Egg Summer Vegetables w Licorice Mint & Pecorino

For today's Breakfast, I had a friend over; using leftovers from our dinner (and garden) the night before, we made an omelet, well kinda, lol... I'm calling the meal: Eggs and Summer Vegetables. --She requested the recipe; I find doing a blog so much easier than writting it all down w a pen and finding the time to get it to each other... not to mention, we bloggers love to share. ;-)

Ingredients are per person. I.E.: (multiply it by how many people served):
4 large eggs
1/4 C fresh spinach leaves
1 chopped miniature sweet pepper
1 Tbl sliced red onion
6 fat grilled asparagus, roughly chopped into one inch pieces.
1 slice of lunch meat ham, slivered.
1 piece thick bacon, cut into 1/2 inch chunks.
Wht pepper, black pepper and salt.
*2 large Licorice mint leaves sliced or Tarragon will work too.
Pecorino cheese shaved with a potato peeler or a grater.

Directions:
1. Soft boil two eggs in salted water (wht done, yolk soft or semi-soft). (I poured off the boiling water, banged them in the saucepan to crack their shells and filled the pan with cold water, --letting sit while I did the rest of the meal prep. Then the peels slid right off once I came back to them! Slice eggs after peeled and place on plate first.
2. In a skillet saute meat, onion, and Sweet pepper (in that order, partially cook meat first, giving you the needed oil for the rest of the stir-fry).
3. Add spinach leaves and then asparagus to warm them. Lay stir-fry mixture over sliced eggs.
4. Fry two eggs over easy (wht's done, yolks runny), or poach would be better (hindsight, I'd rather have done that instead). Salt and pepper eggs to taste w both peppers and salt while cooking, before turning them. Note: If poached, wait until you spoon them out of the water to season them. The rich yolk will be your sauce as it flows between your vegetables; it is more rich than most creams (think of Eggs Benedict). Which is why I made toast to go with the meal, to get every drop of yolk! ;0)
5. Shave the cheese over your meal.
6. Arrange sliced Licorice Mint over your dish to finish!

*A note on Licorice Mint, also known as: Agastache rugosa (Korean Mint, Blue Licorice, Purple Giant Hyssop, Huo xiang, Indian Mint, Patchouli Herb, Wrinkled Giant Hyssop; syn. Lophanthus rugosus Fisch. & Mey). It is a medicinal and ornamental plant in the Lamiaceae family. It is called huò xiāng in Chinese and it is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine. --I like to grow and cook with all sorts of herbs that are great for health and flavor! Tarragon also has that desired licorice taste and could subsitute just fine.

Using leftovers never got easier! ;0) Sooo EasY!

The Color Wheel of Vitamins and Minerals

Eating a Variety of Color:

I've read many articles over the years, saved some, although unfortunately, I can't recall all of the sources. I even studied nutrition and food in my nursing courses, but my greatest education came from my mother and being raised off her garden! I can thank her for my basic knowledge of herbs, vegetables, and fruits.

Peas, A good crunch, fresh, right out of the garden, you can pop them into your mouth!

Recently I have had a few conversations with girlfriends who are trying to lose weight and with a colleague who is also a foodie chef and it got me to thinking that is was time for a blog designed to share the good fortune of wonderful food! 

Eating the Color Spectrum for Good Nutrition

It is no secret that eating a variety of colors in your diet will give you a better range of vitamins and minerals, so perhaps sometimes we just need a reminder to mix it up! Keep in mind Noah's rainbow in the sky, the next time you head to the grocery store and pick up a variety of color! If you usually just grab banana's, try instead some plums and oranges for your sweet tooth. If you're hooked on corn, give broccoli a try tonight!

Image is Mediterranean food.

 Image: There is more than one way to make a taco.

Another strategy is to try new types of food, like Mediterranean, Middle Eastern or Asian; Today, you can find that the Internet is full of recipes to try! Unlike the fast food variety of Chinese food, instead of relying on unhealthy fat for flavor, expose yourself to flavor in the form of savory herbs, various peppers or spices, and a glorious rainbow of vegetables!

The Color Wheel of Vitamins and Minerals: 

·         Red. In fruits and vegetables, red is vitamin A (beta carotene) and vitamin C. Typically, red produce are also high in manganese and fiber. Choose red bell peppers, tomatoes, cherries, cranberries, raspberries, rhubarb, pomegranates, and beets. Red apples also contain quercetin, a compound that seems to fight colds, the flu, and allergies. Tomatoes, watermelon, and red grapefruit are loaded with lycopene, a compound that appears to have cancer-fighting properties.

·         Orange. Just a shade away from red, orange in fruits and vegetables signifies a similar vitamin and mineral profile. You’ll get vitamins C, A, and B6, potassium, and fiber in choices such as butternut squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupes, oranges, pumpkins, orange peppers, nectarines, and peaches.

·         Yellow. Banana is probably the first yellow fruit that comes to mind. It delivers potassium and fiber. It is the most calorie dense fruit you will find, which means it will also keep you full longer. Potassium and fiber, vitamin A, and magnesium you will find in other yellow produce, such as spaghetti squash, summer squash, and yellow bell peppers.

·         Green. Dark leafy greens are packed with nutrients, and because they are low calorie, they are considered "free food" in most diets. This means pile them on your plate! Dark leafy greens provide a staggering number of vitamins and minerals, compared to ice berg lettuce, that is more like consuming water. The dark leafy green group is spinach, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, field greens for lettuce salads, broccoli and asparagus. Because of their rich lutein content, which aids eyesight, and foliate, which supports cell reproduction, they are well worth eating. So green it up! The calories only show their ugly head if you add salad dressing or butter on them. Try instead, a mixture of minced garlic, black pepper, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and a touch of olive oil. --And Instead of adding butter to cooked greens, try steaming them in chicken broth.

Play with your food!

·         Blue. Think blue, and you’re most likely picturing a bowl of blueberries, one of nature’s most powerful antioxidants. They are also loaded with fiber and make an incredibly versatile addition to your diet. Rather than eat plain pancakes, try making a whole-grain pancake and add blueberries to the batter! --And then add several raw ones on top, adding more yum to your cooked breakfast! Eat them by the handful, sprinkle them on cereal, or add them to salads for a sweet, different and delicious taste!

·         Purple. This group includes vegetables like red onions and eggplant, and fruits such as blackberries, Concord grapes, currants, and plums. Purple indicates the presence of anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that protect blood vessels and preserve healthy skin. You can also find vitamin A and flavonoids in purple vegetables like radicchio, purple cabbage, purple potatoes, and purple carrots. If you garden, try some of these "Easter Egg" colors; an added benefit: Kids may be more inclined to eat them!

      










White. White may not be much of a color, but white vegetables, such as cauliflower, rutabagas, and parsnips, still shine with vitamins and minerals like vitamins C, K, and foliate, and they contain fiber. Don’t forget onions and garlic, which have a compound called allicin that seems to protect the heart and blood vessels from damage. Although, unlike the folk-lore they do nothing to keep the imaginary vampires away. ;-)

If your fruit and vegetable basket has been limited to peas and grapes, exploring the rainbow of choices available at your local farmers’ market or the produce section of your grocery store, will reward you with a bounty of vitamins and minerals as well as delicious meals! Bon appetit!

Barley, healthy grains, vegetables; Vegetarian meatless main dish ideas coming up

I was asked by a friend for information regarding grains, particularly Barley, and of vegetarian vegetable ideas for cooking meals.

• I did a previous blog on what the many choices of the best grains and what their nutrition values are. Reading that blog is a great place to start; then hit the back button and come back here ;-), or read this one first and then check it out: http://lisakramerartlifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/01/food-facts-with-best-grains-to-include.html

Salads at summertime are always a great idea:

Grilled vegetables are amazing on an Arugula Lettuce salad bed. Arugula is a peppery lettuce that is my favorite lettuce. ;-)

First, why choose a diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits and Grain Products?

Grain products and many vegetables and fruits are emphasized especially for their complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates are: whole-grain breads, cereals, pastas, rices like brown, and legumes like beans or lentils, and starchy vegetables like potatoes, peas, Lima beans or corn. Great sources of fiber come from: the whole-grain products, legumes, fruits with their skins, edible seeds like sunflowers, nuts, vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, raw onions in salads, pumpkin, spinach, turnip greens, Kale's (any green leafy veggie), Brussels sprouts, parsnips, beets, okra, and broccoli. Dietary fiber is important for healthy bowel functioning and can reduce symptoms of chronic constipation, diverticular disease, and hemorrhoids.

As far as losing weight issues, high fiber food means you will stay full longer, as the body takes longer to digest the complex carbohydrates, keeping your blood sugar steady and hunger at bay. The opposite occurs whenever we consume simple carbs, like white bread products or simple sugars like donuts. The blood sugar drops as soon as these are quickly digested, leaving us craving and hungry. This is when we get upset with ourselves because it seems our judgment power of what to eat is no longer with us. Unrefined complex starches products are unlike the white flour products, they are not over-processed on their pathway into the grocery stores, to the point of taking all that is good out of them, they contain fiber, vitamins and minerals, especially zinc, vitamin B6, and folacin. Clients have avoided complex carbohydrates with the misconception that they are fattening. Owing their low fat content, they are also low in kilocalories. Studies that were done --beginning in 1989, showed that a diet high in complex carbohydrates were more slimming than a diet of comparable kilocalories high in fat or simple sugars (the body breaks down simple carbs into simple sugars). Foods containing complex carbs are usually being eaten with added fats or sugars. For example, sugar is usually added to cereal, and butter to bread or potatoes.

Another reason to eat well:

Additionally, foods rich in vitamins A and C may help lower the risk for cancers, again studies have shown this for some time now. Cruciferous vegetables help reduce cancer susceptibility. Good sources of vitamin A and C and cruciferous vegetables are: Acorn Squash, Apples, Apricots, Avocados (good fat too), Bananas, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbages, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Collar Greens, Grapefruit, Lettuce, Kale, Kiwi Fruit, Kohlrabi, Oranges, Papaya, Peaches Prunes, Spinach, Strawberries, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, and Tomatoes.

Barley:
I own many nutrition books from my dietary planning nurse days, so I looked it up. In regard to nutrition, barley sits right in the middle of the recommended grains; it’s minerals worth mentioning are Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Calcium, Iron, Zinc, Manganese, and a bit, 13.5mcg, of Selenium (which is an important one for any with low thyroid issues). The vitamins it holds the most of are: Choline and Niacin. Barley holds 3.5g’s of protein per serving of 1 Cup. It holds 303mg’s of Omega 6 fatty acid, and 33mg of Omega 3 fatty acid, which is great. Calorie and Carb count are 193 calories, from which 175 calories are from good carb, 12.6 are from protein, and 5.8 are from good fat. Total carb is 44.3g with 6g of Fiber. Sugar is a low .4g and its glycemic load is 19. For obvious reasons, I’d also try some of the other grains mentioned in the Food Facts on Best Grains: (http://lisakramerartlifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/01/food-facts-with-best-grains-to-include.html ). J

Diet Ideas and Meal Planning in regard to Protein: I imagine if you are going off of meat for protein, your protein levels will level off very quickly; leaving you to eat a healthy vegetarian diet that considers its protein when planning meals. Otherwise, you will find yourself deficit in this important fuel. Even if you’re too high with protein in the urine now, after a month of very low protein intake, look into high protein grains, beans, nuts, tofu, milk and etc.;0) If you’re just cutting out red meat (which is what I usually do), then your protein count will be fine with the much healthier fish, chicken, turkey and fish options. Lol, yes, I mentioned fish twice, because ideally, we will eat it three times a week for those precious Omega’s. ;-)

Favorite Veggie recipes: Basically, grilled anything on the grill -with a bit of olive oil- and salt to taste is amazingly tasty and healthy: Eggplant, asparagus, fennel, zucchini/ green squashes, or red peppers to just name a few. I love to add the sweet fruit of cherry tomatoes to that list; combining several together can be a meal if you place it on a bed of grain like Amaranth or Farro. Or just grill a lemon and lime with the vegetables, cut in half for squeezing onto the grilled yummies. Serve with a Greek yogurt dip, or make a Greek dip --even better! 

Veggie Meals Coming Up:

 I will be taking photos coming up of the vegetarian meals that I like to make. Once my Spring-Summer garden is in full bloom (and it has begun nicely this year), I do a lot of cooking out of it. I have so much fun this time of yr! It will not be any trouble to just snap a few images as I make the dishes. –And, sharing even makes the cooking more fun. ;-)

I love to cook with produce straight out of the garden!

In the meantime:

• Good tips on natural foods that make you feel better:

http://lisakramerartlifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/03/15-foods-to-mellowout-or-to-boost-your.html

• One of my fav recipes using Quinoa (one of the higher protein grains):

http://lisakramerartlifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/01/blood-orange-kumquat-quinoa-salad-w.html

So, stay tuned in for the upcoming vegetarian meals;-)

Recipe for the best Butternut Squash Bisque soup that I've ever had!

Last night I was trying out several new recipes. One of them was a keeper! Due to popular demand of my friends, lol... here is the recipe. Enjoy...

Butternut Squash Bisque Soup

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 lbs butternut squash, peeled (skin cut off), seeded, and cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch chunks.

Seeds:

Save seeds for roasting (olive oil, salt pepper, 425 degrees until brownish) or throw them into your compost with the skin and stringy pulp.

Try buying squash with a long trunk, that is where the meat is and has less seeds. Cut off skin.

2 Tbls unsalted butter (Land O Lakes has a great taste)

1 leek, white and light green parts only, cut in half lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly in a colander to remove any and all dirt.

Salt and Pepper

4 C's vegetable broth (store-bought or make your own stock by bringing a variety of vegetables to a boil. Don't worry about skins or even cutting them nice. Once at a boil, then simmer until all the life is out of the veggies, easy!) --Then I like to strain it using a cheesecloth and throw away these bland veggies who gave all their goodness to your stock!

1 or 2 Cups water

3 fresh sprigs of thyme

1 fresh sprig of lemon thyme (lemon variety optional, I grow herbs, so it was convenient).

2 Bay leaves

Pinch of cayenne pepper (These are easy to dehydrate if you grow them, otherwise, just use store-bought out of the herb section)

Sour Cream, or whatever garnish you desire (optional).

Instructions:

Note: The reason this soup is so flavorful is because it is done in layers, layers of flavor. So, don't skip a step and put everything into one pot all at once, because it will not turn out as good.

1. Place squash in a bowl, cover and microwave until fork can easily poke squash, 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Set aside when done.

2. While the squash is cooking, melt butter in Dutch oven (I used an enamel coated cast-iron one). Add squash, leek and 1 tea salt; cook on high, stirring occasionally, until squash pieces begin to break down and brown fond (browned squash bits stick to sides or bottom of pan) forms in bottom of pan, 10 to 13 minutes to get the squash brown.

3. Add 2 Cups vegetable broth and scrape the bottom and side of pot to loosen and dissolve fond. Add remaining 2 Cups of broth, 1 C of water, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and cayenne. Bring back to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until leeks are fully tender, 7 minutes. I low-simmered mine for an additional 25 minutes to get more flavor concentration, however, it is not necessary.

4. Remove and discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Working in batches using your blender only 2/3rds full -- not more-- and process in batches until smooth, 2 minutes.

5. This step 5 is optional, it depends on how thick or runny you like your bisque. I did not need to do step 5 because I like a thick bisque. Return soup to pot and bring to simmer, thinning with up to 1 Cup of water to desired consistency. If you want to make it more decantant (for me it becomes too rich if I do this, but you can use heavy cream or cream fresh instead of this last cup of water; --or warm up the cream and place it in a gravy boat so that it can be poured into the soup as desired by taste). Cream can make pretty decorative patterns in soup too. The heavier the cream, the less likely it will curdle, i.e.: milk you would have to take more care in warming up than the cream.

6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. (Optional) Serve with dollop of sour cream, pistachio's, chives, cilantro, fried leeks or onions. This time I used sour cream, chives, cilantro and pistachios. Next time I will fry leeks, yum. ;-) I can share that recipe too, if anyone wants to fry some leeks!

Note: These pictures I took today because we had the leftover soup for lunch. I didn't get a picture of the finished soup Saturday night. We noted that this soup was even better today as leftovers than the eve I made it!

Light a candle and Enjoy! Lol, I found this unique candle on the internet and thought it was cute. It was at: http://www.100candles.com/items/item_8359.htm for anyone interested.

Winter Garden Time! Today I began the change from summer to a winter garden.

I have been planning my winter garden. The seasonal change is upon us and I am changing out the old garden for a new winter friendly one.

This is our asparagus plants, with basil near them. I let them go to seed so that the roots get feed for next years' crop. They are 4 year old mature plants now. Next year should be a great production season for them. They will stay in the ground over the winter to rebloom into asparagus shoots for cutting in the spring. Yum.

Yummy!!! So worth the work to grow these babies. They are expensive in the grocery store. If you can be patient with them the first three years. The first year I did not cut any of these shoots, letting them grow to feed the roots. The second and third year I took some, but stopped midway in the season. This last year we ate alot more of the green goodness.

Now this coming year, I will feel free to take these shoots until the end of the season. Because it is all about the root system and mature plants have well developed roots.

Planting Seeds for fall and winter garden in Aug. or Sept.

Today, I was sowing seed for a new winter crop. The kale that you see here will regrow, but I like to plant fresh seed too. The darker dirt is where the new seeds are. A tall basil can be seen too.

Just look on the seed packets to see how long they need to germinate. The crop needs to be harvestable before the first frost.

Today I was baking squash seeds that I added salt, pepper and olive oil to for eating. And I started drying out some of them to plant next spring. Delicata squash is my favorite squash, we make alot of it this time of year. Here are the seeds from one of the extra yummy squashes that we ate:

I just lay them out to dry:

Once they are dry, place them in a bag or jar of rice and store for up to two years. These will not be in the winter crop because they need up to 110 days to mature into squash.

A winter harvest of onions and various greens.

Herbs that grow well in winter:

Rosemary is one plant that is in the evergreen family. It will survive the winter and it will provide you with the tasty herb thoughout the cold season.

Sage, thyme, oregano, and rosemary will last the entire winter. Clipping them will just encourage new growth. This one just sits in an above the ground container next to my deck.

Ornamental:

I like to add colorful ornamental peppers to my fall arrangements. I read that they are edible, but that they are almost to hot to eat. I have never attempted it... I just love their color. They will not survive a winter, but are great for the fall.

This white cabbage adds to the cabbage display that is only safe from deer (a large problem for me) if I spray it with deer off. It is safe from the cold winter months. Cabbages and the evergreen family are winter friendly plants.

Purple ornamental Cabbage adds alot of color to a drab winter.

Plants like my lime tree, I drag into the house for the winter:

Oriental vegetables are very cold resistant. They are very hardy. Pak Choi is one of my favorite.

Yummy!

This year I had a problem with bugs eating my produce; you can see how they eat the leaves in the above pic. At the end of this blog, --I will discuss tips on getting rid of those pesky insects.

See the basil at the top... I have it growing everywhere, but it will not survive outside in the cold winter. I will have to grow it inside. Rapini or Broccoil Raab grows well in the winter.
Raini or Broccoli Raab is a tasty green treat thoughout the winter, so is brussel sprouts. This year, I am not doing a brussel sprout crop. But, they do just as well as cabbage in a winter garden.

Yummy...

Spinach! Another staple for us.

Winter Spinach bed.

Winter Spinach sits next to the green onions. Both do very well in a cold climate garden.

Kale!

Kale is my favorite green leafy vegetable. It is a hardy one that will be as cold hardy as your Mustard Greens.

Kale

This is how the onions and kale look after surviving a full winter. Last year I had so much left over that I had to harvest my crop before planting my spring garden.
I like to grow Swiss Chard because it is my second favorite green leafy vegetable.

There are a few plants that can be fun. I plant purple potatoes, easter egg colored radishes and the many colored Swiss Chard.

This is the yellow Swiss Chard.

 I grow the green variety, but I also grow the different colors to have fun with it!

This is the rainbow variety of Swiss Chard.

Then there are the really colorful, five color variety of Swiss Chard! --Kinda resembles the red rubbard from my childhood.

This is a section of my Swiss Chard that the deer got to.

Root Vegetables:

Here you can see Golden Beets, Red Beets and Red Spring Onions. I have learned that I prefer the red beets over the golden, so I will most likely not grow the yellow variety anymore. However, for salads they make a nice colorful dish.

Beets are a great winter crop. You can grow all colors.

Carotts, beets and radishes are root vegetables that are considered winter crops. They grow underground, so it kinda just makes since.

Carrots just pulled up after a long winter, that were extra before washing them.

They are a great winter crop item.

Collards:

I love Collard Greens! Not only are they delish, but they are winter hardy plants too.

You can let the leaves get large, or cut them small:

Then there are the more colorful varieties:

Red Mustard Greens are very hardy. In the colder season's there are fewer plants blooming with color. These edible tasty greens are pretty and ornamental to look at.

Mustard Greens in the summer look like this. They are really hardy and are fine through colder seasons.

This is what the mustard greens look like if they are not cut. If cut, they just grow new growth. They are very forgiving.

Arugula!

Arugula is a must have lettuce for me. I love this peppery lettuce for sandwiches!

Sometimes I simply put arugula on individual plates; then place whatever meat I cooked (fish, chicken, etc) on top of the leaves. They become wilted and the drippings off the meat make a dressing. Eating this peppery green with the meat provides another layer of flavor. ;-)

Note the marigolds. I do not plant them every year because I think they are pretty. Why plant marigolds on the edge of edible plants?

Why do I plant marigolds in my vegetable garden?
Marigolds are easy to grow and they help keep the away aphids. “The relationship between plants and insects is known as ‘companion planting.’ it’s by far the safest, natural way to garden organically.” My mom has been sharing with me the tips of Indiana farmers since I was a kid.
 My mother and the Farmers Almanac have provided tricks for gardeners to outsmart their pesky unwelcomed bug occupants.

Plants That Naturally Repel Insects:
Ø Peppermint repels ants, white cabbage moths, aphids, and flea beetles.
Ø Garlic discourages aphids, fleas, Japanese beetles, and spider mites.
Ø Perennial Chives repel aphids and spider mites.
      Chives are often planted among roses to keep aphids away and to resist the disease, Blackspot.
Ø Basil drives away flies and mosquitoes.

I place basil thoughout the yard and gardens. This is the tomato patch that the deer ate most of. You can see one canalope left.

Ø Borage deters that monster of vegetable garden insects, the tomato hornworm.

This is what the hornworms did to one of my tomato plants. They eat every green leaf until you kill or relocate them.

Ø Rosemanry and Sage repel cabbage moths, bean beetles, and carrot flies.
Ø Annual Marigolds can be used anywhere to deter Mexican bean beetles, squash bugs, thrips, tomato hornworms, and whiteflies. They are also known to repel harmful root knot nematodes (soil dwelling microscopic white worms) that attack tomatoes, potatoes, roses, and strawberries. The root of the Marigold produces a chemical that kills nematodes as they enter the soil. If a whole area is infested, at the end of the season, turn the Marigolds under so the roots will decay in the soil. You can safely plant there again the following spring.
Ø Nasturtium is another annual, in this case a trailing vine, that keeps away Potato bugs, squash bugs, and whiteflies.
Ø The perennial, Artemisia or Wormwood deters slugs that are so devastating to foliage.
Ø Radishes can be planted to discourage cucumber beetles, squash bugs, and stink bugs.

Attracting Good Insects To Your Garden:

Plant certain vegetables, herbs, or flowers in your garden to attract predatory insects that will feed on the harmful, undesirable ones.
Perennial Yarrow…attracts ladybugs that consume masses of aphids. The preying mantis is my favorite bug because not only are they just really cool looking, but they eat their weight in the bugs that consume your garden! I have purchased eggs of both ladybugs and preying mantis to begin my year more bug free.

The lacewing that feeds on aphids, mealy bugs, mites, and scale needs lots of pollen from flowers and evergreens for shelter. This is why I surround my vegetable garden area with boxwoods. They also give the garden a more pleasant look to it. Sometimes vegetables are not as pretty, so I try to make them appealing to the eye. Wasps and bees are also beneficial to the garden. When you create a natural balance in your garden you’ll discover how much better everything grows and you won’t need to worry about damaging the environment.

Ideal Planting Companions For Vegetables:

• Beans-like celery and cucumbers but dislike onions and fennel. 
• Beets are compatible with bush beans, lettuce, onions, kohlrabi and most members of the cabbage family. Keep pole beans and mustard away from them.
• Cabbage, celery, dill, onions, and potatoes are good companion plants. Dislikes include strawberries, tomatoes, and pole beans.
• Carrots, lettuce, radish, onions, and tomatoes are friends. Dill isn’t, so plant it at the other end of the garden.

There are so many different kinds of lettuce to choose from. I regrow, reseed all year long. It does well in a cold weather garden too.

• Corn prefers to be near pumpkins, peas, beans, cucumbers, and potatoes. Keep tomatoes away.
• Cucumbers like sweet corn, peas, radishes, beans, and sunflowers. Dislikes include aromatic herbs and potatoes.

Our cucumber patch is done for the year.

• Lettuce grows especially well with onions. They are also compatible with strawberries, carrots, radishes, and cucumbers.

I just planted more lettuce seeds; salads are a staple for me, so I keep the cycle of growing going on this green leafy stuff.

• Onions can be planted near lettuce, beeroot, strawberries, and tomatoes but keep well away from peas and beans.
• Peas, carrots, cucumbers, sweet corn, turnips, radishes, beans, potatoes, and aromatic herbs are good companions. Keep peas away from onions, garlic, leek, and shallots.
• Radish grows well with beetroot, carrots, spinach, parsnip, cucumbers, and beans. Avoid planting near cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, or turnips.
• Squash can be planted with cucumbers and corn.
• Tomatoes, carrots, onions, and parsley are good companion plants. Basil improves growth and flavour. Keep cabbage and cauliflower away from them. It is nearing the end of tomato plant season. See parsley and basil growing on the sides.