It’s always a great idea to buy produce (fruits and vegetables) in Season. The price is right, the crop is abundant, and recipes are better in Season.
In this edition of What’s In Season, we’ll look at summer produce, give some recipe recommendations, and share facts.
What’s in Season: What to Eat to Beat the Heat (June- August)
Basil: Basil is an herb that goes well on steak, salsa, and pasta. It’s also great for stomach aches and intestinal issues. How do you know basil is perfect for picking? Look for the new, leafy branches without flowers.
Recommended Recipe: Summer may not seem like the best time for lasagna, but it is. Check out Chef Tina’s famous Raw Vegan Lasagna Stacks. It has all the nutrients (basil included) to make you happy and healthy.
Cucumber: Cucumbers are a great cooling snack for the summer heat. All the water in cucumbers can keep you hydrated and regulate your body. Cucumber is an excellent source of fiber-filled with vitamins A and K; combined can prevent blood clots, help with your vision, and build up your immune system and reproductive health.
Eggplant: Rich in nutrients, eggplants contain vitamins A and C, potassium, folate, protein, fiber, and manganese. It’s an excellent product for the summer.
Fun fact: Did you know that eggplants are technically fruits because they grow from a flowery plant and contain seeds.
Blueberries: Blueberries, like most berries, are considered superfoods that help build a healthy heart, muscles, and bones. It’s a great snack that helps reduce blood pressure, manages diabetes, and is tasty in a smoothie or parfait with oats (great for gastric health)
Recommended Recipe: Looking to quench your thirst this summer? Try Chef Julia’s Blueberry Detox Smoothie
Watermelon: Watermelon is high in water intake and potassium and excellent for the summer heat. It contains vitamin A which is perfect for your eyesight and skin, two things that are affected by the summer heat. It also contains vitamin B6, which helps break down protein and regulate the body.
Green beans: are a year-round vegetable, but you can find them fresh at Farmer Markets In the summer and fall. They are high in vitamin K and minimal calcium and protect bones, i.e., fractured injuries. It is rich in fiber and folic acid, making it great for gastric and heart health due to high levels of flavonoids. It all included vitamin B, which is essential for depression.
Long Island Sweet Corn: It contains vitamin C and helps to protect or reduce damage to cells, i.e., cancer. It’s an excellent nutrient for heart health, and yellow corn has a source of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which are great for eye health and help to protect against damages that lead to cataracts. It’s excellent summer produce for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and holiday weekends at the grill.
Recommended Recipe: Speaking of the grill, check out Chef Tina’s Black Bean Salsa recipe.
Peaches: Peaches are a healthy and delicious summer snack whether you eat the skin or peel it off. The skin is rich in antioxidants that help to improve digestion, decrease inflammation and strengthen the immune system. Whether you eat it raw, grill it or juice it, peaches are a great source of nutrients, helping to enhance vision with its beta carotene and reducing UV damage to give you glowing skin in the summer.
Summer Squash: Besides high antioxidants, vitamins A, B, and C, plus fiber, magnesium, potassium, iron, and folate. It’s low in carbs, cholesterol-free, full of fiber, promotes gut health, keeps you hydrated, protects vision, especially in the summer, and it’s excellent cooked grilled or raw.
Stay tuned for our next edition of What’s in Season. Let us know what produce you’re adding to your “beat the heat” list. Also, check out Spring Edition while you wait!
