Keeping up with weeds in the gardens and flower beds is a never-ending job. When I think I’m getting caught up in one area, I look around and realize I’ve fallen behind somewhere else. My hands and nails are stained from pulling weeds and my arms and legs are itchy with bug bites and scratches. Yet when I look back at where I’ve been and the garden looks so neat, I’m happy and feel a sense of accomplishment.

I pulled up the remaining onions and English peas. I also cleared out the lettuce beds that were full of weeds, grasshoppers and the now-bitter greens to make room for eggplant and peppers. I made a stir fry with the peas and a few of the onions – and of course – squash makes its return in this dish too.

Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry
1 lb. beef arm roast, cubed
4 cups squash, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
4 cups cauliflower, chopped
1 cup red and green bell peppers, chopped
2 cups English peas, divided
1 cup beef broth or stock
8 cups cooked rice
2 eggs

Marinade:
1⁄2 cup soy sauce
1⁄4 cup teriyaki sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
6 tsp. garlic, minced
1/3 cup onion, minced

Prepare the marinade and combine with the cubed beef in a sealable bag. Place in a bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Flip the bag over a few times to make sure the marinade is coating the meat.

When ready to cook dinner, drain the meat and reserve the marinade. In a small pot, bring the reserved marinade and 1 cup beef broth to a boil and continue to cook until it is reduced by half. Prepare rice and add half the fresh English peas and the eggs to the rice after removing from heat. Stir well and place the lid on top. The eggs will cook and the peas will heat by dinner time.

In a wok or large pan, cook the beef on high heat until done. Remove with a slotted spoon and cook the vegetables in the pan juices. Do not over-cook. They should still have some crunch. Return the beef, pour the marinade sauce over all and stir.

Serve the beef and vegetable mixture over rice. The recipe makes 8-10 servings. Each serving contains about 750 calories and 12 grams of fat. After dinner, the leftovers can be packaged in containers to be taken for lunches during the week.

Now that the days are warming up, yellow squash is growing very well in my garden. Based on other vendor booths at the farmers’ markets, I’d say it is growing well for them too. Most individuals who planted squash in the home garden find that it produces more than they can consume. That’s good because friends and neighbors usually benefit as well. A friend told me that Texas is the only place she’s had someone break into her vehicle and leave something instead of taking something. They left squash.

Squash is great picked young, chopped and eaten raw in a garden salad. It is certainly good boiled in salted water and then served with a small amount of real butter. I like to lightly toss it with other vegetables in olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme or rosemary and then oven-roast it. Try it on the grill when grilling hamburgers and serve it as a side instead of French fries. Mmmm, now I’m getting hungry for a veggie panini sandwich.

Before I get too carried away with all the ways to use squash, my favorite recipe, one that freezes well too, is squash casserole. The recipe is similar to one served at The Black-eyed Pea, but of course I’ve modified it a little. I’ve reduced the sugar and added freshly chopped thyme. The recipe serves 6, and each serving has 146 calories and 5 grams of fat. Served with a lean meat and side salad dressed with lemon juice, it is a great healthy meal.

Squash Casserole
2 lbs. yellow squash
1 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 cup bread crumbs, divided
1 Tbsp. sugar
1⁄2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 Tbsp. dehydrated onion
2 ea. eggs
1 pinch pepper

Wash and cut squash into 2” cubes and cook in lightly salted boiling water until done. Drain well, mash and continue to drain for about 10 minutes.

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients except for half of the bread crumbs. Place mixture in a lightly greased 2-quart casserole dish. Top with the remaining bread crumbs.

Bake covered in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for about 10 minutes more or until the crumbs on top are lightly browned.

Using dehydrated onions is important as they help absorb liquid. If using fresh onions, make sure the squash has drained really well or else the casserole won’t set – I’m sure it will still taste good.

Next week I’ll share a pickled squash recipe. There are just too many recipes for squash to fit them all in this article.

I am a pasta lover. In my 30s, I ran 36 miles a week and practiced karate 3 times a week. I could eat anything I wanted. Now, 20 years later, I don’t run – unless I’m being chased – and I try to remember to practice Yoga. I have to watch what I eat, but I still crave pasta. I get my carb-fix with whole wheat pasta cooked in a beefy tomato sauce.

Whole Wheat Pasta in Beefy Tomato Sauce
1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 cup baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups chicken broth
1 12-oz can tomato paste
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1 12-oz box wheat spaghetti
1⁄2 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh herbs for garnish

Cook meat and onions in a large pot until the meat is brown and the onions are tender. I added a little salt and pepper during that process. Then add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, tomato paste and dried herbs.

Break the spaghetti noodles into approximately 2-inch pieces. (Most Italians would frown on that step, but it helps incorporate the pasta into the dish. It also makes the meal kid-friendly.)

Add broken pasta to the pot and stir. Bring contents to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally and add a little water if necessary.

I served with mixed garden greens dressed lightly with lemon juice. Then I sprinkled chopped fresh parsley, chives and basil and about 1/8 cup of parmesan over all.

Only one pot needed washing after the making of that meal, so clean-up was quick. The recipe served 8, and each serving had 365 calories and 13 grams of fat.