Showing posts with label Garden Tips. Show all posts

Homemade Garlic Powder

Homemade garlic powder has the most incredible scent and flavor. You'll be wondering what you've been eating all these years. Well, that's actually one of the reasons why I make my own spices.

Most packaged spices, including garlic powder that we buy from stores are full of anti-caking powders and other fillers so we really don't know what we are eating. There is also no way of knowing how old the spices are. We know that the antioxidants and other nutrients start breaking down over time so we could end up with something that is virtually tasteless and void of nutrition.

I wrote a previous post about how easy it is to dehydrate garlic. Seriously, it is. But I've had a lot of people ask what I actually do with this garlic and how I use it once it is dehydrated. It's so easy to throw a few slices in when I am sauteing veggies, making soups or dips. But my favorite thing is just to make homemade garlic powder.


Homemade Garlic Powder
I use a spice/coffee grinder and just fill it to the top of the silver fill line and process til it is a light fluffy powder. Watch out though. If you try to remove the lid right away you will end up with a cloud of garlic powder everywhere. So you need to let it rest for the dust to settle. I usually use up a bottle of garlic powder every few months; but once I had one for almost a year and I never had a problem with it clumping. But that is why I keep my dehydrated garlic in the slices and just grind what I need when I need it. It keeps the strongest flavor and I never have problems with caking.


Dehydrate Garlic Slices

 I use my dehydrate garlic slices but if you don't have any available then you could totally just use granulated garlic. Costco has a big jar of good California granulate garlic that I love.

Granulated Garlic
Garlic Powder


I just always save my spice jars and just reuse them, but there are a lot of cute ones on Amazon you could use if you want a cohesive look or wanted to give away some as gifts. These ones match the Spice Island jars you can get at the store.

I love easy ways to replace toxic and synthetic chemicals in our lives that don't take a lot of effort. Let me know in the comments if would be interested in seeing more ways to switch out everyday products/ ingredients with ones that are more natural and health promoting.
Clean Living, DIY, Garden Tips,
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Easy Windowsill Herb Garden


One of the little luxuries I love having in my kitchen is fresh herbs. It really make such a difference in giving your meals that little fragrant pop they need. But buying fresh herbs from the store is so expensive. And you only ever need a little bit for a recipe, so the rest just languish in the fridge until finally getting thrown away. Or is that just me? I hate wasting money on things like that.

Growing your own herbs is a no brainer that solves both these problems. Having inexpensive fresh herbs available and in only the amount you need.  I've been wanting a windowsill herb garden for awhile but hadn't gotten around to it. I saw these super cute herb planters at Crate & Barrel the other day and felt inspired. But not $30 inspired, no matter how cute it was.

The point to having fresh, organic herbs at my fingertips is to save money. So I searched around and found this one at Ikea for $9.99. I like it so much better. The added wooden base makes it more interesting. And, it was on sale! There is also a really similar one here if you don't have an Ikea near you.

If you've never grown plants before, don't be nervous. Herbs are the easiest thing ever. All you have to do is find a sunny windowsill. I give you a few more tips in helping keep them alive below.


But first, we need to assemble the garden. I don't sow my seeds directly in the planter. They need drainage. You can find these plastic seedling planters and saucers at any garden center or nursery for less than a dollar each. This was the smallest set I could find on Amazon (10). Maybe make a couple extra to give as Mother's Day presents!

They have drainage holes in the bottom and the saucer to catch anything that drips. And they are pretty nifty for letting you know how much water your plant needs. I just pour water til I see it start leaking into the saucer.

You can buy your herbs already started from a nursery but that will run you about $1.50-3.50 per herb depending on what size you get. A packet of seeds is about a dollar but you can usually find them Buy 1 Get 1 Free and grow them yourself. (Just stick the rest of the packet in the freezer until you need to grow some more.) You will definitely need patience but it is so fun to grow them all yourself.

I would pick 3 herbs that you use a lot and start there. Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, Chives, Mint, Dill, Thyme, Rosemary, Sage, there are so many options to choose from.

I chose Flat Leaf Parsley, Dill and Basil. Cilantro would have been on the list because I use it all the time, but I have a plant out in my garden that survived the winter that I can use. Yea! So when my dill gets too big, I will try to transplant it outside and trade it out for a pot of cilantro to last for next fall/winter.

If you are growing your herbs from seeds you will also need to buy a good organic potting mix. No use trying to grow organic herbs in Miraclegro. I really like this BlackGold brand and you can find it in most stores.


Follow the directions on your packet. You won't want more than 2-3 plants growing in your pot or they will get too crowded and not grow well. I would start with 5 seeds and then thin to the best 2 or 3 when the first true leaves appear by snipping the stem down to the soil.


If you bought your herbs from a nursery, just transfer them over and add more soil if needed. Place saucer underneath and give it a good drink til you can start to see water come out the drainage holes.



Place pots in the planter and put in a sunny window to enjoy! I love how it really brightens up my kitchen counter and instantly brings color to any dish. Just snip some off next time you need something and enjoy your super flavorful and hyper fresh herbs. We loved our parsley on Jambalaya Pasta last night.

Jambalaya Pasta
If you feel like you are not getting through your herbs fast enough before they need to be trimmed again then check out my post on preserving parsley here. I also love making pesto when I need to use up a bunch of basil. Stay tuned for the recipe.

Plant Care Tips-
Water- 2-3 times a week. I usually do Mondays and Thursdays. Stick your finger in the potting mix, if it is damp 2 inches down, it doesn't need any more water. If you accidentally pour too much water in, relax. The saucer will just keep the excess until the plant wants to suck it up. If you are growing from seeds, you will need to water every day until the shoot appears and the roots grow longer. Keep the soil moist.

Dirt- I know it might sound like a good idea to use dirt from your yard to fill the pots. It's free and easy but dirt is alive. There are many different ecosystems living in there. If you remove it from its natural environment you are also removing it from its natural predators and some bacteria or diseases could spread and get into your food or your house plants. A good, organic potting mix is worth the splurge.

Proper Pruning
It may seem counter intuitive, but pruning actually promotes growth.

Basil- After the seedlings have their first 6 true leaves, prune to above the second set. From then on, every time it has 6-8 leaves again, prune back to the 1st set of leaves. Pinch off any stems that look like it is going to flower. That will make your basil bitter if allowed to flower.

Chives-  To harvest, just cut straight across. Like you are cutting grass. They probably won't grow out of control like some herbs. Pairs so well with eggs, using in compound butter or tossing raw on soups salads or potatoes.

Cilantro/ Parsley- Once the plant is 6 inches high, begin pruning by trimming the outer leaves down to the bottom of the stem. Don't cut the inner leaves. These will continue growing and producing more stems. You can eat the stems. They carry so much flavor, making them perfect for flavoring soups/ broths or sauces you will blend. I use mine all the time in guacamole and eggs, I just mince very small.

 Dill- I love dill. My favorite is to use it to garnish Borscht. It tastes so good with beets, fish (especially salmon), yogurt sauces and of course pickles. I've got a killer pickle recipe I will be posting this summer so stay tuned!

Mint- Young leaves have more flavor so the key to keeping mint at its best is frequent harvesting. I love to use mint leaves in my ice water. It is so refreshing. Just make sure when you trim to make sure there is still at least 1 set of leaves on the stem.

Oregano- This herb does better outside because it likes to sprawl. If you are dead set on it, just make sure you trim it back often so it doesn't have a chance to get woody.

Rosemary- Rosemary is a beautiful plant and grows straight up so it's perfect for an indoor garden. Just cut a couple inches off from the top leaving leaves below to keep growing.

 Thyme- Thyme is such a hardy plant. Both for cooking in high heat and for staying alive. Basically make sure you never cut below the first leaves and you'll be fine.

Last but not least. Never trim more than 1/3 of a plant at any given time or it will go into shock and may not recover.

I hope you feel inspired to make yourself an herb garden to enjoy fresh herbs at your fingertips any time you need. Leave a comment below and let me know which herb you find yourself using the most.


PP
Basil, Cooking From Your Garden, Dill,
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How to Teach Gardening Skills to Your Kids

  • Enjoying the last of our garden carrots
  • Oh, the family garden.
  • Or what was supposed to be the family garden, that everyone was supposed to help out with. But somehow turned into a solo project for you.
  • So how do you dig yourself out of this project?
  • Here are a few tips to re-engage your kids or begin teaching your children how to garden. And love it.

  • Focus on Fast Growing Plants

  • Your children probably don't have enought patience to wait the whole growing season to reap the rewards of say, a big pumpkin. They will need a little instant gratification. Or as instant as it gets when it comes to gardening.
  • It doesn't matter what it is you plant at first. Your children will just be thrilled to see the first leaves and stems sprout from the seeds they planted.
  • Lettuce grows very fast and continues to grow until it gets too hot. Other fast growing plants are: spinach, radishes and zuchini.

  • Plant Things They Like

  • Once your children have seen the fruits or their labor begin, they will work hard to be able to sample them. Grow food that your family likes. Great ideas are sugar peas, strawberries, tomatoes and carrots.
  • Gardening is so much more fun when the results are tasty.

  • Give Children Ownership of a Specific Area

  • You can instill a sense of pride in your children if they have ownership of a certain area. It is also easier for them to keep up on the maintenance of the garden if they know exactly what they need to do.

  • Give Your Children Their Own Tools

  • One of the things that seemed to make the biggest difference in my children's attitude and willingness to work in the garden is when they had their own tools. I bought them garden gloves, a trowel shovel and a weeding tool. The first pair of gloves I bought were just cheap cloth ones I found at the grocery store. They weren't great, they slipped a lot and were hard to maneuver around tiny weeds so I would recommend something like these that have microfoam on the outside. Not only do they grip much better, they also keep out water which the cloth ones did not. Leather ones would also be really durable and water resistant too. Both of these options are only a dollar or two more than the cheaply made ones I first got but will last and work so much better.

  • Work Along Side Your Kids

  • Work is always more enjoyable if you are doing it with someone else. Children will be more willing to work if they have the company of their parents and siblings.
  • This is also a great time to have meaningful conversations with your children. Kids will talk more about things that are bothering them when they have something else to focus on.

  • Keep it fun and non-stressful

  • Don't get too ambitious. Start small. Everyone will get burned out and resist gardening if the area is too overwhelming. You can always add more space the next year if you find that your family handled this year well.
*This article originally appeared on https://familyshare.com/258/how-to-teach-gardening-skills-to-your-kids 
Family, Garden Tips, Gardening,
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