Farmer's Market Haul
Vegetables
Radishes
These call for the easiest French staple of fresh, raw radishes topped with Maldon and ghee or, if tolerated, butter—I recommend this French, Basse-Normandie buttercup coloured delicacy. Most gourmet markets such as Dean & Deluca carry it.
Cucumber
I am always snacking on kirby cucumbers with my post-run, pre-meal runger. The crunch and hydration levels make it the most satisfying Summer snack.
Recipe
Make a meal of it by shaving with a mandolin slicer four small Kirby cucumbers then tossing them with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, two tablespoons of high quality olive oil, a tablespoon of coconut aminos, a handful of chopped dates or dried mulberries, one small chopped shallot (also in season), a tablespoon of seaweed gomasio, and salt & black pepper to taste. Simply mix all of them together, let it marinade for five minutes, and serve! It tastes like a refreshing taste on seaweed salad.
beets
Although I am notorious for eating beets like apples, I also like to drink them up! They are incredibly mineralising and replenishing of electrolytes. Beets are high on nitrates, which help athletes with oxygen uptake for recovery.
Recipe
like to make a Gatorade alternative by simmering two large beets for twenty minutes in enough water to cover them in a large saucepan, pour the beet water into a large pitcher with a pinch of pink salt for added trace minerals for electrolytes. I let it cool and set the beets aside for use later. Once cool, I add the juice of two lemons and a touch of stevia for a drink as refreshing as lemonade!
Garlic Scapes
I just recently started experimenting with these curvy little babes! They are fresher tasting than the garlic itself and make for a great pesto.
Recipe
To make the pesto, combine in a high-speed blender: 1/4 cup of pine nuts, 6 tablespoons of chopped garlic scapes, 6 tablespoons of fresh basil or dill, juice of half a lemon, 1/2 cup of high quality olive oil, and salt & black pepper to taste. Blend on high and store in an airtight glass container for up to one week. I love serving this pesto over grilled or roasted rainbow carrots, which are also in season.
Carrots
Apart from preparing these roasted with the pesto above, I love them as a quick pickle. I simply follow this Caraway Pickled Carrots recipe from L.A.'s P.Y.T. for Healthy-ish with the adjustment of substituting coconut sugar for the cane sugar it calls for.
Arugula
This calls for a simple side. The highlight of Summers for my family is having fresh, roasted Mediterranean fish like bronzino or dorato from the local Mediterrafish accompanied by fresh arugula salad with high quality olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper, and thin slices of raw red onion. Nothing tops the uncomplicated satiation it provides . . .
Fruits
Plums
Fresh fruits are hard to beat in the summer heat but roasting or stewing them heightens their already elevated seasonal flavours. I love stewing plums with 1/2 teaspoon of fresh rosemary and a teaspoon of ghee on medium-low heat until soft and almost caramelised. I place them in little cups topped with a scoop of unsweetened Kite Hill almond yoghurt and a spoonful of toasted then crumbled Yucan crunch for a quick dessert for guests!
Strawberries
There are many staples such as avocado & strawberry salad or strawberry-rhubarb recipes that Summer calls for, but I suggest trying this Raspberry-Almond Soda out via Healthy-ish. Simply substitute strawberries for the raspberries and omit the sugar to replace it with stevia to taste!
