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Ten Healthy Summer Foods That Won’t Break the BankMeenakshi said Jun 29, 5:53 PM: |
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Eating fresh, local, and in-season foods couldn’t be any easier than it is during the summertime. Fruit seems to drip off trees, vines burst with red and golden tomatoes, and yellow zucchini blossoms give way to long tubes of green. Whether you get your goods from the farmer’s market, a roadside stand, or your own backyard, the following ten seasonal fruits and vegetables are some of the healthiest and easiest to incorporate into your diet. What’s more, most of them are at their cheapest during the summer—running about a mere dollar or so per serving—making eating well as inexpensive as it is enjoyable. 1. Watermelons Composed of about 90 percent water, sweet watermelons are an easy way to stay hydrated during the hot summer months. They also pack in nutrients, including vitamin A, B6, and C. In addition, watermelon, like most melons, is rich in antioxidants such as lycopene and citrulline. Researchers have also recently found that watermelon has “Viagra-like” properties, helping to relax blood vessels and even increase libido. As if eating it wasn’t exciting enough! Blended watermelon makes a refreshing drink, served plain or with a kick. 2. Tomatoes A vine-ripened tomato, plucked straight from the plant, is arguably the ultimate summertime treat. (Peaches and cherries also vie for the title.) And full of vitamin C, beta carotene, and lycopene, tomatoes are nutritional powerhouses. Their versatility makes them easy to incorporate into many meals, and because they’re so prolific during the summer, farm fresh fruits are usually well-priced. Try them in pico-de-gallo salsa, cool down on a hot evening with healthful gazpacho, or try a simple caprese salad.3. Berries are at their sweetest and juiciest during the warm summer months, and because there are so many varieties out there, you’ll never run out of options and tastes. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, gooseberries, blackberries … the list goes on. All berries are low in calories, high in vitamin C (with strawberries being the highest), and a good source of antioxidants and fiber. Some berries, like raspberries, can be relatively pricey, but if you’re near the woods or even an unkempt yard, free berry options abound! They’re great in sweet classics like blueberry muffins . 4. Peppers Though peppers are available year-round, they are most flavorful and inexpensive during the summer, when they’re in season. Sweet bell peppers, especially the yellow and red varieties, are packed with vitamin A, C, B6, and fiber. Chili peppers are no wimps when it comes to nutrition, either. In addition to containing the same vitamins and antioxidants as sweet peppers, spicy peppers have been shown to reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Sweet peppers are delicious skewered and barbequed; chili peppers give this nopalita salad a bite.5. Peaches Growing up I had a peach tree in the backyard, and during July and August the tree would become so laden with fruit, we had to prop up the branches with sticks. I used to average around two peaches a day, and their sweet, juicy flavor is one that, for me, as with many people, is closely associated with summer. Taste alone is reason to eat them, but they’re also high in vitamin C and A, a good source of fiber and antioxidants, and contain lutein and zeaxanthin, which might prevent age-related macular degeneration. Try them in smoothies and in peach cobbler. 6. Summer squash, including zucchini, crookneck, and patty pan (roundish ones) are high in manganese and vitamin C, and a good source of many other nutrients, including vitamin A and B. They’re low in calories and since most squash plants produce more bounty than one person can handle, they can be easy to come by in garden-friendly neighborhoods. At my local farmer’s market, I was able to pick up four small squash for one dollar—not bad! Perfect in zucchini lasagna. 7. Basil’s heady fragrance lends itself to numerous dishes and goes well with another summertime favorite, tomato. In addition to adding a flavorful punch, it’s also a good source of vitamin K, A, and calcium. Studies have also found that fresh basil has anti-microbial properties. Usually a buck or two per bunch, basil is easily incorporated into dishes, as in this fresh corn salad or homemade basil-infused oil. 8. Figs Though some are averse to their texture, for those that love figs, they are a heavenly delicacy. Available from June into fall, figs are a favorite of Mediterranean climates like California. They range in color from the blackish-purple Mission to the greenish-yellow Calimyrna. High in potassium, fiber, and antioxidants, figs go well in sweet and savory dishes and are a nice accompaniment to goat cheese. 9. Plums Never lacking in the variety of color, textures, and tastes, plums season lasts from about May to October, and during this time you’ll find a huge assortment in the markets. Plums, like apricots, peaches, and nectarines, are considered drupes, or fruits that have a hard stone pit. High in vitamin C, A, and fiber, they are also rich in antioxidants. The dried form is best known for its laxative properties. Plums are plentifully and most people with trees don’t know what to do with the excess, so obtaining them for free is easy, if they grow in your area. With all the leftovers, they can be eaten straight, sliced in a fruit tart, or made into plum jam. 10. Green Beans Green or string beans are usually found year-round at large grocery stores but the summer and early fall is when you’ll find them at their best—crunchy and extra sweet. Rich vitamin K, C, manganese, and a good source of beta-carotene make them an excellent addition to a summer’s meal. An easy side dish is this green beans with roasted almonds. Truthfully, it’s hard to limit this list to just ten. Almost all of the fresh produce you’ll find in the summer is healthful, and it’s just a matter of what’s available—cherries rather than berries, nectarines instead of peaches, or parsley instead of basil. If it’s colorful, fresh, and in season, you really can’t go wrong. By Brie Caldman  |
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Re: Ten Healthy Summer Foods That Won’t Break the BankLizzyl said Jun 30, 7:29 AM: |
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While I am waiting for my garden to come in, I am out gathering any wild fruit I can. It is amazing how much wild fruit goes to waste in my area. The wild strawberries are peaking now and the blackberries are coming in. I have also been gathering from some cherry trees that no one seems to care about. |
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Re: Ten Healthy Summer Foods That Won’t Break the Bank~KES said Jul 14, 11:29 AM: |
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Putting in one or two a day on the 10 healthy summer foods is a positive habit. |
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Re: Ten Healthy Summer Foods That Won’t Break the BankLizzyl said Jul 17, 7:43 AM: |
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Becuase of my diabetes, I have to eat in a balanced way. Since going veggie/vegan(and I am getting more vegan all the time)I have found that I can actually eat less and be full. Of course I eat less JUNK! |
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Re: Ten Healthy Summer Foods That Won’t Break the Bank~KES said Jul 17, 3:02 PM: |
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Thanks for sharing. |
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Re: Ten Healthy Summer Foods That Won’t Break the Bank~KES said Aug 3, 2:21 AM: |
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Permission to repost: Posted on Jul 31st, 2009 by Phoenix Tomorrow many pagans and witches will be celebrating Lammas or Lughnasadh. It marks the beginning of the harvest season and has its origin within Celtic and Roman tradition. Celtic mythology is filled with stories that tell of the symbolic significance of grain. In one, a young boy drinks by accident hazelnuts from the magical cauldron of the Welsh Goddess Cerridwen. He shapeshifts into a hare. She shapeshifts into a greyhound and chases him. He shapeshifts into a grain of wheat, but then Cerridwen, shapeshifts into a black hen. She eats the wheat and gives birth to a boy, who becomes the great bard and poet Talisen. That is how Carridwen is the Goddess of Death, Regeneration, Grain and Poetic Inspiration. Typical herbs used for magick on this day are: goldenrod sunflower myrtle rose wheat corn, Irish moss oat Considering that this is also the time for Berry Harvest, including Berry Cobbler or similar in the meal of celebration is common. My family and I will be celebrating together, and our meal as planned will be Butternut Squash Herb-Roasted Potatoes Herb Chicken (for the meat eaters in the family) Sweet Raspberry Filled Corn Muffins Banana Bread Our table is decorated with offering stones and corn dollies that we made in the days prior. I will post a video shortly on how to make these. Blessed Be! P.S. For a good resource on holidays of the year in the pagan traditions check out Laurie Cabots Book “Celebrate The Earth”  |
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God's Pharmacy~KES said Aug 6, 2:05 AM: |
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God's Pharmacy… A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris & radiating lines look just like the human eye… & YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to & function of the eyes.A Tomato has four chambers & is red. The heart has four chambers & is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine & are indeed pure heart & blood food. Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell & all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart & blood vitalizing food.A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left & right hemisphere, upper cerebrums & lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function. Kidney Beans actually heal & help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys. Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb & many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.Avocadoes, Eggplant & Pears target the health & function of the womb & cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, & prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied & named about 141 of them). Figs are full of seeds & hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of sperm as well to overcome male sterility Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas & actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics. Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries Oranges, Grapefruits, & other Citrus fruits look just l ike the mammary glands of the female & actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts. Onions look like the body's cells. Research shows onions clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. Garlic also helps eliminate waste materials & dangerous free radicals from the body. cool stuff… 
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Re: Ten Healthy Summer Foods That Won’t Break the BankNirel4Peace said Aug 16, 12:56 AM: |
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Thank you all so much - this thread has been so informative and useful!! |
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