Start Your Winter Garden Now!

Summer is such a beautiful time. It fools us into thinking every day will be warm, bright, and full of sunshine. But the gardeners among us know this is just an illusion. Winter is always coming, and with it, the dark, rainy days of our maritime climate. November is traditionally our wettest month, a time when lots of people take a vacation to a warmer climate where the sun appears more often.

If you are brave, there is a therapy for the winter blues, and that is a winter garden. Once you’ve gone to all the trouble to make a garden plot, it makes sense to use it year-round. And that maritime weather pattern I was just complaining about is the reason we can grow vegetables year-round here. I often save back some of the lettuce, radish, pea, and bush bean seeds I buy in the spring because if I plant them now, I’ll get an extended crop of these veggies usually through or past the first frost.

This month is the time you should be thinking about winter because the seeds or starts you plant now will take longer to mature with fewer hours of daylight and colder temperatures. On the flip side, there are a lot fewer pests (aphids really don’t like the cold), and you don’t have to worry about watering, which will just come from the sky. And if you’re feeling a little down from the dark winter days, harvesting broccoli or parsnips or lettuce for a nice salad will remind you that spring is on the way.

Make sure the area where you are going to grow your veggies is well-drained, since you’ll have an abundance of water. Cold weather veggies that do best in our mild winters include all the Brassica family—broccoli, turnips, kale, cabbage, kohlrabi, broccoli rabe, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts; the Allium family—leeks, onions, chives; and root veggies such as carrots, beets, and parsnips. Washington State University has great information on dates to plant. Search “Western Washington fall and winter gardens” here.

Best get a hustle on. Most things should be in the ground this month. Some veggies, like peas, leeks, and fava beans won’t be ready for winter. You actually will be harvesting in the spring. But with the head start you’ve given them, they’ll be up long before you get your spring garden in the ground.

Don’t have a garden? Tuck a few starts or seeds into those pots on your deck that look so dreary all winter, or sprinkle parsley seeds in a pot outside your front door. Sadly, there are only a few farmers’ markets in the winter, but you can use the list of cold-weather veggies to help you know what’s seasonal in your grocery store, and those winter veggies are often fresher and less expensive.

Once you’ve grown your winter veggies, you’ll need a few great ways to cook them. For a crunchy winter salad, try broccoli with unsalted shelled sunflower seeds. The dressing uses half sour cream to decrease the sodium content. To warm you up, try a quick winter curry using whatever veggies you gather by flashlight, or whatever you find in the veggie drawer of your fridge. Try growing kohlrabi, a new veggie for me, and simply sauté it in butter or olive oil.

Broccoli Raisin Salad

3 cups broccoli florets, raw

¼ cup purple onion, diced

½ cup sunflower seeds (shelled, unsalted)

½ cup raisins, golden or dark

¼ cup sour cream

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon vinegar (to taste)

1 tablespoon sugar (to taste)

Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, and sugar. Toss broccoli, onions, raisins, and sunflower seeds in dressing, saving a few tablespoons to garnish the top of the salad. Chill and serve. Serves 4.

Nutritional information (per serving): Calories: 216; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Protein: 3 g; Sodium: 112 mg

Quick Winter Garden Curry

1 cup thinly sliced onions or leeks

1½ cups broccoli, carrots, green beans, or pea pods, or a combination

4 cups (3/4 pound) greens, such as spinach, bok choy, napa cabbage, collard greens, beet greens, etc.

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 ounces tofu or paneer cheese, cut into cubes

1-2 teaspoons curry powder

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

½ cup white wine vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar

Chop vegetables into bite-sized pieces and cut greens into 2-inch-wide strips. Heat the oil in a frying pan or wok. Sauté onions about 2-4 minutes, until translucent. Sprinkle curry powder over onions. Add broccoli, carrots, or pea pods. Cook 2-4 minutes, until bright green and orange. Add the greens and cover. Reduce heat and let greens steam until tender, 4-6 minutes, uncovering and turning occasionally. Add a little water if needed. Don’t overcook or greens will turn dark. Remove greens with slotted spoon, leaving juices in pan. Add low-sodium soy sauce and vinegar; heat to boiling. When sauce is slightly thickened, remove from heat and pour over the greens. Serve with rice. Serves 4.

Nutritional information (per serving): Calories: 267; Carbohydrates: 17 grams; Protein: 27 grams; Sodium: 442 milligrams

Parsnip and Tomato Casserole

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound parsnips

1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup half-and-half or yogurt thinned with milk

1 pound tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, sliced

1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

1½ cups grated cheddar or mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Peel parsnips and slice them into quarter-inch slices. If slices are large, cut them in half. Cook in a skillet with oil, thyme, and sugar for 5-7 minutes, or until golden and softened.

Grease a small casserole or baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Spread half the parsnips over the bottom of the dish. Add half the tomatoes as the next layer. Sprinkle with cheese. Add another layer of parsnips and tomatoes, followed by the rest of the cheese. Mix oregano with half-and-half or thinned yogurt, then pour over dish. Cover with lid or foil and bake for 40 minutes or until tender. Remove cover and brown a few more minutes. Serves 8.

Nutritional information (per serving): Calories: 159; Carbohydrates: 12 grams; Protein: 6 grams; Sodium: 19 milligrams

Sautéed Kohlrabi

1 pound kohlrabi

2-4 tablespoons olive oil or butter

½ cup chopped onion or leeks

Remove leaves (you can sauté them with the bulbs, but add right at the end). Peel and slice or dice kohlrabi, about 1/4 to ½ inch thick. Add oil or butter to medium fry pan. Add onions or leeks, kohlrabi, and sauté until golden brown, about 4-6 minutes. Cover and cook on low heat until fork tender, 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of your kohlrabi. Serves 4.

Nutritional information (per serving, based on 3 tablespoons oil with chopped onions): Calories: 93; Carbohydrates: 8 g; Protein: 2 g; Sodium: 23 mg

Eating Well, Living Well classes

Studies show that working with a registered dietitian can delay kidney failure and postpone dialysis for longer than two years. FREE nutrition classes taught by Katy’s former team of registered dietitians are available at convenient times and locations around Puget Sound.

Eating Well, Living Well classes teach people how to eat healthier to slow the progress of kidney disease and postpone dialysis. Learn more at www.nwkidney.org/classes.

Contributor Katy G. Wilkens recently retired as registered dietitian and department head at Northwest Kidney Centers. The National Kidney Foundation Council on Renal Nutrition has honored her with its highest awards for excellence in education and for significant contributions in renal nutrition. She has also been awarded the Medal of Excellence in kidney nutrition from the American Association of Kidney Patients.