Summer is our most abundant season! The produce is the most versatile and in its best quality during these months. Use nature’s beautiful gifts and buy seasonal and local ingredients. The farmers markets are loaded with scrumptious, colorful, ripe fruits and vegetables and it is only getting better towards the late summer months. This is the perfect time to build a new habit of weekly visiting your nearest farmers market.
1. Produce: organic, local and seasonal when possible.
Dark leafy greens: chard, collard green, spinach, baby kale
Lettuce: romain, bibb, red leaf, mizuna, endive, radicchio, boston, little gem, frisee, butterhead, arugula, etc.
Crunchy vegetables: radishes, red & green cabbage, fennel, peppers, celery, green beans
Root vegetables: carrots, beets, sweet potato, new potato, onion
Other: yellow and green squash, cauliflower, broccoli, green onion, tomato, tomatillo, eggplant, artichokes, avocado, corn, shelling beans, okra, rhubarb,
Fruit: apricots, peaches, nectarines, cherries, blueberry, strawberry, figs, melons (watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, etc.), plums and pluots
2. Grains:
Whole grains, naturally gluten free, are best: buckwheat, quinoa, brown rice, white rice,wild rice, millet, oats.
3. Dairy (if tolerated):
Whole, full fat dairy products from grass fed cows, especially when fermented are best: kefir, yogurt, buttermilk.
4. Nut/oat milk:
Making your own nut milk is the best way to avoid preservatives and other additives found in commercial products. Buy, chemical free raw nuts, if possible. Making your own nut milk doesn’t take more than 15 minutes and will last for 5-7 days.
Find a nut milk recipe here.
5. Fats:
Healthy fats include minimally processed extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, olives, avocado, nuts, seeds, grass fed butter, ghee and chicken schmaltz, lard, tallow with moderation.
6. Proteins:
Animal proteins: the best sources are wild cold water fish, seafood, free-range chicken, eggs, grass-fed beef, lamb, foraging-open pasture pork, game meat and organ meats. Seafood, Seafood calendar, Grass fed/finished and pasture raised meats & eggs
Plant proteins: legumes such as lentils, beans and chickpeas, nuts, seeds and grains. BPA-free, additive free canned beans, lentils and chickpeas are great or you can soak/ cook your own. Here is a recipe for soaking/cooking legumes.
Soy protein (if tolerated): fermented, non-GMO soy products including fermented tofu, tempeh, natto and miso in moderation are great sources of complex protein.
8. Snacks:
Always try to use vegetables and fruits, yogurt, smoothies, nuts, seeds first. If you buy pre-made products, pay attention to the ingredients and try to avoid added sugars, salt, refined oils and preservatives.
Here you can find the many names sugar could be called on labels.
9. Beverages:
Vegetable and bone broths, teas, fresh fruit juices with pulp and homemade lemonades are all great options.
10. Herbs and spices:
Fresh parsley, cilantro, rosemary, dill, basil are almost always available in the stores but dried versions are also excellent to use. Oregano, fennel, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, lemongrass, mint are excellent digestion aids.
11. Flavor boosters:
To enhance the flavor of food, I always recommend to stock up on these pantry staples: garlic, dijon mustard, tomato paste, vinegars (apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, balsamic, vinegar, rice vinegar), toasted sesame oil, tahini, seaweed, maple syrup, honey.
Don’t forget to read the labels and choose the ones without additives and preservatives.
Have a wonderful summer!
Love & melons,
❤️🍉
Kriszta