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I think of most things I grow as comfort food, there’s just something so satisfying about going out into the garden and transforming it into a meal. One of my favorite garden go-to’s is salad in the late summer, with juicy tomatoes, crisp peppers and lettuce, and fragrant basil. But I’m not sure that spells out C-O-M-F-O-R-T for me in the more traditional sense. Instead, I lean into homemade broths, porridge, and simple baked fruits. So that’s what we’re going to explore today, and try to experience a day of comfort foods.
For breakfast, let’s begin with a simple Warm Cinnamon Pumpkin Millet Porridge. Millet is a type of grass that distributes large seed pods, and is about as easy to grow as Amaranth, and gluten-free when purchased (unlike most oats), so it satisfies most diets. Millet has very mild nutty taste, and a texture that is between quinoa and couscous. It’s used in Ayurvedic cooking and is considered a “warm” grain, meaning it warms your system and also stimulates good digestion. In my daughter’s Waldorf school, Millet is considered one of the grains of the week because it keeps children’s bellies warm during the cold winter months. I’ve begun to substitute it in the mornings instead of Oatmeal and it makes a lovely breakfast.
Breakfast
Warm Cinnamon Pumpkin Millet Porridge
This Warm Cinnamon Pumpkin Millet Porridge stimulates warmth in your body, while utilizing fresh or canned ingredients from your garden. This is an excellent way to use up canned pumpkin puree from your fall harvest.
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 30mins
- Total Time: 3hrs 30m
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked millet
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/3 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 –1/4 cup maple syrup (to taste, really)
- Optional: A splash of almond milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Soak your millet for a few hours if possible.
- Combine millet, water, pumpkin, and spices in a saucepan.
- Stir the mixture and bring it to a boil.
- Cover the saucepan and reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Let it cook for 20-30 minutes until the millet is cooked and tender.
- Stir occasionally while cooking and add extra water as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
- Once ready, add maple syrup and a splash of your favorite cream to make it extra creamy.
Notes
You can substitute millet for quinoa, it may take less time to cook.
Morning Snack
For a snack, I’ll snap into another mood: something that I can easily bring with me on the go, whether to a job site, a museum trip with my daughter, or anywhere in the world that I’m up for going. It requires, of course, a watermelon patch (or your local market), but it’s never better than when it’s peak melon season, that’s for sure! This fresh, yet savory melon salad is a perfect morning snack that won’t leave you too full for lunch.
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Basil-Watermelon Salad
This is a simple and tasty salad—make it a staple in your house with its sweet and spicy flavor profile. Even your kids will like Basil Watermelon Salad!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chilling Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Salads & Dressings
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 4 cups cubed 1/2-inch watermelon pieces
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled or cut in small cubes
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- Stack basil leaves on top of each other and roll tightly into a log. Slice lengthwise into thin ribbons—this is called chiffonade (method of slicing basil in ribbons).
- Combine basil and watermelon cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle with lime juice.
- Stir in feta cheese.
- Sprinkle chili powder over watermelon and basil mixture, and combine.
- Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Lunch
I am big into broths, I can’t help it. I drink them in the morning instead of coffee, and I’ve navigated the art of finding drinking thermoses that will keep my broths hot for hours. First, we’ll explore the art of making a great stock from the scraps in your garden, and then we’ll turn it into a tremendous sipping broth or base for your chicken or vegetable soup. To begin, make your bone broth. When making the broth, I like to start with my bag of “scraps”. This is a bag in my freezer where I keep all my veggie scraps for soups. Scraps worth saving for stock are carrots, fennel bulbs, celery and celery greens, onions, garlic and garlic scapes, leeks, scallions, parsnips, and mushrooms. Woody herbs are also easily saved in these bunches, like rosemary, thyme, and sage. Ones I veer away from are starchy veggies that will disintegrate into the broth like potatoes or strong-tasting veggies like brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, or beets. Those are better frozen for other meals.
Once you’ve made your broth, I like to go one of two ways: soup or sipping broth. To make a delightful sipping broth, I will simmer 1 quart of my broth with three garlic cloves (whole) and a 1-inch knob of garlic, which I will often chop in half. Let that simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add a splash of soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos, and then add salt to your taste preference. It’s impossible to gauge your preference versus mine, but when I make this sipping broth, I do just a quick splash of tamari, and then slowly add pinches of salt until it’s just right. Sometimes I don’t add more than a pinch, other days I feel like it needs more! Don’t overdo it on the tamari/soy/coconut aminos, a splash (about a teaspoon) will be about perfect. Because all bone broths are different, it’s hard to make an exact recipe, which is why this is more guidance than exact science!
Now let’s talk soup! You can use this same broth to make this Garden Vegetable Soup, either in a slow cooker or a stock pot.
Garden Soup
This Garden soup is one of the best ways to use up your garden scraps. During harvest season, simply collect these ingredients and vacuum seal them!
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 4-6 hours
- Total Time: 4+ hours
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Soups
Ingredients
- 8 cups bone broth (or your favorite vegetable broth for a vegan version)
- 28oz tomatoes, diced
- 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 cup green beans, chopped
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp marjoram
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- Optional: A handful of chopped kale
Instructions
- In a slow cooker, cook on low for 4-6 hours. Add kale for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
If you want to make it more quickly, cook the onion, carrots, and celery in a stock pot with a two tbsp olive oil for 10 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
Dinner
For a truly satisfying and wholesome home-cooked dinner, few dishes rival the hearty appeal of stuffed peppers. Picture this: vibrant bell peppers generously filled with a savory mixture of seasoned ground meat, rice, vegetables, and cheese, all nestled together in perfect harmony. The beauty of this meal lies not only in its delicious flavors but also in its practicality. During the bountiful harvest season, when peppers are at their peak freshness and abundance, you can easily prepare a batch of stuffed peppers in advance. Simply assemble them, freeze them, and voila! You have a convenient meal ready to be enjoyed at a moment’s notice. The peppers themselves prove to be remarkably resilient in the freezer, retaining their shape and texture with ease. When it’s time to indulge, just pop them in the oven, and they bake up beautifully, releasing tantalizing aromas that fill the kitchen with warmth and anticipation. Whether you’re feeding a hungry family on a busy weeknight or hosting a gathering of friends, stuffed peppers never fail to impress with their robust flavors and comforting appeal.
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Classic Stuffed Bell Peppers
Nothing says home like Classic Stuffed Bell Peppers. Use different colored bell peppers for a vibrant dinner spread, and tailor the filling to suit your taste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 95 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Category: Entrées
Ingredients
- 6 bell peppers
- 2 ribs of celery, finely sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 or 6 fresh tomatoes, diced (or one 14.5-ounce can)
- 1 pound lean ground beef, sausage, or a mix
- 1 cup cooked basmati rice
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Brown ground meat in a large pan until it’s almost cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Add celery, onions, and garlic. Cook until vegetables are softened.
- Add diced tomatoes and spices. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add rice and cook until rice is warmed through.
- While filling mixture is cooking, clean peppers, cut off the tops, and remove seeds and ribs. Rinse.
- Put peppers upright in a glass dish. Bake in oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. (you can also microwave for 5 minutes).
- Place partially cooked peppers in a baking dish lined with parchment paper. Make sure the peppers are touching so they support each other as they bake.
- Spoon the filling into the peppers, packing it down so it’s not too loose.
- Tent foil over the pan and bake for 20 minutes.
- If you want to add cheese, remove foil after 15 minutes, sprinkle peppers with shredded cheese, and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes.
Dessert
For a delightful dessert option that offers both simplicity and convenience, consider preparing a slow-cooked applesauce that will greet you with its comforting aroma as soon as you return home from a long day at work. The mere thought of it is enough to stir the senses and ignite the desire to create a batch of this wholesome treat. With its versatility, you have the freedom to tailor the texture of the applesauce to your preference, whether you prefer it chunky, with tender apple pieces lending a satisfying bite, or smooth, offering a velvety consistency that glides effortlessly on the palate. Whichever way you choose to prepare it, this slow-cooked applesauce promises to be a delightful indulgence that soothes the soul and satisfies the sweet tooth.
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4-Ingredient Applesauce
Homemade applesauce doesn’t need to be a labor-intensive process. And you don’t need to sweat and grind over a hot stove for hours on end. All you need are four simple ingredients and a slow cooker, and you too can enjoy fresh-off-the-apple-farm applesauce right at home.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Sides & Sauces
Ingredients
- 10 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup water (or apple juice)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Put the apples, maple syrup, 1/2 cup water, and cinnamon in a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir to mix well. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours, until tender, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the slow cooker, stir to your desired consistency, and let come to room temperature. (The mixture will thicken as it cools.)
- Mash or use an immersion blender to mix. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate and serve cold.
What are your favorite home-grown comfort foods? Leave a comment and let me know!
