Oh the July garden! May I show you, please? (The beauty of the internet: I am pretending you said yes with smiling eyes) Well, okay then …
My snap peas are growing! A titch slower than I had expected them to, but growing. I think they will take off any day now and the kids will have their snap pea trellis fort.
Loads of tomatoes, all still green. I tried to thin the tomato branches this year, really make them sparse – but you can hardly tell. Well, I suppose you can’t tell. Next year I will make them sparser (Is that a word?)
Beans, beans, beans. Morning snack, lunch, and every dinner. Wonder how long I can pull it off before the groans begin. Right now it is all so exciting for my little harvesters.
Zucchini planted way to close together. It’s kind of my thing. We made our first zucchini bread this week (I have a super yummy recipe using maple syrup I will share). One bite and my Madeline said, “Oh yes. I remember this well.” And we shall be eating zucchini bread until Fall.
We also have a pumpkin patch:
And an orchard. Though this orchard is very new, so we actually have an apple.
Truth be told I know very little still about what I am actually doing. I am reading and learning a ton everyday. And as such, every day I wonder how on earth any thing at all is managing to grow in this garden of mine. Especially with my little harvesters always by my side.
I really love it though. I love that we ate our dinner tonight right out of the garden: green beans (again), spinach, kale salad, and potatoes that were unbelievable. Only thing on the table not homegrown was the meat. A discussion we keep having. One of those circular ones never seeming to find an end. While I don’t eat meat, my family does. So shouldn’t we raise it ourselves? Hmmm … Of course you could assume it’s my husband who rightfully brings the discussion up, and me who “hmmm’s” until it’s over.
But before I go off on yet another tangent, let me share what I actually intended to share with you today. Crispy Kale Chips. Please excuse this photo, I will explain:
I recognize that it is out of focus, but you see I had 6 hungry children awaiting these chips – so why I even attempted to photograph them in the first place is very questionable. Five quick clicks, and that was the best one! But don’t look at the photo, look at the frantic Mama trying to get these healthy treats to little ones who GOBBLED them up.
Kale chips are another summer staple around here. They are so easy:
Wash and dry some kale. Rip it into bite sized pieces.
Rub some coconut oil on the bottom of a cookie sheet – just a little.
Add your kale to the cookie sheet, toss a little bit to coat the kale in the coconut oil. Add a little salt.
Pop in the oven at 325 degrees for 5 minutes. Take them out and flip the chips, then pop them back in for another 5 minutes. Take them out and flip them. They might be done and crispy now, or might need another few minutes.
That’s it. They are so crisp and yummy. The kids most favourite way to eat kale. All 6 of the little ones at my house today gobbled them up – even the 3 that were not mine and at first looked at these strange green chips with caution and concern.
Likely in fact, as you would have looked at the above out-of-focus picture … what is that? Kale chips my friend, blurry, blurry kale chips.
Thank you for reading – hope your gardens are growing too!
And how, perhaps you might be wondering, might a Mama get time to write all about her garden? Quiet Bins my friends – glorious quiet bins.
Lori says
Love your perspective on life! Your garden is looking fantastic. My little boy is just ten months but you make me so excited about next summer:) waiting for your next entry…;)
Sarah says
Thank you Lori! Next summer will be so lovely with your little harvester. Thank you so much for following along here.