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I haven't made these with students, but they'd be a great, easy base to put any number of different veggies into.

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We made these all summer with whatever was in season at the Farmer's Market. One of our favorite combinations was grated zucchini and corn. I had extra zucchini and corn at the end of the summer and froze it. Just last week (late-November), I pulled out the frozen veggies and they made delicious veggie cakes!

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Here’s what you’ll need for pizza sauce from fresh tomatoes

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 minced garlic cloves

5 cups of fresh tomatoes, seeded and cubed

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 fresh basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

pinch of sugar

How to make homemade pizza sauce from garden tomatoes

Use a hand blender to pulverize the tomatoes, skins included (do this in the last step).

Heat the olive oil to medium low in a medium pot.

Saute garlic gently for 3 or 4 minutes.

Add fresh tomatoes, salt, basil and oregano to pan and simmer slowly for 30 minutes.

Add sugar halfway through cooking, to taste.

Use a hand blender to mix. This will grind the tomato skins into the sauce.

Enjoy!

This sauce is perfect with a margarita pizza with fresh basil baked on a homemade crust.

This recipe will makes enough sauce for four – 12 inch pizzas.

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Pakora Recipe | Vegetable Pakora - Swasthi's Recipes

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We use a hand powered food processor to make this in the garden! Kids love doing the work!

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by Ceara

This super simple, less than 5 minutes to make Blender Salsa features one of my favorite ingredients to eat this time of year - KALE!!

I've been making blender salsa - or restaurant style salsa - for years. This Kale Blender Salsa is easy, flavorful and does not require chopping ANY garlic or onions which is always a plus for me! #TheNotSOSecretlyLazyCook

As many of you guys know, I recently graduated my Master's. Are any of you recent grads? As a student, I was used to working lots but worked according to my student schedule. Often preferring to stay up late studying and dedicating the morning to going on my runs as well as recipe testing and photographing for the blog. Since I've started my job in the city, my mornings of staying in my jogging pants, prancing around my apartment in Belgium baking and cooking up new eats has certainly has changed! 🙂

I've been making time to create new recipes in the evening and on the weekends. It helps that there are so many hands around here to help and dream up new recipe ideas! But it also means that even though I loved easy recipes before...

Now I REALLY love easy recipes!

I'm now on the search (even moreso now, ha) for recipes I can easily blend up, stick in the oven or throw on the stove to whip up for dinner and bring in my lunches for work the next day. #LeftoverLunch

Like this super easy, no chopping required Kale Blender Salsa that tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had some time to mingle.

I've been honestly tossing this Blender Kale Sale on everything guys. It makes a perfect dip for chips, veggies and flavorful sauce for salads, tofu, tempeh and sandwiches. I love bringing it in a little container with me to work to dip baby carrots in while I type away. #Snackaholic

And just to warn you, I do like a salsa with a real kick so when I make this Blender Kale Salsa at home I add a pinch of cayenne and a full jalapeño to mine! By all means, adjust the spice level to your taste. If you give this Blender Kale Salsa a try, remember to tag your delicious Ceara's Kitchen creations on Instagram with #CearasKitchen, share them on the CK Facebook page or share your feedback in the comments below! #EatHappyLiveHappy

5 plump and juicy tomatoes, cut in quarter with the seeds removed

2 large kale leaves, hard stems removed

¼ - ⅓ cup fresh cilantro

1 jalapeno (see note)

½ medium white onion

1 clove garlic

2 tbsp lime juice

1 -2 tbsp lemon juice

½ tsp sea salt

¾ - 1 tsp ground cumin

pinch cayenne

1. Cut tomatoes in quarters. Remove all of the seeds (including the really wet inside part of the tomato). This is an important step or else your salsa will be too wet when you blend it.

2. Add the tomatoes, kale leaves (hard stems removed), ¼ cup fresh cilantro, jalapeno (see note!), onion, garlic, lime juice, 1 tbsp lemon juice, sea salt, ¾ tsp cumin and pinch cayenne to the food processor or blender.

3. Pulse until the salsa is fully processed (see photo for reference). Taste test and add additional cilantro, jalapeno, lemon juice or cumin to taste. I used the full amount of each as stated in the recipe. Make sure not to overblend the salsa or it will get too watery.

4. Drain a little bit of the water if you salsa seems a bit watery. This is usually not necessary for me but it will depend on your tomatoes.

5. Give your salsa a good stir before serving. Serve salsa in a bowl and dig in in or serve with your favorite Mexican food.

1) Adjust lemon juice, cumin and jalapeno to taste. Add the jalapeno seeds in if you want this salsa to be super spicy or leave the jalapeno out altogether if you prefer your salsa mild.

Filed Under: Tagged With: 20 minutes or less, blender, kale, salsa Appetizers, Fall, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Low Fat, Oil Free, Refined Sugar Free, Savory Eats, Spring, Summer, Vegetables, Winter

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by Ceara This super simple, less than 5 minutes to make Blender Salsa features one of my favorite ingredients to eat this time of year - KALE!! I've been making blender salsa - or restaurant style salsa - for years.

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INGREDIENTS
Yield: 25 (sample size)

Olive oil or Avocado oil
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tsp lemon zest
Garlic 1/4 cup
Onion ¼ cup
Beetroot ¼ cup
Radish ¼ cup
Carrots  ¼ cup
Kale 2-3 leaves
Salt
Black pepper
Curry Powder 1stp

DIRECTIONS
Chop vegetables in the list or any vegetables of your choice into small pieces except for Kale.
Remove stems from the kale and set aside.
In a pan, sauté all the chopped vegetables with oil until those vegetables get softer. I would recommend avoiding it getting mushy or soggy, but it is up to your preference.
Season with some salt, black pepper, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Combine fresh Kale and cooked veggies until the fresh kale cooperates well with the oil. Enjoy.

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This can be easily adapted with other ingredients that make more sense in the garden at the time, but the dressing is great and pairs really well with raw sweet potatoes!

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The cool thing about studying nutrition is that it's so applicable to daily life and helps me think about balancing the food I eat. For example the fact that eating fats along with the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E & K helps you absorb them better! So having fat in salad dressing is actually doing more than making things taste good, it's improving the nutritional benefit of those veggies too.

Another dressing thing: If you're having spinach in a salad, it's also a great idea to use citrus fruit juice in the dressing. Citrus fruits contain Vitamin C (aka ascorbic acid) which converts non-haem iron (that just means the iron is in a certain form) from the spinach into a form which is more easily absorbed. This is a particularly helpful tip for vegetarians and vegans who miss out on the more easily absorbed form of iron (haem iron) found in red meat.

Basically - salad dressing is COOL, tasty and really good for you. Also yes I am nerding out on facts. Hellooooo impending summer exams.

An instinctual salad hunger has been awoken in me now that it's finally warm and the evenings are getting lighter. I just want to eat all the pretty, colourful vegetables (with dressing of course!). In particular I've been wanting to try a raw sweet potato salad since I saw Laura post a recipe for one a few weeks ago. Once I saw a cooked, spiralised sweet potato dish in Alessandra's new cookbook* and it gave me the kick I needed to get salad-ing! Instead of spiralising the sweet potato I just cut it into matchsticks and I didn't saute the sweet potato as the original recipe instructed. It was the perfect light lunch and also made a GREAT veggie burger add-in for dinner that night. Don't be afraid of the raw sweet potato - it's pretty neutral in flavour and slightly crunchy.

Dressing:

Salad:

handful of mangetout/sugar snap peas , , sliced

2 tbsp sesame seeds , (toast them in a dry frying pan over a high heat)

Dressing:

Place the sliced onion and garlic into a bowl with the lime juice. Let it sit for a few minutes.

Add in the rest of the dressing ingredients and stir well to combine. Set aside while you prep the salad.

Salad:

Take the peeled sweet potato and slice it into 'planks' about 2mm thick. Stack a few planks up and cut them into matchsticks. Repeat with the rest of the planks until you've got a LOAD of sweet potato matchsticks. (If you have a spiraliser you can also just use that to turn the sweet potato into noodles).

Place the sweet potato matchsticks, courgette ribbons, carrot ribbons, shredded chicory, sliced mangetout, spring onion & most of the coriander into a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss the salad together with your hands, slightly massaging it into everything.

Top the salad with the rest of the coriander and the toasted sesame seeds (and extra spring onion if you want).

Adapted from 'The Foodie Teen' by Alessandra Peters

- If you have a spiraliser you can spiralise the sweet potato, courgette and carrot instead

* affiliate link

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Raw Sweet Potato Satay Salad {GF, Vegan} - Izy Hossack - Top With Cinnamon

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The cool thing about studying nutrition is that it's so applicable to daily life and helps me think about balancing the food I eat. For example the fact that eating fats along with the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E & K helps you absorb them better!

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Gather Materials -You'll need a large jar or pitcher with a lid to start. Then, you'll need water, tea bags, herbs or slices of fruit. We use two one tea bag for every two ounces of water. Our kids love herbal teas like peppermint, hibiscus or fruit flavored teas. We love to include sliced peaches or citrus in our brews.

Fill the Jar -Enjoy filling the jar with water and tea bags, then cover the jar.

Place the Jar in the Sun -Place the jar in the sun, then wait about 5 to 6 hours. While it sits, it soaks up heat and brews the tea. If you can place it on top of stone or metal, it will absorb even more heat and brews even faster.

Remove it from the Sun -Once it has brewed to the strength you like, remove it from the sun. You can enjoy or refrigerate it.

Enjoy tea! When you are ready to enjoy, pour some of your sun tea over ice and ahhh! You can add even more fresh herbs and fruit slices to your glass for extra fresh flavor, too!

Spritz! If you brew peppermint tea, you can pour some of it into a spray bottle and spritz your skin. You'll feel cool as the water evaporates on your skin, and you may feel a little extra cool from the menthol in the mint, too!

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Enjoy this sweet, simple way to harness the power of the sun to brew cooling ice tea and extract the flavors of fruits and plants this summer. Try putting peppermint tea into a spray bottle and feel cooled by the menthol mist, too!

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These adorable snacks take ants on a log to the next level. Use your imagination and use any fruits and vegetables you have on hand!

Ingredient Suggestions
-celery stalks
-peanut butter, sun butter, cream cheese
-sliced apple
-sliced orange
-sliced kiwi
-sliced cucumber
-sliced cherry tomato
-cashews
-raisins
-grapes
-blueberries
-carrot
-mini chocolate chips

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Homemade refrigerator pickles recipe - crunchy and sweet, these are easy to make! They are the perfect topping for a burger AND a great snack! There's no canning required for this easy sweet pickle recipe!

Why you'll love this recipe

This is a great use of your bumper-crop of cucumbers and makes the BEST pickles. They are so simple and good!

✔️ crisp pickles.

✔️ easy to make.

✔️ no canning required!

Ingredients

For the exact measurements for the homemade refrigerator pickles, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

cucumbers - you can use regular cucumbers from the grocery store, English cucumbers, kirby cucumbers or pickling cucumbers.

cider vinegar or white vinegar

white sugar

kosher salt

celery salt (optional)

Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions for this easy recipe. For the complete directions just scroll down to the bottom!

1. Start by making the simple brine. Place the vinegar, water, salt and sugar in a small saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat.

2. Stir until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved.

3. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Slice the cucumbers in ¼ inch slices

5. Pack the cucumber slices into mason jars.

6. Pour the vinegar mix over the cucumbers and cover tightly. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate.

See how easy these tangy pickles are to make? We eat a TON of them every summer. Any unused cucumbers get sliced up and into the brine they go!

YouTube video

Click on the image to watch me make this recipe from start to finish with extra tips! (Video opens in a new tab).

Please like & subscribe to the channel so you'll be the first in the know! Click to watch the full video on YouTube.

Equipment
The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

A mason jar - quart jars are great for storage.

A sharp knife is necessary as well, to slice the fresh cucumbers.

🙋‍♀️ FAQ's

How long does the homemade refrigerator pickle recipe last?

The pickles are ready to eat in a few days, but they last for three months in the fridge. The longer they are refrigerated the less crunchy they become.

Do sweet pickles need to be refrigerated after opening?

Yes they should be refrigerated.

Can you use apple cider vinegar to make pickles?

You bet! This recipe uses Though you can also use distilled white vinegar for a tangy bite! Even rice wine vinegar.

How long before you can eat the pickles?

Three to four days. I think Grandma would leave them for a week, but they never seem to last that long in our home!

Do pickles go bad in the refrigerator?

Unopened pickles will not go bad in the refrigerator because of the fermentation process from the brine. Though pickles have a use by date, even after that date they will not go bad. Of course if it develops any mold, discard the entire jar.

What is the difference between butter pickles and homemade dill pickles?

Dill pickles are spiced with sprigs of fresh dill, garlic cloves and spices.

Tips

It is not necessary to peel the cucumbers before slicing - keep it on or remove it, your personal preference. Just be sure to wash the cukes well first. I prefer the texture of the peel after it's pickled.

If you prefer a crisp pickle, slice the cucumbers a little wider, say ⅜ inch.

Save the pickle juice, you can reuse the brine!

There's no need for a water bath - no canning is required!

Variations

Adding a teaspoon of red pepper flakes will spice up the brine.

You can also make pickle spears by slicing the cucumbers lengthwise.

Add red onions or sliced green pepper to the mason jars along with the pickles - they are delicious!

celery seed or mustard seed adds a whole new flavor.

Storage

Refrigerate - store pickles in airtight containers, refrigerated up to two months.

Serving suggestions

Video

Click on the image to watch the video short for this recipe.

Click on the link below to watch the full homemade pickles YouTube video from start to finish, with additional tips! Amish Refrigerator Pickles Recipe.

Don't forget to check out my Amazon storefront for some of my favorite products! 🛍️

If you love this recipe please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating!

Easy Refrigerator Pickles Recipe

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💭 Recipe backstory

I'm embarrassed to admit I have a love affair with pickles.

I know... I'm weird right? But pickles are my thing! I think it's the tangy, sweet combo and that little bite you get when you crunch into something with a vinegary kick!

I eat a jar of pickles weekly. Seriously.... I have a problem! 😋

Dan says it's because of all the running I do and my body craves the salty brine? Maybe so.

Maybe it's because pickles have been something I've enjoyed since I was a kid. My Grandma used to make these for my brother and I every summer. She'd make them in a huge plastic gallon bucket and it would be filled to the brim.

Every meal Don and I would grab a huge helping of pickles!

Every meal Grandma would tell us to leave some for others, she'd scold us but then she would smile and say it's so good to see we are enjoying them!
This post has been updated from March 2015 on July 21, 2021.
More Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes

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Homemade refrigerator pickles recipe - crunchy and sweet, these are easy to make! They are the perfect topping for a burger AND a great snack! There's no canning required for this easy sweet pickle recipe! This is a great use of your bumper-crop of cucumbers and makes the BEST pickles.

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Trim away the ends of the beetroot then, using a mandoline or sharp knife, thinly slice into discs. Tip into a bowl and drizzle over half the lemon juice, half the olive oil and 1 tsp of the cider vinegar, then season well. Toss or mix together, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to marinate for 20 mins-1 hr.
Make a dressing by combining the remaining lemon juice, olive oil, cider vinegar, honey and the Dijon mustard with a good pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Arrange the beetroot slices on a platter, slightly overlapped in a spiral pattern, then pile the rocket into the middle, leaving most of the beetroot on display. Drizzle over the dressing, crumble over the goat’s cheese, if using, and scatter with the chopped walnuts and lemon zest.

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In a 30 min lesson for kindergarten-5th with 17-24 students we infused oil.

Kids learned about Abundance. They each could pluck or strip Rosemary.
Then they watched a demo of the oil being infused.
With oil that had been infused from the previous class we had a sample on crackers while popcorn was popping in the oil.
Kids could try the oil on their skin to feel and smell it and eat it on a cracker.

They had to be quiet enough to hear the popcorn popping or we would end up with burnt or just a bunch of unpopped kernals.

herb infused oil recipe
1. Crush 1/8 cup of herbs in finger tips and put into a pot
2. Pour 1/2 cup of oil into pan and heat for 5-10 min on warm but not simmer
3. Turn off the heat and let the Rosemary infused in the oil for 1 hour.
4. Strain into a clear, dry bottle

Enjoy

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Great activity!

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In project-based learning, spontaneous conversations during lunch can lead to interesting learning experiences. We discovered that it is possible to grow a salad indoors, in the middle of winter, in under a month!

The sprouting of an idea

Over the winter, I was sitting with a group of pre-K children on a particularly cold and snowy day. They were eating a cafeteria-prepared lunch of pizza and salad. Amid the many conversations, one child asked, "Mrs. Barresi, can we grow a salad?"

I was not surprised by this question-there's almost always something growing in our classroom. "That's an interesting question," I replied. Another child chimed in, "Not now, not in the snow!" A long conversation followed about plants and what they need in order to grow.

It's true: vegetables won't typically grow outside in the middle of winter, and especially not outside in Connecticut, where our preschool is! And even if we planted a garden in the spring, when the sun warms the soil, who would tend to it during the long, hot summer? Would it still be alive when we returned to school in the fall? As a Reggio Emilia-inspired school that embraces project-based learning, we decided to do some research.

After lunch we turned to the Smartboard, opened up Google, and asked, "Can we grow a garden in the winter?" This led us to information about building a cold frame (a box with a clear glass or plastic lid or cover used as a mini greenhouse). Cold frames are used for growing plants outdoors before the weather is warm. While that certainly was a possibility, building a cold frame was a big project. We kept digging.

"It's warm in here," said Thomas. "Can we grow a garden in our classroom?" So next we searched, "Can we grow a garden inside?"

That's when we discovered microgreens! They can be grown indoors, any time of the year, and they don't require a lot of space. The more we read about microgreens, the greater our excitement became.

What are microgreens?

Microgreens are young seedlings of edible plants (kale, radishes) that are harvested shortly after germination when the stem, seedling leaves, and first set of true leaves have grown. Much like our preschoolers, they are tiny and packed with energy-nutritional energy!

To learn even more about microgreens, we searched the local library catalog. We found the book Microgreens: How to Grow Nature's Own Superfood, by Fionna Hill. I told the children that I would pick up the book at the library that evening.

In the meantime, we decided to make a K-W-L chart-a chart that helps organize information using three categories: What I KNOW, WONDER, and LEARNED.

The roots of a project

The next day, book in hand, we explored the vibrant pictures. The children looked in the book for answers to questions in the "What I Wonder" column of our K-W-L chart. We learned that we can eat the microgreens of most vegetables, herbs, and spices. Some other facts we learned:

Unlike spacing seeds and planting rows in a traditional garden, microgreen seeds are planted in a layer sprinkled across the top of the soil.

Since the plants don't grow very big, neither does the root system, so the seeds can be planted in shallow containers.

The first set of leaves are called seedling leaves; these are part of the seed and help to nourish the sprouting seed. Our salad greens could be harvested after the first set of true leaves emerged. True leaves are leaves that grow after the seed has sprouted.

It usually takes 2 to 4 weeks to grow microgreens.

We decided to give microgreens a try. We made a planning web-or in this case, a planning plant-to help us organize our project.

"How are we going to conduct our investigation?" I asked the children.

"We need dirt!" one child answered.

"And something to grow in," another child said.

"Oh, so we should make a list of supplies we need to plant our garden?" I asked the children.

Plants need dirt

Plants need water

Plants need sun

Plants start with seeds

What I Wonder

Where we can get the seeds

What kind of seeds we should get

How we plant the seeds

How big they will grow

How long it will take

How our plants will taste

How we will know when to eat the plants

What I Learned

We ordered the seeds online

We ordered seeds of food we like

Microgreen seeds are planted in a layer, not spread out

The plants had seedling leaves and one set of true leaves when we harvested them

The peas grew 3", the other plants grew 2" tall

They took two weeks to grow

They tasted like salad, the peas were sweet

Acquiring seeds and supplies

Next, we needed to locate a source for seeds. Seed packets found in most garden centers contained a very small amount of seeds; purchasing those would have been cost prohibitive for our project. We went to the Smartboard again, typed in "microgreen seeds," and found several suppliers.

There were so many different kinds of seeds to choose from, but we narrowed our selection down to three: carrots, peas, and clover. First we brainstormed a list of vegetables the class liked to eat, then children voted for their top two; carrots and peas were favorites. We chose clover because we were surprised that we could eat it and we wanted to try it. We placed our order and eagerly waited for our seeds to arrive.

While waiting for the seeds, we referred to our planning plant: it was now time to gather our tools and supplies so that we were ready when our seeds arrived. We wondered together where we might get some of the things we needed. One child suggested, "My mom has a garden. Maybe I could ask her." This, of course, prompted several other children to chime in, "Me too!" We decided to write a letter:

Sure enough, our parents rose to the challenge and provided us with the supplies we needed to grow our own salad-including some recipes for salad dressing!

Harvesting our idea

We were so excited when our seeds arrived! After opening the packages, we immediately noticed that the pea seeds looked just like peas, while the carrot and clover seeds were very tiny. Following the directions we had read in the book and online, we prepared our microgreen garden. Each child took a turn adding soil to the planters and sprinkling seeds across the surface. Careful not to overwater the plants, we set up a watering station and used mister spray bottles every day. The children documented the growth of our plants in two ways: 1) some chose to take pictures with the iPads and create a photo documentary, while 2) others drew observations in their nature journals.

In two weeks, we were able to harvest our microgreens and enjoy salad with our lunch while we looked out over our snow-covered outdoor learning environment!

Try this with your class!

Here's what you need to get started:

Sunny window: microgreens need at least four hours of direct sunlight a day.

Shallow dish: seed starting trays or other shallow containers, like shallow food storage containers, recycled Styrofoam take-out containers, recycled rotisserie chicken trays, or a jelly roll pan.

Seeds:

Salad greens (kale, arugula, mustard, sorrel)

Leafy vegetables (radishes, beets, carrots, peas)

Herbs (cilantro, basil, chervil, parsley)

Edible flowers (zucchini blossoms, violets, rose petals)

Potting soil: seed-starting medium (made up of ingredients other than soil-things like milled sphagnum moss, peat, vermiculite, or perlite) or potting soil; avoid soils with fertilizers mixed in because they include chemicals that aren't good for children to eat.

Spray bottle/mister: small bottles for little hands that mist instead of soak.

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14-Day Salad: Using Project-Based Learning to Grow Microgreens

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In project-based learning, spontaneous conversations during lunch can lead to interesting learning experiences. We discovered that it is possible to grow a salad indoors, in the middle of winter, in under a month! Over the winter, I was sitting with a group of pre-K children on a particularly cold and snowy day.

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Ingredients:
10 cups torn romaine lettuce
2 medium red apples, cubed
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss Cheese
1/2 cup dried cranberries

6 Tablespoons lemon juice
3 Tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 and 1/2 teaspoons grated onion
1 and 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cups chopped lightly salted cashews

Directions:
In a large salad bowl, combine the first five ingredients.
For the Dressing, in a small bowl whisk lemon juice, oil, corn syrup, onion, mustard and salt. Pour over romaine mixture and toss to coat all ingredients. Sprinkle with cashews and lightly toss. 14 Servings (1 cup each)

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I have several favorites. One is Watermelon Tomato and Cucumber Salad.

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I have several favorites. One is Watermelon Tomato and Cucumber Salad.

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Ingredients

Half a watermelon, cubed

2-3 handfuls of small tomatoes, or 2-3 larger tomatoes sliced into wedges. Small cherry tomatoes work really well.

One cucumber, chopped into bite sized pieces

Olive oil (about 1-2 tablespoons)

Salt and Pepper

Fresh Basil, about 5-10 leaves chopped

Original recipe calls for 4 oz crumbled goat cheese – But you can use feta cheese which is really good.

Instructions

1. Combine the watermelon, tomatoes and cucumber in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, just enough to cover the fruit and veggies. Sprinkle with the chopped basil, about ½ tsp salt and pepper to taste. Add cheese if you like. Toss to coat evenly and serve! To me it tastes a bit better when it is a little chilled.  This recipe was originally in one of Martha Stewart's magazine years ago.  It was tweaked a bit.

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I server with fresh carrots from the garden and pretzels. I also send home some dill and the recipe card so that my students can try it at home!

Ingredients:
▢1 teaspoon dried dill
▢1 tablespoon dried minced onion
▢1 tablespoon dried parsley
▢½ teaspoon kosher salt or seasoned salt
▢1 cup sour cream
▢1 cup mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt

Instructions
In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, and spices together until evenly combined.

For the best flavor, cover and refrigerate the dip for 60 minutes before serving. Then serve with vegetables, crackers, chips, etc.

Notes
Sour Cream: Use full-fat or reduced-fat, not fat-free for the best flavor.
Mayo: I don't recommend using Miracle Whip or Fat-Free mayonnaise, as the flavor is not as good.
Spice Blend: Feel free to replace the dried dill, onion, seasoned salt, and dried parsley with 1 tablespoon of homemade dill seasoning.
Storage: Dill Dip will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. While safe longer, the dip will begin to become watery.

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Acorn squash may not be something that kids are familiar with so this recipe could help them learn to love it! I think you could reduce the syrup or brown sugar and have a delicious treat. - Sheila C., Arkansas Child Nutrition

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Enjoy! - Sheila C., Arkansas Child Nutrition

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I like this recipe because zucchini is easy and fast to grow. This recipes says bigger zucchini is better, so those that are a little too big for other uses are ideal for this! - Sheila C., Arkansas Child Nutrition

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Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese softened

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 teaspoons fresh dill chopped

1 teaspoon fresh chives chopped

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

salt & pepper to taste

1 long English cucumber thinly sliced

1 loaf sliced bread crusts removed

Instructions

With a hand mixer mix cream cheese and mayonnaise in a small bowl until smooth. Stir in herbs, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste.

Spread bread slices with cream cheese mixture.

Thinly slice cucumbers. Layer over half of the bread slices. Top with additional herbs if desired.

Top with remaining bread slice, remove crusts if desired and cut each sandwich into 3 pieces.

Serve immediately or cover and store up to 24 hours.

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Healthy Cinnamon Roll Smoothie

Laura Fuentes

Servings: 2

Prep Time

3 minutes mins
Total Time 3 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Vanilla Almond milk

1 ½ frozen bananas cut into chunks

¼ teaspoon cinnamon plus more for dusting

½ teaspoon vanilla optional

1 teaspoon brown sugar optional

⅓ cup old-fashioned oats

4-5 ice cubes

INSTRUCTIONS

Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Pour smoothie into two glasses, top with sprinkled cinnamon.

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Healthy Cinnamon Roll Smoothie with Banana

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Breakfast just got better with this cinnamon roll smoothie that’s dairy-free. Not only is it easy to make but also the perfect breakfast rush hour recipe.

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Here's a simple recipe that you can make with fresh ingredients from your garden:

Ingredients:
- 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Arrange the tomato slices on a serving platter.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Drizzle the dressing over the tomatoes.
4. Sprinkle the chopped herbs over the top of the tomatoes.
5. Serve immediately.

This salad is perfect for using up ripe tomatoes and fragrant herbs from your garden. It's also a great side dish to serve with grilled meats or fish. Enjoy!

Jeff Harmon

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Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
4 c. of both Strawberries and Rhubarb stalks
1/2 c. sugar     1 T. Lemon juice   1/4 c. water
Dice berries and rhubarb stalks, combine rest of ingredients in pot.  Bring to a boil and then put in slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours.  Can be eaten warm or cold.

Zucchini Fries
Harvest 2-3 small zucchini, wash and dry.  Cut zucchini into strips, coat with olive oil.  Sprinkle on salt, garlic powder and parmesan cheese.   Bake in oven or air fryer at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Both recipes came from Allrecipes.com, have made both with my kiddos.

Mary Laufenberg

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https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/carrot_top_pesto/

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While carrots are available all year round, the best season for carrots is in the spring, and in the spring you can often find carrots with their feathery green tops still attached.

(Cue Bugs Bunny chomping on a carrot, "what's up doc?")

If you happen to buy carrots with carrot tops, I urge you to think twice before throwing the carrot tops away! You've paid for them, and if they are still fresh and green, you may as well use them, right?

Carrots are in the same family (apiaceae) as parsnips, coriander, fennel, and parsley. Not surprisingly the carrot greens taste a lot like parsley!

A little bitter, a little carrot-y. Greens from younger carrots are milder than those from older carrots.

Carrot tops are high in vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium. Use them as you would parsley, or in place of parsley in recipes. Strip the leaves from the tough stems, add them to stock or soup, put them in salads, or make chimichurri.

Or make this carrot top pesto. I promise you this pesto will change your mind forever about carrot greens.

Since carrot tops are slightly on the bitter side (like parsley), we are using equal amounts of baby spinach and tops for this pesto. You could also swap out some of the greens in other pesto recipes with carrot tops.

How to use carrot top pesto? Like any other pesto. Mix it with pasta, serve it as a dip, add it to baked smashed potatoes, toss it with white beans, or go all in with carrots and serve it as a spread over roasted baby carrots.

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While carrots are available all year round, the best season for carrots is in the spring, and in the spring you can often find carrots with their feathery green tops still attached. (Cue Bugs Bunny chomping on a carrot, "what's up doc?") If you happen to buy carrots with carrot tops, I urge you to think twice before throwing the carrot tops away!

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This recipe contains many of the vegetables that the children may grow in a school garden.

Enjoy!
Janet B

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This Easy Quinoa Salad is the BEST quinoa salad recipe! It is great for lunch, dinner, or the perfect side dish for potlucks and parties.

Best Quinoa Salad

Are you looking for a simple salad that you will absolutely LOVE? Yes, you can LOVE salad, if you don't believe me, make this Easy Quinoa Salad. I guarantee you will love it. I make this quinoa salad almost every single week because it is that good and it is easy to throw together, especially if you have leftover quinoa in the fridge. I like to meal prep quinoa every weekend so I can easily toss this quinoa salad together! It is light, refreshing, and full of flavor. Plus, it is allergy-friendly making it a great salad for almost everyone!

Quinoa Salad Recipes

I love quinoa salads, a few of my favorites include:

I could eat a quinoa salad every single day and sometimes I do. Especially, this Easy Quinoa Salad. It is my go to when I am craving good, healthy food. It always hits the spot!

Quinoa Salad Ingredients

I REALLY love this easy quinoa salad because it is made with simple and fresh ingredients...and ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen! YAY! You can whip this salad up at anytime.
So what's in my favorite quinoa salad?
The ingredients might seem super basic and that is because they are, but I promise you that's a GOOD thing. We are bringing basic back! Oh, and there is also a rocking lemon dressing that takes about two seconds to whisk up that makes the salad the best quinoa salad ever. Don't skip the easy dressing!

How to Cook Quinoa

Don't be afraid of cooking quinoa, it is super easy to make. I love using quinoa because it is healthy, hearty, and a good source of protein. I like to make the quinoa in advance so the salad is easy to throw together. You can keep cooked quinoa in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Here are my tips for cooking perfect quinoa every single time!

Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water.Rinsing removes quinoa??™s natural coating, called saponin, which can make it taste soapy or bitter. Drain.

For one cup of quinoa, you need 2 cups of liquid, water or broth. Cooking the quinoa in broth will add more flavor, but water is fine too.

In a medium saucepan, combine water or broth, the rinsed quinoa, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover with a lid. Cook for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes, covered. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Serve!

Healthy Quinoa Salad

This quinoa salad is vegan and gluten-free too! It makes a great healthy lunch, dinner, or side dish to any meal. I love taking this simple quinoa salad to potlucks and parties because everyone loves it and it only takes me minutes to make!

If you want to make the quinoa salad more of a main dish, you can add shredded chicken, chickpeas, or white beans.

This quinoa salad is best the day it is made, but I think the leftovers are good the next day too. The lemon in the dressing will keep the avocado from browning. If you want to meal prep the salad in advance, you can toss everything together except the avocado and the dressing. Add the avocado and dressing when ready to eat and the salad will be super fresh!

Make this quick and easy Quinoa Salad part of your weekly routine. I know it is going to become a staple in your house, just like it is in ours. And I made a video to show you how easy it is!

How to Make Quinoa Salad

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This Easy Quinoa Salad is the BEST quinoa salad recipe! It is great for lunch, dinner, or the perfect side dish for potlucks and parties. Are you looking for a simple salad that you will absolutely LOVE? Yes, you can LOVE salad, if you don't believe me, make this Easy Quinoa Salad.

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Ingredients

1.5 lbs zucchini or summer squash

6 fresh dill sprigs (2 per jar)

Seasoning:

3 cloves garlic cut in halves (2 per jar)

1.5 tsp black peppercorn (.5 tsp per jar)

1.5 tsp mustard seeds (.5 per jar)

.75 tsp dill seeds (.25 per jar)

Brine:

2.5 cups water

1 cup distilled white vinegar

<1/4 cup sugar

<2 tbs coarse sea salt (not iodized)

Instructions

Make sure that your 3 pint jars are clean/sanitized and dry before you begin.

Cut Zucchini as you prefer: spears, slices, or chunks and load them into your jars, leaving half an inch of headroom/ or just under the lowest rim of a standard canning jar.

Add dill sprigs and seasonings, dividing them evenly between the jars. Optional: artfully place your dill and garlic along the wall of your jar.

To make the brine, heat water and vinegar up just to the point that your sugar and sea salt dissolve.

Pour the still hot mixture over your zucchini and seasonings into the canning jars - this releases the aromatics of your herbs and spices.

Allow to cool, cap the jar, and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

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Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2 c. shredded zucchini, squeezed dry
2 eggs beaten
1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
Combine first 4 ingredients. Transfer to 12 in pizza pan. Bake 13-16 min.
Top with your choice of ingredients and turn oven down to 400 degrees. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.

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Use pita bread as the base. Add on a bit of sauce, cheese, and a bunch of veggies form the garden. Could add fresh tomato slices, peppers, onion, garlic, herbs, mushrooms, or anything else grown. Bake for about 10-15 minutes.

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Cut up tomato, fresh mozzarella ball. Layer together across plate. Drizzle olive oil on top. Then salt and pepper. Slice sweet basil, and put it on top of tomato

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with fresh cucumbers my favorite_j Dorsey

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with fresh cucumbers my favorite_j Dorsey

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https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/sesame-ginger-cucumber-salad/

I would do it like the website said first but of course the more we make it, I would change it up to spice it up.

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

4 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce

2 English cucumbers

1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted

Thinly sliced green onions

Directions

1. For dressing, mix first 7 ingredients. Trim ends and cut cucumbers crosswise into 3-in. sections. Cut sections into julienned strips.

2. To serve, toss cucumbers with sesame seeds and dressing. Sprinkle with green onions.

Nutrition Facts

3/4 cup: 64 calories, 4g fat (1g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 293mg sodium, 7g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 fat.

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2 tablespoons rice vinegar 4 teaspoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1 teaspoon honey 1/4 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce 2 English cucumbers 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted Thinly sliced green onions For dressing, mix first 7 ingredients.

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Herb and Berry Pops: Whip up your own refreshing popsicles at home with a set of molds and add a few simple ingredients from the garden. Start with a base like home or premixed lemonade then add berries, mint and edible flower petals. Even little ones can help by pulling off petals, leaves and dropping berries into the molds. Freeze overnight.

Source: https://yardzen.com/yzblog/kid-friendly-vegetable-recipes

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Mint Lemonade Recipe (Low Sugar) _ Pickled Plum

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This website has 4, child create recipes for salsa.

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What's better than salsa made from summer produce? Maybe salsa made from ingredients picked fresh from Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Children's Garden, plus one special, secret addition.

Teams of rising fifth through eighth graders in the Junior Botanist and Plant Investigator program competed to create the best salsa recipe using fruits and vegetables that they grew and harvested themselves in the Children's Garden. Each team was also given a lime and one special ingredient from the local grocery store to enhance their recipe.

The contestants:

Bear Squad

This grizzly group of chefs chose a secret ingredient beloved by their namesake animal: blueberries. Their delicious salsa also included generous portions of large tomatoes and cherry tomatoes, along with chopped red onion, all harvested from the Children's Garden. A little extra flavor came from a pinch of salt and the juice of one lime.

JJDJR

This team, named for the members' initials, also included fresh-picked garden ingredients to make a tasty salsa: regular and cherry tomatoes, cilantro, blackberries, jalapeño, and nasturtium flowers, plus a pinch of salt. Their secret ingredient was pomegranate seeds.

Cherries 4 Life

Cherries 4 Life based its recipe on "smart ingredients from the garden," according to Wendy, team captain. This included a combination of regular and cherry tomatoes, raspberries, onion, cilantro, and jalapeño, as a well as a squeeze of lime. Chopped cherries, their secret ingredient, added a hint of sweetness.

Peaches & Cream

Described by a judge as "nice and fruity," this team's recipe relied heavily on the secret ingredient: peaches. The chefs made a sweet salsa using chopped peaches, squeezed blackberries, chopped tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, salt, pepper, and a bit of jalapeño.

A panel of 14 judges chosen from BBG's staff and the Garden Apprentice Program tasted each salsa and voted for their favorite.
And the winner is....
Cherries 4 Life!

Wendy credits her group's success to "good teamwork," plus the addition of fresh raspberries. The complete recipe is below.

Junior Botanists and Plant Investigators are chosen from schools that participate in BBG's Project Green Reach program. Students must be nominated by their teacher on the basis of their interest in botany and science. This year's group has been working all summer on gardening, hands-on science, and botany activities in the Children's Garden, with time out for an overnight camping trip.

Children's Garden Cherry Salsa by Cherries 4 Life

4 large tomatoes, chopped

4-6 cherry tomatoes, chopped

20 cherries, pitted and chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped

6-10 raspberries

Toss all ingredients in a large bowl, taste, and adjust seasoning for sweetness and heat. Enjoy with chips.

Sarah Schmidt is a former editor of BBG's digital editorial content and the Guides for a Greener Planet handbook series.
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Four Delicious Salsas Created in the Children's Garden - Brooklyn Botanic Garden

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What's better than salsa made from summer produce? Maybe salsa made from ingredients picked fresh from Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Children's Garden, plus one special, secret addition. Teams of rising fifth through eighth graders in the Junior Botanist and Plant Investigator program competed to create the best salsa recipe using fruits and vegetables that they grew and harvested themselves in the Children's Garden.

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This is very much an Americanized version of this dish, but the kids enjoyed it none the less. This is something an old college roommate shared with me and I now share with students so I don't have a link to the original recipe.

"Pancake" batter:
3 cups of finely shredded cabbage
1 cup of chopped green onions
3/4 cup of flour
1 teaspoon of salt
2 eggs
And enough water to get the batter at your desired consistency

Sauce:
3 parts mayo and 1 part sriracha

Instructions: Combine all batter ingredients into a bowl and stir until combined. Place 1/4 of a cup of batter into a skillet on medium heat. Flip when underside is golden brown. Remove when cooked all the way through and golden brown on both sides.

Serve with the sauce & additional green onion as garnish. Enjoy!

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1 cup finely chopped white onion (about 1 small onion)

1 medium jalapeño or serrano pepper, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped (decrease or omit if sensitive to spice, or add another if you love heat)

¼ cup lime juice

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, more to taste

1 ½ pounds ripe red tomatoes (about 8 small or 4 large), chopped

½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (about 1 bunch)

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Do you eat radish greens? If not, then the following Summertime Radish Salad is just for you.

Have you tried radish greens in a salad? If not, then you should keep reading.

Hi everyone, the end of the summer season is coming near, and so is the summer produce. Before the summer goodies are gone, this is the perfect time to try my recipe for Summertime Radish Salad.

Let's talk about radish greens first:

This is not just a normal radish bulb salad. I have included radish greens as well in it. Say what??? Yes, you read it right. I have included radish leaves in the salad, and they are the highlight of the recipe.
Now a little word of caution. Everyone does not like raw radish leaves. They have a little fuzzy texture, which a few of you can put off.
And that is just fine. But those who pass that initial taste test are in for an earthy, flavorful treat. The radish leaves have a wonderful delicate flavor which can be best experienced when eaten raw.

It's just not about flavor; radish greens are full of essential nutrients, help digestive health, and have anti-cancer properties.

Summertime radish salad is a staple in my house.

What goes into the salad?

The main ingredient of the salad is radish and radish greens. To add more volume, I add chopped cucumbers and onions. I season it with lemon juice and salt.

There are variations. You can also add tomatoes, cilantro, and some chopped green chilies. I skip the chili part since my 8-year-old relishes it as well with her meal.

You can also dress it up with some olive oil and vinegar. I like to keep it simple.

Did you try this Summertime Radish Salad?? #summersalad Click To Tweet

How to make Summertime Radish Salad?

Start by washing the radish and the radish greens well. Many times there is dirt stuck onto it.

Once all clean, chop the radish greens and radish into bite-size pieces.

Next, chop onion and cucumber. Add all the chopped ingredients to the mixing bowl.

Sprinkle lemon juice and salt and mix it well. Your Summertime Radish Salad is ready to serve.

One important part of this recipe is once we add the lemon juice and salt, the salad will start realizing its water.

Here you have two options: Either wait for 10 mins and throw away the water OR relish the salad along with juices.

I go with the second part since the released water has all the flavors of the salad.

Pro Tip- I will highly recommend making this salad when you are about to serve dinner. The more you wait, the more water will release, and the radish leaves will lose their taste.

Summertime Radish Salad goes well with...

Almost all the vegetarian and meat dishes. I like to serve it with lamb, beef and chicken. The spicy flavors of the salad go well with these meats.

Here I have served the salad with basmati rice and grilled lamb steak.

Let's go through the recipe.

Summertime Radish Salad

What do you think about this version of Radish salad? Isn't it quick and easy?

As I mentioned earlier, it does require a little bit of getting used to the taste of the radish leaves.

On that note, I wish you all a wonderful day ahead. Take care and stay safe.

For more recipes along with tips and tricks, subscribe to our mailing list. You can also follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram.

You Might Also Like:
Kids Friendly Summer Salad Dill Cucumber Noodles Six Kids Approved Salads

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Summertime Radish Salad - Easy Baby Meals

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Do you eat radish greens? If not, then the following Summertime Radish Salad is just for you. Have you tried radish greens in a salad? If not, then you should keep reading. Hi everyone, the end of the summer season is coming near, and so is the summer produce. Before...

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From Troy Kids Garden and Youth Farm
Ingredients:

2 ½ c ANY vegetables

½ c fresh dill

1 c white vinegar

4 T salt

5 peppercorns

1 T pickling spice

Water

Directions:

Chop vegetables into bite size pieces. In a 1 quart mason jar*, combine vinegar, dill, and salt. Next, add peppercorns and pickling spice. Add vegetables to jar. Fill jar to the very top with water, seal jar, and set upside down. Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes. They will keep for up to 2 weeks if refrigerated.  Enjoy!

*if a jar is not available, the same process can be done in a bowl,

following the same instructions, filling the bowl with enough

water to cover vegetables. Cover bowl to allow to sit.