All Natural Recipes from my Organic Gardens

Eating great delicious healthier foods doesn't have to be hard or boring !

Grow your own food in an Organic Garden.

If you can't have your own garden, then try to buy organic foods.

You have to be careful as many vendors at farm markets grow food in the conventional manner - meaning loads of chemical fertilizers and/or pesticides. * Be sure to ask how they grow their food because most Farm Markets are NOT organic only !

I will post a recipe from my own (and friends') Organic gardens here from time to time.

* Use them in good health - just please be sure to refer folks to my site if you use them.

*** Do NOT post these anywhere or give them out anywhere unless you include me as the source and give the link to this page !

Organic gardening hints and tips here :

Grow your own Organic Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs...

Look at my list of pages to see another page of my informational and educational stuff = "OrganicandNatural"

Want great new and vintage kitchen items ?

If you're local to, or passing through the Hubbard Ohio area, stop by my little Hubbard Ohio Gift Shop at 6177 Youngstown-Hubbard Road where we have an assortment of new, handmade, vintage and some antique kitchen items from dishes to dishcloths... and most everything in-between.

Hours are:

Wednesday and Sunday = noon - 5pm

Thursday, Friday and Saturday = 10am - 5pm

Not local ?

I have a few kitchen items in my online store:

http://OrganicGiftsByDiana.ecrater.com/

Quick and Easy Recipe

Here is a recipe that I make all of the time from my organic garden:

Diana's Quick Garden Fresh Pasta

Saute` 1 medium or large onion in olive oil until soft and slightly browned, add a few cloves of crushed garlic, 1 chopped tomato and a few handfulls of fresh spinach (or other greens from your garden), pinch of fresh oregano - parsley and chives (or other herbs you have that will work) from your herb garden.

Cook until mixture is softened, add 1 tablespoon of real butter to the mixture, stir, and then pour over hot cooked pasta

Enjoy

Organically Yours,

Diana

Try these instead :

Want to eat more naturally ?

Use raw - unprocessed honey in place of sugar in most cases.

Or, for a little flavor twist, use pure REAL maple syrup.

As always, if you have a local organic business, look there first before you buy.

Want to tweak a favorite recipe ?

Use organic blueberries, apples, pears, zucchini (or whatever else you might grow organically yourself or be able to get locally) instead of bananas in your favorite banana bread recipe.

For your regular bread, add a handful of flax, oats, barley or whatever other organic whole grains you can get to your favorite bread recipe.

Use whatever vegetables and herbs that you have fresh in your garden

I do not measure when I cook so I will just give ingredients and methods and then try to guess on the amounts : )

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Cream soups for 4-6 servings :

Clean and chop or slice (or separate into bite size pieces in the cases of cauliflower...) your choice of veggies - about 3-4 cups total veggies when finished.

Put a tablespoon or so of real butter in a saute` pan over medium heat and as soon as melted add your veggies and saute until golden brown (for mushrooms and onions - you want them to be VERY brown) to bring out the flavor.

Toss in a teaspoon or so of finely chopped garlic stir and then remove the garlic and veggies from the pan.

To that same pan that now has only the butter remaining, put about a tablespoon of organic and GMO-free flour in with the butter that is still in the pan and heat over med-low heat while stirring until a little bubbly and just golden.

Slowly add 2-3 cups of whole organic milk to the roux (butter/flour mix in the pan) while stirring until mixed well and starting to thicken a little.

Return veggies to pan, stir, season with herbs of choice and serve.

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Chowder soups: 4-6 servings

Chop 1/4 pound of bacon (I use locally grown organic) into inch size pieces and fry in a large frying pan until just done and crispy. Remove it from pan leaving the grease.

To that pan now add chopped onions/celery/carrots/mushrooms... about 2-3 cups of any combination that you want to use and 2-3 cups of chopped potatoes and saute` until golden brown.

Remove from pan.

To that same pan that now has only the grease remaining, put about a teaspoon of butter for flavor and add a tablespoon or so of organic and GMO-free flour in and heat over med-low heat while stirring until a little bubbly and just golden.

Slowly add 3-4 cups of whole organic milk to the roux (butter/flour/bacon grease mix in the pan) while stirring until mixed well and starting to thicken a little.

Return veggies to pan, stir, season with herbs of choice and serve.

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Any of these soups can be made with homemade broth instead of milk if you wish.

These soups will serve more than I said if they are served along with a salad and hearty bread.

AND, your family will never know - Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh !

Add a 1/2 of a cup of shredded (and chopped fine so that the pieces are very small) zucchini, carrots or your own homemade unsweetened organic applesauce... to your favorite cake and cookie recipes.

This way, you get a little fiber and nutrition added.

Wrap it up for fun, great taste and good for you too !

Use whole grain natural flat breads or wraps and create a nice snack that is fun to eat too.

Layer in spinach, salad greens, cucumber slices, grated carrots, tomatoe slices, avocado slices, red pepper strips... you can add cheese, turkey and ham...(not lunch meat - use the real thing), alfalfa or bean sprouts ...

Then sprinkle with black pepper and olive oil - roll up - eat and enjoy !

Hint = Tastes better if made the day before

Soften an 8 ounce package of natural cream cheese and add a 1/4 cup of whole milk and stir/blend very well.

Add 6 tablespoons of finely chopped dill weed

Add 1 tablespoon each of:

finely minced garlic, finely minced onion, minced chives or green onions, chopped parsley,

Add 1 teaspoon of chopped oregano

* All of the measurments for herbs were for fresh herbs - if using dried, use half of the amount given.

Add 1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper

Mix, cover and put into fridge overnight - or at least for a few hours for the flavors to blend.

Stir again before serving.

Serve with a vegetable tray for scooping up the dip.

Put your Organic Garden to work

I just wrote my recipe in my Local Harvest blog : http://www.localharvest.org/blog/26136/entry/local...

YUMMY and pretty healthy too !

Ingredients:

10 Cups chopped rhubarb

6 Cup water

1 Cup raw honey

2 Cups orange juice

3/4 Cup lemon juice

1 liter ginger ale (or sparkling cider or soda water if you want to avoid processed sugar but still get the bubbles)

1 Qt. fresh strawberry or kiwi slices for garnish if you like

Procedure:

In a deep pan, simmer rhubarb and water (stir often to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pan) until rhubarb is very soft - about a half hour or so.

Cool; strain through cheesecloth until all of the goodness is squeezed out of the pulp.

Put strained juice in a pan and add the honey. If needed, Heat a little just to dissolve the honey into the juice.

Now, Chill very well.

(This is the point that should you want to freeze for later use to do just that.)

When ready to serve, add the orange juice, lemon juices, and the bubbly (ginger ale, sparkling cider, or club soda)

Pour into an iced bowl or over ice cubes and decorate with the strawberries and/or kiwi if desired.

Enjoy this healthier alternative punch - we sure do !

Here's my take on it

We make what our area calls "Joni Marzetti".

I am not sure about the spelling.

It is a pasta with meat sauce.

Here is my version of it :

You nicely brown and drain hamburger and then add your smashed ripe tomatoes and cook down a little bit and then add a little olive oil and some garlic and onion (finely chopped), parsley and basil... to the pan and heat through. Pour over cooked pasta.

For the local dish, they use elbow macaroni and a jarred sauce.

* To add a little depth of flavor and a hint of sweetness, I add a very ripe (red) pepper to mine when I add in the garlic and onion.

A Springtime delight !

I make this all of the time during the Spring when my asparagus is in active growth in my garden.

Once it starts to go to seed, it gets too stringy and bitter.

Here's how I make it:

10-12 medium eggs (depending on the servings you need - figure 2 eggs per person)

1/3 to a 1/2 pound asparagus

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons real butter

garlic (1 smashed section of a clove or use a pinch of garlic powder)

onion (1 very small onion quarted and sliced very thinly or a pinch of onion powder)

black pepper (to taste)

a few thin slices of cheddar or mozzerella... cheese if desired

Gather pencil-pinky size thick stalks of asparagus (remove the very end of the stems and peel the very bottom if tough) and throw them in a bowl of room tempature water for 2-3 minutes and strain off the bugs and dirt with the water.

While the asparagus is soaking, brown the onion slivers a little with 1 teaspoon of the butter, then add the garlic in a saute pan. Saute until golden brown and turn off the heat. Let stand until needed.

Strain asparagus.

While it is straining, break the eggs into a bowl and mix well with a fork, add pepper (if using onion and garlic powder - this is when you would add it in) and milk to beaten eggs and whip with the fork to get it a little frothy.

Now, arrange the strained asparagus in a single layer in a wide flat saute pan and add 1/2 cup of fresh water (not the soaking water) over the asparagus. Turn the heat on high so that the boiling water will steam the asparagus. Keep on high heat untill the water is gone and the pan is dry. Add in the onion and garlic that you browned earlier and add the other 1 teaspoon of butter. Turn the heat down to medium now and add the beaten/fluffy eggs.

Reduce heat to low and from time to time lift the edges of the omelet up and let the raw egg mixture run underneath so it will cook.

When the eggs are almost completely cooked, add thinly sliced cheese sparingly on top and cover the pan with a lid.

Turn off heat and allow the steam in the pan to finish cooking the eggs and melt the cheese.

*You can finish the cooking in the oven at about 375 for 10 minutes if you like, but I don't like to waste the energy heating up the oven for just this.

If, you using the oven for something else, then it's okay and wont be wasteful.

**In proper cooking circles, this dish would likely be called a frittata (sp ?), but to me, it is just a thick omelet :)

Enjoy !

I have thyme growing all over and am always looking for ways to use it.

8-12 eggs (depending on the servings you need - figure 2 eggs per person)

1/4 cup cream or milk

1/2 cup (4 ounces) thinly sliced cheddar or mozzarella or crumbled feta or goat cheese...

1 tablespoon fresh thyme - leaves only, no stems (1 teaspoon if dried)

dash of pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil (a little, maybe a teaspoon, real butter added would be nice too if you like)

1 small onion, sliced thinly or chopped very fine

garlic (1 smashed section of a clove or use a pinch of garlic powder)

9-12 ounces of fresh spinach leaves

*If you are/will be using the oven for something else already, then set the oven to 375 degrees when you are ready to pop this in.

Otherwise, finish off cooking the dish and melting the cheese when the time comes - by turning off the heat and covering with a tight lid to allow the steam to do the job.

In the meantime,

In a medium bowl, combine eggs, cream, thyme, pepper; and set aside.

In a 10-12 inch, skillet (oven-safe if finishing in the oven), heat oil over medium-high heat and Sauté onions for 3-5 minutes until soft and browning.

Add the garlic and the spinach and sauté a few minutes until the spinach is wilted down, about 2-3 minutes.

Pour egg mixture into that same skillet and stir just to distribute the spinach mixture evenly.

Lower the heat to simmer and cook without stirring for about 3-5 minutes, then apply the cheese over the top and cove.

Finish the cooking either on the stove or in the oven as instcted at the begining of this recipe.

Cut into wedges and serve.

Again this is like called a Frittata in some circles, just for clarification.

Great dish for the campfire too !

2 lbs. disjointed oxtails, meaty beef bones, or meaty lamb bones

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 large carrots, sliced

1 cup barley pearls

2 quarts water

2 celery stalks, sliced thinly

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 beefsteak size [or 3 regular size, or 10-12 plum tomatoes] garden grown very ripe tomatoes, chopped (optional ingredient)

handful (1/2 cup) fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

In a large kettle or Dutch oven, brown meat over high heat in the olive oil until both sides are good and browned.

Then toss the onions in the pot with the meat and let them brown up a little.

Next, add the garlic, and carrots to the pot.

Now, stir in the water, the barley, the celery, and the bay leaf.

Bring to a boil for a minute, then reduce heat.

Cover and simmer for 2-3 hours.

Add pepper, to taste.

If desired, add the ripe fresh tomatoes at this time.

Allow to simmer for another hour or more until soup is nice and thick and the meat is very tender.

Stir in fresh parsley during final 20 minutes of cooking.

Remove meat from bones and return it to soup.

Remove bay leaf.

Enjoy !

A healthy snack that even hubby and the kids will like !

Wash and dry organically grown kale.

Remove the stems that are thicker than a pencil.

Rub the kale all over it surfaces with olive oil & then lightly sprinkle with a good seasalt (a courser one is better as the texture is nice with this)

You can also sprinkle with with a little onion or garlic powder and black pepper... too.

Bake at 375 until kale is dry & crispy

* This should work well with other thick greens and some veggies too - try it out and let us all know what other Krisps you come up with in the comment section below.

**I would suggest baking at 350 for any thicker veggies that you might try - so they have time to dry out and not burn.

Preheat oven to 225-F. In a large bowl, mix:

Mix together Dry Mix:

2 cups rolled oats (not the instant oats)

2 cups Bob's Red Mill 5-grain cereal (or any rolled mixed grains)

1/3 cup toasted wheat germ (optional)

1 T cinnamon

1 teaspoon of clove

2 cups coarsely chopped pecans (or whatever nut you like)

In another bowl, Mix together Wet Mix:

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup of dark molasses OR or real maple syrup (not the fake stuff called 'pancake' syrup)

1/8 cup vegetable oil or applesauce

1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons of real vanilla extract

1/4 cup of apple butter, pumpkin butter, or a jelly or jam (optional)

1 cup raisins (optional)

Add Wet mixture to Dry mixture and stir/toss to mix evenly.

Use another 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to coat the pan

Spread mixture evenly in a thin layer on the pans.

*If you want a loose granola, then do not smash the mixture into the pan.

**If you want granola bars, then press the mixture down evenly into the pan.

Bake for 60-90 minutes, or until starting to brown lightly.

Cool in pans, then store in heavy plastic bags or in tupperware trye containers to keep airtight in a cool, dry place.

Granola will get crisp up as it cools.

Enjoy !

Lightly battered and fried - these are a frugal and different treat !

Ingredients

30 dandelion blossoms (pick blossoms that are open but fairly young and make sure that the area hasn't been sprayed)

1 cup of flour

1 cup whole milk

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

2 eggs

Deep fryer half filled with vegetable oil

Directions:

Combine flour and whole milk thoroughly.

Whip eggs in a separate bowl very well and then stir into flour mixture.

Add the sea salt, pepper and garlic powder and mix well.

Add a little more milk if batter is too thick.

Heat oil in deep fryer to 325 degrees F

Roll blossoms into batter and drop into deep fryer.

Fry 5-7 minutes or until golden brown.

Blossoms will float when cooked.

Drain on a paper towel - best when eaten hot.

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My neighbor made squash blossoms in a type of fritter like fried snack.

I think the recipe was similar to this, but he used squash blossoms instead of dandelions.

I think he cut up the squash blossoms and used a lot more garlic.

He then pan-fried them in extra virgin olive oil.

I wish I had his recipe, but this will have to be close enough since he is gone and his recipe is lost.

So Good !

Makes a extremely full flavoured dip (serves 8) or meal if served with rice or flat bread.

Ingredients :

1-4 Habereno chile's (adjust 4 U!)

1 Large onion

6 Cloves garlic

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

140g Tomato paste

2 Tablespoons hot paprika

1kg Meat (lamb or beef or both )

1 Cup of red wine(optional)

1 teaspoon black pepper

3 Cups of beef stock

2 Large bay leaves

1 Teaspoon powdered mustard

2 Tablespoon cumin powder

Procedure :

Cut chile's into strips, remove seeds then place into a bowl, cover with boiling water and let stand for 20 minutes. Place some olive oil in a large pan or cast iron casserole pot add diced onion and garlic, cook until translucent, add sugar and cumin.

Next dice meat into half-inch cubes, sear until brown. Add stock and then all other ingredients, adding the chile in water along with tomato paste, mustard, pepper and paprika last of all.

Simmer for 2-3 hours stirring occasionally until meat starts to break up.

Here's the cook for this recipe:

http://users.bigpond.net.au/hammondn/neil/chile_di...

What to do with those extra berries and other fruits...

Do you go berry picking ?

Do you have fruit trees ?

If you love pancakes or waffles or fruit roll-ups...

Here is an easy syrup recipe for you.

(directions for making into a jelly are included)

Into a clean stainless steel pan that has a thick bottom (or use a crockpot that has a "low" setting, put:

1/2 cup of water

3 cups of perfectly ripe organic fruit (chopped up into quarter-sized pieces - berries can be left whole)

1/2 cup organic sugar or raw organic honey

1 handful (1/4 cup) of unripe green grapes or 1/4 cup of chopped unripe green apple - this is your thickener, if making jelly - use at least triple the amount.

Allow to simmer over low heat until fruit is very soft.

(for jelly, smear a small amount on a plate and put into fridge for 10 minutes to see if it is thick enough for you)

Then, unless you like fruit bits and seeds, strain and then put into a sterile bottle/syrup pitcher/jar to use.

Must be used within a few days and stored in the fridge - unless you are using sterile canning jars and proper USDA canning methods.

*This is a mildly sweet recipe, you could use more organic sugar or raw organic honey if you like.

Enjoy !

She has the most beautiful blog and yummy organic recipes !

These are what my friend Tony (who lived here in the USA most of the year, but went home to Italy often) made, but his were good and garlicy !

Here is the recipe :

http://organicallycooked.blogspot.com/2008/09/frie...

Organic homegrown tomatoes, garlic, onions and fresh herbs make all the difference in this dish !

Ingredients:

2 -3 pounds of organic tomatoes - peel, cut in half crosswise and remove seeds

1 medium sweet onion - peel, cut in half crosswise and cut into 1-2 inch wedges

3 large cloves garlic, peeled

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 cups homemade chicken or vegetable broth, divided

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

2-3 fresh oregano leaves - chopped

1-2 stems of fresh chives and perhaps a chive blossom as a garnish for each bowl of soup

Preparation

1.) Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a baking sheet with a little olive oil or 1 teaspoon of real butter.

2.) Put tomatoes, onion and garlic in a mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon oil - mix to coat well.

3.) Season with salt and pepper and then spread them out on the prepared baking sheet and roast until the vegetables are soft and nicely browned (caramelized), about 30-45 minutes. Let cool.

4.) Place the roasted vegetables in a food processor or blender with 1 cup of your chosen broth, the oregano and the remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Pulse (stop and start quickly) until the mixture is to the desired thickness and texture.

5.) Now, put this vegetable puree in a large heavy pot and add the remaining 1 cup broth and the basil. Simmer over medium heat, stirring often until the soup is hot (5-10 minutes) and then ladle into bowls. You can garnish with a sprig of fresh chives or other appropriate herb.and serve.

Serves 4-8 depending upon if this is a stand alone meal with a good hearty bread or a side dish

Enjoy!

I was asked by a few folks for this recipe so here it is:

Diana's Fajitas

I use round steak or any cheap steak.

I've even done this with chicken - yummy either way !

Let's see -

I removed the bone and the fat and grizzle.

The meat was sliced very thinly at a sharp angle to ensure tenderness and then marinated in a little EV olive oil, a few drops of dark soy sauce, cumin, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, black pepper... for a few hours and then sauted in a very hot wok or similar pan until they browned a little bit for extra flavor.

Put about 6-8 thin slices of mozzarella or (whatever cheese you like) in a single layer over the meat and allow to melt slightly.

Squeeze a lime over the top, stir and serve however you like.

We had ours on a croissant as that's what I had here today ;)

Organically Yours,

Diana

Almost everything in my online store is handmade by ME or is a vintage item

Support your local handmade business people

Gypsy Queen Media has moved her store over to my little Hubbard Ohio Gift Shop

Look for some good cook books here:

If you're local to, or passing through the Hubbard Ohio area, stop by my little Hubbard Ohio Gift Shop at 6177 Youngstown-Hubbard Road where we have an huge assortment of new and vintage cookbooks (as well as many other types of books and VHS videos too).

Hours are:

Wednesday and Sunday = noon - 5pm

Thursday, Friday and Saturday = 10am - 5pm

Not local ?

I have a few kitchen items in my online store and will be listing some vintage cookbooks soon as well.

http://OrganicGiftsByDiana.ecrater.com/

Some of the cookbooks and healthy living books that we have/had are:

The Un-Diet Book: The All-Natural Lifestyle for Weight Loss and Eating, Good Health and Exercise by the Author of the Uncook Book

by: Elizabeth Baker

Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Good Food Book: Live Better and Longer with Nature's Best Foods

by: Gabe Mirkin, Diana Mirkin

Curese Naturaltmente: Setena y siete Dolencias Comunes que Son Tratadas de Forma Natural, Incluyendos Artritis, Arteriosclerosis, Bronquitis, Cancer, ... Corazon, Impotencia, Menopausia, y Mucho Mas

by: Maritza Barton

Eat Fish, Live Better: How to Put More Fish and Omega-3 Fish Oils into Your Diet for a Longer, Healthier Life

by: Anne M. Fletcher, Jean Mayer

This is a big honor as the other entries were awesome !

Organic Garden Recipes By OrganicGiftsByDiana won the BEST SITE CONTEST !

The Selling Lounge was a forum where hundreds of us got together to help each other to better our online stores and our lives as well.

Sadly, it has since ceased to be.

Here is a short quote from the article:

"Congratulations OrganicGiftsByDiana on being Voted The Best Squidoo in our Contest!

Eating great delicious healthier foods doesn't have to be hard or boring!

Diana gives the recipes to some of her most requested dishes and some healthy living and cooking tips too."

What organically grown veggies, greens and herbs... did you use ?