Showing posts with label garden to table. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garden to table. Show all posts

Monday, February 3, 2025

Update - Indoor Hydroponics Garden Review - One Month Later

I have only just learned how rewarding indoor gardening can be with an indoor hydroponics growing system. While a frigid, windy winter swirls outside, I am am having home grown lettuces and kale for dinner. Indoor Hydroponics gardening systems are a great way to grow herbs or vegetables indoors, no matter the season, and my only regret with this purchase is that I didn't try this sooner. 

photo and text of lettuce in an indoor growing systen


In the beginning of January I started my first indoor hydroponics garden. I started my 12 pod Mufga system with lettuce mixes and kale. The only pod that didn't grow was the pod with two, "expired" bunch onion seeds that I hadn't really expected to germinate anyway. 

I was very surprised at how quickly the seeds germinated and how quickly they grew. The Mufga system adjustable grow light are perfect. I have been able to move the light panel so that remains just above the plants as they grow.

Very quickly, I had enough lettuce to harvest. With a pair of scissors, I carefully cut the largest leaves when harvesting. That leaves that remain on the plant continue to grow. 

photo of harvested lettuce


During my first harvest, I attempted to pinch off the leaves with my fingers and that tended to wiggle the grow pods around. I was worried that I'd move that pod out of the range of the watering system that I switched to scissors. For me, cutting works much better than pinching.

Soft Taco with Home-Grown Lettuce

In a very short period of time, I had grown lettuce leaves that were large enough to add to toppings on a hamburger. I didn't have ground beef at home, but I did have all of the ingredients for a delicious soft taco. Including, an impulse purchase of Mango Peach salsa! The soft tacos with my home-grown lettuce were delicious.

Small Salad with Salmon, Olives, Eggs, and Olive Oil

I have been craving smoked fish so I have tried various brands of tinned salmon and smoked salmon from the store for snacks. I have found that I like King Oscar Premium Salmon.      

The Mediterranean style of tinned salmon inspired me to try it on a bed of lettuce with eggs, olives, and olive oil. This lunch salad was a delicious change of pace from my very routine meal choices. This brand of salmon also comes lemon, if you don't care for the Mediterranean style.

photo of salad with salmon


Extra Large Chef Salad; Eggs, Bacon, Cheese, Sunflower Seeds, and Dressing

Chef salads are my favorite. And it wasn't long until I had enough salad mix for a very large bowl of lettuce. I harvest lettuce in my livingroom and added the other ingredients in a matter of minutes. 

photo of chef salad


With very little effort, just adding water so the level doesn't become too low and adding plant food weekly so the plants have the proper nutrients, I have fresh greens through this frigid winter. I am planning on buy a second system for a supply of fresh herbs.

For more information:

My first review of my new Mufga Indoor Hydroponics Garden system in early January - here

This follow-up video includes a photo of the taco with my home-grown lettuce. Feel free to skip ahead in the video to 2:41 as the beginning of the video is a rambling thank you to Mike's Chaotic Gardening (YouTube) for helping me choose my grow system. The photo of the taco is near the end of this short video.

Many styles and sizes of indoor hydroponic growing systems can be found on Amazon.




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Monday, July 2, 2018

3 Refreshing Pea Recipes for Summer

It is very hot outside and I'm feeling particularly lazy. Yet I'm hungry. It's too hot to eat a full, heavy meal but I'm really hungry. After seeing my gardening friends posting their magazine quality photos of their pea harvests, I'm having a pea craving. I think the following three recipes are the three best pea recipes. 


7 Layer Salad


I love 7 layer salads. I tend to make them only occasionally in the summer and have not yet made one this year. There are a variety of 7 layer salad recipes to be found, but I always use the recipe that uses peas. I love the flavor that peas add to this salad.

While looking for that recipe, so I could give you the amounts of the ingredients, I found this version of a Layered Salad by The Pioneer Woman. I like her version even better! She adds spinach and tomatoes - in addition to the 7 ingredients I add: lettuce, eggs, peas, green onions, bacon, cheese, and mayo. 


Layered Salad by The Pioneer Woman

Her salad is like a beautiful BLT in a bowl, with the added oomph of the peas and other ingredients. What a fresh and beautiful layer salad. YUM! My mouth is watering. 

I need to stop at the farmer's stand and buy some fresh, ripe 'maters - instead of those cardboard flavored tomatoes at the grocery. 


Pea Soup



Pea Soup recipe by Eating Well
Pea soup!  How easy and flavorful can you get?  This Pea Soup recipe by Eating Well is right up my alley - only 12 ingredients; all of which I have in my kitchen right now with the exception of fresh thyme or parsley. The recipe claims that it only takes 35 minutes until ready to eat.

In this heat, I believe I would serve this chilled (as many pea soup recipes are) but I can also imagine this would be a great soup to prepare and serve either warm or chilled - depending on my mood that day.


Smashed Peas with Mint Butter


All my life, I've smashed my peas in my potatoes and made smashed peas. Mom served them separately but they ended up mashed together on my plate. Who knew that would become "a thing" ?!  Well, it is. 

Including the water, this Smashed Pea with Mint Butter recipe by Genius Kitchen has a whopping 7 ingredients! Again, everything I have in my kitchen already with the exception of fresh parsley. No, I don't intentionally boycott parsley, I apparently just don't really use it.

The idea of adding my own fresh mint (from the balcony) to my smashed peas excites me.


Smashed Peas with Mint Butter by Genius Kitchen


*  *  *  *  *  

Whether you prefer using fresh peas for a garden to table cooking or frozen peas (because frozen peas keep their flavor for a garden-fresh taste even when the gardens aren't producing) I hope you find one of these recipes to be useful. 

Summer is a wonderful time for trying new recipes and re-visiting family favorites because the seasonal vegetables are at their freshest and most flavorful. I always feel more adventurous in the kitchen when gardens are in full swing.

Related Link:

Do you think you hate eating peas? For me it was beets. I despised beets for decades. But I changed my mind recently. Here is my article about how I came to love (and crave) beets. Even if you think you don't want to eat peas, one of the above recipes may change your mind.

Looking for vegetable recipes other than peas?  I've included some recommended cookbooks below. And yes, I've included a kid-friendly cookbook (being released in October) because, frankly, kid-friendly recipes are more my style.


Photo Credit: Intro photo courtesy of Pixaby - CC0 creative commons


Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


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