The Healthiest Time To Eat

Warm weather brings a multitude of great things.Days that stretch well into the evening hours! Sunny afternoons spend on a sandy beach.Gardens rife with multicolored blooms.One of the best aspects is healthier eating.The summer brings about some of the best harvests of the year.Enjoy this the most because it's so beneficial. Warm ,sun filled days give us sweet ,wholesome berries.Start buying or go to the farms to pick them yourself.Strawberries and blueberries abound as do the first wave of raspberries( this last actually has two harvest seasons, one now and the second in September, early October)"Use these as sweeteners in cereals and oatmeal as well as in teas , and ades .They can be pulverized and turned into a syrup.You can add a bit of dark honey of you want them a bit more palatable.Later on in the season you can enjoy peaches and plums. Instead of relying on ice cream or frozen yogurt for cooling treat, think about one of them, chilled nicely in the fridge.Any fruit goes well in a salad and even adds another layer of texture and flavor. Another idea is making fresh fruit chutneys or salsas to be served with whole wheat tortilla chips. Just as the season brings about many fruits, it also showers us with veggies and tons of them.Tomatoes are the most planted and the most eaten.Nothing beats a fresh picked, sun warmed one dusted with the tiniest pinch of seasalt. Tomatoes are also versatile.They are great in a raw primavera sauce or just being a part of a kabob.Think about tomato pan bagna , a Provencale sandwich that features olive oil drenched tomatoes and sliced raw onion on a whole wheat baguette.The entire sandwich is Saran wrapped and compressed under heavy bricks so that the bread sops up the juices and oils.Green peppers are another warm weather must eat.These are good sliced raw or stuffed with lean beef and chopped mushrooms.As the season becomes summer , eggplant will be ready to be picked. Make the heart healthy and drool worthy dish ratatouille.This mélange of it along with onions and tomatoes is one of the tastiest summer dishes.It can be the centerpiece of any outdoor gathering or just a simple weekend supper. This is the season to start eating right.Take advantage of nature's bounty and change your diet.It's Mother Nature's way of gently pushing us to a better lifestyle.