September’s seasonal vegetables
Eating seasonal vegetables can be a great way to go for many reasons. Generally foods that are in season – meaning they naturally grow at a particular time of year – provide our bodies with the nutrients and energy needed at that time of year. Eating seasonal foods also makes it easy to choose locally grown foods, which helps support small farmers and cuts down on the environmental damage of shipping foods from far away. In addition local, seasonal food is far fresher, tastier and more nutritious.
When choosing seasonal foods, it can be easier to buy organic since sellers do not need to add on additional charges for shipping, packaging, etc. Very often produce which is in season and grown locally is on sale and fresher. Local Harvest, (http://www.localharvest.org/) a wonderful resource for finding local farmer’s markets and CSA’s.
To help in picking out what vegetables are in season in early September, here is a list of the top six.
1) Tomatoes – When in season, vine ripe tomatoes are a heavenly sweet treat. Try a fresh heirloom tomato sliced and layered with a whole grilled Portobello mushroom, some fresh basil pesto and a slice of fresh goat cheese.
2) Corn – Most people are shocked to hear that raw corn is totally edible. Raw corn has less starch and more protein, vitamins, minerals and enzymes than cooked and has a wonderfully juicy sweetness. Try fresh raw corn kernels cut from the cobb in a late summer salad with arugula, spinach, cherry tomatoes and naturally cured black olives. Dress with a light vinaigrette.
3) Squash – Summer squash and zucchini are at their prime right now. Grate them and add to pancakes, thickly slice, toss with olive oil and salt and roast in the oven, or dice them and toss into your salad.
4) Bell peppers – Now is the time to enjoy these colorful and crunchy vegetables. Try them stuffed with lentils, quinoa pilaf or ground turkey and veggies. Seeded and diced, they add a colorful crunch to any salad, side or main dish.
5) Okra – Not as common as the vegetables above, okra is mostly known for southern fried okra. But okra is great in stews or pan fried with coconut oil tomatoes and onions. This vegetable is high in vitamin A, B-vitamins and C.
6) Cabbage – Green or purple cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of vitamin A. Find tight, firm, heavy heads with no broken or bruised leaves. They'll keep up to a week or more in the refrigerator. Leave the outer leaves attached to help retain moisture during storage. Be sure to wash, quarter and core when ready to use. Use raw in coleslaw or salads. Boil uncovered in salted water for five to seven minutes. Add a touch of butter, parsley and pepper.
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