February Garden-to-Table Recipes
The only thing more fun that watching the miracle of a garden growing is eating the bounty from the garden! At Monarch Garden, we’re committed to learning together as a community how to enjoy the foods we are growing in our gardens. In a world that’s becoming further removed from its food source and less familiar eating at home, it can be a challenge to know what to do with the food we are growing or how to prepare it. Thankfully we have so many foodies in our Monarch Community!
If February’s recipes seem heavy on the soups - there’s no mistake! February is usually cool and wet in Houston - the perfect weather for soups from the garden!
BEEF STEW WITH CARROTS AND POTATOES
This Beef Stew with Carrots and Potatoes from Once Upon a Chef will give you the best reason to use the thyme and parsley growing in your February garden! This stew is hearty and filling - perfect for a cold, rainy night. If you have a “meat and potatoes” kind of person in your home to feed - they will love this stew!
SHOP our 2024 Planting Calendar! Find the exact planting dates our team uses to keep our clients’ gardens thriving in Houston year-round. Gardening is our full-time job. The Monarch team works in gardens all over Houston Monday-Friday, every single week. We guarantee our clients’ can eat out of their gardens 52 weeks of the year! When you make a promise like that one, it’s important to have a solid planting plan. We pass all of our knowledge on to you in our planting calendar!
SPICED ROASTED CARROTS AND LEMONY WHIPPED FETA
If you’re harvesting carrots this month, these Spiced Roasted Carrots with Lemony Whipped Feta from Kale Junkie need to be on the menu! Plus, you have a reason to harvest and use your garden-fresh parsley.
We plant tomatoes in February in Houston! Download Monarch’s Tomato Guide to get your tomatoes off to a great start this season!
LEMON CHICKEN ORZO SOUP
This Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup from Le Creuset is a true celebration of the winter garden! Got celery, carrots, and herbs like dill, parsley, and chives in the garden? You need this soup! Tip: have more chicken broth on hand than this recipe calls for when you make it. I needed more the night I made it for dinner, plus when you serve leftovers, you’ll want to add a little extra broth (the orzo absorbs the liquid in the refrigerator).
CREAMY WHITE BEAN SOUP
Need a quick, easy, vegetarian week-night dinner idea? You’ll love this Creamy White Bean Soup from La Cuisine de Geraldine! With carrots, celery, and parsley from the garden - this soup is not only delicious and perfect for winter, it’s quick!
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ZUPPA TOSCANA
Zuppa Toscana is my go-to for a quick, easy soup because I almost always have the ingredients on hand (thanks to being able to grow kale year-round in Houston).
This warm, creamy, potato-filled soup pairs perfectly with a fire, sweat pants, and slippers.
You’ll need:
1 lb ground sausage (Italian sausage, pan sausage - you can’t mess this soup up)
1 medium onion, diced small
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
4-6 red potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups heavy cream
Handful of parsley, chopped small
2-4 cups kale, chopped small
Salt and pepper
Shaved or shredded Parmesan
How you make it:
In a large soup pan cook sausage, onion, and garlic until onion is soft and sausage is done. Strain. Add back to soup pot.
Add broth, salt and pepper, and potatoes. Cook until potatoes are tender.
Stir in heavy cream.
Taste broth to see if you need more salt/pepper.
Remove from heat.
Stir in parsley and kale. Let sit for 10 min.
Serve topped with shredded or shaved Parmesan.
Serves 4-6
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Want seasonal recipes and ideas for how to make the garden a part of your everyday life? Check out Monarch Living!
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