Um, hello! It's June. Yes, June. And, not just like the first of June, but the 7th of June! Whoa! Crazy! I think I forgot to turn my calendar page for about a week! Oh well. I am back on the ball now and enjoying every ounce of early summer has to offer.
Our garden is planted and the run down includes...50 tomato plants, 30 pepper plants, 20 bean plants, 6 eggplant plants, 6 broccoli plants, 2 mounds of zucchini, 1 mound of cucumber, 1 mound of butternut squash, 1 mound of buttercup squash, 1 mound of pumpkins, 1 mound of watermelon, chard, kale, lettuce, tons of herb and we added a strip of strawberry plants and more room for herbs this year. I am sure I forgot something in there. I will snap a picture next time I am out to share with you. So yeah, we have been busy the last few weeks. And I even started the weeding process. I think it took me a week total and then when I finished the whole space, I had to start over again. I am looking forward to the plants growing big so that you kinda can't see those pesky extras anymore. I do like to weed things though so that the weed roots so not take away from my growing plants roots. I think the roots of each plant is where the strength is and I want to keep those nice and healthy.
I also picked 40 pounds of strawberries this week thus far. I know.... I'm an obsessed picker. But, the season started very quickly this year, and will probably be very short and done and over in a week or so. So, I had to get them while they are hot and hope to end up with at least 20 quarts in the freezer, and 10 pints of jam, and some to bake and have fun with for the next week. More pictures and creations to come as well!But because I have been so consumed with spring-time fun in the sun and the gift of planting and gathering your own food, I have needed some quick and healthy food to sustain us in the meantime.
I have been making Tangy Kale Slaw, almost every week in a big batch and keep in the fridge to eat all week with everything. Also, been making easy fresh meals that include lots of finger fruits and veggies and hummus and greens. Also making an easy protein bar or trail mix bar has been super helpful and nourishing for on the go.
Or maybe you are looking for a good picnic, camping, hiking, or beach-to-go food. This recipe is super simple and can be adjusted to what you have on hand with some of the extra flavors and colors. This recipe is kid friendly and doesn't make too big of a mess in the process.
Quinoa Protein Bar Recipe ( gluten, dairy and nut-free)3 cups of pre-cooked quinoa (1 cup of dry quinoa with 2 cups of water cooked for 30 minutes)
1 cup of gluten-free flour (or favorite blend) of choice (I used fresh ground buckwheat)
1/3 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut
1/3 cup of raw sunflower seeds
1/3 cup of raisins
1/3 cup of chopped dates
2 TB of soft extra virgin coconut oil
2 TB of homemade apple butter (or apple sauce)
1/2 ts. of sea salt
dash of cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg
2-3 TB of raw honey or local maple syrup
3/4 - 1 cup of non-dairy milk (I used So Delicious Coconut Milk)
Mix all of the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Use 3/4 cup of milk to moisten it all up, but if your quinoa was a little dry to start you may need to add another sprinkle of milk to make it smooth. Your goal is a thick biscuit-like textured batter or a thick cracker batter. Then spread the batter over a parchment-papered 11x15 baking cookie sheet. Spread like you are spreading a thick cake batter. Make sure to smooth out the top how you like it because when you bake it it will look that way when it is done. Spread thin and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Or you can make it a touch crispier if you bake it on a lower temp of 275 for 45-50 minutes. Bake, cool and then cut in square-sized bars. You should get about 20-24 bars from this recipe spread over a 11x15 cookie sheet.
If you want to sub in different dried fruit or even some slivered or crushed nuts, that could work too. I added a touch of spice, but you could add some lemon or vanilla if you choose. Really you could use this recipe as the base bar recipe and add your favorite additions or what you have laying around. 
Cut, pack and enjoy on the go. Take them with you next time you need a hearty-healthy snack for camping and hiking. It is a great nut-free, protein-packed, plant-based snack! Enjoy!I hope to post some garden and strawberry creations soon. In the meantime- I hope the start of summer vacation greets you well and you enjoy each moment summer gives!
Much love as always!
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