How To Grow Your Own Green Onions

You heard me! Check out these little beauties on my windowsill. If you're still buying green onions at the store, you're doing it wrong...Here's how to grow your own green onions. These are one bunch of green onions I bought at the store so long ago I can't even remember when. That sounds kind of gross, but I assure the stalks themselves are not that old. Here's step-by-step instructions on how to never spend money on green onions again.

Regenerating Green Onions

• 1 or 2 bunches of green onions
• 1 jar or vase (see-through is best)
• scissors or knife
• water
• sunlight
• recipes that use green onions

Place the green onions in a jar or vase and fill with water until slightly above the bulb part. Place on a windowsill or somewhere the'll have plenty of sunlight. It's best if they can rest against something for when they get tall and like to flop over. The green onions will continue to grow in height, grow new stalks, grow roots, some stalks will fall over and some of the older stalks will die. This is all part of the process. When a stalks are needed for a recipe, simply snip each stalk off at the base. Try to use the stalks that have fallen over or that have a bit of yellow at the tip. Stalks that have got withered or completely yellow can be cut off at the base.

Replenish the water when it gets low. It's best to empty out the water, rinse the bulbs and then fill with completely new water every few days. The water the bulbs sit in will smell like an onion and that's okay, but it shouldn't smell like compost. If it smells really funky, the bulbs haven't been replenished with new water frequently enough and they need to be rinsed and the jar cleaned thoroughly.

The green onions will continue to grow and should last indefinitely. Be careful not to place them in a tapered jar or a jar whose body is larger than it's opening (think large jam jar or something) because the onions will grow a tremendous about of roots after awhile and they will be stuck! When there is a large enough mass of roots they can even be planted!

I adore the little blossoms on top! Now, if I was trying to get an actual bulb for eating  from these onions, the blossoms would be a sign that they had bolted and didn't reach their full growth. However, since I'm not trying to grow any bulbs I just let them flourish. I think they're pretty darling. Don't let all of them blossom though because over time, they will harden stiff and won't be really edible any longer.

Have you ever grown green onions or other fruits or vegetable plants indoors? Do you have any secrets on how to keep produce regenerating? We'd love to hear your input!

A Modest Vegetable Soup

Ah, modesty. As a mammographer, I find modesty a very intriguing thing. If you've ever had a mammogram you know what I mean. Most times I feel like I'm an exceedingly simple, and modest person. My personality is less than flashy, I abhor attention, my wardrobe is comprised of exceptionally neutral colors (okay...I dress in grey/brown/black monochromes, and at one time it truly was the center of an intervention by my friends in high school). In addition, I certainly ain't showin' the general public any part of  my humps, my humps, my lovely lady lumps. Don't check it out! My college dorm mate was obsessed with this song. Yet, in a sense I feel like sometimes I am completely lacking in modesty. Reason being...I would join a nudist camp in a heartbeat. It would probably be a pretty unpopular idea here in Alaska, and thus, I don't expect this to be a reality anytime soon. It's something profoundly organic and pure,  being naked. Not the vulgar kind, mind you, get your head out of the gutter. Think tasteful nude art, or you know just going-about-their-business everyday rural Africans. True nudity...exclusive of vulgarity is fine by me. Nudity in essence is not vulgar, unless if perhaps in an inappropriate place, etc, etc. I know. Okay, that's enough with the nudity. I'm in the medical profession, I think we're dulled to it.

My point is (before I got off track) that like myself, this Modest Vegetable Soup is a contradiction. Yes, this soup is simple and yes it is modest. However, at the same time it is also brimming with flavor, powerfully pure and fresh. And simple.

A Modest Vegetable Soup

Inspired by Scandi-Home

Serves 3

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 2 large vine tomatoes, diced
• 1 (14.5 oz) can of chickpeas
• 1 bunch of collard greens, chopped (feel free to substitute with kale, swiss chard, etc.)
• 32 oz vegetable stock
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

[gallery type="rectangular" ids="250,251,248"]

In a large soup pot heat olive oil. Add diced onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Next, add cumin, coriander and paprika and stir about. Dice up the tomatoes and add to pot as well. Open up the can of chickpeas, strain and rinse well, then add to the pot along with the chopped collard greens. Any leafy green will do, so use what's on hand. I choose collard greens because I like the nice chew they lend but if you prefer a softer bite, use spinach. Add the vegetable stock to the party. Bring this fine  brew to a boil, then turn down to low and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered. When finished simmering, (why so angry, soup?) add salt and pepper.

Bob stares at me like this, pretty much the entire time I'm cooking. Just lurking, you know?

Anyways, divide soup into three bowls and serve hot. Feel free to pretend you're a peasant or something. It's kind of a peasantish soup and I don't know, it's something I would have done as a kid. I had a great time playing pretend. Or pretend you're in a nudist camp. Just make sure to draw the curtains first.

For fun, this is my old-ass bottle of coriander. Don't worry, I've been refilling it! It' s just fun. Keep those old spice bottles, wash them carefully and refill them. Recycled and vintage, hurray! Bonus points if it was Grandma's.

Soba Noodles and Kale with Avocado Miso Sauce

Most days of my Alaskan life I am craving something in the category of Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Lao, etc, etc, etc. Why? I don't have an answer besides the fact that these cultures make amazingly delicious dishes. Enter: Soba Noodles and Kale with Avocado Miso Sauce.

A compromise of all those great flavors, this dish also whispers, "I'm comfort food. Eat me!" It's lying of course. No one will believe that it is typical "comfort food." Let's be honest...it's healthy food try to masquerade as comfort food. And it's doing a good job. This dish is creamy, salty, and buttery.

Perhaps the best part of all though? It's super fast and incredibly easy to whip up. Oh and, P.S. check out the links in the ingredient list to learn what science says about it!

Soba Noodles and Kale with Avocado Miso Sauce

Inspired by A House in the Hills

Serves 4 foodies

• 12 oz. soba noodles
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 garlic clove (or 2 if you really like a garlicky bite...like myself)
• 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1/4 cup red miso (or white or yellow)
• juice from half a lime
• 1 cup water (varying to personal taste)
• 1 bunch of kale
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 green onion stalks, sliced thinly
• sesame seeds for garnish

[gallery type="rectangular" ids="238,236,235"]

Put a large pot of water on to boil and add a sprinkle of salt. In the meantime, gather the avocado, garlic, coconut oil, miso, lime juice and water. More or less water can be used depending on the desired thickness of the sauce. Place all those little friends into a blender and give 'em a good whirl about, until the sauce is smooth, silky and creamy. Now, ignore that beautiful sauce for a just a few minutes.

The water might be boiling now, but wait to put in the noodles. Soba noodles don't need very long to boil and they can turn belligerent and all mushy pretty quickly if overcooked.

Turning now to the beautiful kale, rip off the leaves around the stalk, nobody ever wants the stalk part. Poor stalk. Tear the leaves into small bits and place them into a strainer or even better yet, a salad spinner. Wash, dry and set aside. Next, chop (or tear if you're lazy like me) the cilantro and cut the green onions.

Okay, now's a good time boil up those soba noodles. They only need about 5-7 minutes, so don't overdo it! Mushy soba noodles are the pits, so check on them after 5 minutes. Once they are boiled to perfection, drain and rinse them with cold water. Remember that pretty green sauce? Combine it with the noodles and the kale. Take off any finger and/or wrist jewelry and really get in there with your hands to mix it up (make sure to wash up good first though!) Don't be scared, your hands are the best kitchen utensils you have. It's a little known fact.

Separate noodle mixture into four bowls. Sprinkle each bowl with it's one quarter of the cilantro and green onions (don't be greedy!) and give each dish a pinch of sesame seeds. Want to be all Mr. Fancy Pants? Top it off with a drizzle of sesame seed oil.

Yum.