Summer is a great time to be a cook, because there is such an abundance of fresh produce available. In fact, there are so many great fruits and veggies in season over the next few months that we’ve had to break our summer produce guide into two parts! From sweet corn to juicy strawberries, here are some of Zipongo’s favorite produce picks for early summer.
Beets
Beets reach their prime around early summertime as they don't like extreme heat or cold. This root vegetable comes in several colorful hues, from red to pink to yellow, making it a versatile ingredient to add color to your summer dishes. Both the root and the greens are edible, and you can add them to soups and salads or even sauté them to make a delicious side dish.
At Foodsmart, we love simple roasted beets. Wrap them in aluminum foil, and roast them in the oven for about an hour with the skin on (which can help preserve the flavor and stop the juice from seeping out).
Tips: When selecting beets, pick ones that are firm and smooth, with bright green leaves with no blemishes. Also, save the greens after you roast the beetroots — they’re delicious cooked or raw!
Recipes to try:
- Lemon-Herb Roasted Beets
- Fennel, Citrus and Roasted Beet Salad
- Grilled Buffalo Steak with Radicchio-Beet Skewers
Cherries
Cherries are a summer staple. Depending on where you’re located, cherry season can run from late May to August. There are two varieties of cherries: sweet and sour. Sweet cherries are loaded with potassium, which can act as a natural blood pressure reducer by balancing the body’s fluid levels and counteracting the blood pressure-raising effects of sodium. Sour cherries contain a natural form of melatonin, a hormone that helps us fall asleep more easily.
Tips: When choosing cherries, pick the ones that are bright, plum-colored and ideally still have their stems attached to the fruit. The flavor will intensify if you leave the pits in the cherries when preparing them.
Recipes to try:
- Grilled Chicken with Cherry-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
- Puffed Cherry Pancake
- Cherry, Wild Rice and Quinoa Salad
- Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Cherry & Tomato Chutney
Corn
Corn is associated with the height of summer, with the season peaking from May through September. As a staple of any summer cookout, sweet corn can be simply grilled with a touch of salt or included in breads and other baked goods. There are two common varieties of corn: yellow corn, which is larger in size, and white corn, which is smaller but sweeter.
Tips: Buy corn as fresh as possible and cook it soon after purchasing, since the sugars in the kernel will begin to convert to starch, which decreases the sweetness.
Recipes to try:
- Southwestern Corn and Black Bean Salad
- Summer Corn and Scallop Pasta
- Corn, Arugula and Tomato Salad
- Squash and Corn Chowder
- Tilapia Corn Chowder
Strawberries
Berries are always one of the most anticipated fruits of late spring and summer, and one of the most popular berries has to be strawberries. Traditionally, strawberries are used to make cobblers, cakes or sauces. They can also be a great addition to salads and cooked dishes to brighten up the flavor profile.
Strawberries are also a nutritional powerhouse: a cup of fresh strawberries contains more than 100% of your daily vitamin C intake as well as 3 grams of fiber.
Tips: When picking strawberries, choose fragrant, brightly colored ones. Store them in a moisture-proof container and only wash them in cold water right before you use them.
Recipes to try:
- Strawberry Banana Coconut Smoothie
- Arugula & Feta Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
- Green Salad with Strawberries and Goat Cheese
Looking for more personalized recipes to work into your meal plan? Schedule a chat with a Foodsmart Registered Dietitian. They are trained in all things food and nutrition and will give you practical ways to get the whole family eating healthier with seasonal recipe recommendations.
