• Caesar dressing
    Food,  Living

    Grow a Salad Garden for Plentiful Greens All Season Long

    If you love salads as much as I do, lettuce and other salad greens are some of the best (and easiest) spring vegetables to grow at home. Leaves develop quickly, and you can clip as many as needed at a time. New ones will continue to grow from clipped plants, meaning you will definitely be able to cross at least one ingredient off your shopping list once the plants are in full swing. With warmer night temperatures here to stay, I’ll be filling the raised lettuce beds this weekend, but you can also plant seeds in deep hanging baskets and portable planters. Consider this encouragement to visit your favorite garden…

  • Strawberry arugula salad
    Food

    Arugula Salad with Strawberries, Heirloom Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

    Edible flowers make this salad as beautiful as it is delicious, though they are a finishing touch that can be skipped when not available.  Fortunately, we are so early in the growing season that you can plant seeds now and pick flowers from the garden rather soon.  In the meantime, farmers markets and shops often sell edible pansies, violas, and other varieties, and these tips will help make sure you’re enjoying them safely. With or without colorful petals, the recipe below yields a light and fresh salad tossed with a tasty vinaigrette that’s perfect for enjoying under sunny skies.  The peppery flavor of arugula pairs well with sweet strawberries and…