Welcome to Harvest Monday, where we celebrate all things harvest related. After getting over three inches of rain early in the week, working outside in the garden will have to wait until things dry out a bit. That gave me an opportunity to catch up on other chores, like cleaning out the rest of the overwintered crops in the greenhouse. I pulled the remaining kale plants and harvested the young and tender leaves. There was well over a pound of them, and they fed us for several meals. I have more kale planted outside but it will be a couple of weeks before it’s ready for cutting.
last of the overwintered kale
I also pulled the rest of the overwintered parsley plants too. I cut the usable leaves off them, which was enough for several different dishes. I made a batch of tabouli salad using cracked freekeh as the grain, and my wife and I both enjoyed it. I also used some of it to make a dressing for a crispy tofu and roasted veggie bowl my wife cooked up last week. I combined parsley and a few chives with yogurt, avocado, lemon juice, cider vinegar, olive oil and garlic and blended it all up together. Thinned with water it also makes a tasty salad dressing.
flat leaf parsley
The spring plantings of lettuce in the greenhouse are now ready for cutting. This first batch was Tango and Garrison, both oakleaf types. I’m cutting it as needed and I can see a lot of salads coming up in the next few weeks since I planted quite a bit.
Tango and Garrison lettuce
Some of that lettuce went into a salad we had for lunch one day, along with fresh fruit, carrots, sugared pecans and feta cheese. I whipped up a strawberry balsamic vinaigrette dressing to go over it. I made the dressing with balsamic and white wine vinegars, olive oil, mustard, and a couple of strawberries added for color and flavor.
lettuce salad with fruit and nuts
I made several cuttings of microgreens for use in salads and other dishes, including these tendrils from the Petite Snap Greens peas I have growing in a container. Another cutting featured some lettuce ‘sprouts’ along with Tokyo Bekana and collard green sprouts.
Petite Snap Greens
mixed microgreens with lettuce sprouts
I also made a couple of cuttings of cilantro we needed last week. I have this growing in a small planter, and it does quite well grown that way. We don’t usually need a lot of cilantro at any one time, and this tends to keep us supplied. It’s already starting to bolt though, so I need to reseed. And we made daily cuttings of asparagus – four pounds in all, which were apparently too shy for the camera this time!
cilantro
Harvest Monday is a day to show off your harvests, how you are saving your harvest, or how you are using your harvest. If you have a harvest you want to share, add your name and blog link to Mr Linky below. And be sure and check out what everyone is harvesting!
You managed to hang on to your Kale a lot longer than me Dave, that’s something to aspire to next year, although I do have some lovely spring planted kale now to make up for it : All the best – Steve
We did have a good run of kale this year. I have found some types that do well here in the late winter greenhouse.
Our parsley has hit the point of no return too. Hopefully iur seedlings will hurry up to fill the gap.
I surely miss the parsley when it’s gone! It’s one of our most-used herbs.
Your greenhouse is really providing for you. Beautiful-looking harvests and healthy fresh eating!
Thanks Will. The greenhouse has worked out even better that I imagined, I wish now I had got one even sooner!
It’s been years since I’ve made a harvest monday post – I’m so glad to see they still exist!
Yes, they are still a thing. And it is good to see you posting again!
It is nice to see you back. I was going to comment on your blog but I don’t have a wordpress account and I guess I can’t comment without signing in.
Your salad dressing sounds very good. I should try it. Four pounds of asparagus! What a treat. The other small harvests–don’t we appreciate them in the shoulder seasons?
Everything looks amazing! I really must try growing some quick greens or herbs in a planter box – it would be so convenient to have it right by the back door – I wouldn’t even have to put my shoes on to grab some leaves!