is our favorite kale. It is tender with a super delicious taste. It does especially well in our summer garden.

Everyone loves it when it’s sautéed with garlic, oil, and a little butter. Yes, butter. It’s the secret ingredient. The kids like this kale so much better than spinach. They’ll eat as much as we will give them. Sorry, guys, you’ll have to wait until some more grows.

We eat a lot of kale so we planted quite a bit. If we keep it well watered, we will harvest it until late fall. I know you don’t see any drip irrigation. I haven’t set it up yet. I’ll get it going this weekend.

Our nursery didn’t have zucchini plants until a couple of weeks ago so they are still pretty small (We grow all our vegetables from seedlings. We tried growing from seeds years ago, but they never seemed to thrive here.)

We’ve had good success with zucchini in the past, so much so that we usually give some to our neighbors. We hope it does as well this year.

Our cucumber plants are thriving and, God willing, we will reap some nice produce. I might even try pickling some this year. We have one 4’ x 4’ box of strawberries. They have grown annually for four years.

Picking them is fun, even though they don’t usually produce a lot of fruit. Michael says they are the best he’s ever had. He’s kind of our family berry expert.

Our garden is a true family endeavor. I prepare the soil in the raised boxes. Barbara selects the seedlings and plants them. I water and cultivate. We both harvest, and the whole family enjoys goodness from the Lord.

It’s not too late to start your summer garden. Read more about how to get started in this post.

If you don’t have a well stocked nursery near you, High Mowing Organic Seeds (affiliate link) ships 100% certified organic seed straight to your door. How easy is that!

They have a wide range of seed starting supplies for organic growers including trays, flats, compostable pots and potting soil.

Do you have a summer garden? What are you growing this year?  Go on, make me jealous!

Delicious Vegetable Recipes 

Autumn Kale Salad with Apples, Pomegranate, Pistachios, and Goat Cheese

Massaged Kale Salad

Healthy Lemony Marinated Zucchini Salad

7 Healthy & Delicious Zoodle Recipes

Bacon Brussels Sprouts

Cucumber Salad

The post Our Summer Garden appeared first on Gluten Free Homestead.

As fall arrives this week, our organic vegetable garden’s summer season is winding down.

We enjoyed homegrown vegetables all summer long (more about our garden here). Picking fresh vegetables from the garden is as fresh as it gets.

If you don’t have a well stocked nursery near you, High Mowing Organic Seeds (affiliate link) ships 100% certified organic seed straight to your door. How easy is that!

They have a wide range of seed starting supplies for organic growers including trays, flats, compostable pots and potting soil.

Here are some pictures from the summer that I incidentally never got around to posting. Please enjoy.

The perennial strawberries grew back from last year; the plants were so voracious that the runners started to take root in the neighboring cucumber bed.

While the fruit was juicy and a bit larger than last year, there were not an abundance of them. So we may replace that bed with something else next year, perhaps some favorite herbs or more kale.

Indeed, we’ve had a positively bumper crop of kale. It’s absolutely sweet and earthy and incredibly nutritious. You can blend kale in smoothies, mix in salads, cook briefly in a skillet with garlic and oil or sauté following my flavorful recipe below.

Meanwhile, the green bell peppers and hot chili peppers are still going, Although this may not last too much longer, I’ve been savoring zesty hot peppers in my salads ever since I read that they help to speed up the metabolism and burn calories.

Alas, we’ve already finished harvesting our zucchini crop and turned that section of the garden over. I meant to plant some fall vegetables like Brussels sprouts, but it is too late now. The bountiful cucumber crop has finished too.

The closing scene is still bordered with strikingly colorful marigolds (whose strong scent repels unwanted pests), there are yummy peppers and lush Red Russian kale.

Garden kale recipe

Here’s a quick recipe for you to try featuring fresh garden kale.

Instructions

*Free printable recipe card is available at the end of the post. 

Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant and softened, being careful not to let it brown.

Just a half cup of my homemade chicken broth adds a delightful flavor to this easy sauté. 

If you don’t have homemade broth on hand, you can also use a good bouillon like this Chicken Bouillon from my friend Glenda or store-bought gluten free broth.

Stir in the broth and kale, toss gently, then cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the lid and continue simmering for another 5 minutes, or until the kale is tender. Season with salt to taste.

Serving suggestions

This simple kale recipe pairs well with grilled chicken, steak, salmon, roast chicken, eggs, or cozy soups. It’s an easy way to add more greens to dinner without making another complicated side dish.

Pro tips and recipe notes

What’s the best type of kale to use for sautéed kale? Curly kale, lacinato kale (also called dinosaur kale), or red kale all work well in this recipe. Garden kale tends to have especially fresh flavor and a more tender texture when picked young.

Do you remove the stems from kale before cooking? Yes. Kale stems can be tough, especially on larger leaves. I like to strip the leaves from the stems, then chop or tear the kale into bite-sized pieces before sautéing.

Can I use store-bought kale instead of garden kale? Absolutely. If you don’t have a garden, store-bought kale works just fine. Just wash it well and remove any thick stems before cooking.

How long does sautéed kale last in the refrigerator? Leftover sautéed kale keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days. It reheats nicely in a skillet for an easy side dish the next day.

Simple recipes like this are one of my favorite ways to enjoy what’s growing in the garden. If you try this sautéed garden kale recipe, tell me in the comments how you served it or what’s still growing in your garden this season. 

P.S. Love how effortless this side dish feels? You can bring that same ease to your main dish. I have a simple way to turn everyday chicken or fish into comforting, flavorful meals even on busy nights. Here’s an easy way to make dinner taste better tonight.

Love kale? Try these recipes

Marinated grilled chicken with sautéed kale and spinach This chicken turns out extra-juicy and ultra-flavorful. Best of all, it’s incredibly quick and easy to make. Serve with  a mixture of sauteed kale & spinach for the win.

Sautéed kale tossed with bacon For a pop of flavor, you’ll add a splash of  balsamic vinegar and crispy bacon bits. Mmm.

Turkey tenderloin stuffed with kale and goat cheese The blend of nutritious kale, creamy goat cheese and turkey go so well together that every bite is a delightful experience.

Print

Gluten Free Sautéed Kale Recipe

Delicious kale recipe prepared with homemade gluten-free chicken broth. Yum.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 130kcal

Author Barbara Bianchi

Ingredients

• 10 ounces kale coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• ½ cup homemade gluten free chicken broth
• salt to taste

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a dutch oven over a medium high heat.
• Add garlic and cook until soft but not brown.
• Add broth and kale. Toss, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
• Then remove cover and simmer, about 5 more minutes. Season with salt as desired.

Notes

What’s the best type of kale to use for sautéed kale? Curly kale, lacinato kale (also called dinosaur kale), or red kale all work well in this recipe. Garden kale tends to have especially fresh flavor and a more tender texture when picked young.

Do you remove the stems from kale before cooking? Yes. Kale stems can be tough, especially on larger leaves. I like to strip the leaves from the stems, then chop or tear the kale into bite-sized pieces before sautéing.

Can I use store-bought kale instead of garden kale? Absolutely. If you don’t have a garden, store-bought kale works just fine. Just wash it well and remove any thick stems before cooking.

How long does sautéed kale last in the refrigerator? Leftover sautéed kale keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days. It reheats nicely in a skillet for an easy side dish the next day.

Nutrition

Calories: 130kcal

The post Sautéed Garden Kale Recipe + Our Fall Harvest Update appeared first on Gluten Free Homestead.

We all need a little salad in our lives. A salad that’s easy to put together, and easy to love. This cucumber salad is just that, and it’s got all the bells and whistles you could ever want: tarragon vinegar, red onion, oil with oregano and dill.

The best part? It’s so simple to make!

And this cucumber salad plays well with all kinds of starters. Try it alongside my Bruschetta Cheese Crisps and Classic Deviled Eggs.

This speedy salad is a favorite of mine from my collection of appetizer and side dishes to complement any meal.

A little about my vegetable garden

This summer, we’re enjoying a bountiful harvest from our organic vegetable garden, and along the way, we’ve learned many valuable lessons from gardening. The zucchinis and cucumbers are taking over their raised garden beds while the kale continues to grow, and the peppers are ripening two or three at a time.

As I look back on many incidences this summer that could have possibly sabotaged our harvest, I am all the more grateful. Our dog ate the first kale crop. It was obvious when she showed up at the back door with dirty paws and a dirty snout.

Stacking some wood around the kale has kept her from trying that again.

Then there were insects to deal with, extreme heat and drought, and this past week our daughter told us that she had seen a rabbit darting out of the garden. It must have been Peter Rabbit’s cousin. Just kidding.

Despite all of this, our garden has survived, and I am finding new ways to be creative with serving these wholesome vegetables.

Zucchini is tasty sliced, brushed with olive oil and grilled in a grilling basket or pan directly on the barbecue. Another way is to sauté it on the stove in garlic and a little olive oil.

It’s also delicious simmered in marinara sauce and sprinkled with parmesan cheese or mixed with bacon and corn as I did in my bacon, corn and zucchini sauté recipe.

You can blend cucumbers in a smoothie, serve them as quick Cucumber Bites With Amazing Toppings, or follow my recipe for a quick, fresh cucumber salad.

Summertime is a terrific time to say, “Pass the veggies, please.” For more delicious ideas, check out my complete collection of vegetables and salads.

Okay. Enough about the garden. You are here for the cucumber salad recipe. Here you go.

Ingredients 

• Cucumbers: Choose cucumbers that are firm, have a vibrant green color, and are free from soft spots or blemishes. Opt for smaller cucumbers for a sweeter taste and fewer seeds.

Dressing

• Tarragon flavored vinegar
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Oregano, pepper, and dill weed

Add-in

• Half of an onion: Today, I have red onions. Sometimes I add cherry tomato halves, as well.

How to make delicious cucumber salad

*Free printable recipe card is available at the end of the post.

First, peel your cucumbers. Then scrape a fork down the length of each cucumber and all around to make a fancy design when sliced into rounds.

To make the dressing, start with tarragon flavored vinegar, which is a white vinegar infused with tarragon. It’s bright and tangy, with a subtle licorice finish.  

Add the vinegar and oil with oregano, pepper, and dill weed in a bowl. Then toss with cucumber rounds and onion slices. Let them marinate in the delicious vinegar and oil dressing until you’re ready to serve. Yum.

Pro tips and recipe notes

• After you peel your cucumbers, scrape a fork down the length of each cucumber and all around to make a fancy design when sliced into rounds.
• Use a mandoline slicer to cut the cucumbers and onions for even slicing. If you prefer, go ahead and chop or dice the onions into smaller pieces. And if you don’t have a red onion, you can go with white onion. 
• I love using tarragon vinegar in this recipe. Regular white vinegar works, too.
• Variations: Some cooks add sugar to cucumber salad. If you like it sweet, add up to a teaspoon of sugar or a packet of Stevia. Would you like toasted sesame seeds, cherry tomato halves, or feta cheese? Go ahead, make it your own.
• You can store your cucumber salad in the fridge in a jar or air-tight container for up to 3 days. Any longer than that and the cucumbers will lose their crispness.

I love fresh vegetables straight from the garden. Don’t you? This is an easy side for a backyard barbecue or to bring to a potluck.

Enjoy your summer.

P.S. Cucumber salad is naturally low carb, too! And if you’d like to see more low carb options, I’ve got a bunch of delicious low carb recipes that’ll keep you satisfied while keeping your carb intake in check.

More vegetable recipes

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara (No Egg) – With only six ingredients, carbonara is a creamy, decadent sauce that’s super easy to make. Pair with spaghetti squash for a delicious vegetable dish.

Sunchokes Are the Healthy Vegetable You’re Probably Not Eating – Sunchokes are slightly sweeter than potatoes, a little nutty, and rather crispy.

Baby Bok Choy With Sweet and Tangy Sauce – This is one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can eat. Paired with my sweet and tangy sauce, it is absolutely delicious.

Print

Cucumber Salad Recipe

This is a most delicious cucumber salad. Enjoy!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Calories 49kcal

Author Barbara Bianchi

Ingredients

• 2 cucumbers
• 3 tablespoons tarragon flavored vinegar
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/2 onion cut in small slices
• salt to taste

Instructions

• Peel your cucumbers. Scrape a fork down the length of each cucumber and all around to make a fancy design when sliced.
  2 cucumbers
• Combine the next 6 ingredients in a bowl and toss with the cucumber slices.
  3 tablespoons tarragon flavored vinegar, 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dill weed, 1/2 onion, salt to taste

Notes

• After you peel your cucumbers, scrape a fork down the length of each cucumber and all around to make a fancy design when sliced into rounds.
• Use a mandoline slicer to cut the cucumbers and onions for even slicing. If you prefer, go ahead and chop or dice the onions into smaller pieces. And if you don't have a red onion, you can go with white onion. 
• I love using tarragon vinegar in this recipe. Regular white vinegar works, too.
• Variations: Some cooks add sugar to cucumber salad. If you like it sweet, add up to a teaspoon of sugar or a packet of Stevia. Would you like toasted sesame seeds, cherry tomato halves, feta cheese? Go ahead, make it your own.
• You can store your cucumber salad in the fridge in a jar or air-tight container for up to 3 days. Any longer than that and the cucumbers will lose their crispness.

Nutrition

Calories: 49kcal | Carbohydrates: 2.9g

“Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.” Psalm 85:12

The post Cucumber Salad Recipe appeared first on Gluten Free Homestead.

Urban homesteading

This 2009 award winning video (below) revived our interest in having a vegetable garden. The video was on urban homesteading. This family had taken their 1/8 acre in the middle of a major city and turned it into a small farm. They were 100% self sufficient in vegetables and produced an abundant crop to sell to local restaurants. The video was not simply on gardening. It conveyed another message. Growing your own food was empowering and liberating.

Raised beds

We decided to try organic gardening because organic produce are packed with natural enzymes and nutrients that help our bodies to heal from years of damage due to non-celiac gluten sensitivity. We started with two, 4’ x 8’ x 12”, raised boxes. To learn how to make a raised bed, click here. We used 2 x 6′s and stacked them. I suggest you use cedar wood as we had to replace our boxes last year due to termites.

Our local nursery gave us suggestions for 100% organic soil and fertilizer. click here. After a weekend of carefully deciding the right placement of the boxes (full sun), and then building them, we were ready to go.

Grow what you like

We chose to grow vegetables that we enjoy:  tomatoes, beans, zucchini, bell peppers and cucumbers. Our nursery was well stocked with organic seedlings so we planted and waited with great enthusiasm. Below is a picture of one of those first raised beds.

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin”
Zechariah 4:10

If you don’t have a well stocked nursery near you, High Mowing Organic Seeds (affiliate link) ships 100% certified organic seed straight to your door. How easy is that!

They have a wide range of seed starting supplies for organic growers including trays, flats, compostable pots and potting soil.

Never ending lessons

Lesson 1) There is no substitute for hands on experience. There turned out to be a lot of questions that had to be answered before those little plants went into the garden bed. How many plants would be sufficient for the space we had and the outcome we wanted, how often would watering be necessary, how would pests be dealt with? All our research gave theoretical guidelines, but until we did it ourselves we just didn’t know exactly what would happen.

Lesson 2) Have a good plan. That first year, the cucumbers were doing ok. We installed a net from the box, to the top of our fence (6’). The fence was about 18” away from the box. They were growing vertically away from the zucchini with no problem. That was planned well. In the other box, after a month the tomatoes had taken off. They were about 3 feet high and lush. This was great. However, they were beginning to block the sunlight from reaching the beans. Tomato vines can reach 6’ high. Eventually the beans would have no light.

Our beans did ok, but not great. We should have realized this from the start. With two large boxes we were constrained for space. No matter where the tomatoes went they would have blocked some other plant. A little more planning beforehand would have shown us that we could have built a smaller box in another area just for tomatoes. We did this the following year.

Lesson 3) Use your space wisely. The net technique for cucumbers and beans is a fabulous idea. Even on our 1/4 acre there is not a lot of space; vertical growing is an efficient means for increasing yield or growing vegetables you wouldn’t consider.

We’ve seen tomatoes grown in compound buckets, strawberries in pots and while watching a Discovery Channel program, we learned how tomatoes are grown indoors in Mexico. They supported the plants by dropping a wire down from the ceiling of the greenhouse. It was a brilliant idea. We did this outside with some old wire attached to our fence. It worked wonderfully.

Lesson 4) We cannot control every outcome. That initial year, the tomatoes started out great. It looked as though we would have a bumper crop. However at about 4’ high the plants began to look a little odd. Their leaves were turning yellow. We tried to save them, but it was futile. Within a month our entire tomato crop was destroyed. They had contracted tomato blight. It destroyed over 60% of the East’s tomatoes, including ours. It was a helpless feeling watching our food wither and die day by day. Concerning tomatoes, our labor was in vain.

We did gain a new respect for farmers though. They sow, but they are never 100% sure they will reap. They may be able to control nature in some aspect (irrigation and fertilizers) but they can’t control the weather. At any time tornados, floods, droughts etc. can destroy their crop. Like them we are not in control of the growing and sustaining process. We couldn’t control the late frost or constant rain, which probably weakened the tomatoes. We sowed faithfully in good soil, but God was in control of the rest. We would have to wait another year for tomatoes.

Lesson 5) Be optimistic and persevere; there will be another harvest. 
Overall, except for the tomatoes, our crop was a moderate success. We had an abundance of zucchini and peppers, enough for the whole summer. The cucumber yield was about one every week, but the beans were sparse. That wasn’t so bad. No tomatoes, but our attempt was not a total failure.

We would try again the next year. Maybe the harvest would be better. We had tried something we had not tried before. We weren’t farmers and didn’t come from farming families. We did see produce though, and that was encouraging. We had started to take back the land. It was a small beginning, but a better harvest lay ahead.

Lesson 6) Be patient; good soil and good seed will produce a good harvest. 
The next year, we added the separate 4’ x 6’ box for the tomatoes. In our other two boxes we again went with organic seedlings. We chose lettuce, brussels sprouts, beans, bell peppers, zucchini and cucumbers. The weather was perfect. We used a drip irrigation hose to water when it was needed. There were no pests and no diseases. We were totally self sufficient in vegetables for the whole summer and early fall.

A harvest cannot be rushed, it cannot be predicted, it cannot be manipulated. A gardener must submit to the elements and to the One who is in total control. Grumbling and complaining will not make the crop grow any faster or better. After we have done our planting, we pray and give thanks.

Four of our new cedar raised garden boxes

Lesson 7) Be a blessing to others. Our garden produced so much food that we gave basketfuls away to our neighbors. The Lord blessed our efforts, but he also used us to be a blessing to others. Since fresh organic produce is rather costly, our neighbors were so appreciative to receive organic food. However, it meant more than that. It gave us an opportunity to build relationships and to provide each other support when needed. It has given us a sense of community.

Lesson 8) Enjoy your produce. 
The following year our yield was also a success and we continued to reap the health benefits and convenience of having our produce grow in our backyard. It was not as good as the second year’s, however, due to a very damp spring and fungus problem. Then we had a problem with bean beetles early on, but we dealt with them.

Overall we continued to be 100% vegetable sufficient. The cucumbers were great. As usual, the zucchini was too much to handle so we were always giving it away. The beans and peppers grew strong. While we didn’t have many tomatoes, we still ate and enjoyed 1-2 a day. We tried broccoli. It was a little sparse, but delicious. And we added strawberries, too. Sweet.

…Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives the rain in its season, the autumn rain and the spring rain, and keeps for us the weeks appointed for the harvest. Jeremiah 5:24

Tip: Plant marigolds in the vegetable garden. The strong scent from marigolds tends to repel pests, including beetles and nematodes.

To see how to protect your seedlings from frost or get an early start to planting click here.

For ideas on vertical gardening for the urban gardener click here.

What are some of the biggest lessons that you have learned from your gardening experience? How is your garden growing this year? Share your tips in the comment section.

Read this next

Our Summer Garden – Here’s an update on how our garden is going.

Cucumber Salad And An Update On Our Summer Garden -A look back on many incidences this summer that could have possibly sabotaged our harvest: the dog ate our first kale crop, insects, extreme heat and drought, and even a rabbit. I’ve included a few of my favorite veggie recipes in this post.

See What’s Growing In Our Garden (Kale Recipe) – As fall arrives, our organic vegetable garden’s summer season is winding down. Come and see all the beautiful pictures.

The post 8 Life Lessons From Gardening appeared first on Gluten Free Homestead.