Two Feet in the Dirt

Despite the recent wintery weather, it’s in the 60s today and we’re actually just a month out from the start of spring planting! By mid-March, it’s possible to get crops like onions, potatoes, and even peas, kale, and carrots into the ground. Still, early spring planting is always a complete gamble depending on the weather. I’ve had weather in March fluctuate between the 80s and heavy snow, so it’s always a guess when planning an early start to the season as to whether that will actually take place! 

Regardless of what the weather throws our way next month, Valentine’s Day always marks a mental turning point for me. It means that we’re through the majority of winter and are heading ever faster towards spring and the start to gardening season. My absolute favorite thing each year is seeing the first green sprout come up in spring after the long, grey winter. I can’t wait!

As spring draws ever closer, we’re still enjoying a heavy harvest of carrots from the garden. This is requiring some ingenuity in the kitchen as we need to use up the carrots without driving ourselves crazy! Two recent new recipes we tried out have become some of my favorites. This Carrot Soup with Tahini and Crisped Chickpeas from Smitten Kitchen is excellent and is a breeze to whip together. And check out the recipe for Thai Carrot Burgers below from one of our favorite cookbooks Veggie Burgers Every Which Way. I wasn’t sure what to expect from a carrot burger, but these pack a serious punch of flavor that you can’t go wrong with!

Thai Carrot Burgers

Adapted from Veggie Burgers Every Which Way

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 4 spring onions, including white and green parts
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• up 1 finely chopped serrano chili, depending on your spice preference (I would recommend starting with less; these chilis can be seriously hot!)
• 4 cups grated carrots
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 3/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 egg whites
• 2 Tbsp natural peanut butter (if possible, buy it somewhere where you can get it ground fresh; most health food stores offer this)
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup toasted breadcrumbs

Instructions:

1. 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. 2. Heat a large lidded frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp of the oil. When hot, add the spring onions and cook just until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and chili and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
3. 3. Stir in the carrots, salt, coriander, turmeric, and cinnamon. Cover and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are soft but not mushy.
4. 4. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg whites, peanut butter, and lime juice. Stir in the carrot mixture and the cilantro. Fold in the breadcrumbs. Let sit for about 10 minutes, allowing the breadcrumbs to absorb some of the liquid. Shape into 4 patties.
5. 5. In an ovenproof frying pan, heat the remaining 2 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the patties and cook until browned, about 4-6 minutes. Carefully flip patties over (I like to transfer them to a plate and flip them between two plates before sliding back into the pan). Cook another 4-6 minutes until browned on the other side. Transfer the entire frying pan to the oven and bake 12-15 minutes, until burgers are firm and cooked through.