This time of year makes me think about the variety of fruits and vegetables available and fun ways to incorporate them into our meals. Have you been tending a garden this year? I want to challenge you to add some additional vegetables and fruits into your diet this week! Take what’s growing in your garden, or simply what’s in season and available at the grocery store, and add it in some new ways into your meals to ramp up your fruit and veggie count!
Have you tried skewering some of your fresh squash along with some mushrooms, peppers and tomatoes and grilling them? What about those greens you're harvesting... Have you been making salads and piling greens on sandwiches? What about sauteing them in some olive oil for a quick and easy side dish? Or try making your kale or collard into chips!
Chopping up your tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper and adding some canned chickpeas creates a quick and easy chopped salad.
Are your beans ready for picking yet? Try this easy green bean salad from eatright.org!
Don’t forget about pickling veggies or making pico de gallo and salsa. Also, adding extra veggies to your pasta salad is always a good idea!
Also, have you been getting your kids involved in your garden? An expanding body of research shows that when kids help grow fruits and vegetables, they are more likely to eat more produce and try different kinds, too.
Let me know how you make use of your garden harvest - comment below!