Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Mint & Balsamic Maple Reduction

This is a refreshing salad where the cucumbers provide crunch, the watermelon is sweet, and the savory reduction brings the two together.

Salad

4 cups of watermelon, cubed & seeded

1 small cipolini onion, diced (you can use red, vidalia or another sweet onion)

1 large organic cucumber*, sliced very thin

Pinch of sea salt

(*Preferrably unwaxed.  Organic cucumbers are sometimes waxed, too, and the word on the street is that organic wax is ok to eat.  Conventional cucumbers, please peel).

Put the cucumbers in the bowl and toss with the sea salt.  Let them sit while you make the dressing.

 

Dressing

3/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar**

2 TBS Maple Syrup (Grade A)

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 cup of chopped fresh mint leaves (chiffonade)

1 heaping TBS of chopped fresh basil (chiffonade)

Place all dressing ingredients, except the mint into a saucepan, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer for 3-5 minutes.  The longer you simmer, the more syrupy the reduction gets.  For a really thick reduction, boil to half. However, the reduction doesn't need to be super thick in this recipe, and 3 minutes will allow you some reserved marinade.

Take the pan off the heat and add the mint and basil.  Let cool for 5 min. then pour half of the marinade over the cucumbers.  Store the rest for later use, or use if needed when tossing in the watermelon.

Just before serving, add the chopped, seeded watermelon into the large bowl with the cucumbers.  Toss gently and serve.

Please note:  ** if you have nut allergies, some balsamic vinegars are aged in chestnut barrels.  Research products to find a vinegar that is aged in a non-nut barrel, like oak, ash, cherry or mulberry, whichever works best for you.

Green manure for garden & soul.

 

You may have noticed that there weren't any shots of the garden or its bounty this year.  After last year's constant rain & mold; three replantings -- thanks to deer that have no boundaries (yes, the garden was double fenced - one 9 foot, 1 electric), I decided to give the garden, and me a break. 

Like us, the soil has an immune system.  Sometimes it needs to rest.  Not to work so hard.  To let go. 

Now, my garden is behaving in interesting ways - just by doing nothing.  But it is not replenishing properly.  I left my tougher herbs to fight it out in the hot summer sun.  Others, I put into pots.  However, as seasoned farmers and gardeners will tell you, just letting the soil "be" might be interesting, but that doesn't mean that your precious soil is replenishing.  To help that process, I plan to plant some green manure, like clover, mustard, and marigolds; let them over-winter, then mow them under.

This fall is a great time to take control of that garden recovery period so that next summer your soil is ready to be productive.  Green manure is one fantastic, organic means of planned replenishment.  The practice involves planting specific plants that interact with the soil to boost its nutrients, bio-diversity, and healthy organisms.  From what I understand, there are "legume" and "non-legume" versions of green manure.  Some plants work better in the spring, and others in the fall. 

Here are a few examples.

Buckwheat

Mustard

Crimson,White Dutch, or yellow clover

Phacelia

Marigolds

Winter Tarres

Field Peas

Sorghum-Sudangrass

IMPORTANT GLUTEN-FREE NOTE:  Rye grass and other gluten based grains are also recommended as green manure.  If you need a gluten-free diet, its best to choose a non-gluten option like those above.

Using Green Manure (or cover cropping) is all new to me.  So here are links from folks who know a great deal about this:

Organic Gardening Magazine:  Cover Crops for Fall

Permaculture Pathways: Green Manure Cropping

Buy Seeds through Groworganic.com

On a human note, fall is also a great time to "remember" & schedule regular downtime throughout the busy-ness of school, work, family, and what-not.  Sow your own "green manure" to keep yourself renewed throughout the cold, immune busting months.  Eat seasonal, nutritious food, and do what replenishes you so you have a bounty to give back to those around you.

Fellow gardeners, let the foodie community know what you are doing to keep your soil healthy this fall!  In the meantime, here is the state of my wild, crazy, beautiful though unkempt lady.

Crazy, Wild Garden

Lambs Ear, just one, appeared out of nowhere.

This little blue flower seems like a Phacelia, but is it?English Thyme was the only plant that I kept a reverent soil circle around it.The chives, mint, and oregano became out of control. Beautiful.Chocolate Daisy peeking up through the chives.The entire garden, an unkempt, spent lady.

A beautiful polinator. The chives were covered in them.

Interview with Sue Chef & Smart Living Network

Sue Chef works with the Smart Living Network. We chatted on the patio of the Green Well Gastro Pub.

When it comes to interviews, I'm much more comfortable behind the pen, than being asked the questions.  So I turned the camera onto my interviewer, Sue Chef of Smart Living Network (above). Sue is an accomplished chef and a celebrity in her own right.  She began as a personal chef, opened the first recreational cooking school in the Mid-West, has her own line of spices, wrote a cookbook and had a popular TV Show on PBS called "Get Fresh with Sue Chef".  She's written articles for notable publications and now works with, and writes for a natonal foodie/health blog called The Smart Living Network. 

It was an absolute pleasure speaking with Sue on the patio of The Green Well Gastro Pub.  We shared our love for food, health, organic farms and business.  But of course the interview centered around eating deliciously and safely when you have food allergies. I love it when people show a compassionate and big picture interest in this growing issue.

Read the entire interview here.

Recipe: Peach Salsa

Recipe by Brooke Kaufman

Copyright, Brooke Kaufman (used with permission)

I made this recipe that nutritionist, Brooke Kaufman sent to me, and just loved and devoured it. At first, I left out the tomatoes & pepper for a nightshade free salsa, and it was just as good.  If you can have night shades, try it both ways.  I didn't miss the tomato, but loved the spiciness of the pepper.  The lime juice brings the flavors together so test after one lime then add more to taste.  I scooped out this delish dish with Lundberg's Sea Salt Rice Chips.  A yummy treat to bring to game night!

Ingredients

2 large ripe avocados, chopped
2 large organic yellow or white peaches, peeled and chopped
1 green jalapeno pepper, minced (remove the seeds and ribs if you want a more mild salsa)
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 a medium red onion, diced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1-2 limes, juiced
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

 
1.    Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
2.    Season to taste with lime juice, salt and pepper.
3.    Chill and serve.

 

Recipe: Peach Crumble (gluten-free, dairy-free)

Recipe from Brooke Kaufman at Balance Within Nutrition.

Ingredients

6 large yellow peaches, sliced

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon gluten-free vanilla extract

3 Tablespoons arrowroot powder

1 ½ cups  gluten-free almond flour or coconut flour

½ teaspoon  sea salt

¼ cup coconut oil, melted

¼ cup honey or organic brown sugar

 

Directions

    1.    Place peach slices in a large bowl, sprinkle with lemon juice, vanilla, and arrowroot; toss to incorporate all ingredients, and place mixture in a 3 quart baking dish.

    2.    In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, salt, coconut oil and honey or brown sugar for topping mixture.

    3.    Crumble the topping over top of peach mixture.

    4.    Bake covered at 350° for 45 minutes, until peach juice is bubbling.

    5.    Remove cover and bake a few more minutes if topping is not yet browned.

    6.    Serve as is, or with a dollop of your favorite dairy-free ice cream, or coconut cream. Enjoy!