Thursday, July 1, 2010

Week 5 - Let the Cucumber Season Begin

Snow Peas or Turnips

Lettuce

Scallions

Roma Beans

Cucumbers

Kale

Herbs- Basil and Mint

Farmers Choice

Arugula is, thankfully, out of season now, but what was once a delight to find a stray cucumber or two has turned into a deluge... and really, cucumbers are like lettuce; there really isn't a whole lot you can do with them other than eat them raw. Any ideas... anyone???

I needed mint and basil like holes in my head; they are the two plants this year that have flourished in my little patio garden. With advice from a friend who said mint tends to grow quickly, I gave it its own pot and it has completely taken over. Oh well, good thing I don't have to worry about wasting it.

First up:

Wow. Friggin ginormous web-stolen photo. Basil/mint/cucumber fizz. Refreshing... though I'd prefer just a regular lemon lime soda if I'm going to drink something carbonated.

What else to do with enormous bunches of herbs when I've only plucked off a few leaves? Why, pesto of course:


Matt and I were SO thrilled to find a mint pesto recipe that involved nutritional yeast. We FINALLY have something other than popcorn with which to eat our many pounds of nutritional yeast!! Who'd have thought???

Ingredients
2 cups basil leaves
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup walnut halves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
Toast the walnuts in a toaster oven for 5 minutes, or on a baking sheet in a conventional oven for 10 minutes, turning once.

Combine the basil mint and oil in a blender until smooth. Add the toasted walnuts and garlic and blend until pureed. Add the lemon juice, nutritional yeast and salt and blend once more. It's now ready to be used or stored in the fridge in an air tight container.