I think we have FINALLY found the perfect spot for growing peas!
Each time we try a crop on the side of the house, facing south, they get absolutely fried. Check out this post from when we tried planting peas in a straw bale on the south side of the house; we didn't post the results because the peas didn't survive long in the blistering sun. The all-day-long sun and reflected heat from the white aluminum siding of the house are great for heat loving plants like tomatoes and eggplant, but peas cower under the sun's power. They want some relief, some shade, some cool breeze.
The back of our house faces the west, and gets about 4-5 hours of sunlight a day, during the afternoon. Situated among some shade-loving hostas and lilies is a whiskey barrel planter that has grown a variety of things; petunias, morning glories, zinnias. It's our little space that we use for spur-of-the-moment flower planting, tossing seeds in to see how they will do. I had a tipi trellis made of bamboo already built in the whiskey barrel from last year's morning glories. Back in early October we discovered we had partial packets of pea to use up; 2 varieties. Snap peas and shelling peas. We were still disappointed that we had not had any fresh peas yet this year, so we decided to go for it. We planted the rest of both packets randomly in the barrel's soil.
It didn't take long for healthy pea babies to thrive in there!
We've been harvesting snacks from our peas since mid-October:
The snap peas and the shelling peas have grown together in harmony! We like eating them both straight from the plant.
We haven't just eaten peas directly out of the garden; last week used a couple handfuls of the snap peas in this delicious meal:
Tastes just like takeout!
*Could become a vegetarian or vegan meal if I took out the chicken. Use marinated tofu or tempeh if desired, or just extra veggies!
Moo Goo Gai Pan
www.lowfatlifestyle.com
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (omit if going vegetarian)
1/2 cup chicken broth (use veg. broth if going vegetarian)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine or dry white wine
4 teaspoons cornstarch (I used arrowroot powder)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots or one cup, thinly bias sliced
8 ounces whole small fresh mushrooms or 3 cups sliced
2 cups fresh pea pods or one 6-ounce pkg. frozen & thawed
1/2 of an 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained (I used whole can)
3 cups hot cooked rice (used mix of barley and brown rice, yum!)
Cut chicken into thin bite-size strips. For sauce, in a small bowl stir together the chicken broth, soy sauce, rice wine or white wine, cornstarch, and sugar. Set aside.
Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet. (Add more oil as necessary during cooking.) Preheat over medium-high heat. Stir-fry garlic in hot oil for 15 seconds. Add carrots; stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and, if using, fresh pea pods; stir-fry about 1 minute more or until carrots and pea pods are crisp-tender. Remove the vegetables from the wok.
Add the chicken to the hot wok. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until no pink remains. Push the chicken from the center of the wok. Stir sauce. Add the sauce to the center of the wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
Return the cooked vegetables to the wok. Add water chestnuts and, if using, thawed pea pods. Stir all ingredients together to coat with sauce. Cook and stir about 1 minute more or until heated through. Serve immediately over hot cooked rice.
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (omit if going vegetarian)
1/2 cup chicken broth (use veg. broth if going vegetarian)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine or dry white wine
4 teaspoons cornstarch (I used arrowroot powder)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots or one cup, thinly bias sliced
8 ounces whole small fresh mushrooms or 3 cups sliced
2 cups fresh pea pods or one 6-ounce pkg. frozen & thawed
1/2 of an 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained (I used whole can)
3 cups hot cooked rice (used mix of barley and brown rice, yum!)
Cut chicken into thin bite-size strips. For sauce, in a small bowl stir together the chicken broth, soy sauce, rice wine or white wine, cornstarch, and sugar. Set aside.
Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet. (Add more oil as necessary during cooking.) Preheat over medium-high heat. Stir-fry garlic in hot oil for 15 seconds. Add carrots; stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and, if using, fresh pea pods; stir-fry about 1 minute more or until carrots and pea pods are crisp-tender. Remove the vegetables from the wok.
Add the chicken to the hot wok. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until no pink remains. Push the chicken from the center of the wok. Stir sauce. Add the sauce to the center of the wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
Return the cooked vegetables to the wok. Add water chestnuts and, if using, thawed pea pods. Stir all ingredients together to coat with sauce. Cook and stir about 1 minute more or until heated through. Serve immediately over hot cooked rice.
Per serving: 439 calories, 7g fat, 54mg cholesterol, 685mg sodium, 62g carbohydrate, 29g protein
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