• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
  • Easy Ideas

Homemade in Astoria logo

  • HOME
  • SHOPPING GUIDE
  • REVIEWS
  • CONTAINER GARDENING
  • ABOUT ME
  • CONTACT

CONTAINER GARDENING

balcony gardening in Astoria, Queens

Waiting for my tomatoes to grow in summer 2020.

This page is my “container gardening tips for beginners”, because I had little idea what I was doing when I first attempted growing food in 2018. Now, I’m simply sharing what I learn each year.


Tap a season for tips.

Summer 2022
Sungold cherry tomatoes, banana peppers, Tabasco peppers, thyme, sage, eggplant, Shishito peppers. Heirloom tomatoes

Spring 2022
endive, spring mix lettuce

Summer 2021
Cayenne peppers, banana peppers, thyme, sage, bell peppers,
Ichiban Japanese eggplants, Sungold cherry tomatoes, Husky Red cherry tomatoes

Summer 2020
heirloom cherry tomatoes, sage

Summer 2019
Sungold cherry tomatoes, Tabasco peppers, Shishito peppers, kale

Summer 2018
collard greens, baby eggplant


Homegrown Tabasco peppers.

Every home cook loves fresh ingredients. So container gardening on my NYC balcony is a no-brainer. Having grown up with my father gardening in the back yard, I wanted to introduce homegrown food into my cooking during the growing seasons. When you have limited space in an urban environment there are unique challenges to overcome, so I’m sharing my gardening tips as I learn. 

My overall basic tips for container gardening are:

  • Choose tiny crops, and be okay with harvesting smaller versions of crops.
  • Don’t compare your container garden to other peoples’.
  • Stay optimistic.
  • Use appropriate fertilizers.
  • Apply mulch (I used wood chips used for barbecue).

Growing in containers means smaller root systems, which will limit the size of your crops. Do no not expect large veggies. Cherry tomatoes, baby eggplant, and any variety of tiny peppers work best. And just be okay with harvesting miniature versions of veggies, they’re oh-so flavorful. If there IS a way to get larger crops in containers, then I just haven’t figured it out yet.

Comparing your garden to other people’s is never a good idea, simply because each outdoor space has its own micro-climate. Other factors come into play, like reflective surfaces from buildings. And most growing instructions call for 6 hours or more of sunlight per day, but do NOT let that stop you. I only receive 5-ish hours of sunlight and things STILL grow because plants are resilient. So, stay optimistic!

before container gardening…

My dad got me curious about gardening at a young age and nowadays I call him frequently to ask random questions.

Even though I live in one of the most urban cities in the world, I’m really a country boy from small-town Rhode Island at heart. As a kid I casually watched what my dad did in his garden as he would lead by example. I still call him for advice to this day and one consistent thing he says is … “Well, give it a try!”

Visiting my birth father at his landscaping job among the trees in Rhode Island. Being among nature truly runs in my blood!

Being around nature is where I’m happiest … in contrast with the slick and modern landscapes of the city in which I live. Therefore, when I moved to Astoria, Queens I chose an area that could get me closest to some grass, trees, water, and birds chirping far away from the sounds of the subway. A quaint area near Astoria Park is where I landed.

When buying seedlings for container gardening, consider theses smaller crops like cherry tomatoes, Tabasco peppers, Shishito peppers, and Ichiban (Japanese) eggplants and use 3 or 5-gallon containers.

Be optimistic!


Summer 2022

Tabasco peppers, banana peppers, thyme, sage, dill, Shishito peppers,
eggplant, Sungold cherry tomatoes, Heirloom tomatoes

My first Summer 2022 harvest using 3-gallon and 5-gallon containers.

Beneficial insects, companion planting, and mulching were the main lessons learned from this growing season. From watching lots of James Prigioni on YouTube I learned how to use mariolds to attract ladybugs and other good critters that naturally kill pest … especially aphids. And the mulching technique from watching my container gardening authority, Gingerfoot Garden inspired me to put my unused barbecue wood chips to better use as mulch. 

Also some more growing from a seed happened with thyme, sage, and Heirloom tomatoes. Seeds started growing indoors in early March.

Summer container gardening in 2022 began by planting seeds in my window sill in early March,; (clockwise from upper left) Thyme, 4 Heirloom tomato plants, and sage.

what I learned 

  • Eggplants do not like hot temperatures. It was my first time growing full-sized eggplants and 12 of the flowers fell off during a heat wave. The plant never recovered and nothing else grew. Only two eggplants were harvested.
  • Even with 5 gallon containers, some veggies will still not grow large. Banana peppers, heirloom tomatoes, and large variety eggplants were still dwarfed. 
  • Pruning the Shishito peppers was successful, but the yield was very similar to the unpruned plant from 2019. Yes more peppers were flowering, but more droped off. I think it was due to the roots being limited in containers.
  • Sage and thyme are extremely easy to grow from a seed. I grew them both in trays on my window starting in March, then moved things outdoors when it got warmer. 
  • Mulching encourages mushrooms to growing your soil which is good to fight plant diseases. Tomatoes are very susceptible to diseases and because of the mushrooms grown in my mulching, these cherry tomatoes were the healthiest they have even been compared to previous years. 
  • Large tomatoes require a specific fertilizer to avoid blossom end rot. My go-to fertilizer has always been Miracle grow, but fertilizer is not a one size fits all solution. 
  • Marigolds were super important to attract beneficial insects. They require a specific flower fertilizer and they don’t love tons of water. If their soil seems a little dry, don’t worry.
  • Growing lots of dill (and other strong herbs and flowers) around the tomatoes helps confuse pests. When you grow a large concentration of one type of plant in one area, the strong aroma also acts as a pest magnet and needs other plants to diffuse the situation.

First time growing large eggplants in 5-gallon containers, and this is the largest it got.

Heirloom tomatoes and banana peppers were dwarf-sized in 5-gallon containers, while cherry tomatoes are consistently the same size no matter what size container they are grown in.

Shishito peppers have grow very successfully in 3-gallon containers … my second year doing so.

Sage thrived in a 3-gallon container with only 4-5 hours of sunlight per day. These sage branches were once cut down (almost completely) and it grew back to this length within 3 weeks!

If you love spicy food, Tabasco peppers are my most lightly recommended crop for container gardening in small spaces.


Spring 2022

endive, spring mix lettuce

 

With so many salads constantly being made I figured this spring was time to grow some lettuce. I was always told lettuce thrives in cooler temperatures, and its completely true! The one obstacle was dealing with squirrels, for which I figured out a great solution. Building a squirrel barrier our of chicken wire fencing was super successful.

Building a squirrel barrier with chicken wire is a bit tedious, but it pays off.

what I learned

  • Lettuce thrives in cooler temperatures, which contributes to a better flavor
  • Lettuce has shallow roots, so is really economical in terms of the amount of soil you have to buy. Only 6 inches is needed and does find in clay pots.

Endive lettuce has a slightly bitter taste and grows to a magnificent crown when it matures.

It took 3 to 4 weeks after planting seedlings to get my first endive harvest.

A trip to Verni’s Garden Center is one of my favorite weekend excursions to shop for seedlings. The quality is a little better than Home Depot.

 


Summer 2021

Cayenne peppers, banana peppers, thyme, sage, bell peppers, Ichiban eggplants, Sungold cherry tomatoes, Husky red cherry tomatoes

Patience and optimism was the name of the game in 2021. It was a rough start as some seedlings purchased from Home Depot had been infested with pests. Therefore, I had to uproot the problem plants and start over … twice in some cases.  

what I learned

  • Cayenne peppers don’t fully mature in 3 gallon containers. My final yields were jam packed with seeds. 
  • Sungold cherry tomatoes were still proven to be my most favorite variety for their sweetness. Grew some husky reds in 2021 and wasn’t very impressed.
  • Bell peppers do better in partial shade and do not like hot temperatures. All the pepper flowers fell off during a heat wave.

I highly recommend growing Sungold cherry tomatoes due to their extreme sweetness.

Husky red cherry tomatoes have a firmer flesh, but they are not very sweet.

A huge benefit of container gardening is that you can place your plants to areas that receive the most sunlight. Moving just a foot or so can make all the difference. These tomatoes were moved outside the railing edge to capture an extra hour of sunlight in the mornings.

Cherry tomatoes are my most recommended crop for container gardening. Sungolds are extremely sweet, while these Husky Reds not so much.

It took only 3 weeks to arrive at this 5-inch eggplant after cutting the seedling down to almost nothing (see below). It was stressed out from pests, but it eventually overcame!

Ichiban Japanese Eggplants are the ultimate optimists. This had a slow rough start but it ended up thriving, giving me at least a dozen eggplants.

Bell peppers prefer partial shade and cooler temperatures.  Lots of flower buds drop off pepper plants naturally, but higher temperatures (above 90-ish) will cause flower drop even more so.

Banana peppers grown in 3-gallon containers will only grow to about 4 or 5 inches, so don’t waste valuable time waiting for them to get bigger. Cut them loose to pave the way for more to grow!

Cayenne peppers don’t fully mature in 3 gallon containers. These final yields were jam packed with too many seeds.

Thyme is one of the easiest herbs to grow and you can do so in smaller containers. It does need lots of sun however, or else the leaves turn white.

Thyme is a hearty herb whose flavor intensifies from being dried. Harvest and tie it in bundles, then store it dried in a glass jars for future use in recipes.

Sage grows super fast and it only received 4 hours of sunlight. You have to harvest it often or just trim off any dying leaves so it can regrow new ones. You can also cut off entire branches and dry them out.


Summer 2020

heirloom cherry tomatoes, sage

balcony gardening in Astoria, Queens

Summer 2020 was certainly difficult as NYC was shut down beginning in March. Not being able to go to Home Depot to buy seedlings meant that I had to get creative. I ended up extracting some seeds from store bought tomatoes and planting them indoors. Yup, it was a good indoor pandemic activity. Someone told me that store bought tomatoes would not work out. I was told they wouldn’t produce fruits and they were completely wrong. I chose to extract from a cute brand of heirloom cherry tomatoes, can’t remember the name.

Extracting seeds from a brand of heirloom cherry tomatoes. Dried them on paper towels.

I also managed to find a sage seedling somewhere, so it got me started with growing herbs. Sage frequently looks not-so-good in grocery stores and it grows super fast, so it’s perfect for container gardening at home.

Sage grows quite abundantly in 3-gallon containers with 4 hours of direct sunlight per day.

what I learned

  • Growing tomatoes from store-bough seeds DOES work but they do behave a little differently. I think it depends on the brand and how they are treated in production.

Grown from seeds, it took about 4 to 5 weeks for these 1 to 2-inch seedlings.

A weird thing that happened in the 2020 growing season was a ripening problem. Very few tomatoes ripened. I thought I was doing something wrong, but tomato growers I know from all parts of the country (as far as Seattle) had the same problem. So, decided it was time to make Fried Green Tomato Bites.

Made these Fried Green Tomato Bites with all the unripened tomatoes.


Summer 2019

Sungold cherry tomatoes, Tabasco peppers, Shishito peppers, kale

harvest from urban gardening

My 4th and final harvest in early September.

This was the year where I felt somewhat confident and inspired to expand my container gardening operation. I started getting a little bit of strategy and upgraded to 3-gallon containers for cherry tomatoes, Shishito peppers, and Tabasco peppers. The one gallon clay pots were used for herbs (thyme, chives, and sage) and kale.

what I learned

  • Cherry tomatoes are the easiest thing to grow in container gardening. For ultimate sweetness, try Sungolds. 
  • “Yellow” cherry tomatoes are actually orange. Or perhaps the seedlings were labeled wrong at Home Depot … hmmmmm.
  • Shishito peppers grow very easily in 3 gallon containers, even with only 4 hours of sunlight per day in milder temperatures.
  • Tabasco peppers like higher temperatures and grow very abundantly in 3 gallon containers with 5 to 6 hours of sunlight per day.
  • About pruning. Pruning is when you strategically cut certain growth to stimulate more growth in other areas. Consider the length of your growing season before you decide to prune any peppers. Peppers take a while to “get going” as seedlings, so you have to start planting early in the season to reap the benefits of pepper pruning. I didn’t prune my Tabascos or Shishitos at all in 2019 and got plenty of peppers to cook with. 
  • Kale is very susceptible to pests and you can grow small kale in 9 inch pots. Harvest it ASAP before the green mites get to them. 
  • Kale (and all leafy greens) don’t do well in hot weather. Grow kale in spring, fall, or even on the cusp of mild winter conditions.
A harvest from urban gardening in Astoria Queens

Harvest time … one of many!

Urban gardening in Astoria Queens growing yellow cherry tomatoes

Growing yellow cherry tomatoes. Always wondering why they’re called “yellow” when they are clearly orange. Hmmmm.

Urban gardening in Astoria Queens growing kale

Growing kale (or anything) in small containers means a smaller crop. Big, leafy kale requires more space for the roots to grow. So so mini-kale was the result, which is perfectly fine. It was delicious.

Urban gardening in Astoria Queens growing Shishito peppers

Shishito peppers are a super easy to grow.

Urban gardening in Astoria Queens growing Tabasco peppers

Tabasco pepper harvest. Used them to make Tabasco vinegar.

Even though it’s super exciting to see your first peppers at this infancy stage, you should really cut this first one as soon as you see it to promote more general growth to the plant. Otherwise it spends more of its energy on producing fruits.

fresh garden salad

Garden salad with homegrown kale, yellow cherry tomatoes, Thai basil, Shishito peppers, and a vinaigrette laced with Tabasco peppers.


Summer 2018

collard greens, kale

This was my rookie year. I literally just bought some seedlings, soil, and clay pots, then put everything out on the balcony without any real strategy to see what would happen. 

what I learned

  • Small pots are only good for flowers and herbs. As a rookie I tried growing collard greens in 9-inch clay pots and they really needed more room. The amount of herbs you need for cooking is sufficient for the herb yields of small pots.  Also use small pots for marigolds (to attract beneficial insects which naturally kill pests).
  • Clay pots are not good for hot weather. In the sun they get too hot, and dry out your soil faster. Then you end up having to water them too often, sometimes twice a day during a heatwave.
  • Do proper research to know when to harvest your crops. Because your growing in containers, size may not be the only indication. I left many of my baby eggplants on the vine too long, so they were too seedy to enjoy eating.

Trouble in paradise … (left) forgot a morning watering on a day when an extreme heatwave swept across New York City but they made a miraculous recovery after a healthy dose of water; (right) learning about pesticides – or lack thereof – the hard way.

You can grow collard greens in small pots, but they won’t get super big. So harvest them rather quickly to reduce the amount of time pests can get to them.

Try my sautéed collard greens recipe.

Harvest any eggplant when it looses the shone on its skin and has a little give when squeezed.

Typically you should grow baby eggplants in at least 3-gallon containers. These 9-inch clay pots were ultimately too small.

 

 

Primary Sidebar

I’m Ben, a home cook with a less-meat approach to multicultural comfort food, sharing cooking tips and recipes in Astoria, Queens, NYC.

BROWSE ALL PREVIOUS POSTS

  • Cocktails and Beverages (4)
  • Cooking Tips (3)
  • Desserts (5)
  • Easy Ideas (25)
  • Meatless (53)
  • Neo Soul (29)
  • Plant-Based (38)
  • Recipes (65)

Meatless Monday Ideas!

Air Fryer Potatoes with Thai Curry Paste

Cherry Tomato Bites

Thai Curry Eggplant with Lentils

Thai curry eggplant with lentils

Blackeyed Pea Salad, Tabouli Style

Blackeyed Pea Salad

Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette with Honey and Mustard

Maple Cornbread with Berry Preserves

Sweet Potato Dip with Curry and Candied Ginger

Curry sweet potato dip with broccoli

Oven-Dried Tomato Slices

Check out more Meatless Monday inspired posts!

Follow me on Instagram!

  • Instagram
To make the flavors of this plant based Mushroom a To make the flavors of this plant based Mushroom and Black Bean Chili 🌶️ come to life, briefly stir your chili powder into a small well of oil to bloom the spices. And before you do so, turn the heat down so the spices don’t burn.

👨🏻‍🍳 My number one cooking tip for meatless chili is to not boil the heck out of it at a high heat. Treat the veggies nicely and just a gentle low ‘n slow simmer is needed.

 👇🏻 Here’s what goes into this easy meatless chili (in order of appearance) ...

canola oil
1 Spanish onion, diced
½ large carrot, finely diced 
1 tablespoons kosher salt
aribbean green seasoning (in  my Feed 2 Posts ago)
2 tablespoons Mexican oregano
2 tablespoons Epazote
4 cloves garlic, shredded
3 cups (8 oz.) diced button mushrooms
3 tablespoons chili powder blend (Guajillo, Pasilla and Chipotle)
2 cups corn
1 ½ Serrano peppers, finely diced 
½ pound dry black beans, cooked to about 3 ⅓ cups
28 oz. can of whole tomatoes, diced and it’s juice
veggie stock
2 tbs cumin
tomato paste
bay leaf
1 diced fresh tomato for freshness

#blackbeanchili #meatlesschili #vegetarianchili #veganchili #plantbbasedchili #meatlesscooking #chiliseason #chilirecipe #blackbeanchilirecipe
Here's a simple three ingredient recipe snack … Here's a simple three ingredient recipe snack … Tostones and a basic Garlic Citrus (Mojo) dipping sauce. 

It’s my “Three Ingredient Recipe Thursday” once again where I share what to make with only 3 ingredients (aside from salt, water, and oil). For more three ingredient recipe ideas, check my Feed as far back as June.

Here’s all you need:
▪️green plantain
▪️garlic
▪️fresh orange juice

👇🏻 Here's what to do:

1. Cut the peeled green plantains crosswise into 1 inch pieces and soak them in salted water for at least 30 minutes. Then blot them dry.

2. Shallow fry the plantains on medium high heat, flipping them once until they are tender throughout and tuen a golden yellow color with a little browned edges. 

3. Smash each cooked plantain by any means necessary. I use the bottom of a plate because I don't have a tostonera. 

4. Fry the smashed plantains on high until golden and crispy. Blot with paper towels. 

5. To make the mojo sauce, smash some garlic into a paste in a mortar and pestle using some salt as an abrasive. In a small bowl mix together the smashed garlic, some olive oil, and orange juice … the amounts are completely to your liking. Season with salt as needed. 

#tostones #plantainrecipe #platanosfritos #friedplantains #friedfood #shallowfried
That Caribbean green seasoning I posted gives Indi That Caribbean green seasoning I posted gives Indian curry lentils from @latifs_inspired a fantastic twist. If you're curious about cooking Indian food at home, definitely check out his YouTube channel Latifs's Inspired and search for the video for Daal Bhuna.

🌿 When a recipe calls for cilantro and you don't have any on hand, break out the green seasoning from your freezer. Just chisel off a piece and use the defrost setting in the microwave. For these curry lentils the green seasoning was used in the beginning with the ginger and garlic as a sauté base, then stirred in a little more at the end for a little flavor lift. 

Three types of lentils are used which really gives curry lentils a satisfying texture. Spices in order of appearance are...

▪️mustard seed
▪️cumin seed
▪️Kashmiri chili peppers
▪️bay leaf 
▪️turmeric powder
▪️yellow curry powder 
▪️coriander powder
▪️extra hot chilli powder
▪️cumin powder
▪️kasoori methi (aka. fenugreek)
▪️garam masala 
▪️green chiles

#lentilcurry #currylentils #indianfood #indiancooking #spicycooking #lentils #lentilrecipes #vegetarianrecipes #mixedlentilcurry
Recaito is a Caribbean green seasoning blend of he Recaito is a Caribbean green seasoning blend of herbs, peppers and aromatics. Basically, a sofrito minus the tomatoes and it's an amazing starter for black beans.

🌿 For my Three Ingredient Thursday post, I’m deciding these three ingredients can be used for a minimalist approach.

▪️culantro (aka. shadowbenny or recao)
▪️Aji Dulce dulce peppers
▪️garlic

👨🏻‍🍳 These 3 ingredients work because culantro and garlic are basically like extra strong versions of cilantro and garlic. Aji dulce peppers, being slightly sweet and fiery, are unique enough to give the green seasoning a distinct flavor and speak for all the other types of peppers that would be typically used. 

Make a huge batch of this and freeze it for later use in soups and stews. The amounts are completely flexible so varies each time you make it. 

For more 3-Ingredient easy cooking ideas, check my Feed posts every Thursday as far back as June. The idea is to cook with only three ingredients … aside from salt, water and oil. 

#greenseasoning #caribbeancooking #freshherbs #herbs #recaito #plantbasedcooki g #plantbasedingredients #ajidulcepeppers
My meatless recipe for Gullah Red Rice comes direc My meatless recipe for Gullah Red Rice comes directly from watching and listening to Gullah Chef @gullahchefbillgreen on YouTube. 

As a part-time vegetarian, I resonated with him mentioning how they “didn’t have that kind of meat when we was cookin’ Red Rice back in them days”. Instead they added herbs and spices to make it seem like meat was in there. So I decided sautéed mushrooms had to be involved, and of course it's spicy thanks to the cayenne pepper.

👨🏻‍🍳 For my rice recipe, I did some things differently. 
Here’s my ingredients:

▪️¼ cup canola oil 
▪️1 large onion (or 2 small)
▪️8 garlic cloves
▪️1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
▪️1 1/2 cups long grain rice 
▪️sautéed mushrooms (see below)*
▪️2 cups plain tomato sauce
▪️1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste 
▪️1 cup veggie stock
▪️1 bunch of tied thyme & sage (homegrown)
▪️2 bay leafs
▪️1 heaping teaspoon brown sugar 

👇🏻 Here’s what I did differently:

*I decided button mushrooms should be given a “meat treatment”, being sautéed and slightly caramelized with Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, garlic, black pepper, and fennel seed. 

🍅 I chose to make my own tomato sauce for freshness, mixed in with some tomato paste. Use store-bought tomato sauce

🧄 Instead of garlic powder I opted for fresh garlic, where I read somewhere that the conversion rate for garlic powder to fresh garlic is roughly 8 cloves per 1 tablespoon.

Having never cooked rice in the oven before I stuck with my standard stovetop technique. 

🫛 Thinly sliced string beans mixed in really brightens things up a pit and gives a refreshing cool crunchy texture alongside the spicy cayenne pepper. 

#redrice #ricerecipe #southernfood #southerncooking #gullahfood #plantbasedcooking #meatlesscooking #meatlessrecipe
To make an authentic Mexican Guajillo Red Chile Sa To make an authentic Mexican Guajillo Red Chile Sauce, only three ingredients are needed for my 3-Ingredient Recipe challenge every Thursday.

▪️about 20 dried Guajillo peppers 
▪️½ large white onion 
▪️3 cloves garlic

1. Chile peppers are hydrated.

2. Onion and garlic are either pan roasted or boiled in with the chili peppers. 

3. It all gets puréed with some pepper water, then the pulp is strained. 

4. Then the sauce is simmered and thinned out with more pepper water as desired and generously seasoned with salt. 

Make a big batch of this red sauce because it freezes well in ziplock bags, then you easily can thaw it out for a quick meal. 

👨🏻‍🍳 Just learned that the addition of tomatoes and lots of extra additions in chile sauce was an American adaptation. A chile sauce from a local Mexican Restaurant which highlighted the pure pepper flavor made me want to try making it at home.

My previous restaurant copycat recipes in my Feed add other ingredients, but this minimalist approach is quite refreshing.

#guajillosauce #salsaroja #chilesauce #mexicanfood #mexicancooking #mexicansauce #redsauce
Switching up the 🌶️ chili powder in your Caju Switching up the 🌶️ chili powder in your Cajun seasoning is a way to give a different wing night experience at home. Guajillo chile peppers are used here, not super spicy but they give a light fruity flavor that pairs well when using lemon juice to marinate chicken wings. 

🍗 For the Cajun seasoning…
▪️thyme
▪️Guajillo chili powder
▪️paprika 
▪️black pepper
▪️garlic powder 
▪️kosher salt 

🌶️ When buying dried Chile peppers, make sure they are still pliable. If they're firm and crispy, the peppers too old and will lack in flavor. Just briefly toast them in a pan long enough to smell their aroma. If roasted too long the flavor will be bitter.

A less meat approach to wing night means only eating 4, alongside with a broccoli slaw. It's basically Cole slaw using broccoli, red onion and a little radicchio. 

Chicken wings were air fried at 300 degrees, flipping often, until they begin fall off the bone, then at 400 for a final crisping. 

#chickenwings #cajunseasoning #airfriedfood #cookingchicken #wingnight #cajunfood #chickenwingrecipe
It's hot outside! ☀️ and for a refreshing Peac It's hot outside! ☀️ and for a refreshing Peach Iced Tea that's "just a little" sweet (and quicker to whip together when you can't find good quality fresh peaches), peach nectar is the next best option. 

Here are the featured ingredients for my weekly 3-Ingredient Thursday challenge.

▪️Lipton tea bags
▪️peach nectar
▪️fresh lemon juice

🍋 For the tea, steep 18 tea bags in 16 cups of water on high until just before it started to boil. Let the steeped tea sit and come down to room temperature. Then put it in the fridge overnight to chill completely. 

🍋 For the subtly sweet tea recommend a 1 to 3 ratio of nectar to tea, with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. But definitely play around with it. 

👉🏻 For more 3-Ingredient simple recipe ideas, check out posts in my feed on every Thursday since this past June.

#peachtea #peachicedtea #sweettea #summerbeverages #summerdrinks #icedtea
Cannellini beans, eggplant, and Pepperoncini are t Cannellini beans, eggplant, and Pepperoncini are the main ingredients for this slightly spicy bean dip. It's like an Italian spin on a cross between hummus and babaganoush.

🇮🇹 Here's the ingredients for this Spicy Cannellini Bean Dip with Eggplant…

▪️1 can Cannellini beans
▪️1 medium eggplant
▪️6-10 Pepperoncini peppers
▪️2 cloves garlic
▪️juice of 1 lemon 🍋
▪️1/2 cup parsley leaves 
▪️1 teaspoon Kosher salt 
▪️olive oil as desired 

So, about the eggplant … I constantly praise it for providing a smooth cream-like texture without having to add an actual dairy product. Boiling the eggplant whole is important, because it keeps its juices and flavor sealed within itself. If you cut it up then boil it, the flavor get released into the water and noone wants that. 

#beandip #beanrecipes #cannellinibeans #plantbasedrecipe #italiancooking #italianfood #diprecipe
About that Ajvar recipe just posted in my Feed … About that Ajvar recipe just posted in my Feed … here’s how you make a spicy Ajvar with hot chili peppers. It’s basically a vegetable spread with roasted red peppers, eggplant, and garlic with added homemade hot sauce. 

🌶️ If you like spicy food and don't want to make Ajvar from scratch, here's how you can simply add some heat to any store bought versions. Seeing so many blends of vegetable spreads and condiments in jars on grocery store shelves can also the inspiration needed to make some of them at home with all of the fresh harvest of veggies at farmer’s markets. Check my Feed for a minimalist 3-ingredient version to build upon.

🌶️ If you’re also new to the term Ajvar … I just realized while doing more research that it’s actually pronounced “eye-var”. I had been pronouncing it wrong in my mind for at least a decade. 

So, about this quick homemade hot sauce … this casually-made small amount is just enough to use within a few days in the Ajvar recipe. To make a bigger batch of longer lasting hot sauce, careful canning techniques would be needed. Also, the peppers, garlic, and aromatics would usually be simmered down in the vinegar, but the fumes really do become quite intense and you’re not always in the mood for that. 

#spicycooking #ajvar #veggierecipes #spicyrecipe #hotpeppers #hotpeppersauce
This Thursday’s featured 3 ingredients are red This Thursday’s featured 3  ingredients are red peppers, eggplant, and garlic … all roasted and processed together into a refreshing plant-based condiment ... Ajvar ... to spread on (or dip with) literally anything. 

🧄 Most Ajvar recipes involve more ingredients like vinegar, herbs, and chili peppers if you like things spicy. However, for my 3-Ingredient minimalist recipe challenge you can get by on just these 3 items. 

▪️4 red bell peppers
▪️6 mini eggplants
▪️4 cloves roasted garlic

Simply toss everything in olive oil, salt, roast at high heat, peel everything them blend on high in a food processor. As it’s blending, drizzle in as much olive oil as you see fit to yield your desired consistency. Season to taste, I used just 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.

Usually Avjar sauce is simmered down so the flavors can merge and intensify, but I find it heavenly with a less-cooking approach of just roasting and blending. Just blend it, let it chill, and bring it to your Labor Day picnic. 

👉🏻 Only thing to keep in mind is to let everything cool completely before processing, they really benefit from sitting in the fridge overnight. 

#ajvar #redpeppersauce #redpepper #ajvarsauce #dip #veggiespread #eggplantdip #redpepperrecipes #eggplantrecipes
Here’s a spicy Pepperoncini & Artichoke Pesto re Here’s a spicy Pepperoncini & Artichoke Pesto recipe with a Sicilian approach by using almonds and ricotta salata cheese. Play around with the rations of pepperoncini and artichoke hearts if you want it more or less spicy.

The "quick and easy" aspect of using pantry items from a jar helps ditch the popular definition of pesto and explore options other than “basil, pine nuts and parmesan”.

👨🏻‍🍳 Amounts are flexible, here's what I used...
▪️1 jar (15.5 oz)  pepperoncini peppers
▪️1 can (13 oz) artichoke hearts
▪️2 cloves garlic
▪️⅓ cup slivered almonds
▪️½ cup Ricotta Salata cheese
▪️juice of 1 lemon 
▪️olive oil as desired (½ to ¾ cup)

🇮🇹 About the Ricotta Salata … it's basically ricotta cheese that has been pressed and salted, resulting in a feta-like Italian cheese. It’s not as salty and pungent as parmesan.

👨🏻‍🍳 To break down the artichoke hearts and pepperoncini, chop them down real fine then gradually mash them with the side of a knife. Also, try an immersion blender. 

👉🏻 Also, there’s an element of surprise with this pesto because when tossed in with pasta you can barely tell it’s there because it blends in so well with the pasta color. It's a sure way to "woo" your guests for dinner or a picnic. 

#pestorecipe #artichokepesto  #siciliancooking #sicilianfood #pestoideas #pestopasta
Several recipes for 🇵🇷 Rice with Pigeon Peas Several recipes for 🇵🇷 Rice with Pigeon Peas exist in my feed. However, it's been a while since I used meat … let alone some pork. My “less-meat” approach still uses my standard homemade veggie stock as a base.

Pork shoulder is traditionally used, but I chose pancetta (the “Italian bacon”) because I never tried it before, it’s salt cured in herbs, and has a light feeling about it. 

👨🏻‍🍳 Here's the long cast of ingredients in order of appearance...

▪️achiote oil
▪️pancetta
▪️Puerto Rican sofrito (pinned in my Feed)
▪️kosher salt
▪️black pepper
▪️chopped garlic
▪️chopped olives, capers, pimentos, hot pickled peppers
▪️long grain rice
▪️pigeon peas (pre-cooked)
▪️veggie stock
▪️Dominican oregano
▪️plain tomato sauce
▪️bay leaf
▪️banana leaf

👨🏻‍🍳 The number one universal cooking tip for making rice recipes is to not over-stir it. Stir it just enough in upwards lifting motion to distribute the heat, then leave it alone. 

Different rices require different liquid amount ratios, and for long grain rice I do 1 parts rice to just under 2 parts liquid (try 1 ⅞)

Also cooked rice needs to rest with the lid ajar for at least 30 - 45 minutes. Go do something else, then come back to it.

#ricerecipe #puertoricanfood #arrozcongandules #ricewithpigeonpeas #riceandbeans #cookingtips #cookingrice #recetasdearroz
For my 3-ingredient Thursday, I'm revisiting this For my 3-ingredient Thursday, I'm revisiting this Artichoke Sandwich Spread that can take the place of mayonnaise if you mash it fine enough. 

It’s that time of the week where I share what to make with only three ingredients (aside from salt, water and oil). 

👨🏻‍🍳 Chop the  artichoke hearts real fine, then mash small amounts gradually with the flat side of your chef’s knife. Or you can use a mortar and pestle.

👨🏻‍🍳 To yield about 1 cup of sandwich spread, all you need is…
▪️6 whole artichoke hearts
▪️2 cloves of garlic
▪️juice of ½ to 1 lemon (as desired)

👨🏻‍🍳 Then add...
▪️enough olive oil to achieve your desired texture
▪️kosher salt to taste

🧄 About the roasted garlic … it not only brings out a savory sweetness, but also helps act as a binder and creates a more spreadable texture. Instead of roasting a bunch of garlic in an oven, you can pan roast just two cloves on a dry pan on the stovetop. Or, skipping the roasting is completely fine too and reap the benefits of raw garlic.

Mashing can be a bit of work, but the good news is that you don’t need too many artichoke hearts to make a good amount … I used three for the 1/2 cup amount made here which was used on 4 servings of breakfast sandwiches. 

#artichokespread #artichokehearts #artichokepaste #sandwichspread #artichokerecipes
🥬 For a refreshing picnic salad, try collard gr 🥬 For a refreshing picnic salad, try collard green tabouli … a fusion of American Soul and Mediterranean cuisines. Because collard greens are traditionally served with a tomato onion salad in American Soul Food (also in African recipes) and I couldn't ignore how well this would merge with a tabouli recipe.

For this simple tabouli salad, the ingredient amounts are completely flexible, so have fun and make it your own.
▪️collard greens, blanched
▪️dry bulgur #1 grind, hydrated
▪️cherry tomatoes, quartered
▪️red onion, finely diced
▪️red pepper flakes
▪️lemon vinaigrette 

🍋 For the lemon vinaigrette…
▪️½ cup olive oil
▪️⅓ cup lemon juice and white wine vinegar combined (about half and half)
▪️½ teaspoon kosher salt
▪️a touch of honey

👨🏻‍🍳 Here’s why swapping parsley with collards works so well…

🥬 Collard greens provide a meatier chew and they’re super filling (as is the bulgur).

🥬 The sturdy texture of collard greens makes them more resilient and they hold their own better when marinated with the acid in a vinaigrette. In fact, they absorb it like a sponge.

🥬 From a nutrition standpoint traditionally collard greens (in their raw form) are jam packed with nutrients according to @healthline Traditionally in Soul Food, greens are cooked for hours and it's really not necessary. Blanching or sauteing retains as much nutrients as possible.

👨🏻‍🍳 And also note...

▪️Blanching the collard greens in salt water brings out their rich green color and gives them a thorough cleaning.

▪️When you buy bulgur, make sure its a #1 grind because it doesn’t require any cooking. It quickly hydrates in warm water after about 20-30. Thicker bulgur takes longer to absorb and/or needs to be cooked. 

#taboulisalad #tabouli #taboulirecipe #collardgreens #collardgreensrecipe #picnicsalad #vegansoulfood #soulfood #fusioncooking #mediterraneancooking
🫚 For a spicy edge on a summer beverage, thin o 🫚 For a spicy edge on a summer beverage, thin out some mango nectar with freshly squeezed orange juice. Then grate some ginger, blend it all up, then strain it to remove the pulp. 

👨🏻‍🍳 It's that three ingredient time of the week where I explore minimalist cooking with only 3 ingredients (not including salt, water and oil). And I'm still on a summer drinks binge. 🍹

🍊 Store bought orange juice can be way too sweet (and sometimes tart), and it’s amazing how out of touch it can make our taste buds with the pure orange flavor of fresh juice. 

🥭 Finding perfectly ripe mangoes can be a challenge, so mango nectar gives a close-to-fresh alternative. It does have some sugar, but I’m loving the fact that all the brands I’ve seen don’t have any corn syrup.

#summerbeverages #mangojuice #gingerdrink #orangemango #orangejuice #juicingrecipes #juicingdetox
🌶️ Here's an air fried okra and chickpea vind 🌶️ Here's an air fried okra and chickpea vindaloo using the base gravy previously posted on the feed 4 posts back … inspired by my cyber Indian cooking teacher @latifs_inspired

The great thing about plant based cooking is that you don't have to plan ahead to season meat. If you want a vindaloo you can experience the flavors ASAP and infuse the sauce with all of the fantastic flavors.

🌶️ Here are the Vindaloo spices, in order of appearance
▪️coriander
▪️cumin
▪️mustard seed
▪️cardamom
▪️clove
▪️cinnamon
▪️Kashmiri chili powder
▪️extra hot chili powder
▪️kosher salt

👨🏻‍🍳 Here's a few cooking tips…

🌶️ Adding a little Kasoori methi (aka. dried fenugreek leaves) is a key ingredient to achieve that indefinable "restaurant Indian food" flavor. 

🌶️ To not burn your spices, you may need to add more oil than you might like. I could have been more generous with the oil this time, but added a little water to stretch it out.

🌶️ Use fresh tomatoes whenever possible. This time I tried to be thrifty and utilize canned crushed tomatoes and I wish I didn't. 

🌶️ Air frying (or roasting) the okra first removes the sliminess. 

#vindaloo #indiancurry #chickpeacurry #indianfoodlover #vindaloocurry #veganindianfood #okrarecipes
🍉 About that Watermelon Drink with Guava Nectar 🍉 About that Watermelon Drink with Guava Nectar and Grapefruit Juice just posted in the feed … Here’s how you make juicing at home super easy without buying a clunky, expensive juicer. A refreshing summer drink is super easy to make.

My recommendation...
▪️ 2 cups watermelon juice
▪️ juice of one grapefruit
▪️1/3 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice 

🍉 Only tip is to make sure you buy a mesh strainer with the smallest holes so you can really trap some of the really fine pulp in some fruit juices. 

🍉 Nectars are really thick and meant to be mixed with other things, so use about ⅓ of the amount of the drink so it’s not too heavy feeling and your homemade fruit drink stays light and refreshing. 

Sure, watermelon pulp is okay but your watermelon juice will be nice and light without it. 

#homemadejuice #juicingathome #fruitjuicing #aguafresca #freshjuice #watermelonrecipes #watermelondrink
🍹 Here’s another refreshing mocktail summer d 🍹 Here’s another refreshing mocktail summer drink for my three ingredient recipe Thursdays…

▪️ watermelon juice, 
▪️ guava (aka. guayaba) nectar
▪️freshly squeezed grapefruit juice.

🍹 Nectars are really thick and need to be thinned out, so they're ideal for juicing and mocktails. 

🍉 Watermelon always takes up so much space in the fridge, so juice it. Simply blend it then pour it through a fine mesh strainer to remove the pulp. 

🍊 Store bought grapefruit juice has so many additives, and you really don't need much due to it's tartness, so it's just as easy to squeeze it over the strainer and press the juice out of it's pulp.

#juicerecipe  #watermelonjuice #summerdrinks #summerbeverages #fruitjuice #juiceing #guayaba
🍅 Fresh tomatoes … either homegrown or from f 🍅 Fresh tomatoes … either homegrown or from farmers’ markets … means minimalist salad dressings so you can experience the heavenly pure tomato flavor. 

🍋 Just a simple lemon juice vinaigrette is all that’s needed alongside these fantastic ingredients. 

▪️kale 
▪️radicchio
▪️matchstick carrots
▪️quinoa
▪️kalamata olives
▪️Calabrian Peppers (thanks @onthebiasnyc 🌶️)
▪️Supersweet 100 tomatoes
▪️sliced homegrown mini-bell peppers
▪️Manchego cheese with chili pepper

👨🏻‍🍳 About Manchego Cheese … it’s made with sheep’s milk. And usually, people who are lactose intolerant can usually eat it because sheep's milk has different enzymes than cow’s milk. 

#tomatosalad #gardensalad #gardentotable #supersweet100 #summersalad #cherrytomatosalad #cherrytomatoes #manchegocheese #kalesalad #kalequinoasalad
Follow on Instagram

Help spread the word on Pinterest!

  • Pinterest

Join my list!

Receive instant notifications on new posts, reviews, and recipe updates.

Astoria Park

Copyright © 2023 Ben Costantino on the Cookd Pro Theme

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT