Recipes for July's In-Season Fruits & Vegetables

July must be here because it’s undeniably hot outside! All those warm temperatures are just helping some of our favorite fruits and vegetables come in to season. With berries, cucumbers, and more coming in to their peak of freshness and flavor right now, we’ve got weeks of delicious eating ahead.

Eating seasonally means you’re enjoying fruits and vegetables when they’re meant to be eaten. Similar to eating locally, because the two go hand-in-hand, it can greatly reduce the carbon footprint your food has because the distance it travels from plant to plate is much less. It’s also cost effective to eat seasonally – check the price of a tomato from Florida during the winter if you live in Kansas, not to mention the scarce availability.

As we’re all gearing up to celebrate The Fourth, July’s in-season produce comes in to season, and all those red, white, and even blue foods are ripe for the picking!

Fruits: Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Red and White Currants, Gooseberries

Vegetables: Peas, Green Beans, Cucumbers, Lettuce Varieties, Radishes, Garlic

Any of these are best served fresh off the stem and eaten as-is, (OK, maybe not the radishes and garlic), but they can also be prepared in a number of ways to really enjoy their flavors, aromas and colors. Try these recipes from us at DietsInReview and from Care2.

Raspberry Pistachio Crusted Chicken
Peas with Dill
Chilled Cucumber Mint Soup
Roasted Peppers with Garlic
Orange Zest Green Beans with Almonds

Blueberry Scones

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1/2 cup Bisquick reduced-fat baking mix
- 1 Tbsp butter, cut in small pieces
- 2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 cup fat-free (skim) milk
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine oats, baking mix and butter. Combine using your fingertips until blended.
3. Stir in brown sugar, baking powder, lemon zest and nutmeg. Stir in milk until blended.
4. Gently stir in blueberries
5. Spoon six 1/4 cup mounds on prepared pan.
6. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden. Remove from oven and serve warm.