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Going Totally Organic Part 2: How Will My Garden Grow?

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image by galant

Remember all the great things about being able to grow your own food? If not, head on over to Part One of my Guide to Growing Your Own Food posts. In this next installment, I’ll share with you guys some tips about choosing where and how to garden in an urban setting and as well as some how to’s when growing vegetables in either cold or tropic climates.

Cold Climate Gardening

If you live in cold climate, invest in a glass house to protect your plants from the frost. You can also use dark mulch to keep the soil warmer during winter. Hedges, stone walls and trellises are also great ways to shield your garden from cold wind. Here are some frost resistant veggies you can plant:

  • French beans
  • Beetroot
  • Broccoli
  • Brussells
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Peas
  • Spring Onions
  • Silverbeet
  • White Turnip
  • Brussells
  • Carrot

Tropical Climate Gardening

The best thing to do when gardening in a warmer climate, is to plant vegetables that like the rise in temperature. Plants that are common in the US won’t thrive when planted in a tropical setting. Here is a list of some vegetables you can switch to when faced with moving to a warmer climate.

  • Asian Greens
  • Bell Peppers
  • Cassava (starchy tubers)
  • Ceylon Spinach
  • Cucumbers
  • Eggplant (aubergine)
  • Okra
  • Pumpkins
  • Radish
  • Squash
  • Sweet Corn
  • Tomatoes
  • Water Chestnuts
  • Zucchini

You don’t really need that much space to have your own garden. For those who live in apartments, you don’t even need a patch of land. Vegetables are quite resilient and can grow comfortably in containers. As long as your plants can get enough sunlight, water and soil, then they are good to go.

1. Find a spot that gets 6-8 hours of sunlight a day.

2. Shallow-rooted vegetables need only about 8 inches of soil while deep-rooted ones need around 12 inches. Grab some terra cotta pots, wooden boxes or even window boxes are great for these.

3. Make sure containers have a drain and can support the plant as it grows. Use well-draining potting mix with a little fertilizer.

4. Do not choose translucent/transparent containers as the sun can easily dry out roots.

 

Color Coding Your Diet

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Did you know that the color of the food you eat can tell you just what it contains? Barring foods that have food coloring, the hue of a particular fruit or vegetable can give you insight to how it’s going to benefit your body.

Red – Food that has the ruby coloring owes its appearance to either lycopene or anthocyanins. The former is found in tomatoes, watermelons and papayas. This phytochemical is being studied for its anti-cancer potential which works best against lung, prostate and stomach cancer. For other red fruits like strawberries and cherries, anthocyanins are responsible for their red color. Anthocyanin is a great antioxidant.

Yellow/Orange – Food with a yellow or orange color are most likely full of carotenoids. These natural pigments can help improve the immune system as well as lower the risk for heart-related ailments. Citrus fruits (oranges and lemons) are great sources of Vitamin C while Beta-carotene rich foods like sweet potatoes and pumpkins are filled with Vitamin A.

Green – When your mother told you to eat your greens, she was doing so because of their many benefits. Green leafy vegetables contain lutein, a chemical which works with xeanthanin (found in eggs, corn, peppers, etc) to keep your eyes healthy, and folate, a B vitamin that can prevent birth defects when eaten by pregnant women. Indoles in cruciferous vegetables are also great in preventing certain types of cancer.

Blue/Purple – Fruits that are colored blue or purple also contain large amounts of anthocyanins. These pigments were found to have great potential in battling against cancer, diabetes, bacterial infections and inflammation. They may also possess analgesic and neuroprotective properties.

Summer Vegetable Strata

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Breakfast recipes can sometimes become a bland mix of eggs, potatoes and breakfast meats that end up slowing you down more than energizing you for day. This delicious breakfast bake however, is filled with fresh seasonal vegetables for the tasty nutrients you need for the day and Italian bread to fill you until lunch. You even cut the calories in this recipe by using egg substitutes.

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Lamb Chops with Honey and Orange Root Vegetables

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Lamb is such a popular and succulent Meat, especially during Spring. Juicy chops are great with a flavoursome gravy – especially a Mint Gravy, with these sweet roasted vegetables.

Lamb Chops

To Serve 4
1 Small Butternut Squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into small cubes
4 Medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cubed
2tbsp Sunflower Oil
2tbsp Clear Honey
Juice of 1 Small Orange
8 Small Lamb Chops
3tbsp Gravy Granules
2tsp Mint Sauce
Green Beans, to serve

1. Heat an oven to 220C. toss the Butternut Squash and Sweet Potatoes into the Oil until evenly coated. Spread out evenly in a roasting tin, and cook for fifteen minutes.
2. Gently stir the Orange Juice and Honey together, spread over the Vegetables and return to the oven for ten more minutes.
3. Grill the Lamb Chops for six to eight minutes on each side.
4. Add three hundred millilitres of boiling water to the Gravy Granules, before stirring in the Mint Sauce and some of the Juices from the Meat and from the Pan of Vegetables.
5. Serve the Chops fresh from the Grill, with the Vegetables, Green Beans and Mint Gravy.

Photo Courtesy of: gurdonark

Crusty Mediterranean Parcels

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Light, fresh, and full of flavour – this vegetarian dish is great. It’s easy enough to add some meat too – simply brown some Meat off (say cubed Pork), then add it in before placing in the oven for twenty five minutes.

Crusty Mediterranean Parcels

To Serve 8
700g Mixed Vegetables, like Carrots, Leeks, Courgettes, Red Peppers, Aubergines and Sweet Potatoes, cut into 2.5cm Chunks
2tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
225g Onions, peeled and roughly chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and crushed
400g Can Chopped Tomatoes
1tbsp Tomato Paste
125g Gruyere Cheese, grated
200g Mascarpone Cheese
50ml Single Cream
2tbsp Finely Chopped Fresh Chives
50g Toasted Pine Nuts, toasted
450g Puff Pastry
1 Egg

1. Roast the Vegetables by placing them in a small Roasting Tin, then place a tablespoon of Olive Oil and Season well. Cook at 200C for forty or forty five minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally, remove from the oven and leave to cool.
2. Heat the rest of the Olive Oil in a frying pan, add the Onions and Garlic, then fry for five minutes, or until lightly coloured. Add the Tomatoes and Tomato Paste, then simmer for around fifteen to twenty minutes uncovered, until thick and pulpy. Set aside.
3. Mix half of the Gruyere with the Mascarpone, single Cream and Chives. Mix the Vegetables with the Tomato Sauce, half the Pine Nuts and Season to taste.
4. Roll out the Pastry to a two thin rectangles, measuring about thirty centimetres by thirty five centimetres. Beat the Egg with a pinch of Salt. Place half of the Vegetables down the centre of each rectangle, covering an area about ten centimetres wide. Brush the sides with the Egg mixture.
5. Fold the Pastry in to make a seam, and seal well. Top with the remaining Egg glaze, and top with Salt, Pepper and the remaining Gruyere Cheese and Pine Nuts.
6. Place on a baking tray, cook at 220C for twenty five minutes until golden brown.
7. Remove from the pan, and serve in slices.

Photo Courtesy of: goyumcha

Chicken and Almond Rissoles, with Stir-Fried Vegetables

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Cooked Potato and Chicken are a great combination in this dish – rolled in chopped Almonds, and served with stir-fried Vegetables makes a great dish, it’s very easy and quick to make, and can easily be spiced up to suit more peoples tastes!

Chopped Chicken

To Serve 1
125g Boiled Potatoes
90g Carrots
125g Cooked Chicken Meat
1 Garlic Clove, crushed
1/2tsp Dried Tarragon or Thyme
Large Pinch Ground Allspice or Coriander
1 Egg Yolk, beaten
30g Flaked Almonds
Salt and Pepper
1 Celery Stick
2 Spring Onions, trimmed
1tbsp Oil
8 Baby Sweetcorn Cobs
10 Mange touts, trimmed
2tsp Balsamic Vinegar

1. Grate the Boiled Potatoes and Raw Carrots into a bowl, and finely chop the Chicken, before adding into the bowl. Add the Garlic, Tarragon, Allspice and plenty of Salt and Pepper.
2. Add the Egg Yolk, and blend the ingredients together very well. Divide the mixture into two separate balls, and shape into two Sausages.
3. Chop and crush the Almonds finely, and then roll each sausage (or Rissole) in them until evenly coated. Place in a greased, ovenproof dish, and cook at 200c for about twenty minutes, until lightly browned. Alternatively, fry them in a small amount of oil until brown all over and cooked through.
4. Whilst the Rissoles are cooking, prepare the Vegetables for the Stir-Fry. Cut the Spring Onions and Celery into narrow slices, and heat up the tablespoon of Oil in a pan, and cook over a high heat for one or two minutes, before adding the Sweetcorn Cobs, and Peas. Add Vinegar, then season to taste.

Photo Courtesy of: thomaswanhoff

Thai Chicken Noodle Salad

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Slightly spicy, slightly sweet, very tasty. Full of flavour and with a range of textures, this dish is a great filler, and very simple to make. It’s also very healthy, and also a great way to increase the amount of vegetables you eat each day.

Thai Chicken Noodles

The longer you leave the marinade, the stronger the taste – the recommended amount of time is leaving it overnight, and keeping it in the fridge will help absorb as many flavours as possible.

To Serve 6
450g Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into thick strips
1tsp Caster Sugar
1/2tsp Salt
1/2tsp Pepper
1/2tsp Ground Ginger
1/2tsp English Mustard Powder
1/2tsp Ground Turmeric
1/2tsp Medium Curry Powder
4tbsp Olive Oil
350g Courgettes, sliced
150g Mangetout, trimmed
1 Red Pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
1 Yellow Pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
3tbsp Clear Honey
4tbsp Lemon Juice
2.5cm Ginger, peeled and grated
250g Egg Noodles
50g Salted Cashew Nuts

1. Mix the Chicken with the Sugar, Salt, Pepper, Ground Ginger, English Mustard Powder, Ground Turmeric and Medium Curry Powder in a flat tray, making sure that the Chicken is completely coated in the spices. Cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Heat two tablespoons of the Oil in a frying pan. Sauté the Courgettes off for two or three minutes, and then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon. Add the Mangetout and Pepper to the pan, and fry off for two to three minutes. Add to the bowl with the Courgettes.
3. Heat the rest of the Oil, and cook the Chicken in batches until all cooked through and golden brown. Return all of the Chicken to the pan, and mix in with the Honey, Lemon Juice and Grated Ginger. Cover, and simmer for five minutes, or until the Chicken is tender.
4. Cook the Noodles according the instructions on the packaging, before cutting into smaller pieces. Mix with the Chicken and Vegetables, then season with Salt and Pepper to taste, before sprinkling with Cashew Nuts and serve.

Photo Courtesy of: stevendepolo

Stuffed Thai Omelette

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A great filling meal, and very easy to prepare and cook. You can easily change the flavours by simply changing the Minced Pork for Minced Beef, or for a Vegetarian Alternative, simply add in some Beansprouts for a bit of texture.
Omelette
This Omelette isn’t the spiciest in the world, however, to add a bit of extra eat to it, add a small Chilli, finely chopped up at the same time as adding in the rest of the vegetables.

To Serve 2
3 Eggs
Salt and Pepper
3tbsp Vegetable Oil
125g Minced Pork
1 Large Garlic Clove
2.5cm Ginger, peeled and grated
1 Carrot, peeled and grated
1 Small Leek, trimmed and shredded
1 Tomato, skinned and finely chopped
1tsp Soft Brown Sugar
1tbsp Nam Pla (Thai Fish Sauce) – Optional
2-3tsp Soy Sauce
1-3tsp Rice or Cider Vinegar

1. Beat the Eggs together in a bowl, with a bit of Salt and Pepper.
2. Heat a tablespoon of the Oil in a large Work or Frying Pan, and cook off the Minced Meat , along with the Garlic and Ginger. Cook through.
3. Add the Carrot and Leek, then stir-fry for a minute, before adding in the Tomato, Sugar, Fish Sauce (if you’re using it), Soy Sauce and the Vinegar, and then season well with Pepper, and keep over the heat for a further two to three minutes. Transfer to a dish, and keep warm.
4. Wipe out the pan with a piece of Kitchen Paper, then put over a medium heat and pour in the remaining Oil, making sure the entire pan is evenly coated, and then pour in the Beaten Eggs.
5. Just before the Omelette is setting in the middle, carefully spoon the filling into the Centre, and fold the four sides over to make an envelope. Place a plate over the top, and turn out and serve.

These go great at a big meal, along with these Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls, or the Dim Sum. A great idea is to serve lots of these small dishes as an Asian Tapas meal

Photo Courtesy of: Avlxyz

Beef Ragout

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Based on a traditional North African dish, this Cous Cous based dish is full of vegetables, and is really simple to make. It’s also quite a fast dish to make, and doesn’t take much looking after.

Beef Ragout

It’s a great dish to have as a dinner when you’re in a rush, as you can easily prepare a lot of the vegetables in advance, or replace a lot of them with other seasonal vegetables – also you can replace with various roasted vegetables, and replace the Cous Cous with a range of sides – Gnocchi, Pasta, or Potaotoes are all great favourites

To Serve 4
1tbsp Oil
450g Beef, Minced or Diced
1 Garlic Clove, Crushed
1 Onion, Quartered
25g Plain Flour
150ml Dry White Wine
150ml Hot Beef Stock
2 Baby Turnips, Peeled and Diced
115g Swede, Peeled and Diced
2 Carrots, Peeled and Diced
2 Courgettes, Peeled and Diced
1tbsp Fresh Coriander, Chopped
1tsp Ground Coriander
225g Cous Cous
Salt and Pepper

1. Heat the Oil in a large Pan, and add the Beef. Fry for five minutes, before draining off three quarter of any juices in the pan.
2. Add the Garlic and Onion to the pan, and cook for a further three minutes.
3. Stir in the flour, and cook for another minute until thickened considerably. Add the Wine and Stock to the pan, and season to taste. Bring to the boil, and keep stirring.
4. Into the pan, add the Vegetables, along with the Fresh and Ground Coriander. Lower the heat, and cook for fifteen minutes with the lid on.
5. Whilst the Saucepan is simmering, place the Cous Cous in a large bowl, and cover with boiling water. Leave to stand for ten minutes, and then drain and place into a lined steamer or colander. Place the steamer (or colander) above the Saucepan. Steam for thirty more minutes, garnish with Coriander and serve.

Photo Courtesy of: Avlxyz

Mediterranean Fish Crumble

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A crunchy Crumble topping makes a big difference to a fish pie. The fish can be replaced with others that are more to your liking, but a nice, popular fish is the White Fish that is used here – I’ve had this in the past with Haddock, Salmon or Prawns, and it’s quite nice with a variety of different fish in the same meal.

Mediterranean Fish Crumble

To serve 4
1tbsp Rapeseed Oil
1 Onion, Finely Chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, Crushed
1 Medium Courgette, Diced
1tbsp Tomato Puree
400g Tin Chopped Tomatoes
75g Pitted Black Olives, Roughly Chopped (optional)
1tbsp Capers
200ml Fish Stock
75g Fresh Brown Breadcrumbs
50g Mature Cheddar Cheese, Grated
15g Pine Nuts
25g Butter, Melted
400g White Fish Fillets
Small Handful Fresh Basil, Roughly Chopped

1.       Heat the Oil in a large Saucepan, and add the Onion and Garlic and cook over a medium-low heat for ten minutes. Stir in the Courgette, Tomato Puree, Tomatoes, Olives, Capers and Fish Stock, and bring to the boil, before lowering the heat and simmering for ten minutes until the liquid reduces and the sauce thickens a bit.

2.       Heat the oven to 200C, and make a crumble topping by mixing the Breadcrumbs, Cheese, Pine Nuts and Butter together, before seasoning and setting aside.

3.       Add the Fish and Basil to the sauce and cook for a few minutes until the Fish begins to flake.

4.       Stir gently using a spoon to break the Fish up a bit more, and then pour the mixture into an ovenproof dish, before evenly covering with the crunch topping, and then bake for twenty to twenty five minutes, until piping hot through, and the crumble is golden brown

Photo Courtesy of: Anonymous to You

Lamb Shanks with Cannellini Beans

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Soft, melt in your mouth Lamb, with a mouth-watering array of flavours and textures. Sure fire comfort food, this dish is great either on its own, or with creamy mashed potatoes.
Lamb Shank

To Serve 4
250g Cannellini Beans (soaked overnight in water)
2tbsp Sunflower Oil
1 Large Onion, thinly sliced
4 Carrots, chopped
2 Celery Sticks, thinly sliced
1 Clove of Garlic, chopped
4 Large Lamb Shanks
400g Canned Chopped Tomatoes
300ml Red Wine
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 Orange
2 Bay Leaves
3 Rosemary Sprigs
225ml Water
Salt and Pepper

1.       Heat the oven to 160 C. Drain the soaked Beans and rinse under cold running water, before putting into a large pan of cold water and bring to the boil, then boil rapidly for ten minutes, whilst removing anything floating on the surface. Drain and set aside

2.       Heat oil in a large, flameproof casserole dish, and add the Onion and cook for five minutes, or until they’ve softened. Add the Carrots and Celery, cook for a further five minutes (or until the Onion begins to brown). At this point, spread the vegetables to the sides of the pan.

3.       Add the Lamb Shanks to the pan, and brown off all over. Add the Beans, Wine, Tomatoes and Orange Zest and Juice, and stir. Add in the Rosemary and Bay Leaves. Pour the water in, so that the liquid comes around halfway up the Shanks. Season with Pepper (don’t use the salt yet – it will stop the beans from softening)

4.       Bring to the boil on a hob, then cover and cook in the oven for around an hour. Turn the Shanks over and then cook for another ninety minutes, until the Lamb and Beans are tender. Remove the Bay Leaves, taste, and season.

Serve either on its own, or for a bigger meal, serve with Mashed Potatoes.

Garden Vegetable Spaghetti with Feta Cheese and Basil

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All it takes to make this dish is twenty minutes of your time, plus a few basic ingredients – nothing that would be out of place in a kitchen. As well as being very quick and easy to make, it’s also very healthy, and easy to adjust to whatever vegetables are in season at that time.

Garden Vegetables

You could serve this dish either warm or cold, with some fresh Garlic Bread, as part of a Summer Picnic or with a home-made Mint Sauce. Experiment with using roasted Vegetables – lightly charring the Peppers adds a different texture to the meal, and the warmth of the Tomatoes will make this dish very tempting.

To serve 4

400g Spaghetti

1 Red Pepper

1 Yellow Pepper

75g Peas

125g Young Leaf Spinach

150g Baby Tomatoes

2 tbsp Olive Oil

125g Feta Cheese

Bunch of Basil, roughly chopped (or ripped)

1.       Cook the pasta for eight minutes in a pan of boiling water, stirring occasionally.

2.       Slice the Red and Yellow Peppers, and add these to the pan, along with the Peas, bringing the pan back to the boil and simmer for a further two minutes

3.       Drain the mix into a colander, and set aside

4.       Cut the Tomatoes in half, and add these and Spinach in the pan for a minute, before removing the pan from the heat.

5.       Tip the Spaghetti and drained vegetables back into the pan then add the olive oil and mix lightly. Put the lid on, and let it stand for a minute.

6.       Lightly toss the vegetables and Spaghetti, before adding the Feta Cheese and Chopped Basil, and tossing again gently.

Photo courtesy of: Greenfaerietree

Roast Vegetable and Shredded Meat Salad

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Making an easy, proper meal doesn’t get any simpler or less-time consuming than this. No matter what meat you’ve had, this dish works superbly well – the same goes with vegetables. Try to use some which will provide a variety textures and tastes.

To make more, simply increase the amount of ingredients you use. You can easily roast one or two kilograms at once, and store for use whenever you want a quick and easy meal. Try using different meats and vegetables to keep this meal fresh, and also very cheap – Seasonal Vegetables work excellently well.

To serve 1

250g Peeled and Cubed Vegetables (Leeks, Pumpkin, Carrots, Parsnips, Courgettes, Beetroot or Sweet Potato are all great)

6tbsp Olive Oil

1 Handful Shredded Meat or Fish

Parsley

Basil

1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Salt

Pepper

1tsp Dijon Mustard (or Horseradish)

1.       Heat the oven to 200 C or Gas Mark 6.

2.       Put the Cubed Vegetables into a roasting tray, and toss in two tablespoons of Oil, and roast until tender and golden.

3.       Remove from the oven, and mix with Salad leaves. Top with the Shredded Meat or Fish, and add some chopped Parsley and shredded Basil.

4.       To make a dressing, add the remaining Oil, Vinegar, Salt, Pepper and Mustard (or Horseradish), and mix well. Pour over the top of the salad, and toss to ensure it’s well mixed.

Photo Courtesy of FotoosVanRobin