Tacos made with Health One Meal Replacement

Health One Creamy Potato Soup Meal Replacement is an often misunderstood treasure. I've had some inquiries with the question: "how can I make the Creamy Potato Soup more palatable?" As a soup, it is an acquired taste; but, as a base for so many different recipes it is wonderful. This is one of my many favorite recipes using the Creamy Potato Soup - Tacos!

Health One Meal Replacement's Facebook page has a number of great recipes. One of their recipes is tortillas. They do take some time to make - but definitely worth the effort! The result is a bit of a cross between a tortilla and pita bread. The recipe is for two servings of tortillas - two tortillas per serving. Since they reheat so well in the microwave you could easily make up some extra batches. I kept the calorie breakdown separate between the tortillas and the filling - so be sure to figure your additive calories correctly. Enjoy!

Tortillas - one serving
Meal Replacement - 160 calories
Additives - 60 calories

Tortilla Ingredients:

• 2 packages Potato Soup Meal Replacement
• 2 tablespoons Flour
• 3/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Vegetable Oil
• 1/4 cup Lukewarm Milk

Tortilla Instructions:

• Mix dry ingredients
• Mix salt, oil, and milk and heat to lukewarm.
• Stir into dry ingredients until dough forms a ball
• Place dough on a floured board and knead until dough is no longer sticky (6-8 times). 
• Cover dough and allow to rest for 15 minutes. 
• Divide into 4 balls. Roll each ball into a circle until very thin. 

• Place circles on a dry, preheated skillet or grill one at a time. 
• Grill until bubbles appear all over, and then turn over. Will take only 20-30 seconds on each side. 

• Store flat parchment between each tortilla. 
• To serve, warm tortillas between damp paper towels in the microwave.

Taco filling - one serving
Additives - 55 calories

Taco Filling Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Meat Substitute Crumbles
• 1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon fat-free sour cream
• 1 tablespoon diced onion
• 1/4 cup shredded lettuce
• 2 tablespoons diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon fat-free shredded cheddar cheese

Taco Filling Instructions:

• Saute diced onion (or if you prefer them raw - then set aside and use with the fresh vegetable additives)
• Add Meat Substitute Crumbles, Taco Season and Water - simmer.
• Place filling ingredients into the tortilla.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Pie with Health One Meal Replacement

Oh how I love fresh strawberries. They bring back such special memories of staying with my grandparents on their farm. Getting up at 5 a.m. to hit the strawberry fields. Racing my sisters and cousins to see who would fill their flat first. Coming home tired, hands stained red, tummies full of yummy strawberries and some money jingling in our pocket...ready to be spent on Saturday.

As an adult, my favorite strawberry treat has been Strawberry Pie. You know the kind...buttery crust, glazed strawberries and lots of whipped cream. White sugar, whipped cream...talk about a caloric and nutritional disaster!

Here is another option: Strawberry Pie with Health One Meal Replacement. Yes it has 60 additive calories - 75 if you add the fat-free whipped topping...so it's definitely an occasional "special" treat. A special treat that is nutrient packed and tastes amazing!

One Serving
Meal Replacement - 160 calories
Additives - 60 calories
Optional Fat-Free Whipped Topping - 15 calories

Crust Ingredients:

• 1 Vanilla Meal Replacement
• 1 teaspoon Splenda
• 2 teaspoons Flour
• 1 tablespoon Butter Buds (liquid)

Filling Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sliced Strawberries
• 1 tablespoon Sugar-Free Preserves (I used raspberry - I love the tangy contrast with the strawberries)

Crust Instructions:

1. Mix dry ingredients
2. Blend in Butter Buds with a fork
3. With your fingers - lightly work the ingredients till it becomes sandy (see picture above)
4. Press into pie pan - mine is small single serving dish - 5 inches across
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes
6. Cool

Filling Instructions:

1. Stir Strawberries and Sugar-Free Preserves till strawberries are glazed
2. Pour glazed strawberries into pie crust

Optional:

1. Sparingly pipe 2 tablespoons of Fat-Free Whipped Topping around the edge of the pie

Enjoy!

Strawberry Daiquiri with Health One Meal Replacement

At 30 additive calories, this Strawberry Daiquiri isn't quite a "Back to Basics" recipe. But since strawberries are in season I just couldn't wait to make it!

The main reason for the creation of this cool concoction is my blogger buddy Daniel from Needless Pounds. Awhile back he asked me to come up with a recipe for a Strawberry Daiquiri.

So Daniel, here's to you! Cheers!

Calories: One Serving
Meal Replacement - 160 calories
Additives - 30 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 Strawberry Health One Meal Replacement (you could also use  a Vanilla Meal Replacement; but, you would probably want to increase the sliced strawberries)
• 5 medium Strawberries sliced
• 1 Orange segment
• 1/2 teaspoon Rum Flavoring
• 1 teaspoon Splenda
• 3/4 cup Water
• 1-1/2 cup of Crushed Ice

Instructions:


This is the easy part...

1. Blend all of the ingredients in a blender. I use the Bella Rocket Blender single serving blender. 
2. Regarding the water and ice - watch the the volume. You may make it thick like mine or you may make it thinner. Just remember that too much water or ice will dilute the flavor.
3. Pour into a pretty glass.

Cheers!

Carrot Custard with Health One Meal Replacement

Took a trip to Minto Island Growers. They are a local farm that is certified organic by Oregon Tilth. I was enjoying the appearance of a variety of wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables. And then I saw them - bunches of carrots. Not your grocery store variety. These little fellas were shaped kinda funky and wearing their crazy little green hats (stems and leaves). Well, I had to have them.

Now, what to do with all of them. Of course most will be munched raw; but, I just had to create a recipe including these cute little guys. So I came up with a Carrot Custard using the Vanilla Health One Meal Replacement. I hope you enjoy the custard as much as I did!

One Serving
Meal Replacement - 160 calories
Additives - 43 calories

Ingredients:
1 Vanilla Meal Replacement
1/2 tablespoon of Splenda
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 tablespoon Butter Buds (liquid)
3 tablespoons Egg Beaters
1 tablespoon Water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sliced carrots
Butter Flavored Cooking Spray
Optional - 2 tablespoons Fat Free Whipped Topping - 15 calories

Instructions:

• Mix dry ingredients
• Add liquid ingredients
• Mix well

• Cook Carrots - because it was such a small amount, I simmered them till soft, but not mushy
• Mash Carrots - I used a fork
• Mix Mashed Carrots into the batter

• Spray two 3-inch ramekins with Cooking Spray (I used two ramekins so that the custard would cook evenly - this is still one serving)
• Pour half of the batter into each of the ramekins
• Place ramekins into a baking dish.
• Pour boiling water into baking dish.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes (if a toothpick comes out clean, the custard is done)
• Remove from baking dish and cool.
• Run a thin knife around the edge of the custard and turn out of the ramekins.
• Chill in refrigerator.
• Optional - serve with a bit of Whipped Topping, a small piece of carrot and a small bit of salad greens (for the top of the carrot).

Enjoy!

Back to Basics - Rosemary Biscuit with Health One Meal Replacement

While watering my herbs tonight I plucked off a twig of my rosemary. Oh how I love that pungent piney smell. What could we make that would show off the flavor of the rosemary? How about biscuits? Biscuits are easy to make with the Creamy Potato Soup Health One Meal Replacement.

As most of you know, the potato soup has a unique and acquired taste; yet, it is great for savory dishes. Our Rosemary Biscuit will not taste like Grandma's buttermilk biscuits. But I have found that when you add some spices or herbs the flavor is greatly enhanced. Rosemary has a strong taste - especially if it is fresh. So if rosemary isn't your favorite, then think of another herb or spice that you do enjoy. Also, this is a recipe that does best when baked.


And best of all? Only 10 additive calories! YAY!


One Serving
Meal Replacement - 160 calories
Additives - 10 calories


Ingredients:

• 1 Creamy Potato Soup Meal Replacement
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoons Land O' Lakes Parmesan Herb Seasoning
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 tablespoon Butter Buds (liquid)
• 1 tablespoon Water - you may need a little more
• A sprig of Rosemary
• Olive Oil Cooking Spray

Instructions:

1. Mix dry ingredients.
2. Snip a few of the Rosemary leaves into tiny pieces and mix into the dry ingredients.
3. Add Butter Buds and Water - this should be a thick, yet moist dough.
4. Let dough rest for a minute to allow the Baking Powder to activate - it will make the dough fluffy.
5. Spoon dough into a 3-inch ramekin that has been sprayed with Olive Oil Cooking Spray.
6. Snip a a few of the Rosemary leaves into tiny pieces and drop on top of biscuit.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Back to Basics - Dark Chocolate Cookies with Health One Meal Replacement

Dark Chocolate Cookies with Health One Meal Replacement is the first in a series of simple, tasty recipes with low or no additive calories.

My favorite type of chocolate is dark chocolate. The darker the better. So, I add Unsweetened Cocoa Powder to many of my recipes to create a richer chocolate flavor.

Each Sunday I make up a batch of cookies for work the following week. They are usually my mid-day meal. My favorite cookie recipe is Chocolate Macaroons. They have 30 additive calories - which really isn't too bad. But our goal with back to basics is no or low additive calories. Today's Dark Chocolate Cookies have only 10 additive calories which is from the unsweetened cocoa powder - so if you're not hip on dark chocolate, leave it out and save the 10 calories.  Enjoy!

One Serving
Meal Replacement - 160 calories
Additives - 10 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 Chocolate Meal Replacement
• 1 tablespoon Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Splenda - this is optional. I usually don't use it because I like the "dark chocolate" flavor.
• 1/4 teaspoon Almond Extract
• 2 tablespoons Water

Instructions:

• Mix dry ingredients.
• Stir in Almond Extract and Water - add a little more water if needed.
• Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes - do not over bake or they will be come dry and a bit tough.

NOTE: I usually make up five batches all at once, package them up as single servings and store them in the refrigerator. That way they are ready to go when I'm packing my lunch in the morning.

Enjoy!

Back to Basics - Low or No Calorie Additives

Some of the many additives I use on a regular basis!

Like most of my readers, when I first began the Weight Management Program in Salem, Oregon it was Health One Meal Replacements only. Five a day, which is 800 calories. An additional 150 calories were available each day for additives - the dash of "this and that" added to the Meal Replacements to make them more palatable. But, I was determined to not use those extra 150 calories!

My first night I made the Creamy Potato Soup - plain. It was like a forced march across my tongue. The next morning I mixed the Vanilla Meal Replacement with water and some ice - not in a blender (which I've learned that for me is essential), I just stirred it up. Another forced march. My first thought was: How am I ever going to do this? My second thought was: Call Holly, my Health Counselor!

When I called, she encouraged me to explore various flavors and textures by using additives and different methods of preparation. So I did. What a difference it made!

Over the next month we will be going back to basics. My posts will offer simple and tasty recipes with low or no calorie additives. There will also be a post on Mastering the Math of Calories and Nutritional Values.

To get us started, here is a list of some of the many of the additives I use and their calories.

PLEASE NOTE: the calories below are based on the brands that I currently use. Brands vary - so read the label.

Drink Flavorings:

Alpine Sugar-Free Apple Cider Mix - single serving = 15

Coffee = 0

Crystal Light - single serving = 5

Nestle Fat-Free Cocoa - single serving = 20

Propel Sports Drink - single serving = 10

Sugar-Free Flavored Syrups = 0

Sugar-Free Soft Drinks - orange, grape, rootbeer, cream soda = 0

Tea = 0

Staples:

Baking Powder = 0

Baking Soda = 0

Bouillon – 1 teaspoon = 5

Butterbuds – 1 tablespoon liquid = 5

Cooking Spray = 0

Flavor Extracts – examples: vanilla, almond, peppermint = 0

Jello Gelatin – ½ teaspoon dry = 10

PB2 – 1 tablespoon dry = 23

Salt, Seasoning Salt, Pepper… = 0

Splenda = 0

Sugar-Free and Fat-Free Pudding dry – 1 tablespoon = 25

Unsweetened Cocoa dry – 1 tablespoon = 10

Seasonings:

Fresh Herbs (below are examples)

Basil, Sage, Thyme, Mint… = 0

Dried Seasoning, Spices and Herbs (below are examples)

Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Pumpkin Pie Spice… = 0

Chili Powder, Cumin, Basil, Poultry Seasoning… = 0

Dehydrated (below are examples)

Celery Flakes, Minced Onion, Minced Garlic… = 0

Seasoning Blends (below are examples)

Garlic Bread Sprinkle McCormick – ½ teaspoon = 10

Parmesan Herb Land O’ Lakes – ½ teaspoon = 5

Mixes (below are examples):

Gravy Mix McCormick – 2 teaspoons = 20

Meatloaf Mix McCormick – 1 tablespoon = 20

Pesto Mix McCormick – 2 teaspoons = 20

Taco Mix McCormick – 1 tablespoon = 20

Ranch Dressing Mix Hidden Valley - 1/4 teaspoon dry = 0

Condiments:

Mustard – 1 teaspoon = 0

Rice Vinegar Kikkoman – 1 tablespoon = 0

Soy Sauce – 1 tablespoon = 10

Sugar-Free Mrs. Butterworth’s Syrup – 1 tablespoon = 5

Sugar-Free Preserves Smuckers – 1 tablespoon = 10

Taco Sauce LaVictoria – 1 tablespoon = 5

Worcestershire – 1 teaspoon = 5

Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies with Health One Meal Replacement

Health Nutrition Technologies has some great recipes on their Health One Meal Replacement facebook page under notes. Apricot or Raspberry Fruit Snaps is one of those recipes. When I read the recipe, childhood memories came flooding in.  These were the "Thumbprint Cookies" of my childhood!

One Serving of Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

Thumbprint Cookies were so much fun to make! My sister and I would roll little balls of dough and place them on a baking sheet. Next we would take our small thumbs and push little dents into the middle of each ball of dough. Then mom would patiently spoon small drops of jam into each hole and pop them into the oven. Out of the oven came wonderful smells, amazing memories and some tasty cookies.

So, with a few changes from the original Health One recipe...here are Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies (AKA Apricot or Raspberry Fruit Snaps) made with Health One Meal Replacement!

PLEASE NOTE: the original recipe was for two servings. My recommendation is to make only one serving at a time - unless you are going to eat them all right away. The preserves have a high water content, which will make the cookies gooey if they sit around. The recipe below is for one serving only. A few of the photos will reflect two servings (i.e. two meal replacements in the ingredients photo).

Calories - One Serving
Meal Replacement - 160 calories
Additives - 30 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 packet Vanilla Meal Replacement
• 1 tablespoon Sugar-Free, Fat-Free Vanilla Pudding
• 1/8 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Splenda
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1-2 tablespoons Water
• 1.5 teaspoon Raspberry Sugar-Free Preserves

Instructions:

• Mix the dry ingredients.
• Blend in vanilla and 1 tablespoon of water..
• Slowly add the 2nd tablespoon of water - you want the dough to be stiff so that you will be able to roll it into balls.

• Chill the dough for about 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
• Using your hands roll the dough into six balls, 1 inch in diameter - work quickly so that the dough doesn't stick to your hands. If it does, stick it back into the refrigerator for a few minutes. You may also dampen your hands - just a bit. This will also help the dough to keep from sticking.
• Place the balls of dough on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
• Moisten your little finger and press indentations into the ball of dough.

• Using a small spoon, place a small amount of preserves in the "thumbprints" in the balls of dough.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Quick Trick! When cooking we need to use the right tools. When cooking small, we need to use the right "sized" tools. In the photo next to the jar of preserves are three spoons: 1) a spoon used to eat with - called a teaspoon, but not for measuring; 2) a tiny spoon - the size that you would use to feed an infant; and, 3) a tablespoon for measuring. For this recipe, I used the tiny spoon and dropped about 1/8-1/4 teaspoon of preserves into each cookie. The tiny spoon made it so much easier to manage. See my blog post: Cooking Small - Tools of the Trade for more information on tools to use when you're cooking small.

Shepherd's Pie with Health One Meal Replacement

Which is it? Shepherd's Pie or Cottage Pie?

Well, maybe neither...since there isn't lamb or beef in this hearty dish. But for today - we will call it Shepherd's Pie. Recipes like this usually get pulled out of the recipe box when there is a chill in the air. But sometimes, in between the all of the Health One Meal Replacement shakes and all of the water I drink, there is that occasional call to have a "real meal."  And, if I say so myself, this creation turned out wonderful on the first try! Especially the mashed potato topping - it truly tastes and feels like mashed potatoes. Some of you may have already known how to get great mashed potatoes from the Creamy Potato Soup Health One Meal Replacement; but, to me this was a new discovery!

Let me know what you think? I am still so jazzed about the mashed potatoes! Enjoy!

One Serving
Calories Per Serving
Meal Replacement - 160 calories
Additives - 74 calories

All ingredients - filling and potato topping

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon diced Onion
• 1 tablespoon diced Celery
• 1 tablespoon diced Carrot
• 1 medium-large Mushroom diced
• 2 tablespoons Meat Substitute
• 2 teaspoons dry Brown Gravy Mix
• 2 tablespoons Water
• 1 dash Worcestershire Sauce
• Pinch of fresh or dried Thyme
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Olive Oil Cooking spray

Filling Directions:

1. Dice vegetables into tiny cubes.
2. Mix brown gravy mix and water.
3. Saute Vegetables in small pan* that has been sprayed with Olive Oil Cooking Spray.
4. Add Meat Substitute.
5. Add Gravy and Water mixture.
6. Add a dash of Worcestershire.
7. Add a pinch of fresh or dried thyme - I used fresh.
8. Add Salt and Pepper to taste.
9. Reduce heat and let simmer - you may need to add a bit of water, because you want some gravy.
10. Pour into small casserole dish* and set aside.

* check out Tools of the Trade to see the tiny saute pan and other tiny equipment I use.


Potato Ingredients:

• 1 Creamy Potato Soup Meal Replacement
• 1 tablespoon dry instant potatoes (I used Idahoan Butter and Herb)
• 1 tablespoon Butter Buds - liquid
• 4 tablespoons Hot Water
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Sprinkle of dried or fresh Thyme

Potato Directions:

1. Mix Meal Replacement and Instant Potatoes.
2. Whisk in Butter Buds and Hot Water - this will be a bit lumpy, but keep it the consistency of a thick cake batter.
3. Add Salt and Pepper to taste.
4. Spoon Potatoes onto filling and spread out - I purposely did not spread the potatoes out smooth because I wanted them to look like real "mashed potatoes."
5. Sprinkle with dried or fresh Thyme.

Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees

Baked Shepherd's Pie

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Fluff with Health One Meal Replacement

Man cannot live by bread alone; he must have peanut butter.
~ James A. Garfield, 20th President of the United States of America ~

Yes, I must agree with President Garfield.  Man, woman or child...we MUST have peanut butter. And since I love peanut butter, I came up with a light and airy dessert called Peanut Butter Fluff made with Health One Meal Replacement! The peanut butter is PB2 of course! Because this dessert is very rich, I separated it into two servings - approximately 1/3 cup each.  Enjoy!

Two Servings:
Calories for one serving
Meal Replacement - 80
Additives - 35

Ingredients:

• 1 Vanilla Meal Replacement
• 1 tablespoons PB2
• 5 tablespoons Water
• 1/4 cup Fat-Free Whipped Topping
• A few dots of Sugar-Free Chocolate Syrup - optional
• 1 teaspoon Fat-Free Whipped Topping - optional

Instructions:

1. Mix dry ingredients.
2. Whisk in water till smooth - should be the consistency of pudding.
3. Fold in fat free whipped topping.

1. Using a small parfait glass (approximately 1/3 cup), place drops of Sugar-Free Chocolate Syrup around the top of the parfait glass.  
2. Hit the bottom of the glass on the palm of your hand - this will cause the syrup to create lines down the sides of the glass. 
3. Pour/spoon the fluff into the glass.
4. Chill in refrigerator
5. Top each with a teaspoon of Fat-Free Whipped Topping.

Enjoy!

Tamale Pie with Health One Meal Replacement

While exploring and experimenting with the possibility of making a Tamale Pie with Health One Meal Replacement, I began to wonder about its humble beginnings. So my research began. The results were very interesting.  So in brief - the history of the Tamale Pie.

During World War I, a publication called "Everyday Foods in Wartime" included a recipe for Tamale Pie.  But the real push was during World War II when families were encouraged to save meat.  In 1941 Sunset magazine published a recipe calling it a "long-time Western favorite."  People liked it!  So, following World War II, it became a "darling" at pot-lucks.  The American Century Cookbook: The Most Popular Recipes of the 20th Century, Jean Anderson 1997

So today, let's travel back in time and try this historic and filling meal - Tamale Pie with Health One Meal Replacement.


Calories
Recipe: One Serving
Meal Replacement:  160 calories
Additives: 74
Optional:  11

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon diced Onion
• 1 tablespoons diced Sweet Pepper
• 2 tablespoons Quorn Beef Style Grounds (or other ground meat substitute)
• 1 teaspoon Taco Seasoning
• 1/4 cup diced Tomatoes
• Cooking Spray

Filling Directions:

• Saute onion and sweet pepper over medium heat in a small skillet sprayed with cooking spray.
• Add meat substitute and taco seasoning.

• Add tomatoes.

• Simmer - there should be liquid from the tomatoes.  If not, add a little bit of water.

• Pour into small casserole that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Topping Ingredients:

• 1 package Creamy Potato Soup Meal Replacement
• 1 tablespoon Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix - 37
• 1/2 teaspoon Taco Seasoning
• 3-4 tablespoons Water
• Sprinkle of Paprika

Topping Directions:

• Mix Creamy Potato Soup Meal Replacement, Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix and taco seasoning.
• Stir in water a bit at a time - the consistency should be that of a muffin.
• Let sit a few minutes.
• Spread onto filling.
• Sprinkle paprika - this will add some color on top of the Tamale Pie.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Optional Ingredients (these calories are NOT included above calories):

• 1 tablespoon Fat-Free Cheddar Cheese - 11 calories
• 1 teaspoon La Victoria Mild Green Taco Sauce -

Optional Directions:

• Sprinkle fat-free cheddar cheese on top
• Dot top of Tamale Pie with some La Victoria Mild Green Taco Sauce.

Making it pretty...
I used some chives from my herb garden and some halved grape tomatoes.

So yummy!  Enjoy!

An Edible Landscape - Food for the Body and Soul!

The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. 

To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.

Alfred Austin

For many years I have grown plants in pots. First it was flowers.  Then for about the past five years herbs have been added. Inspired by Marion-Polk Food Share I have decided to try my hand at an edible landscape. This will be more than just herbs.  It will include vegetables!

Hidden away from our beautifully landscaped yard, was a narrow and neglected patch of earth on the side of our home. This was to be the promised land! After some spreading of bark dust and strategic placement of ornamental rocks, it was all mine!

Even though I had some space, I still elected to use pots. Why? To conserve water, keep herbs from taking over the world and deter those slimy little fellas that like to eat anything green...slugs.  YUK! Using a hose with a spray nozzle to water allows me to have better control over how much water and where it goes. It also helps the leaves from getting beaten up. The nice thing about gardening in pots is that it can be done on an apartment deck too!  I did that for a lot of years when I was growing only flowers and herbs. Also, if you don't have a deck - check to see if there are community garden's in your town. It's a great way to get your hands dirty in your own little piece of earth!

So, where to begin? Planning. First I decided what I wanted to grow, what would be purchased as a plant start and what I would start from seed. Next? Placement. Below you can see my planning and the final (for the moment) items in my edible landscape. Notice that some of the pots have two items. An example are my peas in the back of a pot so that they will be able to climb; and, salad greens in the front of the pot where they will be easy to harvest throughout the summer. Everything in the pot will be growing pretty close together...we'll see how this turns out.

There are also some edible flowers: pansies and nasturtiums. Both may be used in salads. The pansies I primarily use for presentation; but, the nasturtiums will definitely be added to salads - they have such a wonderful peppery flavor! This weekend will see some culinary lavender finding a home in my edible landscape.





Below are a few fun pics of the potted happenings. We'll see updates in the days and weeks to come!

This is rather inventive.  At least I think so!

My "taste-tester" built a little frame over the pot and tied gardening twine on it. Then he ran it up to the top of the fence and tied it to nails. What is this for? So that my little Oregon Snow Peas may climb and reach the sun of course!













Here's a close up of the pot. The front are salad greens growing like crazy! The back are the peas. Two of them have already sent up their little runners and wrapped themselves around the string. Isn't nature just amazing?






This is a great example of the plant label not matching the plant. Yes these are nasturtiums; but, they are double flower nasturtiums. The leaves look exactly the same as "plain ol' fashion" nasturtiums, so I didn't notice the difference until they bloomed.

This weekend I will be planting some of the plain ol' nasturtiums around this plant. Both types are edible...I just prefer the kind that's NOT in this pot.


This pot contains two plants: bay laurel and pansies.

Bay laurel (a perennial) is also called "sweet bay." Yes, these are the bay leaves that are added to soups and other yummy foods. We usually see them dried and in a spice bottle at the store; but, fresh is amazing! I enjoy them all summer and then dry some for the winter. FYI:  We'll be covering drying herbs in a future post - I can hardly wait!

Pansies (technically considered an annual) often come back year after year. When they start looking a bit worse for the wear, I cut them back to about 1-2 inches. The next thing I know, they are pointing their happy little faces toward the sun!

It's not too late to consider planting a few herbs or vegetables this summer. In fact, I encourage you to try out that green thumb! Also, if you haven't already - take a moment to read guest blogger, Greg Wilson's post "The Benefit of Growing Herbs" for some inspiration!

be well...Mary