AgriMissouri Gardens

Winter blues have melted into a vibrant shade of spring green. It’s time to get our hands back into the warm soil and prepare our flower, herb and vegetable gardens for a promising new season.

Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and an assortment of disease fighting nutrients. Yet many children turn their noses up at vegetables and refuse to try new foods. How can we get kids excited about eating more “good-for-you” foods?

Get them into the garden! Children jump at the chance to eat what they’ve helped grow, harvest, and prepare.

Local farmers’ markets and nurseries offer the healthiest plants with the greatest potential for producing delicious crops all season long. Invite your children to help pick out plant varieties. Then, let them dig, plant, water and watch the miracle of new life take form.

Caring for a garden teaches self-sufficiency and responsibility, plus children gain a first-hand understanding of seasons and life cycles. Science and math come to life in a garden, too. It’s fun to measure and compare the growth of different plants.

Following are some fun theme garden ideas, plus some easy recipes to help children turn the fruits of their labor into food for the family. Just watch your young sprouts beam with pride!

A pizza garden includes vegetable toppings--tomatoes, peppers, and onions--that pair perfectly with warm, gooey calcium-rich cheese. Basil and oregano are fragrant, easy-to-grow herbs that add zest to tomato sauce.

Get out your Mexican hat and pinata for this harvest! Lettuce, onions, peppers, and tomatoes are key ingredients in tasty tacos. Cilantro is the herb that gives salsa its unique flavor.

Fruits, flowers, and fragrant herbs add beauty and sweetness to your little girl’s tea party. Strawberry plants, raspberry and blackberry bushes produce juicy fruits for jams and jellies. Lavender adds a unique flavor to basic sugar cookies. Edible flowers include pansies, nasturtiums and violets. Place them on top of frosted cupcakes, strawberry shortcake, or use them to garnish plates.

Top pita bread with 1 tablespoon tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, sliced onion, tomato, and pepper slices. Place on a piece of aluminum foil and heat in toaster oven until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with chopped, fresh oregano and basil.

Mix canned pinto beans (drained and rinsed), chopped tomato, onion, pepper and cilantro in a bowl. Spoon onto a soft corn or wheat tortilla, top with shredded cheese and chopped lettuce, roll up, and enjoy.

1 stick butter
1 egg
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour, preferably whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
dash salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 tablespoon dried lavender buds, chopped lavender leaves, or a mixture of both.

Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy; mix in egg and vanilla. Add flour, salt, baking powder and lavender. Mix well. Form dough into small balls, then flatten to about 1/4 inch. Place on a buttered cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly brown around the edges. Makes about 3-4 dozen cookies.

Warning: Be sure to use pesticide-free lavender from your own garden or a friend’s. Lavender sold in craft stores is not safe for eating.

Note: Scones, biscuits or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches cut into bite-sized portions are perfect tea party fare. Look for AgriMissouri jams and jellies for the fresh flavor of home.

		Eat Right: AgriMissouri!
		Cure Picky Eaters with Child-Friendly Theme Gardens Melinda Hemmelgarn, M.S., R.D. Winter blues have melted into a vibrant shade of spring green. It’s time to get our hands back into the warm soil and prepare our flower, herb and vegetable gardens for a promising new season. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and an assortment of disease fighting nutrients. Yet many children turn their noses up at vegetables and refuse to try new foods. How can we get kids excited about eating more “good-for-you” foods? Get them into the garden! Children jump at the chance to eat what they’ve helped grow, harvest, and prepare. Local farmers’ markets and nurseries offer the healthiest plants with the greatest potential for producing delicious crops all season long. Invite your children to help pick out plant varieties. Then, let them dig, plant, water and watch the miracle of new life take form. Caring for a garden teaches self-sufficiency and responsibility, plus children gain a first-hand understanding of seasons and life cycles. Science and math come to life in a garden, too. It’s fun to measure and compare the growth of different plants. Following are some fun theme garden ideas, plus some easy recipes to help children turn the fruits of their labor into food for the family. Just watch your young sprouts beam with pride! Plant a Pizza! A pizza garden includes vegetable toppings--tomatoes, peppers, and onions--that pair perfectly with warm, gooey calcium-rich cheese. Basil and oregano are fragrant, easy-to-grow herbs that add zest to tomato sauce. Taco Garden Get out your Mexican hat and pinata for this harvest! Lettuce, onions, peppers, and tomatoes are key ingredients in tasty tacos. Cilantro is the herb that gives salsa its unique flavor. Tea Party Patch Fruits, flowers, and fragrant herbs add beauty and sweetness to your little girl’s tea party. Strawberry plants, raspberry and blackberry bushes produce juicy fruits for jams and jellies. Lavender adds a unique flavor to basic sugar cookies. Edible flowers include pansies, nasturtiums and violets. Place them on top of frosted cupcakes, strawberry shortcake, or use them to garnish plates. Recipes children will love: Quick Pita Pizza: Top pita bread with 1 tablespoon tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, sliced onion, tomato, and pepper slices. Place on a piece of aluminum foil and heat in toaster oven until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with chopped, fresh oregano and basil. Soft Taco Roll-ups: Mix canned pinto beans (drained and rinsed), chopped tomato, onion, pepper and cilantro in a bowl. Spoon onto a soft corn or wheat tortilla, top with shredded cheese and chopped lettuce, roll up, and enjoy. Light Lavender Tea Cookies: 1 stick butter 1 egg 1 cup sugar 2 cups flour, preferably whole wheat pastry flour 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder dash salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/2 tablespoon dried lavender buds, chopped lavender leaves, or a mixture of both. Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy; mix in egg and vanilla. Add flour, salt, baking powder and lavender. Mix well. Form dough into small balls, then flatten to about 1/4 inch. Place on a buttered cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly brown around the edges. Makes about 3-4 dozen cookies. Warning: Be sure to use pesticide-free lavender from your own garden or a friend’s. Lavender sold in craft stores is not safe for eating. Note: Scones, biscuits or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches cut into bite-sized portions are perfect tea party fare. Look for AgriMissouri jams and jellies for the fresh flavor of home.