Just looking at the picture above makes my mouth water. The heat is on and we’re all looking for ways to cool down and stay fit during the summer season. During my trip to Italy last summer, I learned the secret to everything tasting unbelievably fresh and delicious= seasonal ingredients. I added that to my travel journal but, alas, failed to follow through in my every day life.

While in the Hamptons this past weekend, the girls and I decided to go strawberry picking. Standing in the fields eating red, ripe strawberries, feeling the juice drip down our chins, I was yet again inspired. I made my way over to the stand to check out the other fruits and veggies that were for sale. I picked up some asparagus and red potatoes and voila! I added some carrot quinoa and we had a dinner that was fresh, healthy, and yummy.

Those that know me, know I love to cook. I’m certainly no chef and I base all my meals on recipes. So here comes the change~ I’m going to take a trip to the local Farmers’ Market each week, stock up on whatever looks good and then plan my meals. I came home and looked into Farmers’ Markets and found a local, weekly market ten minutes from our house. Perfect!

Realistically, I may not make it to the Farmers’ Market each week or my family may be craving something that isn’t there. Plan B is stocking up at the local market. Listed below are the seasonal fruits and vegetables that should be easy to find.

Summer Fruits:

Apples

Apricots

Avocados

Berries- All

Cactus Pears

Cherries

Figs

Melons

Nectarines

Summer Vegetables:

Asparagus

Basil (I’d like to try growing some)

Beets

Broccoli

Corn

Cucumbers

Eggplant

Green beans

Okra

Peas

Radishes

Rhubarb

What I love about this list is that there are quite a few fruits and vegetables that are not a part of our diets. My favorite source for recipes is allrecipes.com because recipes found on here are rated. Choose a four or five-star recipe rated by 100+ people and you can’t go wrong. I typed in Rhubarb and found a recipe for Rhubarb Strawberry Crunch rated 4 1/2 stars by 467 people. I can’t wait to try this out! (Don’t forget to read the reviews as there’s usually great suggestions for making the recipe even better)

Eating seasonally provides you with many benefits. Your food will be more nutritious and taste fresher. You will be lending the planet a hand by saving on the cost of transporting out of season fruits and veggies from various parts of the world. By shopping locally, you are stimulating your community and/or state’s economy. And last but not least, you’ll save some $, perhaps to purchase a few summer outfits! 🙂

xo,

Tanya