Yummy vegan recipe from Cookie and Kate. This pumpkin soup recipe is creamy AND healthy! It calls for roasted pumpkin for maximum flavor. This roasted pumpkin soup is a lovely complement on your holiday dinner table, and leftovers would go great with sandwiches or salads the next day. Recipe yields 4 bowls or 6 cups of soup.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE RECIPE 

If you started in the Summer, you would now have a harvest of carrots or beets. If you are wanting to get into gardening now,

growing an edible garden is a great activity to pursue since it yields so many health-filled benefits such as reducing stress, outdoor exercise which boosts Vitamin D, the satisfaction of watching and harvesting nutritious yields of food, it can be a family activity and it helps boost energy.

You can order seeds online at Amazon.com. Make sure they are organic, non-GMO seeds such as the Medicinal Herb Garden Starter Kit from Garden Republic or Heirloom Vegetable Seeds  from Pure Pollination, or any other grower. Or you can brave the long lines and purchase organic, non-GMO seeds from Home Depot, Lowes or Armstrong Nurseries.

While you wait for your seeds, you can prepare your garden area by removing the weeds, turning over the soil to aerate the soil and adding compost or soil amendments to provide a healthy base for your seeds.

Generally speaking, after you plant your seeds, be sure to water the seeds often while they germinate so that they don’t dry out and throughout the summer, be sure to water the plants evenly.

Sprouting time: Seeds should germinate in 5 to 21 days.

Growing from Seed/Stalks: Lemongrass is a tropical grass that thrives in summer heat. Use seedling trays and press the seeds (1/4″) into pre-moistened, sterilized seed starting mix. Keep the seeds moist and in a warm spot until they germinate. Transplant them to a pot when they’re about six inches tall, spacing them about 2-3 inches apart, and making sure they’ll have plenty of space for good root growth. If this is too much work, it is best to get some stalks of lemongrass at the Chinese market and cut them and put the stalks in a jar of water. They will sprout roots, and you can plant those in your garden. Lemongrass will naturally propagate itself, once it is established. Small stalks of new plants will begin to grow off the side of existing stalks.

Edible Uses: Lemongrass is a multi-functional culinary perennial herb that originated in India and in the tropical regions of Asia. Lemongrass leaves are commonly used as a tea to benefit the digestive system. Lemongrass also contains substances that are thought to relieve pain and swelling, reduce fever, improve levels of sugar and cholesterol in the blood and have antioxidant properties. It has been noted that this tea proved beneficial to patients in the fight against the COVID-19 virus in China.

Other Uses: Lemongrass essential oil has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, and it is effective against infection caused by the fungus Malassezia furfur, which is associated with dandruff. Lemongrass has other benefits and uses including compounds that repel insects. Also, studies on the clinical relevance of lemongrass to anxiety treatment have shown positive results.

Sprouting Time: 2-6 weeks

Growing from Seed: Plant seeds in moist, rich soil with plenty of organic matter about 6 to 8 inches apart. For thinner plants, plant about 6 to 10 inches apart. Try to pick an area that is weed-free; that way, you’ll be able to see the parsley sprouting. It will do well in full sun or partial shade. Parsley seeds usually take between two and three weeks. In some cases, the seeds can take up to six weeks to sprout.

Edible Uses: Both the leaf and the root are used in Mediterranean and European cuisines for garnishing, on sandwiches, in salads and when making stocks. It is considered a superfood juice and it is known for its anti-bacterial effects. This natural herb also helps to move mucous through the body. Parsley brings an antioxidant effect as it contains myristicin, an essential oil with anti-inflammatory properties. In studies, myristicin has proven to inhibit the formation and growth of tumors. There are a number of gastrointestinal conditions that parsley and parsley oil can help to ease, including constipation, indigestion, inflammation, gas, nausea and bloating. It is best to use the entire plant, including the root when making a tea to sooth digestive issues. Parsley has nutrients like vitamin A, C, and K, as well as niacin and folate, that each act in different ways on the immune system and which help fight infection in the body. This helps boost the overall strength of the immune system.

Other Uses: When chewed after a meal, it also promotes good dental health. Add a parsley infusion to bathwater to soothe and cleanse.

Spouting Time: 10-14 days

Growing from Seed: Peppermint was first cultivated in 1750 near London, England as an experimental hybrid between watermint and spearmint. To cultivate, choose a location that is partly sunny and partly shady. Perhaps best to plant in a container as peppermint can be invasive. Sow the peppermint seeds approximately 1/2-to 1/8-inch deep, anytime from May through July. Keep the soil moist but not wet constantly. Thin the plants when they are approximately 2 inches high. Transplant the seedlings about 12 inches apart and harvest the peppermint when the plants are about 12 inches tall. Pick the larger outside leaves as the plant grows to encourage more leaf growth.

Edible Uses: Peppermint makes an excellent tea, and adds flavor to many foods. It is also very good for digestive problems. Peppermint is a natural decongestant. One of the herb’s active ingredients is menthol, which thins mucus and will therefore loosen phlegm and reduce coughs. It is soothing to sore throats. Peppermint of course is a must-have for your mojito!

Other Uses: The oil from the peppermint plant can be rubbed on your forehead and temples to relieve a headache.