Quinoa and Crisp Veggie Salad and Lavender Herb Lemonade

Quinoa and Crisp Veggie Salad

Hot weather and salads go together. By cooking the quinoa in advance, this fulfilling salad can be ready in minutes. Best of all, most of the ingredients can be found in your own garden.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa cooked in 2 cups of water

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cucumber, sliced

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

6 radishes, sliced

2 Tablespoons chopped mint

1 Tablespoons chopped parsley

Juice squeezed from 1 lemon

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan

Stir together vegetables with cooled quinoa. Room temperature is fine. Whisk together mint, parsley, lemon and oil and pour over salad mixture. Stir in and sprinkle with almonds and Parmesan. Serve with Lavender and Herb Lemonade.

Lavender Herb Lemonade

Fill a third of a quart pitcher with ice. Squeeze juice from 5 - 6 lemons and pour over ice. Add 2 cups of water. In a food or processor, process 2 tablespoons of lavender buds, leaves from 4 sprigs of lemon thyme, leaves from 1 sprig of mint. Add to lemon juice with 1/2 - 1 cup sugar and fill pitcher with water, stirring until blended. After a few minutes, pour and enjoy!

Pollinators and Other Bugs Love Milkweed

You probably know that Monarchs depend on milkweed to lay their eggs as this plant is the sole food of their larvae. However, in spite of milkweed plants growing prolifically throughout our property, I have not seen any evidence that a Monarch has deposited an egg on them. Last year, I did find one monarch caterpillar (see July 4, 2017 post.) This yea, I have noticed  many other insects benefiting from this plant. There is a large milkweed patch growing next to our compost bin This is a perfect spot since it attracts pollinators which also visit the adjacent vegetable garden. The most common butterfly in our garden this year has been the Tiger Swallowtail.

An abundance of milkweed and Tiger Swallowtails next to our compost bin

On the same day that at least a dozen Tiger Swallowtails appeared, I also saw a Monarch and a Black Swallowtail, but they didn't stay long and were so quick that I wasn't able to take a photo.  The Tiger Swallowtails were not shy and didn't mind being photographed.

When I looked closer, I saw other pollinators, like this Skipper.

Skipper on milkweed

There were also numerous bees. Both honey and bumble bees are attracted to the nectar of the flowers. I was surprised to read that a bee's leg can become trapped in the blossoms, which can sometimes be fatal.

Honey bee

Bumble bee

Many beetles enjoy the  leave of the plants. I tend not to worry about the damage caused from these pests since the plants spread rapidly - like a weed!

Red Milkweed Beetle

I am happy that such a variety of insects are able to benefit from the milkweed plants in our yard.

Select Your Tea Bags Carefully

Not all tea bags are alike. Sure those pyramid bags may look cool and do provide ample room for tea leaves to expand, but even though they may be labeled as "silk", they are often made from plastic, which is non-biodegradable. Potential health effects aside, these tea bags will not biodegrade, and can be a source of pollution if not properly disposed. I was reminded of this the other day, when I was spreading compost and discovered this bag below. I frequently put teabags in the compost bin. As you can see, the  bag is perfectly intact and would probably remain that way for years.

This is in stark contrast to cotton underwear, which when buried in healthy soil will decompose within a couple of months. See Canada's "Soil Your Undies" campaign.





I haven't buried a pair of underwear in my garden, but in addition to evaluating the health of your soil, this campaign is a reminder that when buying anything you should know how it will be managed at the end of its life. And, when buying tea, choose biodegradable bags, or better yet, make loose leaf tea. It is healthier, tastes better and is better for the environment.

Here is a sampling of the many types of tea infusers on the market

Summer Farro Salad with Artichokes and Cherry Tomatoes

Farro Salad with Artichokes and Tomatoes

 On Friday we returned from an almost two week vacation to Idaho and Montana, so, I wanted to make something simple for a family reunion held two days later. The following recipe was taken from the Lewiston Tribune (Lewiston, Idaho). It makes a large salad which can be served as a side dish for a crowd, or could also be made ahead and pulled out of the refrigerator for a quick meal on a hot summer day.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups farro
1 1/2 cups baby spinach
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup plain yogurt
12 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
2 cups artichoke hearts chopped

Bring 8 cups water and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil.  Add farro and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain any excess water and spread on a rimmed sheet to cool. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse spinach, basil, sunflower seeds, cheese, garlic and a dash of salt and pepper until smooth. Add oil and yogurt and pulse a few more times. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in farro. Gently stir in tomatoes and artichokes. Sprinkle with Parmesan, chill and serve.