Straight From The Garden

For my post bar vacation I am home in Colorado for a 6 days.  I have been so lucky to get to stay with T's parents before going to my cabin on the flattops.  This morning I went on a beautiful 3 mile run- the air here is so crisp, I love running here, even though its at altitude.  Then Lori and Heather and I went to a Bar Method class....wow I'll be sore tomorrow. Next, I met up with the lovely Tara Donovan for coffee. And then I went to the best whole foods ever!!!! I got to see Brian Sanner, had an amazing veggie juice and got an awesome lunch- quinoa salad, kale and avocado, arame and buckwheat salad, thai chili cucumbers, and asian slaw. After my lunch Heather and I lounged in the back yard getting our vitamin D!

 Tonight we made dinner almost entirely from Lori's garden.  For an appetizer I made an artichoke basil pesto, with grilled portobello mushrooms on sourdough bread. And for dinner we had fish, with beets, steamed green and wax beans, and a cucumber salad all from the garden. For dessert Lori made vegan shortbread biscuits, with fresh berries from the garden and vegan whipped topping!

 ARTICHOKE BASIL PESTO

Ingredients
1 can artichoke hearts, drained, tough leaves removed
1/4 cup pine nuts
fresh basil
1 clove garlic
EVOO

Method
Blend ingredients in a food processor or blender, adjust ingredients to your liking. (I've used half pine nuts and half chick peas, or no garlic, its really about what you like or have ingredients for).

CUCUMBER SALAD

Ingredients
1 large sliced cucumber
2 tbs apple cider vinegar
2 tbs shoyu
red pepper flakes
toasted sesame seeds

Method
Toss ingredients together and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour