--- title: Our Mother Nature description: Celebrating our mother nature; recipe ideas of what to cook this week with produce from your local farms, farmers' markets, CSA and gardens. image: https://blog.botanicalkitchen.com/hubfs/Green%20Spark%20Pesto.jpg --- [![Botanical Kitchen](https://blog.botanicalkitchen.com/hubfs/Botanical-Main-logo.png)](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/) - [RECIPES](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/recipe_category/) - [MEMBERSHIPS](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/about-botanical-kitchen-membership/) - [Chef’s Table](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/patch-to-plate-weekly-menus/) - [Whole Plant Life](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/whole-plant-life/) - [About Memberships](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/about-botanical-kitchen-membership/) - [Free Trial Chefs Table](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/register/patch-to-plate/) - [Free Trial Plant Life](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/register/whole-plant-life/) - [GIft Chef's Table](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/register/gift-patch-to-plate/) - [Gift Whole Plant Life](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/register/gift-whole-plant-life/) - [Membership FAQs](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/membership-faqs/) - PROGRAMS - [ABOUT 14 DAY RESET](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/14-day-reset-program-about/) - [Register Chef Table](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/chefs-table-14-day-food-as-medicine-reset-register/) - [Register Plant Life](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/whole-plant-life-14-day-food-as-medicine-reset-register/) - [Start Reset](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/14-day-reset-program-start/) - [1:1 Private Consultations](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/functional-nutrition-consultation/) - [ABOUT](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/about-company/) - [Botanical Kitchen](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/about-company/) - [Karina Hines](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/about-karina-hines/) - [Kitchen Journal Blog](https://blog.botanicalkitchen.com/) - [Project Portfolio](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/project-portfolio/) - [CLASSES + EVENTS](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/media-events/) - [SHOP](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/shop-supplements-and-herbals/) - [Supplements](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/shop-supplements-and-herbals/) - [Natural Body & Beauty](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/shop-body-and-beauty/) - CONTACT - [Contact us](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/contact/) - [Media Kit](https://info.botanicalkitchen.com/mediakit-0) - [References](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/bibliography/) - [Login](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/login) ![basket of veg photo finish](https://blog.botanicalkitchen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/basket%20of%20veg%20photo%20finish.jpg?width=2000&height=1333&name=basket%20of%20veg%20photo%20finish.jpg "basket of veg photo finish") # BOTANICAL KITCHEN BLOG RECIPES + SHOPPING LIST + PREP LIST - Print ## BOTANICAL KITCHEN BLOG # Our Mother Nature Authored by: Karina Hines ![](https://blog.botanicalkitchen.com/hubfs/Green%20Spark%20Pesto.jpg)   Celebrating our mother nature; recipe ideas of what to cook this week with produce from your local farms, farmers' markets, CSA and gardens. We all have different mothers, and there are many different ways to mother and be mothered ~ mother nature is our shared great mother; she nourishes and nurtures us every day of our lives if we let her.  As we celebrate all those people in our lives that are mother figures to us, let us not forget our great mother and all the gifts she grants us every day as we live our lives in the crazy and beautiful world. ## For a true taste of nature, this week try Green Spark Pesto made with Hakurei turnip greens. This recipe was inspired after a weekly Saturday morning pilgrimage to [Portland Farmers Market](https://www.portlandmainefarmersmarket.org/), followed by an always inspiring conversation with [Austin](https://greensparkfarm.com/about-the-farmers/), the farmer at [Green Spark Farm](https://greensparkfarm.com/).  We were talking turnips…hakurei or salad turnips, to be precise. He got me thinking about turnip greens and how most of us do not realise we can eat them… how we throw away what is “Austin’s favourite salad green”….some serious food for thought right there, especially coming from this farmer who grows the best of the best! Green Spark Pesto is a blend of hakurei turnip greens, peas, parsley and pumpkin seeds; it is oil-free because you do not need it… add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice + a sprinkle of salt or dulse, and you have a vibrant pesto with a whole lot of spark ~ thank you Austin, you rock! w*ishing you vibrant health~* *Chef Karina Hines.* OUR FOOD AS MEDICINE RECIPES - ## [![Steamed Sweet Potato Salad & Pesto](https://blog.botanicalkitchen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Steamed%20Sweet%20Potato%20Salad%20%26%20Pesto.jpg?width=1080&height=810&name=Steamed%20Sweet%20Potato%20Salad%20%26%20Pesto.jpg) Steamed Sweet Potato Salad with Pesto](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/recipes/steamed-sweet-potato-salad-with-pesto/) - ## [![Green Spark Pesto](https://blog.botanicalkitchen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Green%20Spark%20Pesto.jpg?width=1080&height=810&name=Green%20Spark%20Pesto.jpg) Green Spark Pesto](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/recipes/green-spark-pesto/) - ## [![Hakurei Turnip Salad with Almonds](https://blog.botanicalkitchen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Hakurei%20Turnip%20Salad%20with%20Almonds.jpg?width=1080&height=810&name=Hakurei%20Turnip%20Salad%20with%20Almonds.jpg) Hakurei Turnip Salad](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/recipes/hakurei-turnip-salad/) - ## [![Botanical Blueberry & Seed Bowl](https://blog.botanicalkitchen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Botanical%20Blueberry%20%26%20Seed%20Bowl.jpg?width=810&height=1080&name=Botanical%20Blueberry%20%26%20Seed%20Bowl.jpg) Botanical Blueberry Bowls w/ Forsythia](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/recipes/botanical-blueberry-seed-bowls/) - ## [![Blueberry Rhubarb Oat Cake](https://blog.botanicalkitchen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blueberry%20Rhubarb%20Oat%20Cake.jpeg?width=810&height=1080&name=Blueberry%20Rhubarb%20Oat%20Cake.jpeg) Rhubarb Blueberry Oat & Almond Cake](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/recipes/rhubarb-blueberry-oat-almond-cake/) - ## [![Rhubarb Orange and zest](https://blog.botanicalkitchen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Rhubarb%20Orange%20and%20zest.jpg?width=1080&height=1079&name=Rhubarb%20Orange%20and%20zest.jpg) Orange Maple Roasted Rhubarb](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/recipes/orange-maple-roasted-rhubarb/) SHOPPING LIST AT A GLANCE OUR RECIPES USE SIMILAR INGREDIENTS EACH WEEK TO HELP YOU BUILD A WORKING PANTRY ingredient focus: affordable + sensible + seasonal + sustainable Review each Recipe for Serving Ideas | Swaps & Substitutions + Additions.  Choose what you like! Please support your local farms ~ because nutrition begins in the soil with strength from our farmers. ### FRUIT & VEG HERBS - Orange - Lemon - Rhubarb - Banana - Apples -   - Garlic - Sweet Potato - Snow Peas - Asparagus - Hakurei Turnips - Spinach - Arugula - Salad Greens - Scallion -   - HERBS - Parsley - Mint - Chives ### NUTS & SEEDS & DRIED FRUITS - Almonds - Pumpkin Seeds - Sunflower Seeds - Flaxseed - Chia Seeds - Gogi | Dried Fruit ### SPICES + OILS + VINEGAR - Vinegar - Dulse - Sea Salt - Pepper ### PANTRY - Rice Flour - Almond Flour - Sugar - Oats | Flour - Baking Powder - Vanilla - Maple Syrup -   ### FRIDGE | FREEZER - Frozen blueberries - Frozen peas -   - Eggs - Yoghurt PREP AHEAD OPTIONS Rhubarb Blueberry Oat Cake Roasted Rhubarb Hakurei Turnip Salad - add almonds when serving Green Spark Pesto Wash & prep vegetables & herbs Karina's tips + Food for thought Dare to taste the season with these farmer's market dishes of unfussy elegance and fresh, clean flavours combined to let the vegetables’ true nature shine. Buy locally grown for the best in-season produce with real flavour + “nutritional bang for your bite”. - Print ![root-vegetable_cta_banner-scaled](https://blog.botanicalkitchen.com/hubfs/root-vegetable_cta_banner-scaled.jpg "root-vegetable_cta_banner-scaled") weekly news ![](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/heart-1.png)letter join patch to PLATE membership [![June 1st 2021](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4492132/bfea87df-b3f1-48c3-9757-21315d42e57a.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4492132/bfea87df-b3f1-48c3-9757-21315d42e57a) ![BK logo in white](https://blog.botanicalkitchen.com/hubfs/BK%20logo%20in%20white.png "BK logo in white") ### Food is a Powerful Tool in Healthcare Receive our Food as Medicine Newsletter. ### Pages - [Home](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/) - [About Us](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/about-company/) - [Membership Plans](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/about-botanical-kitchen-membership/) - [Recipes](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/recipe_category/) - [Media & Events](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/media-events/) - [Contact Us](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/contact/) - [Blog](https://blog.botanicalkitchen.com/) - [Membership FAQs](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/membership-faqs/) - [References](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/bibliography/) ### Legal - [Terms](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/terms-and-conditions/) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/privacy-policy/) ### Follow Us [![](https://www.botanicalkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/substrack-white-icon.png)](https://substack.com/@karinahinesbotanicalkitchen) Copyright © 2026. Botanical Kitchen. \*The information on this website is for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease or been evaluated by the FDA.