Gardening
You don’t need to be born with a green thumb (or even two thumbs!) to be a gardener. Try my very smart tips for a very productive and beautiful garden!









You don’t need to be born with a green thumb (or even two thumbs!) to be a gardener. Try my very smart tips for a very productive and beautiful garden!
Winter garden transitioning into spring isn’t always pretty😅 Can anyone relate?!
But don’t worry - I’ll be planting some more vegetables this weekend and before you know it the garden will be full and beautiful again! 🌿
#verysmartideas #garden #organicgardening #gardenreels #instagarden #trendingreels
Winter garden transitioning into spring isn’t always pretty😅 Can anyone relate?!
But don’t worry - I’ll be planting some more vegetables this weekend and before you know it the garden will be full and beautiful again! 🌿
#verysmartideas #garden #organicgardening #gardenreels #instagarden #trendingreels
Happy Earth Day to my favorite Peeps🌎🌱💚
Did you know Earth day was founded by Gaylord Nelson, a Wisconson politician and environmentalist on April 22nd 1970? Here are five simple things to do to help out Mother Earth!
1. "Plant a tree! Trees help absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, making them a critical part of our ecosystem. Consider planting a tree in your backyard, local park, or community garden to help reduce your carbon footprint and improve air quality."
2. "Reduce food waste by composting! Composting is an easy and effective way to turn food scraps and yard waste into nutrient-rich soil. Consider starting a compost bin in your backyard or finding a local composting facility."
3. "Switch to eco-friendly products! Choose products made from sustainable materials and avoid single-use items like plastic straws and bags. Opt for reusable water bottles, coffee cups, and shopping bags to reduce waste and conserve resources."
4. "Reduce energy consumption! Turn off lights when you leave a room, unplug electronics when they`re not in use, and use energy-efficient light bulbs and appliances. These small actions can add up to big savings on your energy bill and reduce your carbon footprint."
5. "Support local farmers! Buying locally grown food supports the local economy and reduces the carbon footprint associated with transporting food long distances. Visit your local farmer`s market or sign up for a community-supported agriculture program to support sustainable agriculture practices."
#earthday #environment #mothernature #aboutgigi #verysmartideas #organicgardening #garden
Happy Earth Day to my favorite Peeps🌎🌱💚
Did you know Earth day was founded by Gaylord Nelson, a Wisconson politician and environmentalist on April 22nd 1970? Here are five simple things to do to help out Mother Earth!
1. "Plant a tree! Trees help absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, making them a critical part of our ecosystem. Consider planting a tree in your backyard, local park, or community garden to help reduce your carbon footprint and improve air quality."
2. "Reduce food waste by composting! Composting is an easy and effective way to turn food scraps and yard waste into nutrient-rich soil. Consider starting a compost bin in your backyard or finding a local composting facility."
3. "Switch to eco-friendly products! Choose products made from sustainable materials and avoid single-use items like plastic straws and bags. Opt for reusable water bottles, coffee cups, and shopping bags to reduce waste and conserve resources."
4. "Reduce energy consumption! Turn off lights when you leave a room, unplug electronics when they`re not in use, and use energy-efficient light bulbs and appliances. These small actions can add up to big savings on your energy bill and reduce your carbon footprint."
5. "Support local farmers! Buying locally grown food supports the local economy and reduces the carbon footprint associated with transporting food long distances. Visit your local farmer`s market or sign up for a community-supported agriculture program to support sustainable agriculture practices."
#earthday #environment #mothernature #aboutgigi #verysmartideas #organicgardening #garden
Planning a garden: Part 2 of an #easy step-by-step guide to planning your 2023 garden!
#verysmartideas #greenthumb #gardentips #limbdifferenceawareness #organic #gardening #vegetables
Planning a garden: Part 2 of an #easy step-by-step guide to planning your 2023 garden!
#verysmartideas #greenthumb #gardentips #limbdifferenceawareness #organic #gardening #vegetables
Here’s an part 1 of an easy step-by-step guide to planning your 2023 garden! #verysmartideas #greenthumb #gardentips #limbdifferenceawareness #organic #gardening #vegetables
Here’s an part 1 of an easy step-by-step guide to planning your 2023 garden! #verysmartideas #greenthumb #gardentips #limbdifferenceawareness #organic #gardening #vegetables
Butter Braised Leeks with Parmesan and Thyme
This recipe makes the MOST delicious #leeks you have EVER tasted. The dish is savory, delicate and loaded with umami flavors. Serve with your favorite beef or chicken recipe. Recipe below or at www.verysmartideas.com
Ingredients:
6-8 medium leeks, about 2lbs, trimmed and rinsed clean
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc�1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 Tbsps cold, unsalted butter, cut into slices
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup parmesan or pecorino or cheese, grated
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
�Step 1. Trim dark-green tops and roots from the leeks then cut in half lengthwise. Remove any tough, bruised outer layers. Hold the leeks to keep them intact and rinse them under running water and drain.
Step 2. In an oven proof pan or cast iron skillet, arrange the leeks in a single layer, close together, with the cut sides up.
Step 3. Add the wine to a small pan and boil for a minute and then add the broth and bring to a simmer. Sprinkle the leeks with kosher salt and a few good cranks of freshly ground pepper.
Step 4. Evenly distribute the slices of butter on top of the leeks and sprinkle the thyme leaves. Cover the pan or skillet with a lid and simmer for 40-45 minutes. Add additional broth if necessary.
�Step 5. Uncover and continue simmering for 15-20 minutes or until the leeks are tender and the broth has reduced by half or more.
Preheat broiler to high
Step 5. Sprinkle the leeks with the pecorino or parmesan cheese and broil for 3-5 minutes or until browned and bubbly.
Add additional salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
#verysmartideas #easyrecipes #Cookinglessons #umami #gardentotable #organicgardening #veggies #cookingvideos
Butter Braised Leeks with Parmesan and Thyme
This recipe makes the MOST delicious #leeks you have EVER tasted. The dish is savory, delicate and loaded with umami flavors. Serve with your favorite beef or chicken recipe. Recipe below or at www.verysmartideas.com
Ingredients:
6-8 medium leeks, about 2lbs, trimmed and rinsed clean
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc�1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 Tbsps cold, unsalted butter, cut into slices
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup parmesan or pecorino or cheese, grated
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
�Step 1. Trim dark-green tops and roots from the leeks then cut in half lengthwise. Remove any tough, bruised outer layers. Hold the leeks to keep them intact and rinse them under running water and drain.
Step 2. In an oven proof pan or cast iron skillet, arrange the leeks in a single layer, close together, with the cut sides up.
Step 3. Add the wine to a small pan and boil for a minute and then add the broth and bring to a simmer. Sprinkle the leeks with kosher salt and a few good cranks of freshly ground pepper.
Step 4. Evenly distribute the slices of butter on top of the leeks and sprinkle the thyme leaves. Cover the pan or skillet with a lid and simmer for 40-45 minutes. Add additional broth if necessary.
�Step 5. Uncover and continue simmering for 15-20 minutes or until the leeks are tender and the broth has reduced by half or more.
Preheat broiler to high
Step 5. Sprinkle the leeks with the pecorino or parmesan cheese and broil for 3-5 minutes or until browned and bubbly.
Add additional salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
#verysmartideas #easyrecipes #Cookinglessons #umami #gardentotable #organicgardening #veggies #cookingvideos
What to do with your UNbloomed Orchid between blooms. Perfect tip to add a little extra ZHUZH to your holidays!
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#verysmartideas #reels #homedecorideas #gardeningtips #orchidflower #orchids #orchidtips #howtocarefororchids #tipsandtricks #flowertips #tipsandtricks #halfwayhomemade
What to do with your UNbloomed Orchid between blooms. Perfect tip to add a little extra ZHUZH to your holidays!
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#verysmartideas #reels #homedecorideas #gardeningtips #orchidflower #orchids #orchidtips #howtocarefororchids #tipsandtricks #flowertips #tipsandtricks #halfwayhomemade
Well, Mother Nature won the fight. What the conifer rust and Japanese beetles didn’t munch, the chipmunks finished. One of the hardest parts of growing an organic garden is losing crops like my beloved apples to pests and disease. Apples require so many sprays and pesticides, which I will not use in my garden. Foolishly, I thought I could keep on top of Mother Nature, but she won🌏🍎
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#apples #organicgardening #verysmartideas #gardeningtips #mothernature
Well, Mother Nature won the fight. What the conifer rust and Japanese beetles didn’t munch, the chipmunks finished. One of the hardest parts of growing an organic garden is losing crops like my beloved apples to pests and disease. Apples require so many sprays and pesticides, which I will not use in my garden. Foolishly, I thought I could keep on top of Mother Nature, but she won🌏🍎
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#apples #organicgardening #verysmartideas #gardeningtips #mothernature
Roasted tomatoes to use for later! Roast them in the oven with some salt (i like to add a little parmesan too) and once they are roasted and cooled, freeze them in a freezer bag and use throughout the year! Fresh seasonal tomatoes at your fingertips :D
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#gardeningtips #verysmartideas #myrecipes #tomatoerecipes #tomatoes #fromthegarden #freezeforlater #tomatoesfromthegarden #fromthegarden #kitchentips #cookingtips #foodprep
Roasted tomatoes to use for later! Roast them in the oven with some salt (i like to add a little parmesan too) and once they are roasted and cooled, freeze them in a freezer bag and use throughout the year! Fresh seasonal tomatoes at your fingertips :D
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#gardeningtips #verysmartideas #myrecipes #tomatoerecipes #tomatoes #fromthegarden #freezeforlater #tomatoesfromthegarden #fromthegarden #kitchentips #cookingtips #foodprep
Creamy Zucchini Pasta that will blow your 🤯! It is so darn good and I used a ton of zucchini’s from my garden this summer. #growwhatyoueat
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#gardeningtips #verysmartideas #zucchini #pasta #dairyfree #vegetarian #veggiepasta #pastaprimavera #pastarecipes #myrecipes #doubledutyrecipe
Creamy Zucchini Pasta that will blow your 🤯! It is so darn good and I used a ton of zucchini’s from my garden this summer. #growwhatyoueat
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#gardeningtips #verysmartideas #zucchini #pasta #dairyfree #vegetarian #veggiepasta #pastaprimavera #pastarecipes #myrecipes #doubledutyrecipe
Panzanella, aka bread salad. Typically you use torn bread and mix it in with whatever veggies you’d like! Toss with a deliicous dressing and it is a hardier comforting salad, perfect for fall. Here I used grilled peaches, homegrown tomatoes, basil, and pine nuts with a sweet and tangy dressing, kind of like a tangier oily balsamic dressing.
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#tomatoes #panzanella #homegrown #grilledpeaches #gardeningtips #makelifedelicious #myrecipes #verysmartideas #homemade #homecooking #homecook #cookwithme #bioniccook #cookingmama #onehandedcook #onehanded #easyrecipes #doubledutyrecipes #seasonalcooking #bionicers #bionicfoodie #bionicwoman #bionicmom
Panzanella, aka bread salad. Typically you use torn bread and mix it in with whatever veggies you’d like! Toss with a deliicous dressing and it is a hardier comforting salad, perfect for fall. Here I used grilled peaches, homegrown tomatoes, basil, and pine nuts with a sweet and tangy dressing, kind of like a tangier oily balsamic dressing.
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#tomatoes #panzanella #homegrown #grilledpeaches #gardeningtips #makelifedelicious #myrecipes #verysmartideas #homemade #homecooking #homecook #cookwithme #bioniccook #cookingmama #onehandedcook #onehanded #easyrecipes #doubledutyrecipes #seasonalcooking #bionicers #bionicfoodie #bionicwoman #bionicmom
Caprese Salad with homegrown tomatoes, homemade cashew burrata cheese, and fresh picked basil from the garden! Does it get any better than this? Just another tomato recipe to use up all the tomatoes you have from this summer’s crop. Find the recipe on www.verysmartideas.com!
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#tomatoes #caprese #homegrown #homemade #fresh #veganburrata #vegancheese #gardeningtips #makelifedelicious #myrecipes #verysmartideas #homemade #homecooking #homecook #cookwithme #bioniccook #cookingmama #onehandedcook #onehanded #easyrecipes #doubledutyrecipes #seasonalcooking #bionicers #bionicfoodie #bionicwoman #bionicmom
Caprese Salad with homegrown tomatoes, homemade cashew burrata cheese, and fresh picked basil from the garden! Does it get any better than this? Just another tomato recipe to use up all the tomatoes you have from this summer’s crop. Find the recipe on www.verysmartideas.com!
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#tomatoes #caprese #homegrown #homemade #fresh #veganburrata #vegancheese #gardeningtips #makelifedelicious #myrecipes #verysmartideas #homemade #homecooking #homecook #cookwithme #bioniccook #cookingmama #onehandedcook #onehanded #easyrecipes #doubledutyrecipes #seasonalcooking #bionicers #bionicfoodie #bionicwoman #bionicmom
When I look at the food I’m able to grow and share with my friends and family, I’m over come with gratitude, and reminded of how blessed i am every day❤️
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#kitchentips #kitchentipsandtricks #verysmartideas #TheHomeGarden #GardenLife #InMyGarden #HomeGarden #Homegrown #GardenToTable #KitchenAndGarden #BackyardGarden #EdibleGarden #blessed #blessings #TheHappyGardenLife #ChicagoGarden #organicgardening #gardeningtips
When I look at the food I’m able to grow and share with my friends and family, I’m over come with gratitude, and reminded of how blessed i am every day❤️
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#kitchentips #kitchentipsandtricks #verysmartideas #TheHomeGarden #GardenLife #InMyGarden #HomeGarden #Homegrown #GardenToTable #KitchenAndGarden #BackyardGarden #EdibleGarden #blessed #blessings #TheHappyGardenLife #ChicagoGarden #organicgardening #gardeningtips
Zucchini’s are overflowing in my garden, here are some of my favorite ways to use them! Find the recipes is a very smartideas.com/zucchini
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#verysmartideas #gardeningtips #easyrecipes #reels #zucchinirecipes #zucchini #gardentotable #vegetablesgarden
Zucchini’s are overflowing in my garden, here are some of my favorite ways to use them! Find the recipes is a very smartideas.com/zucchini
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#verysmartideas #gardeningtips #easyrecipes #reels #zucchinirecipes #zucchini #gardentotable #vegetablesgarden
Gardening season in Chicago is sadly coming to an end, which means it is time to focus on tasks that will create a successful garden for next year, like cleaning my garden tools!
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#verysmartideas #gardentips #gardeningtips #cleanyourtools #summercleanup #fallbeginning #gardencloseout #summerisalmostover #cleaningtips #cleaning #reels
Gardening season in Chicago is sadly coming to an end, which means it is time to focus on tasks that will create a successful garden for next year, like cleaning my garden tools!
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#verysmartideas #gardentips #gardeningtips #cleanyourtools #summercleanup #fallbeginning #gardencloseout #summerisalmostover #cleaningtips #cleaning #reels
REbloom your Orchid! 🌸 part four 🖖🏼!
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#verysmartideas #reels #homedecorideas #gardeningtips #orchidflower #orchids #orchidtips #howtocarefororchids #tipsandtricks
REbloom your Orchid! 🌸 part four 🖖🏼!
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#verysmartideas #reels #homedecorideas #gardeningtips #orchidflower #orchids #orchidtips #howtocarefororchids #tipsandtricks
Great money saving gardening tip for your fall planters!
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#kitchentips #kitchentipsandtricks #verysmartideas #TheHomeGarden #GardenLife #InMyGarden #gardeningtips #HomeGarden #Homegrown #GardenToTable #GardenLove #KitchenAndGarden #BackyardGarden #EdibleGarden #MyGarden #TheHappyGardenLife #ChicagoGarden #organicgardening #gardeningtips #fall #fallplanting #fallplanters
Great money saving gardening tip for your fall planters!
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#kitchentips #kitchentipsandtricks #verysmartideas #TheHomeGarden #GardenLife #InMyGarden #gardeningtips #HomeGarden #Homegrown #GardenToTable #GardenLove #KitchenAndGarden #BackyardGarden #EdibleGarden #MyGarden #TheHappyGardenLife #ChicagoGarden #organicgardening #gardeningtips #fall #fallplanting #fallplanters