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Backyard Garden + Recipe: Pasta Primavera with Garden Zucchini and Herbs
By Katie Goodman
Backyard gardens are becoming really popular — and for good reason. It's green to grow your own food, it's a great hobby that's fun for adults and kids, and homegrown produce tastes so yummy!
With a landscape project for the rest of the backyard taking up the bulk of our time last summer, I only grew herbs. I know I've saved a lot of money by planting fresh herbs, at $2–$4 per small plastic pouch each time you buy them versus $5 max for a plant that keeps on giving. Herb gardens are simple and an easy way to get started with gardening if you think it might be something you're interested in.
Now that we've had that experience under our belt, we decided this spring that we wanted to grow a vegetable garden. It's probably too late in most places to start anything for the summer season this year, but I hope to offer some helpful tips and ideas for next spring and summer (or for this fall if you are planning on a fall garden).
I think the best advice I could give anyone planting a garden is to plant what you eat. I love being able to go to the garden for cooking inspiration. Some of the things we love most and use often in cooking are: fresh herbs, asparagus (a perennial planted in spring), lettuce (spring), tomatoes, green onions, and bell peppers. Other produce we planted for some variety are: sugar snap peas (in the spring), rhubarb (perennial planted in the spring), and honeydew melon.
This is a delicious recipe that used my garden's zucchini, parsley, green onions, and basil.
Pasta Primavera with Garden Zucchini and Herbs
a goodLife {eats} creation
Ingredients
2 cups zucchini
10 oz. cooked penne I used whole wheat.
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup frozen peas or yellow squash
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup green onions
Directions
Wash the zucchini, slice it in half lengthwise, and then cut into half moon pieces.
Chop the parsley, slice the green onions, and slice the basil in thin strips.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cut the chicken crosswise into 1/4"-wide strips, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, salt, pepper, and garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the wine, making sure to scrape all the browned bits from the pan. Allow to simmer until slightly thickened. Stir in the cream, peas, and juice; cook 1 minute. Add pasta and cheese; stir well to coat. Remove from heat; stir in basil, parsley, and green onion.
About the Author:
Katie Goodman resides in New Mexico with her husband and two children (a 4-year-old boy and an 18-month-old girl). Learning in the kitchen, eating, trying new recipes, and sharing them with friends and loved ones are some of Katie's favorite things to do. She wholeheartedly believes that part of the goodness in life is enjoying good food with good friends and family, and goodLife {eats} is a place for her to share what she finds good in the kitchen.
