Current faves

ideal for salad season

Maybe it’s the feeling of spring in the air (or is it desperation to feel good about something?) - I am just finding myself enthusiastic about some things lately so I thought I’d share a few here. I’m not affiliated with any of the products I mention, just thought I’d share what I’m enjoying lately, especially to boost salads.

Gardyn Home 4.0

I’ve been eyeing hydroponic systems for awhile, but wasn’t thrilled with how complicated they’ve been to clean and they’re pretty expensive. Then Gardyn came out with their 4.0, which doesn’t require dismantling the entire thing to clean it. I like that its footprint is only one foot by two feet so it can fit in small spaces, it’s self-watering, and you can use your own seeds if you want to.

Well, my husband knew how badly I wanted to give this a try and gave it to me for Christmas! Since early January, I’ve been growing the following:

• lemon balm

• oregano

• dill

• basil

• Thai basil

• thyme

• parsley

• purple snapdragon (the flower petals are edible!)

• mini sunflower (edible petals, too!)

• yellow Swiss chard

• red sorrel

• perpetual spinach

• butterhead lettuce

• green salanova

• breen

• purple bunching onions (scallions)

  

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I also have started sprouting:

• mini broccoli

• bare root strawberry

• jalapeños

• candy cane peppers

• black viola (another edible flower)

And I have these microgreens going:

• red lace mustard

• wasabi

• arugula

• spicy blend of arugula, mustards, and Asian greens

• mild blend of broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, arugula, and cabbage

I’ve been harvesting for weeks now, and I love that many of the plants just keep on providing. After walking over and picking a little of this and that, my lunchtime salads have really gone up a notch in quality and variety.

The salad below includes green salanova, perpetual spinach, red sorrel, dill, cilantro, parsley, basil, bunching onions, and lemon balm. From here, I just add hummus or tofu and balsamic, maybe a little nutritional yeast and/or hemp hearts and I’ve got a delicious, super-fresh power salad!

Let me know if you have questions about the Gardyn system - I’m pretty new to it but happy to keep learning and talking about it! The initial cost of the system isn’t cheap but I’m finding it is paying off not only in helping us eat more veggies with delight - it’s also really fun and enjoyable to watch grow and have as a “green wall” in the house. It seems to intrigue everyone who sees it, even our dog Bowie! My husband is loving it, too. It really has become a daily delight, and I am really appreciating that.

The image above is what it’s looking like with constant harvesting and microgreens at the base that I’m sprouting a bit longer. The tray below allows me to be sprouting new veggies and microgreens to replace any spent veggies in the Gardyn so that it’s perpetually growing.

Aged balsamic vinegar as salad dressing

This isn’t new, many of you have heard me talk about using thick, aged balsamic as salad dressing (not the thin runny kind, which would be very vinegary to put on a salad by itself). The aged stuff is sweet, smooth, and tart - really delicious on a salad. I am currently loving California Balsamic’s Ruby Red Onion and Sweet Heat. A drizzle is all I need for a salad, so the bottles are lasting a long time.

Super Firm Tofu

Super firm contains much less water than other varieties, making it easy to quickly prepare. I just pat it dry with a cloth napkin and it’s ready to chop into cubes, grate, slice into slabs, whatever you’d like to do. It’s quick to cook too, and I prefer the extra texture it provides. There are so many uses - my favorite lately is to air fry cubes and add to salads like the one above - a quick and easy meal. Trader Joe’s has the best price I’ve seen, but you can also find super firm tofu at many grocery chains and natural food markets.

Little Sesame Hummus

This is the tastiest hummus I’m finding at the store lately. I haven’t had much time (or desire) to make hummus lately, so I usually grab the party pack when I can find it and we’re set for the week. I basically alternate with the tofu, using this hummus on my salad every other day. Really works for me! They have a variety of flavors - I’m into the classic right now.

Orange+Fennel+Pine Nuts+Olives = Great Salad

I’m not ready to move on from oranges, especially when I’m moving more consistently from soups to salads for lunch. They’re so delicious in salads, especially when combined with fennel, toasted pine nuts, and olives. Add a dollop of hummus (buried in the salad below) and it’s one fine salad. Chioggia or candy cane beets, if you can find them, add a sweetness that goes particularly well with this variety of flavors, too. In this salad I used the Ruby Red Onion balsamic from California Balsamic.

Bonus: My current read is…

In case you’re curious or looking for a good read on menopause (who isn’t?), the book I’m reading now is Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I’d Known About Menopause by Naomi Watts. She boldly goes where few have ever ventured: the topic of perimenopause/menopause. Finally, at least a few doctors are starting to figure out this complicated stage of life that every woman will eventually go through - likely for a decade or so! This book feels like a friend filling me in on what she’s learned after going through something major. On top of the crazy-long list of potential symptoms, there are so many other things to take on with perimenopause like navigating social situations while symptomatic and advocating to be taken seriously by a doctor.

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Last week’s 3 Simple Dinners meal plan allows flexibility for how many days you’re cooking and eating at home and each recipe is very easy to make and ready within 30 minutes.

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