Smart…It’s in Season

In this week’s edition of Smart Fuel: the fruits of summer!

July is ripe for the nutritional picking. This is the best month of the year for stone fruits, tender fresh fish, berries, sweet sugar snap peas and green beans, and floral chanterelle mushrooms. The foods currently in season provide a perfect blend of healthy essential fatty acids, B vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber and lean protein. Whether you have access to a nearby brook, orchard, wooded patch or simply a good farmer’s market, be sure to maximize the naturally smart combination July provides.

To eat now:

Stone fruits: enjoy apricots, plums, peaches and nectarines (apricots in particular are at their best for several more weeks).

Apricots

Farlane Flickr Photo (CC)

Fish: try perch, rainbow trout, brown trout, and mackerel (delicate and delicious protein source).

Rainbow trout

ProjectDP Flickr Photo (CC)

Berries: go for gooseberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries (look for sales!).

Blueberry

Garibaldi Flickr Photo (CC)

All things podded: dig in to sugar snap peas, green beans, and green peas (legumes are an excellent source of fiber and vitamins).

Sweet peas

CDW9 Flickr Photo (CC)

Gourmet touch: chanterelle mushrooms are abundant with phytochemicals and make a perfect pairing for fresh-water fish. These fragrant fungi are available now in many stores and markets. They grow wild in deciduous forests so you may be able to harvest a few for yourself. Psst…learn about mushrooms and picking safely here.

Chanterelle

Brocktopia Flickr Photo (CC)

Further reading:

Most Popular Posts

More Smart Fuel

Seasonal Food Information

[tags] seasons, seasonal food, fruit, fish, berries, legumes, nutritional information, summer [/tags]

About the Author

If you'd like to add an avatar to all of your comments click here!