Most of us have vegetable gardens for the simple fact that we can grow our own food. Depending on what you are growing in your garden, you can make all sorts of food: from appetizers and salads to main courses and even deserts.
Simple garden fresh recipes
Berries
If you happen to be growing things like berries, these are great for all sorts of things. Raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and blueberries simply burst with sun kissed, juicy flavor. These berries are more than simply a great perk of the season, they also happen to be packed with vitamins and they are rich in both antioxidants and fiber that can help you in the fight against quite a few chronic diseases.
They are versatile in the kitchen too. You can sprinkle some of your favorites on cereal or yogurt or just add them to your homemade ice cream recipes. You might decide to mix them into the pancake batter or make some muffins with them. You can make smoothies with them on those super – hot days or add them to some salsa for a sweet kick. They are also great in salads!
Green Beans
If you happen to be growing green beans there are many things that can be made with them too, even though they are not as versatile as the berries. Think about making a balsamic bean salad with them. Just throw in some of your tomatoes and an onion from your garden along with some feta cheese, pepper, ground mustard, garlic powder, salt, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil and this could be a starter or an entrée.
Don’t forget green bean casserole. That’s usually a hit regardless of the season. You could go with green bean vinaigrette or have some garlic green beans with pine nuts. As with the berries, even though they lack a bit of the versatility, there are still plenty of dishes that can be made with green beans.
Tomatoes
In many households, tomatoes are a staple and there is nothing better than a fresh from the garden tomato. Use tomatoes in sauces, salads, entrees, sandwiches and more. Create your own recipes using tomatoes.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are another garden staple. Use these fresh in salads or on sandwiches or use them to make your own pickles. You can even use these as a facial treatment! There are so many things that you can do with cucumbers.
Peppers
Although not everyone can take the heat, there are all kinds of peppers. Peppers are also great in salads as well as in salsa, use them as entrees (think stuffed peppers) and even as an appetizer. They are also great when paired with tomatoes and other garden fresh veggies on a kebab.
This holds true with nearly everything in your garden. You can put some of your harvest up for future use by canning or freezing the veggies. There are so many different foods, snacks, meals, etc. that can be made with fresh foods from your garden.
What are your favorite garden fresh recipes?
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