There is Enough for Everyones Need but NOT for everyones Greed

Balcony Garden Week 7: An Update Gallery

The garden to date, organized, green and growing beautifully.  Here I have placed my lettuce plants on a shelf, the pea plants on the top and right next to it the tomato and mint.  It's amazing how quickly everything is growing and if not watered properly how quickly the plants change - example, from green and lush to limp and yellow.  It's an interesting learning experience so far ...

On this shelf, clockwise from top to bottom: Lemon balm, broccoli (soon to be transferred), cabbage, broccoli, and strawberry.

As I experience and read from my many, many gardening books I am learning a lot along the way. For instance, the broccoli plants will be need to be transferred to deeper pots to be eventually "earthed up" because the crown will get very heavy as it matures.

My lovely little tomato tree - well, not so little already - this sucker grows fast!

And who said you  can't grow potatoes on a balcony in a container (in this case mesh bag) - ha! We'll see what comes of this but so far the potato plant is going strong, I love it!

Close up shot of one of my cabbage plants ... can't wait to see this one flourish!

Pretty peas all in a row.  I will eventually (soon) have to add a string running horizontally across the plants to help them grow upright.  These guys like to latch onto their supports as they grow.

And the newest addition to the garden: Lavender Lady

Know any great gardening tips?

I'd love to hear them, please share!

New Additions to the Garden Family

As an anniversary gift Mike bought me garden flowers. I picked out these greens plus the pansies because they are edible flowers! They can be used in baking or in salads, plus they're very pretty and add some colour to our garden.

Our sweet onions weren't doing so well, in fact most of them were drying out.  The lesson here: create a good water drainage system in your containers.  Very important! Instead (courtesy of my father) we have these green onion beauties ready to cut and ready to eat whenever we please.

Also from my dad (the best farmer/gardener I know), a tomato tree, a 'sweet golden' tomato tree to be exact.


In your garden containers it is so important to help prevent roots from drowning and your plants from dying.  The best way to avoid this is to:

Create a good water drainage system

1. Add a base layer of rocks (similar to a pile of gravel rocks) on the bottom of your container, which should also already contain holes on the bottom for excess water to escape out of.

2. Then some people will add a layer of newspaper on top of the rocks  Since our containers are a bit small I didn't do this step.

The second very important lesson I learned:  

Mix your potting soil

The reason: it helps prevent your soil from being too heavy and weighing down your young plants and their roots, especially during the early growing stages.


For my plants I used a combination of thick organic garden soil and peat moss mix.  Of course always remember to ensure there are water drainage holes on the bottom of your containers.

The final step will be mulching, which in my case is too early yet to start.  Adding mulch to your garden containers will help to keep your soil moist and cool and from drying out.

A Lovely Green Dinner Party Menu

Collard Greens cut in Angel hair stripes

Last night I attended another fantastic cooking class with Marni Wasserman and lovely group of inspiring home chefs. The theme: Dinner Party, which of course included many lovely green vegetables and recipes.

Marni discussing tempeh to the class

On the menu for this dinner party:

• Velvety Black Bean Dip
• Wild Rice and Yam Pilaf
• Sweet and Sour Tempeh Skewers
• Angel Hair Collards
•  Mango Rice Paper Rolls
• Green Beans Almondine
• Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Prepping the Tempeh

Mango Rice Paper Rolls

I worked on this dish with fellow gym-mate, Yvonne, but everyone in the group had a chance to work with the rice paper and make their own rolls.

My dinner plate

On the far right are the tempeh skewers, in the forefront the wild rice and yam pilaf and in the far back the green beans and collards - so colourful, so healthy and so very delicious!

Bon Appétit, indeed!

I Should Have Listened to my Mother

For years my mother has been making this amazing Portuguese Collard Greens soup, don't know the name of it and don't have the recipe (yet!) but she always said it was good for me.  I didn't believe her but mostly because I didn't want to eat that weird dark green veggie soup!  I should have listened ... collards are amazingly good for us, similar to kale, they are a leafy green vegetable pack full of vitamins.

I tried out this fantastic recipe from The Kind Diet last night and loved it!


Sicilian Collard Greens
Original recipe from The Kind Diet p. 176

Serves 2 or 3

1 bunch of collard greens
2 Tbsp pine nuts
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp raisins
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Use a sharp knife to out the central rib and stem from each collard leaf.  Rinse the leaves in a sink of cool water, lifting them into a colander to drains a it (you want some water to remain on the leaves).

Toast the pine nuts over medium heat in a dry skilled for about 5 minutes or until golden.  Shake the pan often to keep the pine nuts from burning.  Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Place the garlic and oil in a large skilled, and sauté over medium heat for 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant.  Add the damp collards and stir, then over the pan and cook for 2 minutes longer.  Add the raisins and pine nuts, and stir.  Cover and cook for 2 minutes.  Stir in the balsamic vinegar, cover,  and continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer.