We may not be gathering for huge parties this Independence Day, but that shouldn’t stop us from celebrating with good food. And how better to celebrate our beloved nation than to feast on veggies grown in American soil? If your garden is currently brimming with goodies, you can enjoy your bounty with these simple recipes.
Lemon Garlic Vegetable Kebabs
Grill up some vegetable skewers alongside your burgers and smokies. This recipe lets you show off your fresh herbs while using veggies that are ready to harvest.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp minced thyme
- 1 tbsp minced rosemary
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Garden vegetables of your choice, like zucchini, summer squash, cherry tomatoes, snap peas, or onions.
Directions
- Slice and arrange your choice of vegetables onto skewers.
- Whisk together butter, lemon juice, rosemary, thyme, and garlic in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Brush butter mixture onto vegetables, char on the grill, and roast over medium to high heat until vegetables begin to soften.
- Garnish with parsley and serve hot!
Lime, Mint, and Roasted Peanut Slaw
The combination of veggies in this salad may seem exotic, but the bold flavors make a mouthwatering complement to all-American favorites like burgers and wings.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 small green cabbage
- 1 small bunch shredded collard greens, stems discarded
- 9 green onions, scallions, or chives
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 jalapeño or other hot pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
Directions
- Whisk the first eight ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Mix in remaining ingredients except for the peanuts.
- Refrigerate for up to 4 hours and garnish with peanuts before serving. Serves 8.
Star-Spangled Garden Salad
Fresh garden vegetables are so tasty that they don’t need any special preparation. Just toss your favorites together and top them with star-shaped beets. Fresh berries make a sweet addition and add extra color to the plate.
Ingredients
- Fresh greens: spinach, baby kale, arugula, lettuce, mustard or bok choy
- Chopped garden tomatoes, radish, carrots, green beans or snap peas
- Minced garden herbs: dill, chives, basil, parsley or any of your choice
- 1 large red beet, thinly sliced
- Toasted almonds, walnuts, poppy seeds or sunflower seeds
- Fresh raspberries, strawberries or serviceberries
Instructions
- Toss the vegetables, herbs, and nuts together in a large bowl.
- Using a star-shaped cookie cutter, cut the beats into stars. If you don’t have a cookie cutter, you can cut out a template from parchment paper to use with a knife.
- Keep the beets raw or fry them for a few minutes until soft, depending on your preference.
- Arrange the stars on top of your salad, add berries, and serve with drizzled “stripes” of your favorite dressing.
These dishes can make fabulous sides for your classic baked beans, steaks, and deep-fried pickles, but in our view, garden vegetables are always the main course. As your local garden center in Carpentersville and Bloomingdale, we admit we may be biased. Check out our other favorite recipes or stop by to see what plants we have in store!
Platt Hill Nursery is Chicago’s premier garden center and nursery near you.