What’s better than serving up your family some local, fresh produce during the summer months? Whether your favorite fruits and veggies come straight from your home garden, or you buy them at a neighborhood market, you’ll have plenty of flavorful choices.
Check out some of the best food the Earth offers during June, July and August. Then, look through our healthy sausage recipes for dinner like Sausage and Peppers With Zucchini Noodles and Grilled Sausage With Broccolini and Kale to use up your delicious treasures.
Summer Greens
Love to put a big salad on the table for noontime and late-night meals? Summer offers tons of lettuce varieties, from Boston to butterhead. In addition to classic lettuce, be sure to include other greens into your cold dishes.
Arugula and watercress offer a peppery, mustard-like punch that pairs brilliantly with sweeter figs and cheese. Sprouts give you crunch and texture, and spinach brings on a richness, as well as tons of vitamin C and some calcium, too.
Summer Seasonings and Herbs
If you’re thinking of starting an herb garden, summer will be your best bet for fast, consistent growth. Throughout the earlier summer months, plant or buy parsley, cilantro and oregano, then look for basil to become bountiful later in the summer.
Be sure to go beyond the typical herbs and seasonings to consider how unique plants will add character to your dishes. Chives are an underrated player, and cilantro belongs in more foods than just those that come from south-of-the-border traditions. Even lavender proves useful as a garnish in small doses.
Fun Summer Veggies
When you’re looking for unusual produce to experiment with for picnics or at-home fare, consider purchasing veggies you don’t ordinarily use. For instance, garlic scapes are far milder than true garlic, making them ideal for picky eaters who prefer subtle flavors. Another underrated vegetable is kohlrabi, a plant that can go in the place of cabbage or broccoli in healthy sausage recipes.
Tomatillos, frequently used in Mexican cuisine, pack a delightful tartness that enhances sauces, salsas and soups. Pea shoots help you introduce the brightness of peas in a tender leaf-and-stalk form that only requires a bit of steaming.
Summer Starches
Many people enjoy having a starch choice at every meal, but you don’t have to stick with regular white potatoes. Just-picked black-eyed peas, which you’ll often find at your marketplace, are available in the summer. Additionally, you won’t have to look hard to find beets or corn to round out your menu.
Feeling adventurous? Replace any potato ingredient with parsnips. You’ll get a nuttier overtone and an added richness.
Summer Produce for Dessert
Everyone likes to have something sweet for snack time or dessert. Aside from the many berries you’ll see, be open to creating carrot cakes, rhubarb pies and baked plum pudding.
Found an abundance of sweeter fruits for a steal? Learn how to make preserves so you can indulge in strawberry jam or currant jelly year-round.
Eating healthy is a breeze in the summer. Make your taste buds happier by discovering and dishing out the ripest produce available in the northeast region. Then, take a look at our store locator to find the Premio sausage to pair with your fresh veggies.