Canada Issue 475

Mother Nature’s Best

Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables
Happy Girl with Watermelon
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Anyone who loves to eat should love the month of August because that’s when dear Mother Earth produces some of her best work.

You know we’re big fans of the watermelon, and it’s not just because every kid loves it. Watermelons are filled to the brim with the antioxidant lycopene, they’re rich in vitamins C, B1, B6 and A, and are an excellent hydrator (made from 92 percent water after all).

Don’t get us started on peaches. They are juicy and perfect in a classic peach and mixed berry crisp. They’re also great on yogurt and ice cream but we like them grilled on the Q with pork or chicken. Peaches are a good source of dietary fiber, Vitamin A, Niacin and Potassium, and are a very good source of Vitamin C.

Those big fat tomatoes that you can only find this month are also filled with lycopene. We love them fresh but at the end of the month we round up a whole bunch and roast them up and store for the winter months, when we want to bring back a little bit of summer into our cooking. 

It’s not summer without a good dose of peaches and cream corn and we know a great way to cook it that will enhance the flavour (not leave it behind in that pot of boiling water). 

Wild blueberries win the MVP award on this team of August goodness. They’re a good source of Vitamin C and dietary fiber and are one of the best performers in the anthocyanins league—beating out tomatoes with their high antioxidant index. We like to eat them by the handful but if you make up a batch of this blueberry sauce and serve over French toast, pancakes or ice cream you will be the savviest mom in town.

So stay as fresh as you can this month. It’s what Mother Earth intended.

Tested by Minnow H., Toronto
Tagged under health, food, summer, produce

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First published 2009.08.11