End of season stockpiles

I have a several small gardens at my house. This year included pumpkins, squash, chard, tomatoes, and hot peppers. Next post will be homemade hot sauce.

Today, we head out front to the herb garden. Chives, mint, and Siam Basil are still hanging out in Zone 6 in early October. So let’s pick that basil and make some Asian-inspired pesto!

Begin by collecting and washing leaves, making sure you have at least 2 cups. I had 6 cups, so I tripled the recipe below.

Pesto, 5 minutes prep // 5 minutes to mix

Ingredients:

2 cups basil leaves

3 cloves of garlic (I like to roast mine in advance for extra depth)

3 TBSP pecans (or nut of choice)

1/2 tsp soy sauce, low sodium preferred

1 TBSP sweetener, I use honey

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or hot sauce

1 TBSP vinegar, white distilled or Rice wine

2 TBSP sesame oil

Combine all ingredients in bowl and mash with immersion blender, or in a blender.

  • Storage afterwards:
      • Freeze in ice cube trays for quick sauces during the week (Can stay in freezer in air tight bag for 3-4 months)
      Freeze in small glass jars for gifts
      Refrigerated pesto can last 3-4 weeks, in an air tight container

    Enjoy this recipe that hits fit (lighter than Parmesan heavy recipes), frugal (grew the basil myself and the remaining ingredients were already on hand), and fabulous (tasty, bright, and adorable in upcycled or patterned glass jars). Stay fabulous, fit, and frugal friends!

    Xoxo-L

    Prepping meals on the weekend

    I have been trying to prep at least two items on the weekend….and write on the the blog 2x a week. I have been more successful with one, and not so much the other. So let’s do this thing!

    I purchased a bag of madarins at Aldi this week, and some were not so good. When I went into the store, they refunded my money AND replaced by mandarins. I was pumped! And loaded with lots of citrus. So when life give you extra madarins…

    Chop them up with Granny Smith apples and kale to have some pre-made smoothies on hand! I plan on putting this gallon bag in the freezer, and I bet between my husband and I, smoothie mix will be gone in a week. (I have a dear friend who is allergic to citrus, so edit the recipe as needed. Would be great with strawberries, peaches, and/or bananas instead.)

    I peeled 9 mandarins, chopped two apples into cubes, and stripped 5 stalks of kale for the gallon bag. When you are ready for smoothie making, I would combine 1 cup of frozen goodies with 1 cup of your choice of: almond milk, yogurt, orange juice, or water. If you want some crunch with it, you can always add 1 TBP flax seed or chia. Enjoy!