6 Food Ideas Using Fast Growing Plants From Your Garden

1. Cranberry lettuce wraps

Nearly all leaf lettuces sprout in about 40 days.

I cut the outer leaves about one inch above the crown so that the rest of the leaves can continue growing.

I’ll wait until they reach a length of 3-6 inches to harvest again.

For delicious cranberry lettuce wraps I use crumbled feta cheese, glazed walnuts or pecans, and dried craisins.

I take a leaf of lettuce and scoop my toppings onto it. I start with the feta, then sprinkle on the nuts and cranberries.

Then I roll and tuck everything together.

Combining all of these flavors and textures is brilliant. I’ve got the soft savory feta and the sweet crunchy nuts that pair nicely with the chewy tart craisins and hydrating lettuce.

2. Homemade pizza

The satisfaction of making homemade pizza with toppings from your garden is a feeling that can’t be beaten.

I love to make pizza pesto topped with roasted tomatoes and sprinkled with arugula microgreens.

I start by making my dough and leaving it to rise.

Then I harvest some arugula and cherry tomatoes from my garden. I also grab some basil for pesto.

To make my pesto, I use basil, peanuts, grated parmesan, and olive oil. I blend it all together.

Then I transfer it to a pan on the stove where I mix it with some cream and butter.

I spread the pesto on my pizza dough and add some mozzarella and tomatoes.

As soon as it comes out of the oven I add my microgreens. It comes out tasting so much better than anything I could buy at a pizza shop.

3. Morning juice with microgreens

For my morning juice, I harvest some stevia, microgreens, and mint.

I add in some freshly sliced ginger and squeeze in some lemon juice. I toss in a few ice cubes and some frozen mango chunks.

I put everything in the blender and the finished product is a beautiful and healthy green smoothie. It is the perfect way to start my day.

4. Chicken dinner

I love making a flavorful chicken dinner using fresh vegetables and herbs from my garden.

I start by seasoning chicken thighs with some salt and pepper. Then I harvest some fresh spinach and chop it up. I mix that with some feta cheese.

I roast ½ cup of pine nuts in a pan over low heat for several minutes. I like to ramp up the flavor by adding some parsley and spring onions.

Spring onions are incredibly easy to grow and maintain. You don’t even need to buy seeds. Store-bought scallions come with roots and can easily be replanted so you can grow as much as you want.

I mix all these ingredients together and add some minced garlic and olive oil. I use this mixture as a tasty filling for my chicken thighs.

I roll the mixture into the chicken and secure them with skewers and they’re ready to go into the oven.

The finished result is flavorful and nutritious.

5. Charred chard

I love Swiss chard and I learned how to use it to make a delicious herb jam.

I start by sauteing garlic in a pan. Then I harvest my chard and remove the stems and ends.

I set those aside to use later for pickled chard ends which is the next recipe I will share with you.

I chop the chard and add it to the pan to tenderize.

Then I harvest more seasonings from the garden. I grab some parsley, mint, and marjoram.

I also add some jalapeno and cumin for more flavor.  

I cook it in a pan until the moisture evaporates and then I transfer it to a blender.

This savory herb jam makes for a great side dish or a nice snack. I like to spread it on bread or crackers.

6. Pickled chard ends

Remember those chard stems I set aside when I was making my chard jam? Those are too valuable and nutritious to throw out.

I like to use every part of the vegetable. I make a brine just like I would for any other pickling.

I cut up the stems and fry up some mustard seeds and add some rice vinegar. Pickled chard ends add a sweet, tangy, crunchy bite to any dish.

I use them as a salad topping or sprinkle them on top of a rice bowl. They also taste great in a pita or taco shell.

Lettuces, herbs, and microgreens are so easy to grow and can be used to make a wide variety of foods.

Fast growing food plants

I hope this article inspires you to try growing some of your own produce.

Use my recipes to get ideas for fresh homemade meals and treats. Give them a try and leave me a comment to let me know how they came out.