The warm months of summer offer us cooling, high-water-content foods for hydration, such as peaches, melons, tomatoes, and cucumbers, just to name a few.
Depending on where you live, the August choices can vary. In hotter climates, spinach and cilantro might have already bolted, but in cooler climates they are at their peak. Don’t forget to season with fresh herbs whenever you can. Americans consume too much sodium and often reach for the salt-shaker instead of other seasoning choices such as lemon juice or flavorful fresh herbs.
One simple fact to remember is the fresher the vegetable, the more nutrition and enzymes it contains, so peak of season and local are best. It’s also important to consume raw veggies, as fragile enzymes, important for health, as well as the water-soluble vitamins B and C, can be diminished with cooking.
Peak of harvest fruits, vegetables, and herbs for most parts of the country for mid-summer are:
Fruits:
Peaches and other stone fruit
Apples
Tomatoes
Apricots
Blackberries and other ‘brambles’
Watermelons and other melons
Cherries
Vegetables:
Summer squashes such as zucchini, patty pan and crookneck
Eggplant
Corn
Peppers
Cucumbers
Fennel
Leafy Greens such as Chard and Kale
Many lettuces
Chilies
Onions
Herbs:
Basil
Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Lemongrass
Garlic
Cilantro
Gazpacho
Be sure to use peak-of-season veggies for this delicious cold soup. Even if you don’t think you like gazpacho, do try this recipe. It will change your mind! It changed mine. I once made this recipe for 400!
Serves 6
The first 7 ingredients
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup cucumbers, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 -1 jalapeno
1-2 large garlic cloves
The second veggie prep
2 cups tomatoes, finely chopped
2/3 cup cucumbers, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup parsley or cilantro, finely chopped
Directions
Place the first 7 ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Pour into a bowl.
Finely chop the remaining ingredients and stir into the smooth ingredients. Serve.
Note: Tomatoes contain lycopene, an antioxidant that has been shown to help prevent certain types of cancer. Cilantro is a natural chelator, which helps to remove heavy metals, and cucumbers contain vitamin C and are high in water content.
