It’s now the time of year we gardeners have been waiting for: harvesting and eating the fruits and veggies we’ve planted!

Here are a few recipes, courtesy of Botanical Interests, for you to try out with your bountiful harvests:

Grilled Cauliflower Steaks
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon sugar
1 Cauliflower head

Directions:
Whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside. Remove leaves from the cauliflower head and cut the cauliflower into thick slices. Brush marinade mixture over cauliflower “steaks” and marinate for 10 to 15 minutes. Place on grill over high heat for five minutes on each side. Enjoy their tangy, sweet flavor with a hint of spice as a vegetarian entrée or side dish.

Grilled Italian Carrots
Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
¼ balsamic vinegar
5 or 6 whole carrots
1 to 2 teaspoons of granulated garlic
1 to 2 teaspoons dried rosemary

Directions:
Peel 5 or 6 whole carrots. Whisk 1/4 cup each olive oil and balsamic vinegar together. Stir in 1 or 2 teaspoons of granulated garlic and dried rosemary. Brush mixture over carrots. Grill carrots on high heat 15 min, and then turn off flame and leave in grill, covered, for another 5 to 10 minutes to make sure they are tender. The sweet char created on the carrots makes a flavor reminiscent of sweet potatoes.

Grilled Lemon Pepper Green Beans
Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning (lemon juice and crushed black pepper)
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
Green beans

Directions:
Whisk 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning (lemon juice and crushed black pepper), and 1 teaspoon granulated garlic. Toss with trimmed green beans in large bowl. Pour the coated beans into a grill pan (or use aluminum foil with holes poked in the bottom) on the grill on high heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. The slight tartness perfectly complements the rich smokiness from the grill marks.

Nasturtium Pesto
Ingredients:
1 c. packed nasturtium leaves and stems, washed and dried
15–20 basil leaves
4 garlic cloves
½ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
½ cup or more of extra virgin olive oil
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
½ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:
Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth, scraping the sides periodically to fully incorporate ingredients. Add more olive oil for desired consistency.

Mom’s Yummy Tomato Snack*
Ingredients:
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon flour
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped green chiles
Tomatoes

Directions
Slice 3 or 4 tomatoes thickly, pat dry with a paper towel, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Mix ½ tsp. salt, 1 c. sour cream, 1 tsp. sugar, 1 tbsp. flour, 2 tbsp. chopped green onions, and 2 tbsp. chopped green chiles. Spoon about 1 tbsp. of the mixture on each tomato slice, and then top with cheddar cheese. Broil for 4 to 6 minutes or until lightly browned.

Tomato Tart*
Ingredients:
2 to 3 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
Olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll a pastry or pie crust into a standard pie dish. Toss 2–3 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes in olive oil, and mound into prepared pie dish. Bake in oven until crust is browned, about 20 to 30 minutes. Top with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.

*Choosing a tomato for your needs can be easy! Tomatoes are often categorized as slicer, paste, or cherry/grape. Each is delicious, but best used for different cooking methods. We have a recipe for each!

Slicer tomatoes are thick and sturdy for slicing and enjoying in BLT sandwiches, Caprese salads, and chopped atop bruschetta, among many other dishes. Try Red Pride, Beefsteak, and Black Krim.

Cherry/Grape tomatoes are sweet, juicy, and small, perfect for snacking! Try roasting them with some olive oil until they burst. Try Gardener’s Delight, Rainbow Blend, and Jelly Bean Red & Yellow.

Kale Krisps
Ingredients:
2 bunches kale, washed and dried
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray two baking sheets with cooking spray. Remove the stems and ribs from the kale, and shred the kale very thinly. Spread the shredded kale onto the baking sheets and sprinkle evenly with cheddar cheese. Bake the kale for ten minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning, until the kale is crisp and the cheese browned.

Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup
Ingredients:
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
4 cups half-and-half
3 cups cubed potatoes
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
1 onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups torn kale leaves (bite-size pieces)

Directions: Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Crumble sausage into pot; cook and stir until browned, about 10 minutes. Drain and discard grease. Stir half-and-half, potatoes, chicken broth, milk, onion, oregano, and red pepper flakes into sausage, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Season with black pepper; stir kale into soup. Simmer until kale is tender, 10 to 15 more minutes.

Roasted Beets ‘n’ Sweets
Ingredients:
6 medium beets, peeled and cut into chunks
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
3 medium sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
1 large sweet onion, chopped

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a bowl, toss the beets with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to coat. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and sugar in a large resealable plastic bag. Place the sweet potatoes and onion in the bag. Seal bag, and shake to coat vegetables with the oil mixture. Bake beets 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Mix sweet potato mixture with the beets on the baking sheet. Continue baking 45 minutes, stirring 20 minutes, until all vegetables are tender.