eating fresh and local

nothing beats the taste of fresh, local produce. with the growing season upon us, i thought i'd bring forth a produce discussion. please answer the questions in the comments. i'd love to hear from you!


1) what is your favorite local fruit or veggie?

for me it's difficult to pick just one. (i do live in the garden state!=) jersey peaches and tomatoes are delicious, as well as sweet jersey corn.

jersey's local strawberries and blueberries are also quite tasty and abundant this time of year. i like to take advantage of  pick-your-own opportunities and stock up.

strawberries and blueberries with crunchy dried buckwheat

last year john came along to help pick strawberries, and this time little lainie loo kept me company by singing and dancing in the fields. =)

we picked 8 pounds of strawberries, which we used for snacking, ice cream, dried snacks, and rhubarb crumble! the rest were frozen for smoothies, and evergreen from the happy raw kitchen has inspired me to save some for strawberry jelly and raw cream cheese sandwiches. mmm!

2) do you grow any fruits or vegetables? if so, what's your favorite thing to grow? if not, what would you like to grow?

last year i was in love with my lettuce plants (maybe because i'm part rabbit, as my mom says=). this year i'm loving my zucchini! there's one to pick almost every other day, and zucchini can be used so many different ways in cooking and uncooking.

with half of one zuke, a measly little carrot, some sweet peas and cilantro, i was able to spiralize myself a lovely little meal. it doesn't get any more fresh and local than the backyard!

this zucchini pasta was served over an avocado "cream" sauce.

topped with some nut parmesan (almonds and nutritional yeast) - delicious!

next year i'd like to grow yellow squash to go with my purple beans.

 
i'd also like to plant some blueberry and raspberry bushes this fall. if i lived in the right location, i'd LOVE to grow avocados, coconut, lemons, oranges, bananas, and grapes.


3) what is your favorite way to use zucchini? do you have any unique zucchini recipes to share?

summer finds many up to their elbows in zucchini. i'm amazed at the different ways folks cook with them! when i first heard of zucchini brownies i thought, "now that is just wrong. mixing zucchini with chocolate? what are these people smoking?! (and where can i get some? hehe)"

but i'm so happy i gave them a try, as john and our neighbors rave about them!

these gluten-free zucchini cupcakes were a hit at a child's birthday party last summer. the gluten-free children loved them and were really excited to be able to enjoy some sweet frosted goodness, which is usually off limits.=)

last year i made a lot of zucchini crab cakes. they were scrumptious and loved by vegans and non-vegans alike. if frying wasn't such a mess, i'd make these zucchini zips more often.

... but my favorite way to enjoy zucchini is raw - simply sliced with sun-dried tomatoes, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper.

another favorite is carmella's raw lasagna magnifica made with zucchini noodles, warmed in the dehydrator. doesn't this lasagna look baked?

4) do you buy organic produce? are there fruits and veggies you will only eat organic? do you avoid the dirty dozen?

as long as the price is reasonable, i will buy organic. if i need to buy conventional to stay within my budget, i do. to be honest, i sometimes buy non-organic produce found on the dirty dozen list, like local strawberries, blueberries, apples, and bell peppers.

(i'm still wondering why we even allow non-organic and gmo foods in our stores, but it's become quite evident that profit and control reigns over health and wellness in our system.)

anywho, vegan dietitian did a wonderful post on saving money on produce. you can also read my tips in the comments. if you have tips to share, please do!

5) what is your favorite summer meal to prepare using fresh ingredients?

last summer i loved making quinoa salads, especially mango, cucumber, corn, red pepper and mint from the garden. i also enjoyed lots of mint tea...

and minty watermelon soup. no words to describe this one. maybe fresh fruity heaven in a bowl?=)

i have a feeling this one is going to be the summer of soup, as raw soup is so refreshing, easy to prepare, and a great way to use the summer's bounty. the possibilities for flavor combinations are endless, and they need not be made in a fancy blender - any old blender will do.

(some say they don't care for raw soups. i say give them a try in the summer! if texture is an issue try adding something to chew like chopped veggies or wakame. if temperature is the problem, you can heat your soup lightly while stirring to preserve the enzymes - although, you may come to appreciate cool soup in the summer heat!)

southern belles of london soup

from 

the raw food salad bar

this red pepper-based soup is AMAZING. it made me want to get out of my seat and dance - maybe that's why philip named it after a song.=) cilantro and chopped yellow squash were added, as i like something to chew in my soups.

you may remember southern belles of london soup featured at sweetly raw. philip is heathy's sweetie pie, and i was the lucky winner of his new ebook, the raw food salad bar by being the first to submit an entry for her raw ice cream cake challenge!

full of quick creative ways to use fresh local produce, philip's the raw food salad bar is the essential book for summer. (who wants to spend a lot of time in the kitchen during the summer? not me!) it's also a must-have for the raw foodist looking for a break from the dehydrator.

the visuals and recipes are so stunning and inspiring that i want to purchase the ebook for one of my readers. i contacted philip and he said he'd like to offer one as well, sooo... 

... i will be giving away 

*two*

the raw food salad bar ebooks 

 to kick off the summer of soup (and salads=)!

stay tuned for my first spectacular summer giveaway, and until then, enjoy those local fruits and veggies!=)

edit: nelly is hosting a giveaway of two ani's raw food essentials cookbooks. deadline is tuesday, june 29th.