Giant Garden Zucchini Personal Pizzas
It’s *that* time of year when my garden is going gangbusters producing zucchini and summer squash and we spend two months eating it like it’s going out of style.
In order to keep things interesting and avoid “squash burnout” (it’s a thing), I’ve accumulated a number of recipes over the years incorporating squash in unexpected ways so we don’t get sick of it.
Making a Healing Scar Salve w/ Gotu Kola & Comfrey
It’s not such a coincidence that many of the same herbs that are beneficial to keeping aging skin healthy and happy are also useful for healing wounds and minimizing scarring — it’s all about skin repair!
Herbal Seafood Seasoning + Sourdough Crab Cakes w/Jalapeño Tartar Sauce
Who has two thumbs and loves crab cakes?? This recipe relies on another beloved Kitchen Helper that I always have on hand: Bay (Laurel) Seafood Seasoning. It’s one of those versatile spice blends that you’ll reach for again and again.
Infusing & Using Herbal Vinegars
Once upon a time, before the advent of distilled alcohol, liquid herbal extracts were made one of three ways: with water, wine or vinegar.
As a menstruum, vinegar is nowhere near as effective as alcohol at drawing out an herb’s medicinal properties; however, it can assist alcohol in extracting certain plant constituents.
Simple Garlicky Goat Cheese Nettles
jump to the recipe Thanks to an unseasonably cold, wet spring, my nettle patch was starting to get very leggy, reaching skyward for every little bit of sunshine they could grab onto. You know it’s been a damp spring when your vegetable garden is starting to resemble Super Mario Brothers: Cutting back plants is an […]
Make-Ahead Fresh Garlic-Infused Olive Oil (Minus the Botulism)
As our days get busier, we are far more likely to reach for pre-packaged mixes and other convenience foods to lighten our load and make dinner prep a bit easier. These are some of my favorite homemade kitchen helpers you can make in advance and keep handy for those extra-hectic evenings… or even the non-hectic ones. Work smarter, not harder! Fresh […]
Natural Insect Repellant (that Doesn’t Stink)
jump to the recipe Between my herbalist apprenticeship and getting my gardens planted, I’ve spent a great deal of time the last few weeks outside donating blood to the no-see-ums. I have a hard time finding insect repellant that I don’t mind wearing. Natural products can be hit or miss, and even when they work, […]
Garden of Weed’n (How to Make Weeding More Fun) Part 2
The first weeding job of the year on my vegetable garden is always the most intimidating. It’s easy to maintain throughout the growing season, but preparing the beds for planting is time consuming and tedious.
A great way to transform the tedium into something engaging and even (dare I say it?) fun — is to pay attention to the weeds you’re pulling.
Garden of Weed’n (How to Make Weeding More Fun) Part 1
The first weeding job of the year on my vegetable garden is always the most intimidating. It’s easy to maintain throughout the growing season, but preparing the beds for planting is time consuming and tedious.
A great way to transform the tedium into something engaging and even (dare I say it?) fun — is to pay attention to the weeds you’re pulling.
Waking up the Garden
Even though it’s late May, it’s still pretty darn chilly here in North Idaho. I don’t think we’ve made it over 70 degrees yet, and there’s still a risk of frost at night.
Fortunately, my perennial/herb garden doesn’t mind the cooler weather. The haskap is beginning to bud out, getting ready to make its delicious honeyberries:
