From the Garden this Week…

From the Garden this Week…

Lettuce Heads, New Potatoes, Summer Squash, Fennel, Swiss Chard, Cucumber, Basil, Red Onion, Carrots, Beets, Dill, and a bit of fruit

Coming Soon… Tomatoes, Peppers and Eggplant

Using your Produce… by Julie Moreno

I love it when the produce from one week can all be served together. It is like a big road sign telling us to that we should be eating seasonally, and not just for better food, but because it is better together. This is one of those weeks. I was trying to come up with one recipe to use all of the ingredients, but I think the best way to serve them is to make the dressing for this cucumber salad.  You can then use the dressing to accompany potatoes, beets, carrots and the cucumbers.  The creamy dill dressing complements all of the vegetables. You can double the dressing and save it for different days. I would serve it mixed with boiled potatoes as a dressing for potato salad, or as a dip for roasted potatoes. You can also do the same with the beets and carrots, of course the carrots can also be served raw.  It would even go well with the grilled zucchini on the next page.  

Sour Cream Dill Cucumber Salad

½ cup sour cream

1 tablespoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

¼ cup minced onion

2 tablespoons minced dill

1-2 medium cucumbers, peeled if desired and thinly sliced

In a large bowl, whisk sour cream, lemon juice, sugar, salt, pepper, onion and dill until blended. Add cucumbers; toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, at least 4 hours. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Heirloom Tomatoes…

We’ve been pruning and training the tomatoes the past three weeks and it has been so fun for me.  I love to read the names of each of the varieties and while doing the repetitive work, I make up a story about how that variety came to be known. They have great names like, Serendipity Striped, Pink Carneros, Golden Siberian and Thorn Burns Terra Cotta. Heirloom vegetables come from seeds that have been cultivated for taste and quality. They sometimes lack disease resistance and will grow better in different parts of the world.  I found it interesting that the Golden Siberian was the first showing fruit, and figured that it happened because it was meant to grow in a cool climate, and set fruit earlier than its counterparts.

The Better Way to Grill…

A few years ago, I learned this new (or perhaps old) technique to grill vegetables. I grill the vegetables first, plain, without and salt or oil.  Then after they are cooked season with salt, pepper, vinegar and oil.  You can alternatively just add your favorite dressing. You do want to have a clean and hot grill to start, so they won’t stick.

Grilled Summer Squash 

3-5 summer squashes cut into long slices

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 

½ teaspoon salt 

Fresh ground black pepper 

¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Prepare your barbecue for grilling or preheat the broiler to high heat. Grill the squash until slightly browned on each side and softened, about 2-4 minutes. Remove from the grill and place on a plate in a single layer. Season with salt, pepper and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Arrange on a serving platter and top with feta cheese if desired.

Did You Know . . . 

. . . that 100% of the proceeds from Wellspring Charitable Gardens is donated to Wellspring Counseling Ministries? 

We were founded in 2004 to meet a need for faith-based counseling services in our community.  The Wellspring Fellowship of Christian Counselors Network was established to help link hurting people from our churches or community with a licensed, lay, or pastoral counselor that matched their need, faith orientation, and finances.  We have a goal to personally return a call within 24 hours and help the caller find the right therapist.  

Our Counselor Training Program specializes in training up the next generation of professional therapists who want to integrate a strong biblical faith with excellence in clinical practice.  This does not mean that we serve only the Christian community.  Our therapists are sensitive and respectful of diverse needs and backgrounds and bring their expertise to anyone seeking counseling services.   

We also partner with Healing Arenas to provide Equine Assisted Psychotherapy for girls up to 21 years of age who have experienced sexual trauma.  Our counseling interns have the opportunity to experience professional supervision while learning the power of utilizing horses in the counseling process.  They also serve at the Redwood Family Treatment Center in Modesto and our Oakdale Counseling Center.

Our ministry does not rely on donations from churches or organizations but is primarily funded by client fees and our Charitable Garden.  You make our ministry possible!  Thank you for your amazing support.  

For more information go to www.wellspringcounselingministries.net

or call Cindi at 209-607-1887.