Why grow your own vegetables?

It was cooking that changed me from a flower, trees and shrub growing gardener into someone who wanted to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

When I see the wonderful choice of vegetables and salad crops that are available on market stalls and in greengrocers shops when I visit Italy it makes me want to weep at what we are offered in the supermarket. So I am back to trying to clear more of my plot to grow more veggies next year.

I have written down ideas for new recipes/food ideas in my allotment book. I was wondering what I could do with spinach and rocket if I grew them next year. After trying vegetarian lasagna made with feta cheese and spianch I will give that a try and saw rocket served sprinkled on pizza and also over pasta served with cherry tomatoes and olives. Courgettes were sliced and then grilled as were aubergines. Now the growing pile of vegetable/organic gardening books is jostling for a space with the Greek and Italian recipe books.