Summer Harvest at Peace Farm

What abundance!

It's summer and the mandala gardens have gone wild! We have such an abundance of fresh produce and I have been delighting in cooking and preparing some wonderful fresh salads and chutneys too.
We had am amazing garlic harvest as well as basil & parsley. I have just made some beautiful basil & parsley pesto:

Basil Parsley Pesto:

1 1/2cups flat parsley
1/1/2cups basil
1/3 cup pine nuts
2 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt & pepper

Combine all ingredients in a processor and drizzle in oil slowly, then, enjoy!

This is one of my staple recipes and one that I have fed just about all of our wwoofers and is great for a hearty breakfast any time of the year and uses whatever vegetables you may have in the garden...

Kitchardi (Indian spiced rice, vegetables & beans):

This is a very wholesome quick dish to prepare and is great for the digestive system and overall wellbeing!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 tspn ghee or other cooking oil

1 cup basmati rice

1 cup red lentils

1 cup of chopped vegetables (eg. potato, sweet potato, carrot, cauliflower)

handful of sultana & dried apricots (optional)

1 clove finely chopped garlic

I knob of fresh ginger grated

½ tspn curry powder

1 tspn cumin seed

1 stick cinnamon

3 cardamon pods

2 cloves

pinch or tumeric

1 tspn salt

Method:

Melt the ghee and add all spices, ginger & garlic, then add chopped vegetables and the rice & red lentils. Mix for a few seconds and then cover with boiling water so that none of the vegetables are uncovered. Cover lid and bring to boil and then turn to the lowest setting and cook for approximately 12 minutes. If it is looking too dry, add a little more boiling water and sit for another 5 minutes.

Serve with yoghurt (optional).

Enjoy!!