Community garden!

It's been a while since I wrote my last post...... there is no excuse but I really have been very busy! Between two jobs and a family to take care of it's not really easy to find time to do everything we want in life.

I think I haven't told you yet about my community garden and I am very sad because I haven't been able to participate as often as I would like to.



I am lucky to have met this amazing group that is part of a community garden in my neighborhood and decided to join them this year in the beginning of spring. The whole idea is excellent, you pay a very low fee for the entire 6 - 7 months and attend the meetings and work in the garden twice a week. The group is incredibly nice and the space is fantastic as well.

Not only do I get to be close to nature and take advantage of this therapeutic manual work but also I get to harvest and eat purely organic veggies and herbs that we planted ourselves. Honestly there is no other greater pleasure in life than eating what you have produced, watered and watched grow. If you have the chance to join one, don't think twice.





Everything looks so amazing and tastes so pure and alive! I feel full of energy when I finish a meal or a juice made with these completely organic local grown veggies. Frankly it's the best I've ever had!

Yesterday we harvested so much and everything was so intensively filled with good vibrations that my dinner was absolutely superb.

Have a look at some of the pictures of the garden from beginning to now and see it for yourself. We planted from fine herbs, to edible flowers and it's full of colors and good smells. It is very hard work but it pays off!



 






  

 





These beets were AMAZING!

 
Sorry about the pictures layout but Blogger won't let me fix them, move them around or delete them....

 Made a delicious salad with the first harvest!

I have made a few things with the veggies that are definitely worth sharing, starting with the eggplant parmigiana that I fried in olive oil without the bread crumbs egg mix so it got lighter helping me keep my diet healthier and my heart beating.

If you want to try this: Just slice an eggplant and fry the slices in olive oil with some salt an pepper, both sides until soft.
Arrange the slices in a pan with a little tomato sauce at the bottom and cover them completely with the rest of tomato sauce.
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake until all cheese is melted.

Also made a delicious tomato sauce with minced garlic, olive oil and fresh basil. If you want to make your own tomato sauce: Just chopp some tomatoes and fry them with garlic in olive oil. Add some water and let them cook in low heat for about 1 hour or until it thickens up. Add fresh basil and serve with pasta, bocconcini (fresh mozzarella) and parmigiano. Accompanied by a nice glass of wine and garlic bread - yum!

 

So, you see, it does make your life more meaningful when you cook with real ingredients and enjoy the fruits of your own labor.... unfortunately it's just for a few months of the year.

Sorry again for the crazy layout with the pics.... the most important is that I made you feel like participating in something like that, that's my goal here!