Easy Recipes From The Garden

I love to eat fruits and veggies, but sometimes when I wash apples I can never seem to get that film off of them. Somehow, water and a cloth just doesn’t seem to cut it.

Even if you purchase organic produce, it can be sprayed with natural substances such as sulfur, copper, dolomite, Bacillius Thuringensis, and diatomaceous earth, according to the Berkeley Farmers’ Markets website .

If you want something more to clean your produce, here’s a simple recipe to make your own fruit and veggie wash.

In a glass measuring cup, mix together:

1 tbsp. organic lemon juice

2 tbsp. baking soda

1 cup purified water

 
Pour the mixture in a spray bottle. To use it, simply spray produce well with the wash, let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse and eat.

It’s not Spring to me until I begin to see the stalks of asparagus poking out of the dirt in my garden. It has finally begun to break through the earth, and yesterday we had enough to actually cook it as a side dish.

Asparagus’ fresh and distinctive flavor is best preserved as is, with little added flavor or heavy sauces. For a fresh and simple way to prepare asparagus try this:

Wash and cut stalks into three-inch pieces.

Scatter in a baking sheet and top with one-inch strips of bacon (turkey bacon or regular bacon each work well)

Roast in a 425-degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until asparagus is to desired texture.

The bacon adds extra flavor and coats the veggie with a light sauce, softening it and making it absolutely delicious.