5 Ways to Eat Farmer's Market Veggies

Take advantage of summer's vibrant bounty from farmer's markets, local farm stands, or even your own backyard with these delicious recipes.

Heirloom Tomatoes

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Fresh Lady Peas

Ingredients
1 cup fresh lady peas
Lemon-Herb Dressing with Basil, divided
2 pounds assorted heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
4 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 (4-oz.) package soft goat cheese, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Lemon-Herb Dressing with Basil
Whisk together 1/3 cup canola oil, 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, 1 Tbsp. honey mustard, 1 tsp. lemon zest, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, and salt to taste.

Preparation
Cook peas in boiling salted water to cover in a large saucepan 8 to 10 minutes or just until tender. drain and rinse until completely cool. Drizzle 1/4 cup Lemon-Herb Dressing with Basil over peas, and toss to coat.

Arrange tomato slices on a platter or individual serving plates. Spoon peas over tomatoes; sprinkle with basil, goat cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with remaining dressing.

Related: Our Favorite Ways with Fresh Tomatoes

Peaches

Grilled Peach-and-Mozzarella Salad

Ingredients
5 peaches (not white)
3 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lime zest
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 Tbsp. tequila (optional)
1/3 cup olive oil
Vegetable cooking spray
1 (6-oz.) package watercress or baby arugula, thoroughly washed
3/4 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 16 (1/4-inch) slices
Garnish: fresh cilantro sprigs

Preparation
Peel and chop 1 peach. Cut remaining 4 peaches into 28 (1/4-inch-thick) rounds, cutting through stem and bottom ends. (Cut peaches inwards from sides, cutting each side just until you reach the pit. Discard pits.)

Process chopped peach, green onions, next 7 ingredients, and, if desired, tequila in a food processor 10 to 15 seconds or until smooth. Add oil, and pulse 3 to 4 times or until thoroughly combined.

Coat cold cooking grate of grill with cooking spray, and place on grill. Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high). Brush both sides of peach rounds with 1/3 cup peach dressing.

Grill peach rounds, covered with grill lid, 3 to 4 minutes on each sides or until grill marks appear.
Arrange watercress evenly on 4 plates. Alternately layer 4 grilled peach rounds and 4 cheese slices over watercress on each plate. Top each with 3 more peach rounds. Drizzle with remaining peach dressing. Garnish, if desired.

Related: Fresh Summer Peach Recipes

Corn

Corn-and-Crab Chowder

Ingredients
6 bacon slices
2 celery ribs, diced
1 medium-size green bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
1 (32-oz.) container chicken broth
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
3 cups fresh corn kernels (6 ears)
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, drained and picked
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Oyster crackers
Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation
Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 Tbsp. drippings in Dutch oven. Crumble bacon.

Sauté celery and next 3 ingredients in hot drippings 5 to 6 minutes or until tender.

Whisk together brother and flour until smooth. Add to celery mixture. Stir in corn. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Gently stir in crabmeat and next 4 ingredients; cook 4 to 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve warm with crumbled bacon and oyster crackers. Garnish, if desired.

Note: 1 pound peeled cooked shrimp or chopped cooked chicken may be substituted for crabmeat.

Related: 10 Quick Ideas with Corn

Squash

Summer Squash Casserole

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds yellow squash
1 pound zucchini
1 small sweet onion, chopped
2 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1 cup grated carrots
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
1 (8-oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 (8-oz.) package herb-seasoned stuffing
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Cut squash and zucchini into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place in a Dutch oven. Add chopped onion, 2 tsp. salt, and water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook 5 minutes; drain well.

Stir together 1 cup grated carrots, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt in a large bowl; fold in squash mixture. Stir together stuffing and 1/2 cup melted butter, and spoon half of stuffing mixture in bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Spoon squash mixture over stuffing mixture, and top with remaining stuffing mixture.

Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown, shielding with aluminum foil after 20 to 25 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Related: 3 Reasons Why Growing Your Own Veggies Is a Must!

Peas

Peppery Peas O' Plenty

Ingredients
4 hickory-smoked bacon slices
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup black-eyed peas
1 cup purple hull peas
1 cup crowder peas
1 cup butter peas
1 cup field peas with snaps
1 (32-oz.) container chicken broth
1 Tbsp. Asian garlic-chili sauce
3/4 to 1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. freshly ground pepper

Preparation
Cook bacon in Dutch oven until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving dripping in pan. Crumble bacon.

Sauté onion in hot drippings in Dutch oven over medium-high heat 8 minutes or until translucent. Add black-eyed peas and next 8 ingredients, and cook 20 to 25 minutes, uncovered. Top with crumbled bacon.

See the rest: Summer Farmer's Market Recipes. Purchase the Southern Living Farmers Market Cookbook for even more recipes!

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