Ah, Springtime in Buffalo!

Finally, a chance to dig into the pleasures of creating my vegetable garden. Armed with seed packets I get planting my family's favorite veggies. There's something rewarding about the thought of juicy tomatoes and crisp cucumbers straight from our garden.

When I write this, the spinach, cilantro and parsley are already up and nearly ready for picking.  Can’t wait to make our favorite salad, which of course, includes a topping of our favorite roasted seeds. (See my recipe below!)

Another enjoyable aspect of gardening is the camaraderie (and competition) it fosters with neighbors. We exchange not only plants but also tips and tricks. I have memories of my Dad and neighbors touring each other’s gardens (which at the time puzzled me as to what they could be looking at).  I only wish I could give my lovely Dad a tour of my garden today.   

But the real test lies with my son, off to his summer internship armed not only with ambition but a tomato plant with basil seeds hidden at its base. Will he remember to water it? Time will tell, but either way, it's a lighthearted adventure worth sharing. Let the garden games begin. 

Until next time,

Rebecca

Midsummer Salad Recipe:

• Small handful of parsley 
• 2 large handfuls of spinach or greens
• 1 small cucumber sliced

• 1/2 cup Sweet Heat Roasted Seeds 

• 2 tomatoes sliced in quarters

• 1/4 small onion sliced thin
• 1/2 avocado sliced
• 1/2 mango sliced

Midsummer Dressing Recipe:

• 1 bunch mint
• 1 bunch coriander
• 1 bunch basil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 green chili, deseeded & chopped
• 100ml extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Limes, zested and juiced
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey

Directions:

• Scatter spinach in a bowl and arrange black beans, tomatoes, cucumber, mango, onion, avocado, and black beans together and toss.

• Combine all dressing ingredients in a food processor (or chop very finely), saving a few herb leaves for the salad.

• Lastly, drizzle the dressing on top and end with a sprinkle of Sweet Heat Roasted Seeds!