- So the menu for today is going to be roasted vegetables,
- So the menu for today is going to be roasted vegetables,

a salad and a green soup
a salad and a green soup

and some fried bananas.
and some fried bananas.

My name is Manju Kumar.
My name is Manju Kumar.

I am the president of Brush with Bamboo.
I am the president of Brush with Bamboo.

I'm also the farm manager at Sarvodaya Farms and Nursery.
I'm also the farm manager at Sarvodaya Farms and Nursery.

I love that I learn how to garden.
I love that I learn how to garden.

This is what I teach.
This is what I teach.

I'm very passionate about it.
I'm very passionate about it.

I am so thankful that I have all this abundance
I am so thankful that I have all this abundance

around me during these stressful times,
around me during these stressful times,

and I'm so thankful that I can grow food.
and I'm so thankful that I can grow food.

My focus has been to grow as many foods as possible
My focus has been to grow as many foods as possible

that are easy to store
that are easy to store

and give me a long shelf life.
and give me a long shelf life.

Check out these beautiful lettuces
Check out these beautiful lettuces

that have sprung up all over
that have sprung up all over

just from seeds that fell on the ground,
just from seeds that fell on the ground,

and I'm gonna be harvesting them for our salad.
and I'm gonna be harvesting them for our salad.

This is my arugula that's blossoming.
This is my arugula that's blossoming.

I am going to pick up these young, tender shoots.
I am going to pick up these young, tender shoots.

This is bok choy,
This is bok choy,

and I can just snap off these tender parts.
and I can just snap off these tender parts.

I love growing spinach,
I love growing spinach,

and let's go harvest some.
and let's go harvest some.

You can grow one spinach plant
You can grow one spinach plant

and then just keep harvesting the leaves.
and then just keep harvesting the leaves.

No need to pull out the plant.
No need to pull out the plant.

It'll keep giving you spinach
It'll keep giving you spinach

throughout the winter season.
throughout the winter season.

The garden is also filled
The garden is also filled

with California native weeds that are edible.
with California native weeds that are edible.

Today, I'm gonna be picking up the chickweed,
Today, I'm gonna be picking up the chickweed,

and I'll clean this up.
and I'll clean this up.

We're gonna go get some flowers.
We're gonna go get some flowers.

I'm picking up radish blossoms.
I'm picking up radish blossoms.

These are gonna give me a little bit
These are gonna give me a little bit

of a pungent, like a spicy flavor.
of a pungent, like a spicy flavor.

Flowers are also beautiful in a salad,
Flowers are also beautiful in a salad,

good for just overall skin health.
good for just overall skin health.

I think I will add this
I think I will add this

to my dressing.
to my dressing.

Peas, of course, are so tasty,
Peas, of course, are so tasty,

but so are these tender tips.
but so are these tender tips.

I really enjoy them raw in a salad,
I really enjoy them raw in a salad,

or I can do a stir fry.
or I can do a stir fry.

So yum.
So yum.

Pumpkins have a pretty good shelf life
Pumpkins have a pretty good shelf life

and can last you up to six to eight months.
and can last you up to six to eight months.

This was one plant that produced over 60 pumpkins.
This was one plant that produced over 60 pumpkins.

So I'm gonna harvest some Egyptian onions.
So I'm gonna harvest some Egyptian onions.

These are perennial onions,
These are perennial onions,

a stronger flavor than a normal onion.
a stronger flavor than a normal onion.

And next, we're gonna get some garlic.
And next, we're gonna get some garlic.

Fresh garlic.
Fresh garlic.

This mallow right here
This mallow right here

is a great green to eat,
is a great green to eat,

and I'll be putting this in my soup.
and I'll be putting this in my soup.

So if you ever get a chance to take a class
So if you ever get a chance to take a class

where you can identify weeds that you can eat,
where you can identify weeds that you can eat,

it's a great bonus when you go out foraging.
it's a great bonus when you go out foraging.

I'm gonna be attempting to harvest nettles barehanded.
I'm gonna be attempting to harvest nettles barehanded.

Watch me.
Watch me.

So if you can grab it by the roots,
So if you can grab it by the roots,

there are no thorns by the roots.
there are no thorns by the roots.

I'm also going to harvest some cilantro.
I'm also going to harvest some cilantro.

Amazing.
Amazing.

Off to the kitchen now.
Off to the kitchen now.

I kind of displayed on this table
I kind of displayed on this table

some of the things that I harvested,
some of the things that I harvested,

and I thought that I could eat all of it
and I thought that I could eat all of it

in one day, but I just wanted to share with you
in one day, but I just wanted to share with you

all the abundance that there is.
all the abundance that there is.

But that's basically the potential of food
But that's basically the potential of food

that you can grow.
that you can grow.

(playful music)
(playful music)

So my salad today is going to be chicory, arugula,
So my salad today is going to be chicory, arugula,

chickweed, and I'm going to toss in a little bit of mint.
chickweed, and I'm going to toss in a little bit of mint.

So we're gonna toss it together
So we're gonna toss it together

and then garnish it with some flowers.
and then garnish it with some flowers.

We're gonna make a little very, very simple dressing.
We're gonna make a little very, very simple dressing.

A little bit of olive oil,
A little bit of olive oil,

some lemon juice.
some lemon juice.

Throw in some cilantro,
Throw in some cilantro,

some mint, salt, some pepper.
some mint, salt, some pepper.

Mm, perfect.
Mm, perfect.

Check it out,
Check it out,

my beautiful salad.
my beautiful salad.

The salad is all done.
The salad is all done.

Now we're gonna work on the roasted vegetables.
Now we're gonna work on the roasted vegetables.

We've got pumpkin and turnips
We've got pumpkin and turnips

and sweet potatoes and broccoli and asparagus.
and sweet potatoes and broccoli and asparagus.

So here we go.
So here we go.

I'm gonna cut this pumpkin
I'm gonna cut this pumpkin

and put it to bake.
and put it to bake.

I'm gonna hollow out this pumpkin
I'm gonna hollow out this pumpkin

and use the seeds for roasting.
and use the seeds for roasting.

Next, I'm going to rub the coconut oil
Next, I'm going to rub the coconut oil

all over the surface.
all over the surface.

I've got my oven set at 350.
I've got my oven set at 350.

I'm going to place these face down,
I'm going to place these face down,

so they retain their moisture.
so they retain their moisture.

(soft guitar music)
(soft guitar music)

I'm ready to roast my veggies
I'm ready to roast my veggies

in some olive oil.
in some olive oil.

All right, it's time
All right, it's time

to put these roasted vegetables to roast.
to put these roasted vegetables to roast.

Roasted vegetables are done
Roasted vegetables are done

and ready to get plated up.
and ready to get plated up.

Look at how beautiful they are.
Look at how beautiful they are.

So here are all the ingredients for my soup.
So here are all the ingredients for my soup.

I've got my chopped garlic,
I've got my chopped garlic,

my chopped onions.
my chopped onions.

I have a little bit of mint.
I have a little bit of mint.

I have some bok choy.
I have some bok choy.

I have some mallow.
I have some mallow.

I have some fresh peas.
I have some fresh peas.

I have chrysanthemum greens,
I have chrysanthemum greens,

also some spinach and a whole bunch of nettles.
also some spinach and a whole bunch of nettles.

This is going to be a super duper green healthy soup.
This is going to be a super duper green healthy soup.

It's gonna be awesome.
It's gonna be awesome.

I'm gonna start off
I'm gonna start off

with a little bit of avo oil,
with a little bit of avo oil,

and I'm going to drop the onion and the garlic.
and I'm going to drop the onion and the garlic.

Some fresh pepper.
Some fresh pepper.

Some salt and give it a stir.
Some salt and give it a stir.

And now we're gonna throw everything in.
And now we're gonna throw everything in.

All going in there, baby.
All going in there, baby.

Gonna cover it.
Gonna cover it.

I'm making some green broth
I'm making some green broth

for my green soup,
for my green soup,

and I'll be adding all of my leftover veggies,
and I'll be adding all of my leftover veggies,

onion roots,
onion roots,

garlic roots.
garlic roots.

It's all gonna go in my broth.
It's all gonna go in my broth.

And now, we're going to blend it in.
And now, we're going to blend it in.

All right, so it's all finished.
All right, so it's all finished.

Check it out.
Check it out.

And of course, we can't forget dessert.
And of course, we can't forget dessert.

So these are homegrown bananas.
So these are homegrown bananas.

I'm just gonna do a very simple dessert with them.
I'm just gonna do a very simple dessert with them.

I'm gonna peal them.
I'm gonna peal them.

Coconut oil is, of course, not something
Coconut oil is, of course, not something

that I can grow.
that I can grow.

There are a few exceptions.
There are a few exceptions.

I cannot do salt.
I cannot do salt.

Can't do pepper.
Can't do pepper.

Can't do oils.
Can't do oils.

We do need some basics.
We do need some basics.

All right, so the bananas are in the pan.
All right, so the bananas are in the pan.

And I'm going to fry them up
And I'm going to fry them up

with a little bit of salt.
with a little bit of salt.

I want them to get a little golden.
I want them to get a little golden.

I'm going to plate them up
I'm going to plate them up

with a little bit of cinnamon, freshly ground.
with a little bit of cinnamon, freshly ground.

So there's my dessert.
So there's my dessert.

All homegrown.
All homegrown.

(playful accordion music)
(playful accordion music)

So check out my beautiful plate.
So check out my beautiful plate.

And now it's time to enjoy my bounty.
And now it's time to enjoy my bounty.

Mm, homegrown goodness.
Mm, homegrown goodness.

It's very, very satisfying
It's very, very satisfying

to know that you grew the food
to know that you grew the food

and of course you get to enjoy it with your family.
and of course you get to enjoy it with your family.

Wow.
Wow.

My mouth is really happy.
My mouth is really happy.