vegetables Archives - Busy Moms Helper

Top 5 Easy Vegetables to Grow Indoors

July 14, 2020 by Busy Moms Helper Team Leave a Comment

Are you looking to take advantage of the warm summer days and grow a small garden? Planting vegetables is the best thing that you can do during the summer and there is no doubt about that. You can even grow them indoors! Doing this will make sure that you always have fresh vegetables to cook delicious and healthy meals. To make things even better, growing vegetables indoors is super easy if you know which ones to pick. Here is where I come in.

Today I am going to show you the top 5 easy vegetables to grow indoors. I am also going to give you some quick tips to help you keep your indoor garden green and always growing. Without any further ado, let’s jump right into it.

Top 5 Easy Vegetables to Grow Indoors

#1 Carrots

If there is one vegetable that everyone should consider growing indoors because it is so easy to maintain, then it has to be carrots. Carrots do not require too much space around them and they also grow in all types of soil. This vegetable thrives at around 60 degrees Fahrenheit and the trick to making it grow is to give it at least 12 hours of light per day.

#2 Lettuce Greens

Another healthy vegetable that you will love having around the house is lettuce greens. This vegetable is easy to grow and it only requires a small place next to a sunny window. Not just that, but you can harvest the leaves as much as you want, and the plant will keep growing them back. Therefore, you will have an endless resource of lettuce greens.

#3 Onions

I think it’s safe to say that onions are a “must-have” in any kitchen. They add so much flavor to recipes that you should consider growing them in your own indoor garden. The best thing about having homegrown onions is that you will never have to worry about their origin and if the producer used any unsafe fertilizer. You will be in total control.

#4 Garlic

Garlic is another vegetable that will make your meals delicious and bring a smile to your family’s faces. Garlic is used in thousands of recipes and having an endless source right in your homegrown garden is going to pay off. In addition, garlic doesn’t require too much maintenance. Simply water it regularly and let it get sun.

#5 Tomatoes

This might come as a surprise, but tomatoes are quite easy to grow indoors. The great thing about tomatoes is that they do well in containers. Therefore, you will not have a problem finding a good spot to place them. However, I do need to mention that tomatoes need lots of sunlight to grow and you should make sure to place them close to a window.

Best Tips to Growing Vegetables Indoors

The first thing that you need to do is to find a container that is big enough to allow the roots of the vegetable to grow. You also want to make sure that the container has a drainage hole at the bottom. If you can’t find a container that meets the criteria, then you should be pleased to know that you can make one yourself.

The tricky part about growing vegetables indoors is getting enough sunlight for them. This is why it’s always better to place them by the window. If this is not possible, then you might want to consider investing in row lights. They cost around $40 to $50 at markets such as Home Depot.

Healthiest Snacks You Can Eat

March 8, 2020 by Busy Moms Helper Team Leave a Comment

Everyone knows that the three main meals are highly important in our diet, but what about snacks? You should have 3 hearty meals starting with your breakfast. We’re not just talking about calories – these meals should be nutritious and cover your daily vitamins/minerals needs. However, a proper diet isn’t focused on main courses only – it involves a lot of snacks.

Are There Healthy Snacks?

When we talk about snacks, we’re not talking about chips or flips. You should stay as far away from this junk food as possible. There are, however, many healthy snacks you can nibble on all day long to keep your energy levels up. Snacks will also fight off hunger until the next meal so you won’t be tempted to reach for chips.

Of course, just like the three meals, snacks should be nutritious and healthy. And, although many believe there are no such snacks, we’ll provide a few below you can have every day.

Vegetables

Broccoli, baby carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, peas, carrot sticks, and peppers are just some snacks you can eat as much as you want. They can be easily prepared and can be consumed fresh or baked. Just try salty baked carrot sticks and you’ll see how great they are.

Popcorn

Craving something to nibble on? Popcorn is the ideal snack. Low in calories and fat, popcorn is almost an ideal snack, especially for those trying to lose weight. Always keep a bag of popcorn in your kitchen. Whenever you crave a salty snack, make some and enjoy. Remember – microwave popcorn is nothing like the real thing.

Dry Fruit

You can find dry (dehydrated) fruit almost anywhere today. Cranberries, apricots, apples, raisins, pineapples, and papaya are all on offer with no added sugar and great taste. Eat as much of these as you want or get a dehydrator and make your own at home.

Trail Mix

Trail mixes have grown very popular these days and can be easily prepared. Simply mix some sunflower seeds, peanuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, and some dry fruits and put them in a sealed bag. They taste great, will keep your energy up, and won’t make you gain weight.

Blended Burgers

April 19, 2016 by Kelly Dedeaux

As great as it is to try unique, funky recipes with long names, sometimes there’s nothing like a good ol’ cheeseburger, right? Well, even your basic burger can be made even more flavorful and amazing with these fantastic Blended Burgers. Trust me, blending in the tasty mushrooms and other veggies take your normal beef burger to a whole new level!

I have to admit, this started out as hubby’s idea. Yes, he comes up with amazing recipes, too! Not only is it a great idea for the great taste, but you can blend finely chopped mushrooms with meat to create more delicious, nutritious and sustainable meals. Blending mushrooms with meat adds an easy serving of vegetables to the plate – then once you add your other favorite burger veggies, it’s a very healthy dinner!

The Blend helps you do better for flavor: When cooked properly, mushrooms can easily mimic meat. For the best blend results, mushrooms should be chopped to match the consistency of the meat they’re paired with. Here’s the best way to blend your mushroom-meat combo:

Chop up your favorite mushroom variety to match the consistency of the ground meat.
Blend the chopped mushrooms with the ground meat.
Cook your mushroom-meat blend to complete the recipe.

Optional: Prior to chopping, roast mushrooms for 10-15 minutes to enhance flavor. Cool, then chop and blend.

See, super easy! Now on to creating these delicious blended burgers – keep in mind, you can switch up these other veggies based on your preference. Don’t like tomatoes? Leave them out. Not much of an onion person? Don’t add them.

Ingredients

1 lb. Ground Beef
6-8 oz. Portobella Mushrooms
Tomatoes, finely diced
Green Peppers, finely diced
Onions, finely diced
Other toppings for the finished burger: sauces, lettuce, cheese, etc.

Note: when buying your ground beef, remember that the higher the fat content, the more easily the burgers fall apart.

Directions

Follow the steps for blending your mushrooms above, then blend them together with the ground beef. Mix in the other finely diced veggies into the mushroom-meat mixture.
Cook your patties to your desired done-ness, then finish your burger with any sauces, lettuce or cheese you prefer.

These were so full of flavor, and I was thrilled they were healthier for the family. Not that the kids cared, but later they’ll appreciate that I looked out for them, right?

There’s so many other things you could do The Blend with, too, such as Shephard’s Pie or Lasagna. So don’t be afraid to give it a try with your other beef recipes, too!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Top 5 Easy Vegetables to Grow Indoors

#1 Carrots

#2 Lettuce Greens

#3 Onions

#4 Garlic

#5 Tomatoes

Best Tips to Growing Vegetables Indoors

Are There Healthy Snacks?

Vegetables

Popcorn

Dry Fruit

Trail Mix

Ingredients

Directions

Other Easy Recipes