Eating for Summer: What's Fresh Now?

It's summer, which means lots of fresh fruits and veggies are in season. Whether you grow your own or go to your local farmer's market every Saturday, it's a great time to eat fresh (and can fresh so that you have yummy fruits and veggies year-round).

Canning and cooking at home are not only great ways to save money, they can also provide great family time and fun activities to share with friends. Plus, you know what you're eating! You can pick all your favorite seasonal items and herbs, and grill them or eat them raw or make delicious salads ... or, or, or however makes you feel healthy and satisfied.

But, how to know what's in season now? The Mother Earth News website has taken the guesswork out of eating for summer. Here's a summary of what's in season by category from their article "Summer Recipes: Fresh, Easy and Healthy":

Herbs: basil, borage, chives, cilantro, dill, garlic, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, summer savory, thyme

Salad Greens: arugula, beet greens, lettuce, mizuna, radish greens, sorrel, spinach, tatsoi

Cooking Greens: bok choy, chrysanthemum greens, collard greens, kale, mustard, turnip greens, Swiss chard

Garden Veggies: artichokes, avocados, beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, kohlrabi, leeks, okra, onions, peas (field, snow and snap), peppers, potatoes, radishes, tomatillos, tomatoes, summer squash, zucchini

Sea Veggies: dulse, Irish moss, various kelps, nori (laver), sea palm, wrack

Fruits: apricots, berries (blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, mulberries, raspberries, strawberries), cherries, figs, grapes, lemons, melons, nectarines, oranges, peaches, plums

Ephemeral Garden Treats: edible flowers (the blossoms of arugula, basil, calendula, chives, cilantro, lavender, marjoram, nasturtium, oregano, roses, rosemary, sage, thyme and violets), squash blossoms

Wild Edibles: beach peas, burdock, cat brier, lamb’s quarters, purslane, red clover, wild berries, yellow dock

Animal Products: Eggs and milk from animals eating summer’s bright green grasses are highly nutritious. Summer is prime chicken season, and lamb is most tender in early summer.

Fish: bass, bluegill, catfish, crappie, trout, walleye

Nuts & Seeds: almonds, sunflower seeds, walnuts

Mushrooms: bearded tooth, bolete, cauliflower, chanterelle, coral fungi, fairy ring, maitake, lobster, matsutake, mousseron, oyster, porcini, puffball, shaggy mane, shiitake, sulfur shelf, wood blewit (Note: Before you go out harvesting mushrooms, get a good field guide and be sure you know what you’re doing. Learn to identify various mushroom species with absolute certainty, so that you won’t pick anything poisonous!)

Are you interested in exchanging recipes? We're collecting healthy, holistic recipes on ACHS Facebook for exchange. Get some new ideas, share some new ideas here: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=99091122240&topic=13172

More Great News about Strawberries

Back in March, we posted about how great strawberries are, including their unique flavor and nutrient-rich health properties. Here's the link for a quick review: http://achsnews.blogspot.com/2010/03/strawberries-sweet-vitamin-rich-health.html

Well, there's more great news about strawberries...

Turns out you don't have to waste over-ripe berries (though we know you never would!), nor do you have to become an expert canner if you don't want to. According to The Oregonian, over-ripe strawberries can be roasted in the oven like heartier fruits and veggies.

"The method is simple," Oregonian writer Danielle Centoni says. " Toss the berries with some sugar and slowly roast at moderate heat until much of the juices have been released and thickened, about one hour. The berries will shrink down considerably -- 2 pounds of berries (about 3 or 4 pints) will give you just 2 cups of roasted fruit. [...] It's a great way to turn berries past their prime, or a bumper crop, into something more versatile than jam that won't take up much real estate in your fridge or freezer.

You can also change up the flavors of your roasted berries in countless ways. Try adding the seeds of a vanilla bean and maybe a crushed cardamom pod to the roasting pan. Or add fresh herbs such as rosemary or thyme, maybe even some peppercorns or a cinnamon stick. A splash of balsamic vinegar adds brightness and dimension, too."

Give it a try and let us know how your strawberries turn out. We'd love for you to share your recipes with the ACHS Holistic Kitchen too! It just takes a moment to post here: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=99091122240&topic=13172