July's In-Season Produce Comes in Patriotic Colors

DietsInReview

By Brandi Koskie - DietsInReview.com

With July rolling in and the first full month of summer in front of us, there is a lot to be excited about. Namely - fruits and vegetables! Some of our favorite seasonal produce is coming in to its peak of freshness and flavor right now, which means there are weeks of delicious eating ahead.

Eating seasonally means you're eating food when it's supposed to be eaten. As with eating locally, it can greatly diminish the carbon footprint your meals are leaving behind because the distance it travels from plant to plate is reduced. It can also be very cost effective. Try to get a tomato from Florida during the winter and check out how scarce the availability is and how the price increases.

Just in time to celebrate The Fourth, July's in-season produce is red, white, and blue and ripe for the picking!

Fruits: Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Red and White Currants, Gooseberries

Vegetables: Peas, Green Beans, Cucumbers, Lettuce Varieties, Radishes, Garlic

Eating any of these fresh off the stem is of course perfectly fine (OK, maybe not the radishes and garlic), but if you need some ways to prepare them, here are a few inspired recipes:

Fresh Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Raspberry Pistachio Crusted Chicken

Mixed Berry Smoothie

Peas with Dill

Golden Couscous with Currants and Scallions - via EatingWell on Yahoo! Shine

Roasted Garlic Potato Salad

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 Tbs. olive oil
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup soft tofu
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp. black pepper, or to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Spread potatoes on a sheet pan, sprinkle with olive oil and toss
3. Roast potatoes 25 minutes
4. Add garlic, toss and roast for 5 minutes more
5. Put tofu, lemon juice and mustard in a blender and blend until smooth
6. Toss potatoes with dressing
7. Season with salt and pepper
8. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled


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