Well it finally feels like spring around here and we couldn't be happier. Some of my favorite times here at the Lavender Apple are during the spring. Here is what we have been up to on instagram lately. What about you? Are you in the full swing of spring yet? 

#TBT to a cafe in Kraków Poland. #throwbackthursday #tbt #cafe #poland #coffee #espresso #waiting

A photo posted by Lavender Apple (@the.lavender.apple) on Mar 19, 2015 at 6:38am PDT

Brewing up some lavender magic! #lavender #lemonade #lavenderlemonade #essentialoils #plantpower #vegan #organic #farm #savethebees #brewing

A photo posted by Lavender Apple (@the.lavender.apple) on Mar 20, 2015 at 4:58am PDT

Our lavender drying cottage smells like heaven. #plantpower #lavender #french #savethebees #herbs #essentialoils #farm #cottage #organic #shopsmall

A photo posted by Lavender Apple (@the.lavender.apple) on Mar 23, 2015 at 7:50am PDT

This is Stew (lamb stew) and the other one is Bob (shish kabob). (Blame Peggy's wicked sense of humor.) It's a blessing being able to care for the animals you eat and know they had a lovely life. #freerange #cagefree #lamb #easter #farm #cycleoflife #farmlife #sheep #hormonefree #organic #lavenderapple

A photo posted by Lavender Apple (@the.lavender.apple) on Mar 27, 2015 at 6:32am PDT

Hard at work even before the sun pops it's head over our little mountain. #farmlife #sunrise #lavender #lavenderfarm #flowers #plantpower #essentialoils #savethebees #hardwork #beautiful

A photo posted by Lavender Apple (@the.lavender.apple) on Mar 30, 2015 at 5:31am PDT

There are so many wonderful things I have to say about this salad, that I barely know where to start. This is the very first recipe I tried ripping off from a restaurant. My husband loved a particular island grill fast casual place and would make me go there constantly. I didn't really love anything on their menu particularly until I found this delicious BBQ Chicken Salad. I craved it constantly and spent a hefty portion of my meal budget on it weekly. I decided I could make it for much less at home, so this recipe was born. It took a little tweaking, but it is amazing. This is the type of salad where I want to lick the bowl when I'm done. Its hearty, tangy, full of goodness. Even my 2 year old gobbles it up, and you will too.

Salad Ingredients:

1 head green leaf lettuce, washed dried and chopped

1 avacado, sliced into cubes

1 chicken breast, grilled and cubed, cooled 

1 can corn, drained and rinsed

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup tortilla chips, crumbled

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Dressing:

1/2 packet of hidden valley ranch dressing mix

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup milk

3 tablespoons bbq sauce

2 tablespoons water 

Assemble your salad ingredients (lettuce, cheese, avocado, chicken, corn, beans, chips) in a large bowl. One quick tip is to use your salad spinner that you just cleaned the lettuce with, to also drain and rinse your beans and corn. Its a great way to wash all your ingredients while removing the excess moisture that can make a salad soggy. For your dressing, combine all your dressing ingredients in a mason jar or something similar with a lid. Stir it all together or shake it up until combined. Refrigerate dressing for at least 30 minutes. When you are ready to serve, add your dressing to your salad and mix until incorporated. This will serve approximately 4 people. 

I'm not kidding when I tell you that this is a salad that I crave. It has enough protein to keep you full and satisfied, the chips add a nice carb to keep us carb addicts happy too, and the dressing, well lets just say its a little bit of heaven. You will not regret making this for dinner. Enjoy!

Here at the Lavender Apple Farm, we have a lovely apple orchard. It was actually planted over six generations ago by our family founders here in Cache Valley. Many of the varieties of apples we grow here are actually vintage and have a much greater depth of flavor. We often get asked for tips in how to care for apple trees. Here are a few tips for caring for your apple trees in spring. 

Apple trees needs to be planted in a place where they will receive enough sunlight to grow, make sure they are not being shaded by other trees or buildings throughout the day. These trees will need about 6-8 hours of sunlight minimum per day. The spot should also have adequate drainage so the apple tree will not absorb too much water. In fact, if an apple tree's roots take in more water than it needs there's a chance the tree will not survive. Our orchard actually rests on a slight incline, which has served us well. 

Pruning is also an important part of caring for an apple tree, this process takes place in the spring. You need to remove any dead branches you see, and also anything cracked or broken. Also make sure you give each branch enough room that its not crowding out the other branches. You need to picture full grown apples hanging from each branch, would they receive sunlight? Try to make sure your cuts are made cleanly with sharp tools. If your cuts aren't sharp, the water may not drain off of your branch properly. You will also want to prune any branches that are growing in a downward direction. 

Here at the Lavender Apple Farm, we grow red delicious, gala, golden delicious, and many other types of apples. We are really looking forward to mid spring when the trees will begin to blossom with pink and white buds. Check back here on the blog in a few weeks and we will share our tips about tree training and even a few harvest tips. 

Have a great day! And don't forget, an apple a day keeps the doctor away! 

I make a mean mushroom risotto. (I don't mean mean as in will punch you in the face and shove you in a locker mean, but this certainly will knock your socks off.)

It's creamy and filling and surprisingly low fat. Its so satisfying, and easy to make, it's one of the recipes I come back to most. If you watch a lot of competitions on the food network, you know risotto is a dish that can intimidate a lot of chefs because timing is important. Its not just something you can neglect. But I've found a fool proof way to cook it. If you have 20 minutes, you can easily have a successful meal with this. 

Ingredients: 

1 cup arborio rice

1 pkg mushrooms (portobello or porcini mushrooms are nice, but even white mushrooms will do) 

2 cans chicken stock

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 

1 cup white wine

6-7 sprigs of fresh thyme 

Salt and pepper 

1/2 onion chopped 

Dice 1/2 of an onion. 

Put a large skillet over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan. 

Add your onion and sauté for a couple of minutes. 

Then add 1 cup arborio rice to the pan and sauté a couple more minutes. As you do this start your timer for 22 minutes. 

Add 1 cup white wine and cook on high until the liquid is absorbed. Stir frequently. 

While this cooks chop up 1 pkg of portobello mushrooms. (Or whatever type of mushroom you like.) In a separate pan cook your mushrooms in some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook the mushrooms down until nice and tender. Set aside. 

Back to the rice. You will now add 2 cans of WARM chicken broth in 1/2 cup increments. (I pop mine in the microwave to heat it up.) Keep stirring the risotto frequently and only add the next 1/2 cup when the previous liquid has been absorbed. Your goal is to get all of the stock absorbed by the time the timer says 22 minutes. You may need to turn up or down the heat based on how much time is left. I usually keep mine on high the whole time and just stir it constantly. 

Then stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. 

Add 6 or 7 sprigs of Tyme. 

Add in your mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste. 

This should give you a very creamy and rich tasting dish! I know you will love it and hopefully come back and remake it as often as I do. 

Enjoy!