Our Kitchen Garden Update

I just found an old blog post that I wrote about a month ago but never actually posted it. It was my garden update and I couldn't believe how much our garden has changed since I wrote it. It's almost like kids, plants grow so fast. Looking at the old pictures of our kitchen garden, I felt happy and proud. I saw result of our everyday care and love we try to give to our plants. Result of the constant battle with whiteflies, leafhoppers, aphides, slugs, snails and other pests. We try to protect our plants, nurture them and they give us what they can for our care. I love our small kitchen garden. It's a hobby, pleasure and fun. I often think of my grandparents who used to have a big garden with all kinds of fruit and vegetables and some fruit trees. I would need their knowledge and experience now. They knew how to fight pests and how to give the best to every possible plant to get the best fruit and vegetable in return. I try to remember everything I can from my childhood when I used to help my grandparent in their garden, because unfortunately I can not ask them for advice. Instead, we learn. We learn every day, and we may not be the best gardeners, but we do our best and appreciate every new fruit our garden gives us.

Greek Basil

Last strawberries of the season

Mint

Although we love our garden, it's not always an easy job. Especially when weather doesn't cooperate. A typical British summer with frequent showers and lack of sunshine doesn't help our tomatoes to ripen. I'm so impatient! Large leafhoppers population nearly destroyed oregano and sage plant. It's a labour of love, but it's extremely satisfying and it's fun. For example, we grow "his" and "her" plants. P. insisted he wanted to grow chilli peppers and I had to have my rhubarb.

"Her" Rhubarb

"His" Chilli Peppers

Red Lettuce

Broad Beans

Marjoram in Bloom

Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Not all of our gardening attempts are successful. The purple sprouting broccoli plant doesn't do very well and I doubt it will ever produce any sprouts. Most of the tomatoes are still green, which is not our fault, but luckily there are already a few red ones too. We also planted new seeds of Swiss Chard, because the first plants were destroyed by black flies. Gardening is a never ending job but so rewarding.

Cherry Tomatoes

Swiss Chard

Flat Leaf Parsley

New baby spinach / Watercress

Do you remember my spring onions? They've done quite a good job growing from this:

to this:

Spring Onions

I wish you all a wonderful sunny weekend!

Rocket Pesto Penne with Chickpeas

I should start by saying that I originally planned to post a raspberry cheesecake recipe which I made last week for our friends. I started writing the post on Friday and I wanted to finish it tonight. But before I could do so, I made this amazing penne with rocket pesto for my lunch and I immediately wanted to share the recipe with you.

I promise I will post the cheesecake recipe soon!

This is exactly the type of food I make for myself when I'm home alone. I opened the fridge today, checking it for ingredients I could use to make my lunch. I didn't have many options. I must admit I usually can't be bother to do the big grocery shopping when I'm home alone. I often use all leftover ingredients instead. It's a wonderful opportunity to improvise and it makes me think outside the box. Even if my experiments don't work, I don't have to worry that two people would be hungry. :)

This rocket - chickpeas - goat cheese experiment worked great though. I just used leftover chickpeas and goat cheese from yesterday's salad and combined it with some fresh rocket from my garden. Easy, fast, fresh, perfect!

My yesterday's lunch was similarly fast and easy. I picked some fresh radishes and cress from our garden and put them on rye bread with hummus for a light lunch. It's so wonderful having your own garden. I can't wait to pick fresh strawberries for tomorrow's breakfast.

Penne with rocket pesto, chickpeas and goat cheese
Serves 1

90g penne
100g canned chickpeas
50g fresh goat cheese

Rocket pesto
20g fresh rocket
10g pine nuts

1 small garlic clove
10g parmesan, cut into small pieces
pinch of salt
olive oil

Cook pasta according to package instruction.

Meanwhile, prepare the pesto. Put all the ingredients except the olive oil into a food processor and quickly process until ingredients are finely chopped. Be careful not to over-process. The texture should be a little chunky. You may need to stop the processor and scrape down the sides a few times to make sure all ingredients are well chopped and mixed. Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and pulse a few more times. Add in more olive oil, as needed, until you reach your desired consistency. Check the seasoning and add more salt if necessary.

When pasta is ready, drain and return to the pan. Add the pesto and chickpeas and toss gently until the pasta is well coated with pesto. Transfer pasta on a plate, crumble goat cheese on top and serve.

I have a garden!

Basil, Thyme and Chive

Finally I have a garden! And I grow my own herbs and vegetables there! Oh, I can't forget strawberries! So I also grow my own fruit! :)

Last year, P. and I moved to a new house. Just the two of us, no more housemates and sharing. That was definitely one of many advantages and benefits of our new home. We love the place! Having my own space for a studio and a huge kitchen were beyond my dreams and, on top of that, we finally have a garden. It's not a big garden but it's still a garden, and most importantly I can finally grow my own herbs and vegetables. I can't be happier.

Watching my herbs and vegetables grow from a tiny seed to the first small green leaves brings me so much pleasure. There's something very rewarding about growing your own veg. I would like to share this pleasure with you, so now I invite you to take a virtual tour of my garden.

Sage

Marjoram

Oregano

Rosemary

Curry Plant

I believe that everyone can grow their own vegetables and herbs because it's surprisingly quite easy! I didn't grow the herbs above from seeds but bought potted herbs in a garden centre and replanted them. I tried the same with supermarket herbs but they usually died after a few weeks.

I grow all my herbs in big flower pots as I find it easier to protect them from snails and slugs. So far the best protection from slugs we have found is beer. Just pour some beer into a shallow container and place in your garden. The slugs will crawl in and drawn. Have you tried any other form of protection from slugs that works?

I grew all the following plants from seeds, except strawberries. It's so exciting how fast they grow!

Bright Lights Radishes

Lettuce

Tomatoes Maskotka

First "soon to be" strawberries!

There will be more of them!

Hot Orange Wonder Pepper and Cayenne Pepper

However I'm not entirely sure what's in this box on left, I think it could be rocket. I'll let you know in a few days when the tiny leaves start to resemble something. The parsley definitely need to be thinned and replanted as it looks like parsley wildwood right now!

Left: ?, Right: Parsley

Mixed Red Leaves Lettuce

Spinach

Headed Mixed Lettuce

I really wonder if these poor things will grow into spring onions one day!

Spring White Lisbon Winter Hardy Onion

I will update you on the progress my garden makes. I can't wait to show you some pics of my first fruits!