Garden and Storms ~ Air Fryer Zucchini Fries (low carb)

 

Yesterday's pickings.  Even though I picked the day before, and I obviously missed some cucumbers.  Those larger ones went to the chickens.

In lieu of a severe storm threat yesterday afternoon and evening, I tied up the last 35 tomato plants, hit the stakes again (best I could with a dry ground), and found another worm.  I accidently slammed the side of my thumb while hammering stakes in (not the first time for either of us).

I could barely bend my thumb to cook nor do dishes, so I whipped up a comfrey poultice, and today there is barely the sight of a bruise, and pain is about zero.

We have been enjoying our homegrown green/wax beans.  We don't eat potatoes like we used to, but last night was just the right time.  So good with bacon.  

My husband is my entertainment lately.  He is coming up with ideas for the extra zucchini, and last night made these in the air fryer.  Blech.  Coconut oil with an egg dig and seasonings.  

We got a laugh, and then I took over and looked up some recipes.  Almost everything involves breadcrumbs, but we adapted a recipe.

It was a winner recipe for air fryer zucchini "fries" for us.  The original recipe calls for either almond flour or panko.  We are not fans of panko (it contains high fructose corn syrup).  

During a shopping trip, I had picked up a healthier version of panko at our grocery store.  It's called Aleias Panko Bread Crumbs, but gluten free, soy free, corn free, low sodium, non-gmo etc.  Otherwise we followed the recipe and these were delicious!  I good replacement for french fries when we have walleye or perch for dinner.  The recipe is online at Gimme Delicious, Air Fyer Zucchini Fries (Keto - low carb).  If I remember correctly, they do give instructions for oven baking them as well.

We did get our storms and rain last night.  I know the garden needed a good soaking, but I will have to wait to venture out.  It could be too wet to walk in, and I know I will have something out there to pick. The ground doesn't look that wet from looking out the window, but I'll be finding out soon enough.

Ha! No Quick Garden Days!

 

I finally found the other tomato worm, while I was tying the tomato plants up again.  By the way, the plants are as tall as me , and have gone way above their stakes.  I am a hair from being 6 feet tall, if that tells you anything.  We will be watching end of summer sales, for 6 foot metal (sturdy) tomato cages for next year.  I  don't know that they'll work, as our plants are fully loaded, and very heavy when the tomatoes are on. 

I don't know what I was thinking.  I went out, thinking I'll just quick pick green beans and be back inside for inside work.  Ha!  Not only did it take an hour to pick beans, but I had more zucchini, and cucumbers to pick.  I had no yellow squash, but the plants are once again loaded with blossoms, and the bees are a buzzing out there.

I sent more zucchini to work with my husband, and I will be taking any other extra to the library staff next.  I am still freezing some for us, but it is coming in daily here for us.  I am okay with that, as it is such a versatile vegetable (breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner).

The hot peppers are on, but not ready, as well as the bell peppers.  I have quite a few spaghetti squash on, for just one plant, and as well as pie pumpkins.  My acorn is just not coming on.  We have plans to put the pea fence back up soon, and fall plant some vegetables.  

We are enjoying the garden goodies daily here.  Every meal actually.  I even thawed some of last years frozen corn (off the cob) to make our favorite recipe with zucchini, and chopped cucumbers for our absolute favorite orzo salad.  We have talked about trying the salad with added black beans too.  I may try it with quinoa vs. orzo too, but we really love the flavors, and it's perfect for a hot day meal.  I cannot find the source of the recipe, but will post it soon. 

Although these einkorn flour "muffins" were delicious (and used 1 1/2 cups zucchini), they tasted like a cupcake.  I am not on the hunt, per my husband's request for a muffin that uses coconut or almond (or both) flour that are not chocolate. I may look for other einkorn muffin recipes, but the last einkorn/zucchini bread we tried was too dry for our taste.

Thunderstorms may roll in early today, so I'm getting this posted.  I need to tie more tomato plants up, to secure them again.  The heat is here for sure!  In the 90's now.

I think I asked last year, but does anyone have a healthy cucumber salad recipe?  I found one with sour cream, but I'm looking for a delicious low fat, low carb, zero sugar recipe for us.

Rain and Heat ~ More Squash! ~ Motherhood Moments

 

(this was a few days ago)

Me to my husband:  Sure looks like it's about to come down out there.

Husband to me:  Oh great!  Another 1000 green beans (ha ha ha!)

We have been getting rain off and on.  We are also getting heat.  We canceled our first camping trip as fast as we booked it due to the heat.  What's the fun in camping, if you can't enjoy a campfire meal?  Not only will the heat be here this weekend, so will thunderstorms.  

I decided to only freeze shredded zucchini, and not diced this year.  I prefer to be able to squeeze the water out prior to freezing.  

I sent a large bag of squash with my husband to work.  I also picked more, and reduced the numbers by about 10 of them with some baking and cooking (and freezing).

The muffins are delicious, but a bit sweet.  I may make them again and swap the honey for maple syrup, and only use half amount.

Although we recently got a small bit of rain, it was not enough for the garden.  I will be watering this morning, so I must get this posted and get busy.  We are getting into the 90's this week, and it heats up pretty fast out there.

I did not get any answers regarding the cucumbers, so the chickens are getting the treats for now.  I will try and do more research today, but I have very little free time right now.

I was talking to a friend, who travels to upper MI to pick blueberries.  I told her I have never purchased a box with so many un-ripe berries, stems and leaves.  She said they may have switched to machine picking them due to lack of help.  My husband and I are not happy with them this year.  We are unable to grow them on our property due to lime stone sadly.

On the motherhood front, we are worried about Daughter K.  She has a doctor appt this morning due to high blood pressure.  If you get a moment, please send prayers for her.  It is not normal for her to be experiencing this, and the doctors so far have not (even with an ER visit) treated her with any medication.  

This and That

 These are the days of my life.  My day ends like this and starts like this.  I am just so tired at the end of the day lately.

Kids came for a meal and a visit over the weekend, and I was thankful that I had help to clean beans.  On the other hand we did not get any work done regarding the new coop, nor any painting done.

Our green beans are doing so well, I may be giving some to family and friends.  We'll see as I get mine put up in the freezer.

Picking from last Saturday - 5.5#

Picking from Sunday - 5.8#

Grand total so far this year is 17.59 pounds.

We are eating them, gave some to the kids, and the rest blanched and froze.

A few strange double growing veggies.

I only planted National Pickling cucumbers and one other for salads/snacking.  Do you think the National Pickling is too sweet for canning dill pickles?   I'm told they will be too "sweet" for that.  I don't want to waste ingredients or time.

We have been making zucchini boats, using all sorts of concoctions.  This one is with chicken.  I'm sure we'll be making zoodles, and whatever other creative way to eat zucchini around here.

Garden Explosion!

 

Everything came to halt for a few days.  The truck is fixed now thankfully.  The car has been delivered to the repair man (local man we used before).  There is no extreme cleaning going on right now, nor painting.

It's been impossible to focus on "one thing" and finish it, on a daily basis here.  Canning/freezing season is here, and with a bang.  I can't complain, but boy it's really putting me in a sour mood some days.   I hate that feeling of being overwhelmed.  I told my husband, I would gladly grow the garden and pay someone to can in.  He laughed.  Yeah, who has money for that, ha ha!

I've been taking advantage of the good weather days, and ,keeping the electric bill down.  I'm am retiring those crocheted rag rugs.  They will be moved to the garage for when my husband needs something to lay on under a vehicle.   The rugs have lasted about 12-13 years, but have faded in color and are ready to move on to another use.  I don't have time to make new ones, so I'm buying new ones on my next errand day.

Considering we did not get half of what we wanted planted in the garden this year, we are getting a lot for what we did plant.

We are getting enough rain, that I have not had to haul my 200 feet of garden house out to water the gardens.

I'm not freezing as much as I normally do, but some squash is going in the freezer.  We are trying to eat as much fresh.  I mostly add it to breakfast casseroles, but it made them "watery" (when thawed) so I will try adding them to pasta sauce and soups this winter.  Squash is mushy when frozen and thawed.  I do squeeze the water out of shredded zucchini before I freeze it.

Zucchini are still coming in too.  The nice part, is that I can slice it to use in place of pasta in a meal.  

I froze some more shredded zucchini, and at the same time made another round of zucchini hummus.  I have three different types of shredding/slicing devices for this.  It shreds the zucchini very easily.

Green beans are coming on.  First picking was 6.12# this year (it took an hour to pick them all).  I had so much going on in the kitchen that day, I had to put the bowl on a kitchen chair.  We are eating these almost daily as well now.  They are delicious!

Sweet pickle relish  and bread and butter pickles were canned.  I did not can sweet pickle relish last year, as we had some in the pantry.  I am super busy this year.  We use this to make homemade tartar sauce for fish, homemade thousand island dressing, and we add it to quick meals like tuna or chicken salad.  It can be used for a cold pasta salad or quinoa salad as well.

In the midst of it all, I purchased our yearly blueberries.  I am crazy to do it again, but I am putting up a 10# box, but sharing them with one daughter.

Earwig Traps ~ Tomato Worms

 

Our mailbox has been taken over by earwigs.  Never, in all the years here, have we had this happen.  I read about making traps, by rolling toilet paper roll over a pen, and stapling one end to trap them.  They go in and can't turn around to get out.  I set two in the back of the mailbox.

They did not work.  Just a quick post today. I'm putting a sticky bug trap out there in the back of it.  The kind that fold over and the bugs crawl through it and get stuck.

Found two tomato plants with work activity.  I found one horn worm, but could not find the other.  I hope to have time to go look for it today, before it destroys the plant.  

Bam! Cucumbers!

 

I'll admit, that I was not ready for this!  First picking of the pickling cucumbers  - 7# of them!  I was totally shocked.  I literally just checked them two days prior.  

I'll be back when have taken care of these.  Thankfully, some of my dill is up too. 

Update on the rise in electric costs:  We have been talking to friends.  Some have already changed companies, but said there is a "transmission" fee after changing, and the cost remains about the same.  Others who have different companies for their electric have told us that their cost has gone up the same amount as ours.