Nature and me

In New Jersey, the most popular vegetable to plant is tomatoes.  With enough sun and proper watering, any tomato can thrive.   And nothing is more gratifying than to add your produce to your dinner plate.

But when summer has reached its peak, so too is your love for your prized vegetables.   Honestly, how many tomatoes can you possibly eat without growing disdain for the fruit? … Vegetable?

A simple tip is to be creative in the kitchen when incorporating your herbs and veggies from your garden.   This summer, I have way too many cherry tomatoes from my garden, but I am determined to enjoy my prized harvest.   Instead of making just an ordinary salad, I opted for a colorful, festive corn salad and added my tomatoes to the mix.

Another simple dish is making a mini anti-pasta by adding tomatoes, olives, capers, fresh mozzarella, and salami.   Season the mixture with salt and pepper and top it with olive oil.   You can even add fresh basil for extra flavor.

If you’re making a grilled cheese sandwich, slice some of your homegrown plum or “big boy” tomatoes and add them to your sandwich.  And for a dinner dish, cut up a handful of tomatoes and sautée them with some minced garlic and olive oil.   Once your tomatoes have reached a sauce-like consistency, add your favorite pasta.     

Another tip is canning your veggies.  Canning is an old-school, but popular method to store and enjoy your produce for the next couple of months.   This year I was able to grow a few zucchinis that I used to make some healthy meals.   Next year, if I have a successful harvest, I will try to resist the urge to eat all of my produce and preserve some.

So whether it be preserving your produce or cooking creative and adventurous meals, there are so many ways to incorporate your garden edibles into the dinner table.   After all, you took time in planting and caring for your vegetable plants.   Why not enjoy eating them too.