Just Call Me “Carrot Top”

Maybe I’m going overboard with this “waste not, want not” attitude but when I read that carrots tops are a controversial subject on the internet—some say they can be toxic when eaten--I just had to defy that argument and taste them.  

Don’t Toss Those Collard Stems

We have been growing and eating collards for the past three years and the stems always feel so tough that I am prone to tearing collard leaves off their stems and tossing the stems into the kitchen compost bucket.  

(From the looks of that bucket I have yet to make peace with the mustards my husband insists he will cook and never does.)  Ah…but I digress!   I read recently that collard stems can be eaten

Results for Black Bean Asian Sauce

“So enough, already, with the michihili!” they cried out. Relax… this post is about the bean sauce recipe I posted about.  I just happened to pour it over michihili stems which I cooked for a zillion years first. We ate the flowers raw, of course. Michihili flowers when mature.

The recipe for Asian Black Bean Sauce turned out great!  I made a few changes to it

Barbara Kingsolver Would Probably Love Michihili

Many of you now trying michihili are likely savoring the zesty flavor of this Chinese cabbage type.  I know I am.  But lately I’ve lost my patience (again) with the stems which require a lengthy cook time, can be fibrous and therefore not totally chewable. So a few nights ago I decided to prepare the leaves and “opt out” of messing with the stems.  Stress relieved! I stripped the leaves as outlined in blog post The Challenge of Michihili and steamed them just as I would young collard greens or baby beet greens. The juicy taste of fresh michihili greens restored my commitment to continue eating them.

So why do I keep trying to assimilate michihili into my diet? As I’ve been trying to “waste not, want not” with this Asian vegetable, I realize that I am applying one of the practices that Barbara Kingsolver prescribes in her best seller “Animal Vegetable Miracle”. Last year I posted comments on this book in another blog and they apply in this case as well. 

My continuing adventures with the abundance of michihili in our garden, for as long as it lasts, stem back to an important lifestyle classic of our times and a must read for those moving towards a self-sustaining lifestyle. 

Black Bean Sauce on Asian Vegetables

At a recent holiday party someone told us that the best Chinese restaurant in town was located near where we live.  Talk about "local"! The ABC Chinese Seafood Restaurant is in walking distance from our home and we've never been there, probably because it is in a strip mall near an auto parts store. I mean, how good could that be? 

Well, open mouth, insert foot.

My First Local Honey (at least I’m willing to admit it!)

How can I be over 55 and never have tasted “local” honey? In fact, I only recently heard about how local honey can help allergy sufferers.   Like some of us, I haven’t been paying too much attention to the honey that I’ve been buying other than to make sure it is made in the USA.  What a surprise when I went to check the leftover brand in my cupboard tonight

Lunch of Leftovers with Cilantro and Italian Parsley

When I’m in a hurry I still try to eat healthy and today was no exception.  I had almost finished eating my quickly prepared lunch when I realized I was missing a photo op! 

So here is my lunch using leftovers my husband wasn’t going to eat.  My quick fix included a bunch of cilantro that had to get used

New Year - New Food

I'm very happy to to have found St. Pete Locally Grown! There's nothing better than fresh food that helps people in my own community! I'm turning everyone at work onto the site!

Beet Greens Recipe

 I found this on a blog from mizk1 - Wash the greens well to remove any grit. Chop the stem into 1/4" pieces (bundle together and chop) and the leaves in 1/2" strips (roll in cigar shapes and slice).

Delicious Fresh Beet Greens & Seasoning of Mustard Greens

I made this recipe [with fresh beet greens] last night and it was DELICIOUS!  Also, have you tried the Mustard Greens with some vinegar?  It can enhance the natural flavor and sweetness in foods, especially bitter greens.    Best, Jane

Related articles

• Why Are Beets Healthy? (brighthub.com)
• Using Every Bit of the Beet (dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com)

The Michihili Challenge

Michihili is one of a number of cylindrical-shaped Chinese cabbage types. But wait! It doesn't taste anything like cabbage (to me) and its beautiful greens are worth getting acquainted with.  We have been harvesting michihili greens in The Garden for weeks