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Gardening

Vegetable & Herb Seedlings

Seedling Diaries Vol. 1

April 7, 2021

Guys, I did it. I was finally able to successfully start vegetable and herb seeds indoors.

In years past, I’ve tried and failed miserably. I’m talking not a single little green sprout. However, I’ve learned a few things along the way that I’d like to share with you all.

  1. Temperature: make sure those little babies don’t get too cold. I think this was a major problem in my nearly 100 year old home.
  2. Good Seeds: I went with non-GMO organic seeds instead of the ones from the clearance aisle that were most likely expired
  3. Light: I actually purchased a little light that clamps onto my table. It made such a difference! Plus, it has a timer. Score!
  4. DIY Greenhouse: aka putting plastic wrap tightly over my seeds until they germinated.
Seedling Update

My seedlings are 6 weeks old and I won’t lie to you, I thought they’d be bigger and more established by now. Many sources say to start the seeds I chose 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost. I’ve noticed that some others in zone 6 started their seeds in February. Maybe, this is something to note for next year. Though, I am hoping that they will take off once I plant them in my elevated garden bed.

I am happy to report that just about every seed that I planted germinated! I was not expecting that at all. So, I decided to thin out some plants a little earlier in order to give the others room to grow and stretch their roots. My lettuce seedlings were looking a little leggy, so I moved them into larger pots where I could plant them deeper. Fingers crossed for my lettuce!

Next week I will start the hardening off process.

On a side note, I’d really love a living wall full of beautiful plants.

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sides

Simply Sautéed Mushrooms

Simply Sautéed Mushrooms with Garlic

8 oz button mushrooms

avocado oil

salt

pepper

2-3 garlic cloves (you can scale back to just one if you aren’t a garlic lover like me. I use 3.)

Wipe your mushrooms with a damp paper towel to remove any dirt that may still be on them. I prefer buying whole mushrooms because it is impossible to clean the already sliced ones properly.

Slice your mushrooms thinly while your pan heats up to medium high. Mushrooms have a ton of liquid and we want to pull that out of them in order to achieve a golden brown and delicious result.

Pour about a tablespoon of avocado oil in the pan and swirl to coat.

Drop the mushrooms in, trying not to overcrowd your pan. Cook on medium high, stirring every so often until the mushrooms release their liquid and start to brown. If the pan becomes too dry, add a splash more oil.

In the meantime, you can mince your garlic.

Turn the heat down to low and add your salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Stir frequently. You want your garlic to become a little golden but not burn. If I’m using my cast iron pan, I will even turn it off when I add the garlic because the pan retains heat so well.

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cooking seasonally

Cooking Seasonally

Spring Sides

Goodbye winter weather, hello spring! Well, almost. In Northeast Ohio, we might wake up to an inch or so of snow tomorrow morning. And, no that isn’t an April Fools joke. Except, maybe from mother nature. Whether or not I wake up to a coating of snow, I can still create springtime in my kitchen.

Here are a few of my favorite spring veggie side dishes.

Carrot Quinoa Salad is a lovely way to put the spotlight on fresh carrots. You can use your favorite dressing or dare to be bold with my spicy chili lime dressing.

Veggie Tostadas are the perfect vehicle for the freshest spring produce. You can mix and match with whatever you have in the fridge or find at the farmers market. Plus, the avocado sauce is killer.

Simply roasted asparagus is a springtime must! The golden balsamic vinaigrette elevates this spring staple.

Springtime potato salad is bright and flavorful with a zippy lemon dressing and tons of fresh herbs.

My sunshine salad is a favorite in my house. Feta and crasins are a winning combination.

What are your favorite spring sides?