The First Bounty From my Garden!

They're here - fresh veggies from my garden! After a week of rain, and somewhat warm temperatures (I'm in Ontario's 'banana belt' remember), my garden is overflowing with spinach and radishes ready to eat!

I've had fresh spinach salad everyday this week, and I brought it along to a pot luck last night also. There is something incredibly.. wholesome about going out to the garden to pick your dinner. I especially like that after quickly brushing and rinsing the remaining soil off, they're ready to eat!

My salads are usually the result of randomly selecting from the veggies, fruits, cheeses in my fridge and seeds and nuts in my pantry. For spinach in particular, try some of the following combinations.

• Strawberries, toasted almonds, mushrooms, and goat cheese with Kraft Olive Oil Fig Balsamic dressing
• Dried cranberries, blue cheese, sunflower seeds and grilled, strips of steak with Renee's Asian Sesame or Japanese Ginger dressing
• Carrots, tomatoes, ham and sliced, hard-boiled eggs with Thousand Island Dressing

I grew up eating radishes in summer. I planted them this year, because my mom always planted them in her garden. They are easy to grow, and you get a huge crop from only a small package of seed. They are a summer staple on my parents' lunch table, even if they are only ate raw with a light sprinkle of salt.

Now, as I pull basket after basket from the ground, I'm challenged to find uses for radishes in my cooking. I was surprised to find they hold up well in stir-fry. I tossed a few slices in a thai-style stir fry near the end to add a bit of kick, and they still maintained their crunchiness. Most recipes I've found, are for salads, however.

Do you have any recipes or uses for radishes? What about other summer veggies?