We are experiencing a heat wave this week, and I’m certain we aren’t alone. The midafternoons have been sweltering the last few days to the point where being outside feels suffocating. Ah, summer 😉

Because of this I’ve focused on getting out in the mornings and evenings. The mornings for the chicks, the garden, and Finley walks. The early evenings for bringing the neighborhood chicken flock frozen watermelon and taking Finley on another run (beside the golf cart because I’ve reached my capacity by that point). How are the temps where you are?

The good news about all this sunshine and summer rain (to return tomorrow I believe) is that the garden is thriving. I mostly have the squash bugs under control. What I’ve learned is that while there may be some deterrents, the only real way to keep them from completely ruining the plants is to spend a few minutes in the morning and evening (when they are most active) picking them off, drowning them in dish detergent water, and crushing their eggs. Who knew gardening would make me into such a cruel person? It sounds violent, does it not? But it’s effective!

I say all of this as a longwinded intro to sharing that we’ve been eating a lot of garden produce! And I hope I always feel the thrill of exhilaration when I pick something from the garden, and cook it up to eat. I’m not sure I can think of anything that feels more satisfying.

Right now that’s mostly cucumbers, squash, kale, parsley, thyme, and jalapenos, but I’ve gotten a few bell peppers, too, and last night we ate our first beautiful Cherokee Purple slicer tomato with dinner and I almost cried a tear of joy. Cue that audio that says one minute you’re young and cool and the next you’re taking pictures of the vegetables in your garden. Guilty as charged.

Ok, here’s some of my favorite meals we’ve enjoyed over the past few weeks!

First of all, I’ve been on a dried bean kick. I’ve been picking up Rancho Gordo beans from Swamp Rabbit Grocery, soaking them for the first half of the day, then simmering them the second half. I use onion, garlic, vegetable broth, thyme from the garden, and bay leaves. They go great with rice, with taco bowls, or just a side on their own! They don’t bother my stomach the way canned beans sometimes do and hooray for more fiber.

• Taco bowls with ground beef, bone broth rice, beans, kale, zucchini, yellow squash, and jalapenos.
• Greek salads with pan-fried Greek chicken (this Greek marinade recipe is elite!), our favorite Greek salad, and tzatziki.
• Garlic Sesame Tofu over bone broth rice with steamed broccolo

Breakfast has been one of my favorite meals of late. It’s either been Siggi’s yogurt with chia seeds and fruit or what we’ve started calling “farm breakfast.”

Farm breakfast has many variations, but it mostly includes yellow squash, kale, and parsley from the garden with onion and chicken sausages (frozen from Costco). Then an egg or two on top. Avocado if I have it. And lately, blueberries on the side from blueberry bushes just down the street.

Lunches are all over the place. A couple times it’s been sandwiches on sourdough with dill pickle kraut on the side. And once my tomatoes start rolling in with any consistency, it’s going to be BLTs! But usually it’s heated up leftovers or snack plates.

• Homemade sourdough with turkey, cheddar, avocado, tomato, mayo, and dijon.
• Reheated baked potato with sour cream and chives (from the garden), broccoli, and pan-fried chicken.
• Simple tuna salad with hemp hearts and radish microgreens on the side
• Leftover hamburger, dill pickle kraut, and cucumber salad with reheated roasted sweet potatoes and asparagus.

I have a long list of restaurants to try in the Greenville area and I feel like we are just starting to settle into life enough to plan times to try them out. Last week we went on a double date with friends to Topsoil in Traveler’s Rest. David and I went on a Christmas date night there in December and loved it. Topsoil is farm-to-table experience with a strong focus on seasonality and locally sourced ingredients. It’s in.cred.i.ble. especially if you geek out over good food and fancy beverages like I do.

They have plates for the table, but then each person gets a three course experience: one appetizer, one entree, and one dessert. David and I both opted for two appetizers each and skipped dessert so we could have the opportunity to try all the fancy things like escargot, veal sweetbreads, tuna crudo, and more. It was amazing!

Ok, sincere question: How long until it gets old for me to note “from the garden” from anything I pick and cook from the garden? Because my inner voice is telling me it’s annoying but my gleeful pride is turning cartwheels while it sings, frommm theee garrrrrrdennnn!

On second thought, don’t answer that…

But I do hope you have a fabulous day!