Get Fresh

Okay, maybe we aren’t quite as committed to local eating as the now-infamous founders of the 100-Mile-Diet. Tell our kids they’ll have to go without Cheerios for a whole year? I don’t think so.
But there’s no denying the pleasure to be gained from serving up fresh food that is in season—and summer is the time to capitalize on what we have available to us locally, for sure.

Whether you’re bringing home summer’s bounty from the grocery store, a farmers’ market, a Fraser Valley farm or your own garden, the next question that arises is what to do with the abundance of produce you’ve got in front of you (“But the 20-lb. box of tomatoes was SUCH a great deal…”). Fortunately, there are lots of quick, no-fuss ways to incorporate this season’s healthy harvest into your family’s diet.

Love Those Love Apples
Even twenty pounds of tomatoes will disappear if you try some of our favourite tomato recipes.

For an easy dinner, make a fresh tomato sauce by combining a couple of pounds of chopped, drained tomatoes with a half-cup of fresh basil, ¼ cup of olive oil, minced garlic to taste and a teaspoon of salt. Let stand on the counter for an hour or two, then toss with hot pasta and sprinkle with a favourite cheese such as Parmesan or feta.

Take this easy bruschetta along to the next neighbourhood potluck: Combine chopped tomatoes with two cloves of minced garlic, 3 Tbsp of olive oil, 1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar and four or five leaves of chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper, then let sit for a couple of hours before serving with toasted baguette slices on the side. Add some hot chili peppers and onions and you can transform your creation into salsa for tortilla chips or cheesy quesadillas.