last pick of the crop

Well, this is it. The last pick from my garden, and yes it is green. One green tomato. Soon to be red, I hope. I'm going to miss my garden fresh tomatoes. I look so forward to them every summer and then get a little tired of them when canning season is in full swing. But now, I'm dreading having to buy store-bought tomatoes this week. They just don't taste the same. They say it's best to eat fruits and veggies in their season, and this is definitely NOT tomato season. Check out the list below for autumn and winter produce that should be at their peak over the next few months.

green with envy

This week I'm shooting green.... an easy color to find this time of year. My garden and yard are filled with every possible shade. It would be easy to just go out my own front door and snap away. But, as usual, I'm trying to stretch myself a little. I found an old glass pop bottle (lower right) and decided it would make a great addition to my project. It has turned out to be one of my favorites. Driving up to the cabin this past week, I spotted a cute little shed (lower left) that caught my fancy. I'm having so much fun with this project. I'll be back with more photos next week as I take up the hunt for orange.  

stuffed with flavor

Summer is almost here. And, along with lots of warm sunshine, there will be plenty of delicious fruits and veggies to be had. Today, I'm passing along a healthy recipe for anyone interested in upping their veggie intake a little. These stuffed peppers are delicious and simple to make. They don't require a lot of ingredients, which is always a good thing. You can make them the way I do, or feel free to add anything you like to make them even more tasty. The basic recipe goes like this:

Brown 1 onion (diced) and 1 pound of lean ground beef or turkey breast in a frying pan. Add about 1/2 cup tomato sauce, 1/2 cup picante sauce (or salsa of your choice) and chili powder to taste. Add 2 cups cooked brown rice. Hollow out 6 bell peppers (any color) and fill with meat and rice mixture. Place in a casserole dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 375 degrees until peppers are tender, but not soggy. Mmmmm.... so simple, so good. 

Note: I have also added black beans and cheese to this recipe which makes them extra yummy. However, the original version tastes great too. Give it a try.

peter piper picked a peck

Okay, they're not pickled peppers...but they sure are pretty. I'm enjoying the gorgeous peppers from my garden this year sooo much. They add color (and flavor) to everything. The red and orange are my favorites. Fajitas anyone?? 

they're here

I have been waiting all summer for them, and they are finally here. Delicious, red, juicy tomatoes, ripening on the vine, have finally made an appearance in my garden. They are the reason I plant a garden each year. They make all of the effort of putting in a garden worth it. My mouth was just watering today as I walked past each plant and searched for the ripe ones. In about a month, I will be canning my little heart out and cooking salsa for hours on end. I will get to the point where I am almost sick of tomatoes .... but right now, I can't get enough of them. 

soups on

In an efffort to keep up with this month's health challenge, and because I have it coming out of my ears, I've been adding squash to everything. It's especially good sautéed and added to roasted red pepper and tomato soup. I topped it with a little fresh parmesan cheese and some garlic croutons. Mmmmm. Can't you just taste it? Makes me excited for Fall.

veggie love

A lot of people claim that during the summer their appetite  is not as big. I wish I was one of those people. Strangely enough, my appetite seems to increase stay the same year round. It doesn't matter if it's hot outside, if I'm busy, if I'm stressed, or if it's a holiday.....the appetite remains. There are probably some good reasons that I should be glad to have a man-sized desire for anything edible, but I can't really think of any right now. Wait...here comes one...if I was lost with a group of friends in the mountains with no food, I might last longer than anyone else because my strength would be up, right? On the other hand, if we had to revert to extreme measures like cannibalism, they would probably eat me first because I would be a nice 'hearty' meal. Scary thought.

Back to reality... I've been trying to pump up the veggies in all of my meals this summer. It really just takes a little planning ahead and a trip to the grocery store to make sure you have options. Today's breakfast consisted of traditional scrambles eggs 'pumped up' with a little spinach, some tomatoes, peppers, onions, mushrooms, and topped off with a little canadian bacon and feta cheese. As you can tell, I loved it. My challenge today is to put a little extra something in your meals this week. Take advantage of all of the fresh garden veggies out there and add some to your 'common' foods. Bon Appetit! 

first harvest

I harvested the first veggies from my garden today. Zucchini and crookneck squash were ready to pick. It's funny how the things you only want a little of in the summer seem to do the very best. I only planted one of each plant and harvested around 10 squash today with more on the way. Such is life.....