Thursday, August 2, 2018

Garden to Table - Meals in Minutes

Gardens are all starting to produce so many goodies.  This is my favorite time of the year for food!  I love all the fresh food, and all the fun things you can do with it.

Meals don't have to be complicated.  In our house, a meal can be a one dish item!  If we are full and satisfied, that is the only requirement!  G never complains, and eats whatever is placed before him.  We love eating our garden goodies.

My favorite summer quick meal - is a tomato sandwich!  I like mustard on mine (and bread toasted), but many others prefer mayo.  Sometimes I like a slice of sweet onion on it.
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VEGGIE SANDWICH
1 bagel, slice in half
4 - 6 Tbsp. cream cheese, softened
1 - 1 1/2 Tbsp. sunflowers seeds
1 cucumber - sliced
1 tomato - sliced
1 leaf of fresh lettuce
Spread cream cheese on one half of bagel, sprinkle with sunflower seeds.  Layer all the veggies as much as you want.  Top with remaining half of bagel.  Simple, easy, healthy & filling!!!!
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ZUCCHINI PIE
4 C zucchini, sliced and quartered
4 eggs
1 C biscuit type baking mix
1 onion, diced
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 C oil
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, and spread into a 13 x 9 baking pan.  Bake at 350* for 45 minutes.  I am making a HALF recipe of this tonight!

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Thinly slice fresh garden tomatoes to top your pizza before baking!  It makes them taste so good.  This is a favorite of my husband - he gets excited every time he see tomatoes on top!!
Think about adding thinly sliced or shredded zucchini on your pizza as well.  There is no end to the types of toppings.  (I always DRAIN squash when using it - slice or shred and place between paper towels or dish cloths to absorb water)

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SPIRAL SALAD
6 oz. pkg. cooked rotini
2 C plum tomatoes (or regular) chopped
1 C corn ( frozen is fine - thaw)
1/2 C chopped green onions
Mix all and gently toss - add basil dressing below!

BASIL DRESSING
1/3 C red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. fresh basil - finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic - minced
salt & pepper
Whisk together and fold into salad

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BROCOLLI SALAD (one of our favorites)
1 head of broccoli - chopped
1 medium onion - chopped
1/2 - 1 C sunflower seeds
1 C real bacon bits or crumbled fresh cooked bacon
1 C mayo
1/2 C sugar
3 Tbsp. vinegar
Mix mayo, sugar and vinegar together and completely fold into salad.  This is sooooooo good.
It is sweet with a bit of tang.
(For those who don't like raisins in broccoli salad!!!!)

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PASTA SALADS
There are so many variations of things you can do with pasta and fresh veggies.
Use any type of pasta you want.  ADD any COMBO of tomato, onion, cucumbers, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, fresh corn, etc.
DRESSING - can be whatever you like.  You can use the dressings from above recipes, or plain old Ranch dressing, Italian dressing, combo of Ranch & Italian (we love this), or whatever your favorite dressing may be!
There are NO RULES!!!!
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MARIANTED SALAD
(we currently have this in frig)
Chopped broccoli, zucchini, cukes, onion, tomato, pepper - (whatever veggies you have) with a half bottle of Italian dressing.  So yummy and refreshing!!!!!
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Steamed veggies are quick and easy and so healthy.  You can top with cheese or just a light seasoning of salt and pepper.  So fresh and natural.
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CUKES & ONIONS
Slice and mix with vinegar and sugar to taste.  This is as simple as it comes!
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STIR FRY
Just about any veggie can be sautéed in a sir fry dish.  We love squash, peppers, onions, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower - you name it.  You can stir fry (we like ours with a bit of crunch), with or without meat.  Add any seasoning or sauces you like.  Serve alone or over rice.
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Hope this gives you a few ideas of quick garden to table meals you can make.  Shake things up a bit this summer - EXPERIMENT with new combos.  You really can't go wrong!
HAPPY EATING

15 comments:

  1. We had tomato sandwiches for breakfast yesterday. They are so good.

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    1. ONE OF MY FAVORITES. Those who have never tried them don't know what they are missing!

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  2. Yum! I am enjoying mater sandwiches from my garden maters! So good!
    Thanks for the recipes. You have given me some new ideas, and I need to make some brocolli salad, I usually add cheese to mine too.

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    1. Glad you are enjoying your sammies!!!!
      I know a lot of people add cheese and some add raisins. Cheese gets soggy to me - so we leave it out. Hubs not a fan of raisins in it.
      Therefore I make the way I do!!!
      ENJOY

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  3. Summer salads are so good! I'm gonna use some of your ideas. Thanks! I sure am looking forward to that first BLT.

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    1. Oh the BLT's - forgot about those. I love them too. (well what's not to love?)
      A summer favorite.
      Enjoy your salads - and hope you get a BLT soon!!!!

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  4. Those recipes look great! We had our first corn last night. It was so good:). I agree, there's nothing like fresh garden produce.

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    1. Oh my goodness. Enjoy your corn. That sounds so good.
      Got to love summer for the produce.

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  5. You just can't beat a tomato sandwich in the summer time! I love broccoli salad, too. These recipes all sound yummy.

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    1. Summer veggies are just so good. Nothing like fresh!

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  6. Veggie sandwiches are my favorite! I make a loaf of fresh bread and spread it with homemade hummus or a bean spread, and then we pile on whatever we have on hand (tomatoes are a must, but everything else is welcome too), and sometimes I make an Italian dressing to cover the veggies before we put the top bread on. It's so, so good, one of my favorite meals. :)

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    1. You have my mouth watering. YUM!
      That sounds scrumptious!

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  7. I like sandwiches in which the sliced veggies have been marinating in a vinaigrette, and then you put them on a crusty sub roll with a little extra of the vinaigrette to soften up the inside of the roll. And it has to be really cold too. But of course tomato sandwiches are the best - I do like mayo and thinly sliced sweet onions on mine.
    Have a great weekend.

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    1. Yum, yum, yum! Your idea sounds so good. I like sweet onion on mine too.
      You have a great weekend as well!

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  8. I love eating things from my garden. Just wish there were more and it would last longer! Nancy

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