Sunday in the kitchen

I make the same mistake every year. My enthusiasm for starting my spring garden always trumps reason when it comes to seeding the zucchini. I always seem to forget that one plant alone provides enough zucchini for this family. Now we are overwhelmed. Zucchini in the morning, zucchini in the evening, zucchini at supper time. Isn't that how the song goes? If not, it should be because that's what it feels like. Using up that zucchini in stir fries, salads, and sweet zucchini loaf. Oh yes, sweet zucchini loaf - the perfect accompaniment to a perfect picnic with dear friends along the Elora Gorge where we explored the trails, enjoyed a bit of shopping, and met some unlikely adventurers along the way!

 

  

Zucchini Loaf
1/2 C dairy-free margarine
3/4 C brown sugar
1/2 C apple sauce
1 tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 3 tbsp warm water
1 small zucchini grated - about 1 C
2 C flour (for this recipe I used a blend of 1 1/4 C buckwheat flour and 1/4 arrowroot starch)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 C oats
1/2 C pumpkin seeds
1/2 C chocolate chips
Beat together margarine and brown sugar. Add remaining wet ingredients and mix well. Mix in dry ingredients, followed by seeds and chocolate chips. Bake at 375F for about an hour, or until fork comes out clean. This recipe makes one large loaf or divide the batter up into a smaller loaf and muffins.

What will you do today?

Today I will seek refuge from the heat in the shade and cool of my house with a good book and perhaps a little afternoon cat nap. I will suddenly be startled awake by the squeals and laughter of two boys clearly up to something way too fun out in the backyard. I will marvel at their genius plans for staying cool - two tarps, one hose, one bucket full of water and lots of ammo (aka sponges) which together make for one awesome water sponge fighting game. What will you do today?

A garden grows

"I have great faith in a seed. Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders."

- Henry David Thoreau

this moment

Dirty feet, sleeping in...loving these lazy summer moments!

Inspired by soulemama

Sunday in the Kitchen

Summer is here, the weather has finally warmed and things are really starting to happen out in our garden! It was a slow start with a pretty cool spring, but with several hot and sunny days in a row, we are finally starting to enjoy the fruits of our labour. Although we really didn't have to do much to get those garlic scapes, above, that grow wild along the edge of our yard. Garlic scapes are the flower stalk of the garlic plant and are so yummy. They can be used in any way that you would use garlic, however they do have a much milder flavour than the bulbs. And now is the time to head out and pick them! I harvested this bunch that I blended up into a batch of pesto adapted from a basil pesto recipe I think was passed on many years ago from my mother-in-law.
Garlic Scape Pesto
1 C scapes chopped up
1/4 C parmesan cheese
1/4 C almonds
Juice of 1/4 lemon
1/8-1/4 C olive oil 
Place ingredients in food processor except for oil. Blend, adding oil as needed until you get the consistency you like. I like mine a little chunkier and less oily - I usually make pesto with my mortar and pestle, but find the scapes stringier and harder to crush up this way, so a food processor works best for this recipe. 


So you have your pesto, now what? Well, anytime I make pesto, I know it's going to be a pizza night! I love using pesto on pizza in place of the tomato sauce, and this recipe makes just enough to cover one pizza crust - my very favourite homemade pizza dough recipe can be found here. Roll out the dough (I'm lazy and just press it onto the pan), top with tomatoes, peppers, cheese, and whatever else strikes your fancy. Bake in a 400F oven until that crust is nice a brown and that cheese is nice and bubbly. So delish - go on and try it! Scapes won't be around much longer!