Tasty Ideas For Your First Harvest of the Year

With your first tastes of homegrown garden produce, you’ll wonder why you’d waited so long to grow your own food! Garden vegetables are so tasty that you don’t even need to slather them with seasonings. Their flavor is better than most store-bought spices, yet with a good recipe, you can bring out their natural tastiness even more!

Zucchini, Tomato and Pepper Pesto Pizza 

You can’t go wrong with homemade pizza. Garden veggies add extra food value to what was already going to be a great-tasting meal. This recipe is only one of many pizza possibilities, but we promise it’s a winner!

If you’re growing fresh herbs, making a pesto sauce can move your pizzas to the next level of gourmet. Basil is not your only option. A good cilantro pesto will take your taste buds in a new direction. 

Pizza Ingredients: 

1 sweet pepper, sliced 

2 cups cherry tomatoes

1 handful of arugula

1 zucchini, thinly sliced into ribbons  

1 clove garlic, minced 

1 tbsp fresh thyme 

1 cup basil pesto, homemade* or store-bought

1 cup mozzarella cheese 

1 cup provolone cheese

2 tbsp olive oil

Fresh basil to garnish

Salt and pepper

Your favorite pizza crust or dough  

*Homemade Pesto Ingredients:

3 handfuls fresh basil leaves

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano (parmesan) cheese

1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts

2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 425˚F.
2. To make homemade pesto, combine basil leaves (or preferred herb) with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a garlic clove, 2 tablespoons of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and a tablespoon of toasted pine nuts in a food processor until smooth. Spread pesto liberally on pizza dough or premade crust.
3. Once you’ve spread the sauce, add the cheese. The mild mozzarella and sharp provolone make a tasty contrast. 
4. Then, add the garlic and zucchini ribbons. If your zucchini is not fruiting yet, zucchini flowers make a delicious substitute. Toss the cherry tomatoes and pepper slices in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and layer them on top. The tomatoes will roast and nicely burst in the oven.      
5. Cook the pizza until crust is golden, vegetables are tender, and cheese is melted and bubbling, about 15-20 minutes.
6. Remove from oven, and while the pizza is still hot, layer on the fresh arugula and basil. It will wilt perfectly as the pizza cools enough to enjoy.
   

Garden Bounty Salad

The crunchy texture and bright, tangy flavors of this salad will make you swoon, and the healthy vegetables will invigorate your whole body! This recipe will easily serve a family of four, but you can modify proportions to your preferred serving size.

Salad Ingredients:

1/2 cup roasted beets, roughly chopped

1 cup fresh snap peas   

3 cups fresh arugula 

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 red onion, finely sliced 

1 cup fresh Bocconcini (mozzarella balls), halved

1 handful nuts of your choice, roasted or fresh (Optional)

Salad Dressing Ingredients:  

1/3 cup olive oil 

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 

2 teaspoons lemon juice 

1 tsp dijon mustard

2 tbsp basil, minced 

2 tsp garlic scapes, minced

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: 

1. Mix all of the salad ingredients together, following the listed proportions, or adjusting to your family’s preferences.
2. Mix the salad dressing ingredients into a jar, seal tightly, and shake to blend. If you like, try adding fresh herbs and aromatics from your garden, such as basil or garlic scapes 
3. Chill the salad and toss in the dressing just before serving.   

Mixed Berry Smoothie 

A fresh berry plucked from your berry shrub is already gourmet in itself. This simple recipe can make a perfect start to your day or a tasty afternoon snack in the garden. 

Ingredients:

2 cups of mixed blueberries, raspberries, strawberries or any fresh berries that you have on-hand

1 1/2 cups of milk or milk alternative

1/2 cup of ice 

1 cup of plain Greek yogurt 

1 tablespoon of chia seeds 

1 tablespoon of honey (optional)

Fresh berry and mint garnish (optional)

Directions: 

1. Place all ingredients in a blender.
2. Blend until smooth. 
3. Add fresh mint from the garden as a garnish.  

A good recipe begins with quality ingredients, and the best ingredients begin in a quality garden. Our garden centers in Alexandria and Lothian are here to help. If you need advice, soil amendments, seeds, seedlings, or landscaping inspiration—you name it—we’re open and ready to help you grow!