Spring is the perfect season to start a new garden. It’s a fun and satisfying activity for the entire family, a great way to get some exercise, and you can even eat the results. Here are a few tips to get you going.

Survey Your Space

No place is too small for a garden; you can even grow food in containers. You also need to consider the conditions. Some plants prefer a mix of sun and shade, while others require several hours of sunlight. Examine your soil–if it contains a lot of clay you will want to open it up and neutralize the pH. Your local garden or home store employees will know what products are best for your particular conditions.

Work out your water source. For a small garden a watering can is fine, but if you are planting some serious acreage you will need a hose and ideally an underground drip line system (this is also a good way to keep slugs and snails out because they are attracted to the surface water).

Choose Your Plants

Spring is a good time to plant herbs, which are easy to grow anywhere. Strawberries and blueberries are delicious super foods that you can grow in your own back yard as well. Tomatoes should go in the ground now, but don’t expect to enjoy that harvest until late summer. Peas are a great garden addition─you can eat them right off the vine in late spring and early summer or throw them into a salad. Kids love planting and eating them, too.

If this is your first time gardening, you may want to buy young plants instead of seeds. If you choose seeds, germinate them in a wet paper towel, put the sprouted seeds in some potting soil in small containers (yogurt cups with a hole punched in the bottom for drainage or a cardboard egg box) and keep them in a sunny area indoors until you see sturdy little seedlings.

Collect Your Tools and Supplies

These include fertilizer, garden soil (unless you’re fortunate enough to have lush, loamy dirt already) a shovel, a few trowels, work gloves, pest repellant, and possibly some lumber if you’re building a fence or raised bed. Some communities offer free compost or garden mulch to residents—check your city’s website and go early to pick it up.

You can also keep away pests without toxic chemicals. Neem oil mixed with detergent is a safe and effective bug killer. Mix crushed eggshells into the soil around your plants to deter snails and slugs. Marigolds not only attract bees and butterflies to your plants but they keep away pests, too.

Break Some Ground

If you are planting in an untouched space, you are going to need a good supply of elbow grease to prepare the soil. Strong teenagers are great for this, but anyone can do it. Even toddlers can help pick rocks out or pull weeds. Take it in stages and start early. Water the soil before you start, or do your digging after light rain. Pull all weeds out completely. If you leave the roots or just plow the weeds under, they’ll come back to compete with your chosen plants, and they will most definitely win. When your soil is soft, crumbly, and free of debris, you can add in garden soil, fertilizer, or any soil conditioners. Dig, turn, and turn again. The hard work really does pay off later.

Plant a Seed (or a Seedling)

Here’s another activity in which all members of the family can join in. Small children do better with large seeds, such as the aforementioned peas, or nursery plants, which have their roots protected in a ball. Homegrown seedlings can be very delicate, so save those for older fingers. Dig a hole, put the plant or seed in, cover loosely, water daily as needed, and pull any weeds. Then watch them grow!

Gardening has a learning curve and sometimes a green thumb must be grown through experience, so don’t be discouraged if not everything bears fruit, or even comes up. Your next garden endeavor will be that much easier. Enjoy your harvest and your new garden expertise. You are now a pioneer.

Just because you’re wrapped up in winter clothes doesn’t mean you have to lose the pleasure of fresh produce during those colder months. If you’re looking to bring seasonal vegetables to the dinner table, take a trip to your local farmers’ markets and produce aisles to take a tally of what vegetables are in stock. Some of these winter vegetables come at the greatest values of the year, and they taste the best during their bountiful cold season.

Not every vitamin-rich veggie closes up shop after the warm weather dies down. There are many winter-friendly vegetables out there to choose from.

• Cruciferous Vegetables – Many cruciferous vegetables can be grown during any season if located in temperate climates. But these veggies taste best when harvested in the fall months. Those vegetables in the cruciferous family include: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, turnip, rutabaga, and radishes.
• Root Vegetables – Although not as exciting or alluring as many spring vegetables, root vegetables are another cold season favorite. Available from local winter storage or grown during the cooler months, root vegetables are a great way to continue eating well throughout the season. Carrots, celery, and parsnips can all be found outside of the spring and summer months.
• Potatoes, Squash, and Onion – Potatoes and onions can be stored for long amounts of time, making them an excellent source of vegetables during colder months. Also, aptly named winter squashes are grown in the winter months, and can be found fresh for use in soups and stews.
• Beets, Belgian Endive, Cardoons, Celeriac, Chicory, and Treviso – These lesser-known vegetables are a fun way to experiment in the kitchen. Check your produce aisle for these infrequent offerings. Try throwing them into your daily meals in new and exciting ways, and use them as a reason to try out new cookbook recipes.

Just because many of the produce markets are low on crops doesn’t mean you have to stop incorporating vegetables into your meals. And although you can’t find them at the restaurants, it doesn’t mean they are not around or that you can’t use them to create a satisfying meal.

There are plenty of wonderful ways to warm up your winters. From great winter soups to stews and slaws, winter root vegetables make the perfect foundation for a great meal. Keep the following meals in mind next time you’re at the grocery store:

• Butternut and ham bisque – Make this soup to incorporate a sweet winter squash and a salty kick for a welcoming dinner delight. Made with onion, rosemary, garlic, potatoes, squash and ham, this bisque incorporates winter flavors into a warm winter dish.
• Lentils with wine-glazed winter vegetables – This warm recipe comes with a dramatic appearance and can include carrot, parsnip, onion, and celery root glazed with tomato paste. Mixed together and then added to a comforting lentil base, this dish is a snowy weather show-stopper.
• Roasted parsnips – A great side dish to pork, roasted parsnips that are caramelized and bathed in balsamic vinegar and brown sugar can be combined to make a sweet and satisfying side for meat dishes.
• Honey roasted root vegetables – Roast lively winter vegetables with honey to bring out the natural sugars of caramelized vegetables and help bring variety to starchy winter sides.
• Brussels Sprout Gratin – Make a creamy cheese and bacon sauce to bring a welcoming twist to this usually dull vegetable.
• Snow Pea and Cabbage Salad – Think outside the box with a slaw and snow pea salad. Throw in some radishes and broccoli for color and flavor, and bring the cabbage crunch to the dinner table.
• Kale Chips – Tired of the old greasy potato chip? Throw some olive oil and salt on kale leaves and bake them into a crispy, healthy, vitamin-packed cold weather snack.

Blustery winter days are no reason to stay out of the produce aisle. Many vegetables can be stored and sold throughout colder months, and many others peak in the off-season. If you live in a temperate climate, keep an eye on your produce stand for picks of the season and bring home vegetables that are perfect for soups, stews, casserole, and side dishes to spruce up your cold weather suppers. Many year-round vegetables peak in flavor during the colder months, so don’t be afraid to sample the produce on display at your local store.

-

photo courtesy woodleywonderworks

As the American healthy consumer guides evolve, so has the food guide pyramid. This one triangular building block of choices has been altered to appear in the form of a plate. The plate is a more visual way to associate portion size and helps children and adults alike maintain a healthy balance. The new food guide also includes healthy habits such as:

• Taking smaller portions
• Making half your plate fruits and vegetables
• Switching to fat-free or low-fat milk
• Choosing whole grains
• Watching your sodium intake
• Drinking water instead of sugar-filled beverages

But even healthy choices are hard to make when you don’t have a healthy go-to meal plan on hand. Here are five easy-to-make recipes to get your weekday meal planning off on the right foot.

1. Toad in a Hole

This family-friendly breakfast is fun for all ages. With a good mix of all the food groups, this quick and easy recipe can help jumpstart anyone’s mornings.

Ingredients:

• Eggs
• 100% whole wheat Bread
• Fruit (such as an apple or a banana)
• Low- or non-fat milk
• Baking sheet

Instructions:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
• Cut out small circles big enough to hold a cracked egg in a few pieces of 100% whole wheat bread (enough to feed your family)
• Grease a baking sheet and lay out pieces of bread
• Crack whole eggs into the circles
• Bake for 8-12 minutes.

Put these tasty pieces of bread on plates and add a piece of fruit and a glass of milk to round out this quick and easy morning meal.

2. Apple or Pineapple Chicken Quesadillas

Having a hard time getting your family fond of fruit? Try mixing it with a little Mexican flair to get this food group on your family’s good side.

Ingredients:

• 4 whole wheat tortillas (8-inch wide)
• 1 cup cooked shredded or diced chicken breast
• ¼ lb. low fat shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 apple, sliced or 1 cup pineapple chunks
• ¼ cup mild salsa (make from scratch for less sodium!)

Instructions:

1. Heat a large skillet on medium heat
2. Add a tortilla to the skillet
3. Add shredded mozzarella cheese, chicken, and choice of fruit
4. Place another tortilla on top and wait for the cheese to melt
5. Let the cheese melt a bit and then flip the quesadilla over to brown the top tortilla
6. When the cheese has melted and the tortillas are crisp, remove the quesadilla and let sit
7. Cut the tortilla into triangular slices

Serve this recipe with a salad to sneak some fruits and vegetables into dinnertime for compliments instead of complaints.

3. Beef Barley Stew

Stew is a great meal to make ahead, and provides leftovers that are often even better than the first meal. Stew is a great family favorite that can also be packed for lunches, allowing you to get the most bang for your buck.

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces lean stew beef in bite-size chunks
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 -4 large carrots, sliced
• 1 pint sliced mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 4 cups low sodium beef broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 stalk celery
• 1/4 cup barley

Instructions:

1. Lightly coat beef in flour and brown in a saucepan
2. In a large saucepan or stock pot, heat oil
3. Sauté garlic, onion, celery, mushrooms and carrots for 8-10 minutes
4. Add broth, barley, bay leaves and beef
5. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes or until barley is tender, stirring occasionally

Serve with whole grain bread. Add a small fruit and yogurt parfait for dessert to round out the meal. You can pack this lunch for the kids by throwing soup, a small carton of milk, and an apple together for a quick and healthy solution.

4. Sloppy Joes and Fruity Jell-O

This family favorite is quick, easy, and fun. And with the right ingredients, it can be healthy too! Use 90% lean ground turkey in place of ground beef to lighten up your lean protein.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Half a small onion, diced
• 1¼ pounds lean ground turkey
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. yellow mustard
• Whole wheat hamburger buns
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 1 package Jell-O
• Cubed fruit (apples, nectarines, pineapple, and tangerines)

Instructions:

1. Mix Jell-O per package instructions, and add fruit.
2. Cook beef and celery over medium heat until meat is brown. Strain any fat.
3. Add remaining ingredients and cook over low heat for 15 minutes or until thick
4. Over medium heat, cook beef and celery until meat is browned and celery is tender. Pour off fat, if any. Add remaining ingredients and cook over low heat, uncovered. Wait for flavors to blend and until slightly thickened.
5. Steam baby carrots until still slightly crisp.

5. Tacos and Baked Apples

Ingredients:

• Shredded lettuce (use romaine for vitamins and minerals)
• Chopped tomatoes and olives
• Diced onions
• Light sour cream
• Shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
• Corn or wheat tortillas
• Canned low-sodium black beans
• 90% lean ground beef
• Salsa
• 1 apple per person

Instructions:

1. Sauté onions in a large skillet
2. Cook ground beef in a large skillet and drain any fat
3. Rinse black beans and warm in a small sauce pot
4. Warm corn tortillas in the oven

For dessert:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Scoop out the core from top of the apple
3. Stuff each apple with 1 tablespoon light brown sugar and 1 tsp. butter or margarine.
4. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
5. Place apples in a baking dish.
6. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes, until sugar begins to caramelize and apples are tender.

This is a quick and easy dinner, offering a self-serve option with a built-in mix of grains, vegetables and black beans. Serve with a glass of low fat milk and follow it up with an easy apple dessert.

Use these quick and easy recipes to keep your family healthy and happy while whipping up dinner with less stress.

–

photo courtesy of satanoid and David Berkowitz