Cucumbers on the grill?

Absolutely! They’re even better when freshly picked from your organic garden.

Today’s recipe pairs English cucumbers with juicy tomatoes, and prep time is minimal. Use a grill basket to prevent veggies from slipping through the grate.

All of the ingredients should be available at a well-stocked natural and organic food store.

Warm Tomato and Cucumber Salad 

4 tomatoes
1 English cucumber
Olive-oil nonstick cooking spray
Salt and pepper, to taste
Salad greens
Your favorite Italian dressing

1. Cut tomatoes into wedges.
2. Slice cucumber into 1/2-inch slices.
3. Spray veggies generously with olive-oil nonstick cooking spray for extra flavor and browning. Spray grill basket, as well.
4. Place vegetables in basket. Grill until lightly browned, tossing occasionally, about 4 minutes.
5. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Toss with salad greens and Italian dressing.  

Recipe courtesy of PAM Organic Cooking Spray. Photo: La Grande Farmers’ Market.

If your dog has ever been sprayed by a skunk, you probably know that tomato juice is truly man’s best friend. 

But tomato juice has a more human application: It can rescue hair that has been damaged by chlorinated swimming pools. 

Light-colored hair can take on a greenish tinge from pool chlorine and other chemicals. If you find yourself with green locks: 

1. Apply pure, organic tomato juice to your hair.
2. Leave it on for 15 minutes, and rinse with water.
3. Shampoo and condition normally.
4. Treat hair more than once, if necessary. 

Say goodbye to one of the few bad ways to “go green!”

Organic tomatoes and zucchini are top seasonal produce picks, and they marry as well as Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne (minus the sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll). 

In the hands of former Top Chef contestant Fabio Viviani, executive chef/owner of L.A. hotspots Firenze Osteria and Café Firenze Italian Restaurant and Martini Bar, they’re the foundation for today’s savory appetizer. 

As the photo illustrates, Viviani’s Roasted Tomato & Zucchini Salad is a restaurant-quality dish, with vertical stacks of veggies and cheese that are pleasing to both the palate and eyes. 

Best of all, the ingredients should be available at a well-stocked natural and organic food store—and many are likely on display at your local farmers’ market.

Roasted Tomato & Zucchini Salad

Serves 4

1. Cut tomatoes into 1/2-inch slices.
2. Cut zucchini lengthwise into 1/8-inch ribbons.
3. Season both with minced garlic, salt and pepper; drizzle with olive oil.
4. Roast on grill, with cut side up, for about 10 minutes, or until evenly roasted.
5. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
6. To assemble the salad, place the tomato, zucchini (folded) and mozzarella on top of each other, like a tower, with a basil leaf in between layers. Season layers with salt, pepper and a drizzle of dressing.
7. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan cheese. 

Photo courtesy of Bertolli

By Kathy Bond-Borie, Guest Columnist  

Store-bought tomatoes are nearly devoid of flavor, so growing your own is the best way to truly savor the taste of this fruit, which captures the essence of summer. 

But with thousands of organic varieties available—from cherished heirlooms to the hottest new hybrids—how do you narrow your choices?

Ripening Time

 If you’re buying seeds to start your own plants, read catalog descriptions carefully to find out “days to maturity.” This indicates approximately how soon you can expect ripe fruit once you’ve transplanted seedlings to the garden. 

Plants sold at garden centers are often labeled “early,” “midseason” or “late” to indicate when the variety should start ripening.

Determinate vs. Indeterminate

Determinate plants stop growing once flower buds emerge. Because of their more restrained size, many determinate varieties require no staking or caging, but providing support can improve fruit quality. All fruit ripens within a relatively short period—usually about a week to 10 days. This can be a boon if you’re canning. 

If you prefer to have fewer tomatoes over a longer period of time, indeterminate varieties are a better choice. Vines continue to grow and set fruit throughout the season and won’t quit until the weather turns too hot or cold to sustain fruiting and growth.

How Will You Use the Fruit?

When selecting a tomato variety, keep in mind how you plan to use the fruit. 

There are tomato varieties suited for just about every purpose: eating fresh, making tomato paste, canning, drying and even grooming for county fair competitions.

Seeds or Transplants?

The easiest way to start your tomato patch is by purchasing young plants, also called transplants or starts. They’re available at garden centers or online catalogs.

That said, starting your own seed gives you an almost endless list of varieties to choose from, allowing you to select tomatoes that best suit your growing conditions and tastes. Starting seeds also provide a chance to exercise your green thumb earlier in the season, and nurturing plants from seed to harvest is a rewarding experience.

 Plant seeds 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date for your region, and place them under fluorescent lights. Contact a nearby Extension Service office or your local weather service to find out your last spring frost date.

Disease Resistance 

By planting tomato varieties with built-in resistance to diseases, you can have a bit more control over your garden’s success. 

For instance, many tomato varieties are resistant to soil-borne diseases like Verticillium and Fusarium wilts and nematodes. Most seed catalogs indicate resistance to these diseases by putting F (Fusarium), V (Verticillium) and N (nematodes) after the variety name. You’ll also find varieties with resistance to viruses like tomato mosaic virus (T), and Alternaria (A), the fungus that causes early blight. 

Talk to a nearby Extension Service office or to other home gardeners to find out if specific tomato diseases are common in your area.

A former floral designer and interior plantscaper, Kathy Bond-Borie has spent 20 years as a garden writer/editor, including her current role as horticultural editor for the National Gardening Association. She loves designing with plants and spends more time playing in the garden—planting and trying new combinations—than sitting and appreciating it.

Photo courtesy of the National Gardening Association

Green Zebras. Bloody Butchers. Big Boys. Polish Linguisas.

Organic gardeners will have a literal field day with these and other tomato varieties at Tomatomania, billed as the world’s largest tomato seedling sale. The event will tour select cities from March 20 to May 23.

If the tour misses your area, you may purchase several collections online—from heirlooms to paste tomatoes used in cooking—from Litchfield, CT-based White Flower Farms, which also sells organic tomato fertilizer. Shipping begins next month.

Tomatomania proprietor Scott Daigre, owner of PowerPlant Garden Design in Los Angeles, will sell his book, Tomatomania! How to Grow Tomatoes Successfully in Southern California, at the shows.

Daigre also teaches a Crazy for Tomatoes! class at California State University, Northridge. The course covers soil preparation, staking, fertilizing, saving seeds and getting the best production.

Today I went out and picked all the remaining green tomatoes off my plant, 15 in all. The weather is too cold and the plant too worn down to sustain them anymore. After more than 5 months of growing, it is time to put this year's garbage tomato to bed.

There are still plenty of little yellow flowers all over it, but they're a pipe dream and aren't going anywhere. So this weekend I'll be taking down my garbage tomato and preparing the hole in the ground for next year's crop. Stay tuned, I'll show you.

5.13.09

For two months, in trash bags, buckets and boxes, I saved my garbage, my stinking, foul garbage. You may be asking why. No, I don’t have some sort of bizarre fetish. Instead, I was preparing for this year’s tomato grown in a heaping pile of smelly garbage.

I did it last year. Except last year, I only stored garbage for a month. So, needless to say, this year’s first bag of crap smelled vile. The maggots were fun too. But I did it for good reason. When you plant a tomato on a pile of rotting fruits and vegetables it grows huge!

But the idea is not my own. I got it from L.A. Rotheraine. He’s the master gardener at McKean County Biodynamics and he’s a wiz at growing tomatoes in trash. Now, I’m not a master gardener, actually I’m kind of dopey, but I did manage to grow my own tomato.

And that picture is the rundown of the planting I did last Saturday. That plant is the offspring of last year’s tomato and hopefully it grows bigger and better. Right now it’s looking a little floppy. So if it doesn’t make it. I have its sibling waiting in the wings. Fingers crossed!

5.20.09

After a limp start, this year’s garbage tomato is turning the corner. It’s starting to grow up big and strong, but I had to monkey with the setup a little bit. We’ve been having some unseasonably cool nights. So I’ve been putting a black garbage bag over the plant to keep chilly dew off the leaves.

Now, the blog has a lot of new readers, so if you don’t know what a garbage tomato is. I did it last year. I dug a hole and filled it with fruit and vegetable scraps. Then I planted a tomato on the pile and it got huge! So keep checking every Wednesday for more updates on this year’s tomato.

5.27.09

Despite my best efforts—and what would prompt a world class hissy fit—my first garbage tomato of the year bit the dust. I suspect the unusually cool May and nippy nights did it in, even though I was mindful to cover it when it got chilly. I’ll just chalk it up to natural selection.

But luckily I started with a bunch of sprouts. So this weekend I planted its shorter, stubbier sibling. As a member of the short and stubby club myself, I have my confidence up. I think this one will be fine. My biggest problem now is the ornery cardinal nesting by my garden hose.

6.3.09

Looks like my evil plan is finally coming together! After a rough start, with my first garbage tomato of the year succumbing to the unusually chilly weather, this one is kicking butt. Compared to last week my short, stocky little plant really flourished and is developing a very study trunk.

Last year, I grew my very first garbage tomato and it was pretty big, but this year I’m shooting for a real giant and I’ve got a good feeling now. When I replaced the dead one with this guy, I made sure to position its roots right on top of all the rotten fruits and veggies. So, fingers crossed!

6.10.09

My garbage tomato is hitting its stride! It’s getting taller and filling out nicely. I already had to tie it to one of the posts. And I have high hopes—no pun intended—those green poles I stuck in the ground are 8-feet tall. I want this plant to be huge!

And here’s a cool side note. I planted this tomato on a pile of rotten fruits and vegetables that I saved up for two months. Well, something buried deep in the mound of muck is also sprouting. I’m not sure what it is yet. So I’ll leave you in suspense.

6.17.09

One more week in the books and my tomato is looking awesome. Despite the gloomy weather, it continues to fill out. It’s getting taller and taller and the trunk is really stout. It’s only June, and the base is already wider and stronger than last year’s tomato. I’m really excited!

Now, I mentioned last week that something strange is growing next to my tomato. I have no idea what the heck it is. I dug up two sprouts and gave them to the my mom, but I left the big one where its at—see if you can spot it—again, I have no idea what it is. Stay tuned.

6.24.09

Check that out! My garbage tomato is getting huge. Go on, take a look at last week, then flip back to this week and you’ll see a big difference—big being the operative word—and here’s the cool part. It actually sprouted some flowers. So tomatoes are on their way!

As for the subplot, the mysterious freeloader plant is growing too. You can see for yourself, it’s in the lower-right of the photo. I’m still not sure what it is. I threw out a lot of random fruits and vegetables, but I’m guessing it’s a squash or some sort of melon—or demon spawn.

6.31.09

See how big my tomato is getting! Look at last week then jump back to this week. You’ll see its REALLY filling out. It looks shorter, but that’s because the tall branches flopped over and I had to tie them to those green posts. Actually, I want it to get fat, instead of tall, like last year’s.

Now, you’ll also notice I had to expand the fencing. The plant needs a lot of room to grow and I still have this pesky rabbit hanging around. Oh, and check out the thing with the big leaves growing off to the right. That’s the mystery sprout and I’m pretty sure it’s a cantaloupe. Nice!

7.8.09

Yes, this year’s garbage tomato is becoming a masterpiece! Clearly, it’s a lot bigger than last week. And it’s starting to bear fruit. That little close-up is just a couple of the tomatoes starting to take shape. At last count, I think there are eight of them. Plus a whole bunch of flowers!

Now here’s the deal. The stowaway cantaloupe is still growing too. I’m tempted to dig it up. I know it’ll compete with my tomato, but I like the idea of growing a bounty of goodies on just one pile of rotten garbage. So, we’ll see what happens. Call it survival of the fittest.

7.15.09

The tomato train rattles on. Check out my garbage tomato. See, a steady diet of rotten fruits and vegetables works wonders! It’s really filling out. It’s much bushier than last week. I may have to expand the fencing, again! Plus, more and more little tomatoes keep popping up, and look at all the flowers.

This plant is a powerhouse. It’s very robust. So is the pesky stowaway cantaloupe—which I think might actually be a zucchini—it continues to thrive too. It’s got a whole bunch of big yellow flowers. They kind of look like zucchini flowers, but I’m not sure. If there are any botanists out there, help a brother out!

7.21.09

My tomato is becoming a mini-rainforest. It’s very dense in the center, like a canopy. Compared to last week it’s a little bit bigger, but there are a ton of green tomatoes now. I suspect, just like last year, they won’t start turning red until they get much bigger. Lots of nutrients from all the garbage to soak up!

Now, as for the freeloader plant, it is growing a lot. I originally thought it was a cantaloupe, but now I’m pretty sure it’s a zucchini. It’s starting to bud tiny little zucchini-looking things. So we’ll see! Oh, and in case you missed it. My coworker is growing one of my sprouts and his plant looks great too.

7.29.09

My garbage tomato kicking butt! It’s loaded with green tomatoes of all different sizes. Many of them are already bigger than the stuff in the stores and most haven’t even started turning red yet! It’s tough too. Despite all the green tomatoes, I’ve only had to tie to a few times. Strong like bull!

Now, as for the rogue plant, last week I said it must be a zucchini, after originally thinking it was a cantaloupe, but today I’m sure. It’s a cantaloupe and that little picture pretty much proves. It looks like a cantaloupe. Its much too round to be a zucchini. So we’ll see what happens!

8.5.09

This was an odd week for my garbage tomato. First off, I noticed one tomato rapidly turning red, but it was oddly shaped, very flat, not round. When I eventually picked it, I spotted the problem—it was gross—somehow the underside was rotten. Not sure how it happened, maybe all the rainy weather.

Then over the weekend I noticed one branch had toppled over due to all the heavy tomatoes. I freaked out at first, but there was no damage. I tied the limb back in place and its doing fine and one of its tomatoes is turning red. Awesome! Oh, and the stowaway cantaloupe. It’s getting bigger too.

8.12.09

My garbage tomato is a warrior! The weather has sucked this summer. It’s been so wet and gross and my little guy developed a nasty case of bottom end rot. The first couple of tomatoes I picked were half disgusting. So I stopped watering it for a few days and now it’s rebounding nicely.

In fact, just yesterday I picked the best tomato so far. I’d show you, but I ate it. It was perfect. And as for my cantaloupe, it’s impervious to the crappy weather. It’s growing strong. I’ll probably only get one cantaloupe out of it, but that’s cool. Considering I don’t really have a green thumb.

These days, Vidalias are often my top onion choice, adding a distinctive sweetness to any recipe. They’re rich in vitamin C and fat-, cholesterol- and sodium-free. Weight Watchers even chose Vidalia onions as its pick of the season in the spring.

This easy-to-prepare recipe, adapted from The Vidalia Sweet Onion Lovers Cookbook, combines some of summer’s favorite flavors. All of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store.

Corn, Tomato & Vidalia Onion Salad

Makes 4 servings

• 1½ cups diced ripe tomatoes
• 1/3 cup chopped Vidalia onion
• 2 medium ears fresh corn, cooked and cooled (or 1 cup cooked frozen kernels)
• 15 fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes and onion.
2. Scrape corn and juice off cobs to make about 1 cup; add to tomato mixture.
3. Shred basil leaves; add to tomato mixture.
4. In a small bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine vinegar, oil and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Mix well or shake to combine. Add to tomato mixture; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Photo by Lori Grice

This week, I introduced Organic Authority’s Cooking School, focusing on:
When You Can’t Find Organic Ingredients…
Homemade Organic Tortilla Strips
Cooking with Organic Dried Beans
Hot Trend: Organic Chili Peppers

Now you’re ready to create the special tomato and mushroom soup that incorporates the week’s lessons. Note: Because you follow an organic lifestyle, Organic Authority recommends using certified organic ingredients, when available, in all recipes to minimize your risk of exposure to pesticides, chemicals and preservatives.

Latin Tomato and Huitlacoche Soup

Hot, corny, spicy and thick with beans, this soup satisfies all those south-of-the-border cravings in one lusty dish. If you can’t find huitlacoche (weet-la-coach-aye), use sautéed portobello mushrooms.

1/2 cup dried black beans soaked or 1½ cups drained canned black beans
6 cups light chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup shredded cooked chicken meat
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup fresh or canned tomato puree
4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, green and white parts kept separate
One large Anaheim chili, with or without seeds, or other chili, stemmed and thinly sliced
1/2 cup (2 ounces) huitlacoche, fresh or frozen (see note, below) or 3 cups cubed portobello caps (about 4 ounces)
1 tablespoon olive oil (as needed)
1/2 cup (loosely packed) fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
One recipe Homemade Organic Tortilla Strips

1. Place the beans in a small saucepan of simmering water. Cook, uncovered, until tender, about 45 minutes. Add hot water, if necessary, to keep the beans well submerged. Drain the beans.
2. Combine the stock, meat, corn, tomato puree, whites of scallion, chili and beans in a medium-size sauce pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the huitlacoche. (If using portobellos, sauté them in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat, until the mushrooms give up their liquid. Remove from the heat and add to the soup.) Add the cilantro, lime juice and scallion greens, and simmer for 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Serve hot, sprinkling some of the tortillas strips over each bowl of soup.

Note
Huitlacoche (Mexican corn fungus) is available canned, frozen and occasionally fresh, in different size pieces. Frozen huitlacoche is preferable because it retains a better texture than canned. When chopped, huitlacoche darkens dishes to which it is added; to minimize the darkening of this soup, choose small, peanut-sized huitlacoche, which can be added to the soup whole, or slightly larger pieces that will only need to be cut in half before adding them to the soup. Larger pieces, which will have to be chopped or cut several times to make the proper size pieces, will darken the soup more.

Recipe reprinted with permission from The Mushroom Lover’s Mushroom Cookbook and Primer, by Amy Farges, © 2000, Workman Publishing Company, Inc., New York. All rights reserved.