Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Simple Summer Foods

Summer is my favorite season for several reasons. First, I usually teach and work less in the summer and love being able to spend more time with my boys. I have about a week to go before things will slow down a lot, and I can’t wait!

Second, there is nothing better than fresh summer produce. This year, we are growing cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers, and I love throwing together quick meals with homegrown produce and local ingredients from the farmers’ market.

One of  my favorite summer meals is a “summer salad.” I don’t measure anything and use what I have on hand, so the salad turns out a little different each time. Plus, it gets better with time, so I always make a huge bowl, and we have a fresh salad ready to go for several days. It’s just so much easier to eat really fresh and healthy foods in summer!


Summer Salad
Ingredients
  • Tomatoes
  • Cucumbers
  • Corn (I use fresh, raw, organic corn whenever possible; otherwise I use canned organic corn)
  • Black beans (I frequently cook beans in the slow cooker; when I don’t have any, I use canned organic black beans)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • Equal parts of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Add-Ons:
  • Edamame
  • Bell peppers
  • Jalapenos (for some heat)
  • ???? – be creative!


My favorite fruit this time of year are cherries (no pictures), and I’ll be very sad when the season is over.

My main form of exercise is still walking in addition to some body weight exercises, sprinting, barre classes and some yoga. I try to be as active as possible, but I am not as “obsessive” as I used to be at times in the past, something I like about getting older… Here are some photos from some recent family hikes:

June hikes

Questions: What’s your favorite in-season fruit and vegetable at the moment? Cherries and tomatoes for sure. What simple summer foods have you been cooking/preparing lately? What’s your favorite form of exercise at the moment? 

Be well,
Andrea