The Seasonal Eats of Spring treated us to some pretty tasty treats, but nothing rocks my socks quite like what summer has to offer! Nothing beats biting into a sun-kissed strawberry or a vine ripened tomato on a sun-filled day in the middle of summer. Farmers markets are abundant with fresh vibrant goodies so I’ve created this list of my 6 favourite (and often overlooked) foods that are available for a very short time during the summer.

APRICOTS

Sweet, tart and juicy but not as gushy as a peach and not as tart as a plum.

*Keep in mind the ‘Goldie Locks’ rule when picking an apricot. Not too soft. Not too hard. Juuust right.

WHY YOU SHOULD EAT THEM

If you want to keep your skin looking baby smooth and your peepers performing top notch, snack on these golden gems. They’re a rich source of the Vitamin A and the carotenoid, lutein to keep your skin and your vision in tip top shape.

HOW TO EAT THEM

• Warmed up in a saucepan with some grass-fed butter, cinnamon and a splash of maple syrup then poured over a stack of pancakes on a Sunday morning
• Tarts, pies, jams, chutneys.
• Tossed in a salad with some pecans and goat cheese
• Add a sweet touch to a charcuterie board.

Pair them with: vanilla, almonds, ginger, cardamom and black pepper.

CHERRIES

With cherries comes choices.  You can go tart or you can go sweet. Two of the most common varieties include: Bing cherries which are are dark red and sweet while Montmorency cherries are bright red and sour/tart. Take your pick.

WHY YOU SHOULD EAT THEM

Reduce post-workout pain. If you’ve crushed out your leg day and know that stairs are going to be a struggle tomorrow, load up on cherries. Researchers found that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds of tart cherries provided a significant reduction in pain for athletes. 

Sleep booster. If you have troubles falling asleep or tend to wake up in the middle of the night (I see this in my practice all the time) grab some cherries. Studies have found that tart cherries helped increase sleep by boosting levels of the sleep hormone, melatonin.

HOW TO EAT THEM

• Put them with anything chocolate
• Add them to baked goods, crumbles, pies (duh)
• Toss them in smoothies
• Chill out with a bowl of them fresh off the tree!

Pair them with: chocolate, almond, black pepper, vanilla and plums.

PLUMS

Prunes are plums. Plums are prunes. Flavours range from sweet to tart. Skin tends to be tart with a juicy, sweet centre.

WHY YOU SHOULD EAT THEM

Better digestion. Plums are packed with insoluble fibre that help move ‘things’ along and also support the good bacteria in your gut which play a crucial role in the happiness of your belly.

HOW TO EAT THEM

• Stewed with a little bit of water and honey for a scrumptious yogurt topping
• Toss in your favourite tart or galette
• Poach in red wine and served with some grated lemon zest and coconut ice cream
• Puree it with apples and cinnamon for a pretty purple twist on applesauce

Pair it with: cinnamon, citrus, honey, wine, vanilla, chestnuts

RADICCHIO 

Bitter and spicy. Much milder in flavour when grilled or cooked.

WHY YOU SHOULD EAT IT

Bitter foods such as radicchio, stimulate the release of gastric juices to help improve the digestibility of foods. Eat bitters to beat the bloats.

HOW TO EAT THEM

• Snack on a few leaves fresh before your meal to get those digestive juices flowing
• Chop and add to a quiche, salad or stir-fry
• Cut heads in 1/2, drizzle with olive oil, S&P and grill until slightly charred for a tasty side dish. 

Pair it with: blue cheese, balsamic vinegar, walnuts, parmesan.

CORN

Sweet, salty, starchy, creamy, crisp. Is there any food more synonymous with summer?

WHY YOU SHOULD EAT IT

High in B-vitamins to support metabolism and energy production plus it’s got bone building minerals like phosphorous and manganese. 

WAYS TO EAT IT

• No brainer- Grilled or steamed and eaten right off the cob
• Get out your sombrero and cervezas and toss some chipotle grilled corn in your tacos, fresh salsa or guacamole
• Toss it in your favourite gazpacho recipe or summer soup.

Pair with: avocado, black beans, lime, chickpeas, cumin, cilantro and peppers.

*With the majority of corn coming from GMO crops, I highly recommend buying organic.

PEAS

Sweet. Fresh. Grassy. My childhood in a pod.

WHY YOU SHOULD EAT THEM

Because they’re delicious. 

They’re full of bone building nutrients like vitamin K, magnesium, manganese, phophorous and zinc.

They also pack a significant protein punch at 8 grams per cup to help build muscle and balance blood sugar to beat cravings.

HOW TO EAT THEM

• Straight out of the garden, crack that pod and chow down.
• Toss them raw in salads
• Sautee with mushrooms or quickly blanch for a simple side dish.
• Toss them in your favourite hummus recipe for a fresh twist
• Puree with fresh herbs and olive oil for a tasty sauce that goes great with any fish or scallops.

Pair them with: mint, carrot, onion, garlic, grass-fed butter, parsley.

So get out there and get fresh with the seasonal eats of summer while you can! Because winter is coming…and hopefully John Snow too.