Arugula is a green that I had never even touched before I joined the CSA but my first time out there, I was told I had to try it (which I ended up trying three different varieties.)  Who knew that one family of greens could have such diverse flavors.  There was a variety that was slightly earthy and sweet while another variety was so spicy that it almost brought tears to my eyes.  Each variety of arugula brings a special flavor to the dish/salad it is used in.  I highly suggest doing a sampling if at all possible since the flavors to vary so much.

Arugula is great in both cooked and raw dishes.  Certain varieties are mellow enough that the arugula can take the place of spinach in some dishes.  To freeze arugula, follow the same principle as other greens: blanch for two minutes, ice bath, pat excess moisture off, and place in an air-tight freezer safe container.  I find frozen arugala works great in stir-fries.

My recipes for Arugula:

Arugula Almond Pesto

Roasted Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Frittata with Arugula Salad (+ Giveaway)

Roasted Radish and Ricotta Pizza on Cracker Crust

Sesame-Ginger and Quinoa Spring Rolls

Basil

While I know basil isn’t a fruit or a vegetable, I felt it important to include among the summer list of produce.  Bushes of basil are everywhere at the CSA and I usually end up growing some on my own as well.  While it is easy make pesto and freeze it, there are other ways to preserve the fresh basil flavor all year long.

I usually dry basil.  To do this simply tie up stems up basil and hang upside down in a draft-free, non-humid space.  Let sit until leaves have dried out and are easily crumbled.  Place in a container and use as you would any other dry herb.  However, it’s also been said that freezing herbs actually helps keep the flavor even better.  Here is a great post from The Bitten Word on how to freeze herbs!

My recipes for Basil:

Basil Pesto (for breakfast)

Caprese Brown Rice

Caramelized Onions, Pesto, and Grilled Mozzarella Sandwich

Freezing Pesto

Pesto Potato Skillet

Roasted Tomato and Egg Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Roasted Tomato Bruschetta

Summer Farro Salad

Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Hummus

The Purple Pizza Eater

Beets

Beets are something that has slowly grown on me since I started with the CSA.  While they can be a pain to peel (and leave redness everywhere), beets hold a delicious earthy flavor that is not to be missed.  My favorite so far has been adding beets to a chocolate cake.  The beets brought out an extra earthiness in the chocolate that made the cake delicious.   Now that I’m learning to like beets, I look forward to trying out new recipes this summer!

There is a way to freeze beets but honestly, I’ve never done it.  Freezing beets is something I am going to work on this summer and hopefully figure out the best way to do it!

My recipes for Beets:

Baked Beet Chips

Beet Gnocchi with Mustard Sauce and Goat Cheese

Chocolate Beet Cake with Ganache Frosting

Grilled Beet and Hummus Stuffed Pita

Maple Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Roasted Beet and Carrot Salad

Roasted Beets, Blue Cheese Orzo, & Walnut Salad

Roasted Golden Beet and Millet Spinach Salad with Herb Dressing

You may or may not be scratching you head right now.  Yes there are raspberries and there are blackberries but one of my favorite treat comes in the form of black raspberries.  While these grow wild in Illinois, you can sometimes find them in the grocery store.  I think the black raspberry has a bit more distinctive and sweeter flavor the their red counterpart.  Ever summer it’s a battle with the neighbors to see who gets to the bushes first.

Similar to the other berries, these store great in the freezer.  Toss with a little lime juice, lay out on a baking tray, freeze, and then place in a freezer safe container.  Of course, I rarely can pick enough black raspberries to store!  You will also see, I don’t have many recipes for black raspberries. I tend to eat them with yogurt, on pancakes, or by themselves!

My recipes for Black Raspberries:

Black Raspberry and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Black Raspberry Oat Scones

Black Raspberry Sorbet

Canning (the rundown: recipes, ideas, and information)

Blueberries

Blueberries may be the worst thing for me to try and harvest when I am out to the CSA and usually by the time I’m done, I look like the girl from Willy Wonka.  I place one blueberry in my bag and two blueberries in my mouth.  It’s a wonder any make it home at all.  Blueberries are similar to strawberries in that when you buy them local, they are juicy and have a beautiful color through the entire berry whereas grocery store produce can be often dry and tasteless.  I blueberry that is perfect ripe falls into your hand and taste exactly how you would expect: perfect.  No need for artificial flavoring here.

Blueberries may be one of the easiest items to freeze.  Simply spread them out on a baking tray, freeze, and then scoop in to a freezer safe container.  There they will sit for months to come, waiting for a steamy bowl of oatmeal in the cold winter months.  Blueberries also make for excellent jams and canning!

My recipes for Blueberries:

Blueberries ‘n’ Cream Amaranth Porridge

Blueberry and lemon cupcakes- the perfect birthday cake

Blueberry Cream Tart

Blueberry Maple Corn Cake

Canning (the rundown: recipes, ideas, and information)

Roasted Blueberry and Rhubarb Crepes with Honey and Butter

Rye Maple Muffins

Three-Grain Breakfast Bake

Broccoli

During the summer months, I tend to shy away from broccoli.  Don’t get me wrong, I love it.  However, I find that I’ve eaten broccoli for so long now that I feel my cooking should be reserved for more “interesting” produce.  However, that doesn’t mean that once broccoli is out of season, I start craving it.  So, I started saving it for later uses (which include some delicious soup and noodle bowls during the winter months!)

Freezing broccoli takes a couple of steps.  First you need to cut the broccoli in to florets and soak in a cold salt water bath for 10 minutes.  Next, quickly rinse and blanch, following closely with an ice bath.  Pat dry and throw into a freezer safe container.  Aimee from Simples Bites as a great step by step process of this!

My Recipes for Broccoli:

Broccoli cheddar ale soup

Spicy Peanut Sauce with Brown Rice Noodles and Veggies

Veggie Fried Rice

Cabbage

I love using cabbage for a bit of bulk to spring rolls, potstickers, or stir fries.  Cabbage also is great for salads, slaws, and even stuffing.  I also find that a large head of cabbage can make a few meals and is abundant during the summer months.  Just make sure to remove the core from the cabbage before using.

While cabbage can keep in the basement or root cellar, I usually find it a great thing to freeze.  Remove the core, cut in to strips, and blanch for 2-3 minutes.  Remove, pat dry, and place in a freezer safe container.  You then have a great addition to stir fries during the cooler months!  Cabbage comes in red (which is more purple) and green, both of which hold great nutrients.

My recipes for cabbage:

Asian (inspired) Coleslaw

Quinoa and Cabbage Salad

Quinoa Asian Slaw

Quinoa, Cabbage, and Garbanzo Beans

Sesame Crusted Avocado and Cabbage Spring Rolls

Sesame Orange Chickpeas, Cabbage, and Soba Noodles

Sexy Cabbage (+ Cilantro-Lime Carrot and Cabbage Spring Rolls)

Veggie Fried Rice

Veggie Potstickers

Cauliflower

Cauliflower is the one surprising produce to which I look forward.  The perfect, slightly smokey taste of roasted cauliflower is up there as one of my favorite foods.  Cauliflower also works well to bulk up a vegetarian meal or as a perfect, simple side to any main dish.  Whenever I get a head of cauliflower, I always break it down to have as a quick snack to grab when I’m running through the house (often accompanied by some homemade ranch!)

Cauliflower takes a bit of extra effort to freeze but is well worth it.  To freeze, cut fresh cauliflower into florets and soak in a cold salt water bath for 10 minutes.  Drain, rinse, and transfer to boiling water to blanch.  Blanch for 2-3 minutes and remove to an ice bath.  From there, toss in a freezer safe container.  Frozen cauliflower is perfect for hearty stews and stir fries!

My recipes for Cauliflower:

Baked Cauliflower Bites (& Giveaway Winner)

Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry

Cauliflower Bake

Cauliflower Soup {plus a giveaway!}

Cauliflower Steaks with Green Harissa and Brown Rice

Curried Cauliflower Pizza

Homemade Baked Potato Chips

Roasted Cauliflower and Cheddar Cheese Soup

Roasted Garlic and Cheddar Cauliflower Gratin

Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower

Spicy Peanut Sauce with Brown Rice Noodles and Veggies

Cherries

Even though fresh foods wasn’t a primary staple in my family when I was a child, we did have a garden and we had a couple fruit trees.  It’s one of those memories that is slightly foggy but my tree was the cherry tree.  I loved seeing the flowers and then the fruit that followed shortly after.  You can find both sweet and tart cherries and I recommend that you figure out which variety would best suit your recipe.  I recommend buying a cherry pitter.  Not only does this contain the mess but it also allows you to keep more of the cherry.

To freeze, pit cherries and toss with a bit of lemon juice, spread out on a baking tray, and freeze.  Once cherries are frozen, toss in a freezer safe bag or container.  I also love to dry out fruit to use in granola.  This can be done with a dehydrator or you can simply use your oven. 

My recipes for cherries:

Canning (the rundown: recipes, ideas, and information)

Cherry Maple Crisp {& giveaway winner!}

Cherry Rhubarb Galette

Coconut Waffles with Maple Roasted Cherries

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are such a funny piece of produce.  They are lumped in with the vegetable category but they are so light and juicy that I often consider them a fruit.  I toss them on salads and eat them as a quick snack during the summer.  There are different varieties such as the Garden Cucumber (medium size, green color- what you would find in the grocery store), English cucumbers (pictured above) are longer, skinnier, and tend to have a darker green color.  They tend to have less seeds and skin than the garden cucumber.  Finally, you will occasionally see lemon cucumbers which are short, yellow cucumbers.  They tend to sweeter with even less seeds than the English Cucumber.

Cucumbers aren’t usually frozen.  My family always makes pickles out of the garden cucumber variety.  I have a recipe for a simple pickled cucumber recipe but almost every summer, my family spends a morning making our “family pickle recipe” which can be traced back to the confederates in the Civil War. (Some day I will share it-probably this summer.)  I encourage you too look around for different pickle recipes on top of all the great recipes out there for cucumbers.

My recipes for Cucumbers:

Bread and Butter Pickles

Cucumber and Onions/CSA week 6

Going Away Dinner (with Cucumber-Feta Quinoa Salad)

Summer Farro Salad

Fava Beans

Fava beans are a gem that pops up during the summer.  They are a type of broad bean that is not dried out (like other beans) and is eaten while it’s still green.  Fava beans have a creamy and buttery taste that make excellent additions to every summer meal.  Plus, the large pods make for easy shelling and storage.

To freeze fava beans, shell, blanch for 1-2 minutes, plunge in to an ice bath, pat dry, and then place in a freezer safe container.  These beans make another great addition to stews and even rice dishes.

My recipes for Fava Beans:

Fava Bean and Quinoa Salad

Summery Rice and Fava Beans

Peaches

If asked what my favorite raw fruit is, peaches would not be near the top.  I didn’t really eat peaches growing up and the whole “fuzzy” outside kind of turned me off.  It wasn’t until I started hitting up the farmers’ market that I realized what a great resource peaches can be, especially when cooked.  They take on a life of their own when sautéed with a bit of butter and cinnamon.  Even more, they make for delicious pizza toppings and grilled-cheese partners.

I have to be honest in saying that I don’t really keep peaches around.  Once peaches are out of season, I let them go until they come again next year.  However, this article gives you step by step instructions on how best to freeze peaches.  I’ve also been told they are great for canning as well.

My recipes for peaches:

Canning (the rundown: recipes, ideas, and information)

Peach Cobbler

Peachy Waffle Sauce

Roasted Peach Cupcake with Vanilla Buttercream

Peppers

Peppers are up there with tomatoes for my favorite summer produce.  The varieties that grow never cease to amaze me and usually, once the end of the season nears, the pepper plants are still the ones bearing fruit in overdrive.  My one main suggestion about peppers: make sure you know what you are getting and know the heat level (Scoville Scale) as some peppers can be extremely hot while others have a mild sweet taste.  Ask the grower (and if they don’t know, just be careful!)  Obvious, your green peppers you get from the store have a very low score while habañeros are higher.

I’m really lazy when it comes to freezing peppers.  Given the space, I usually just toss whole peppers in a freezer safe container and pull them out as needed.  However, you may choose to remove the stems and seeds before freezing.  You can also blanch for 2 minutes, followed by an ice bath, and towel dry to make packing a little easier.  If I find myself with an abundance of red sweet peppers, I will give them a quick roast and freeze the roasted red peppers for later use.

My recipes for Peppers:

(Twice-Baked) Jalapeño Poppers

Canning (the rundown: recipes, ideas, and information)

Cilantro-Lime Marinated Veggie Kabobs with Barley Kale Salad

Roasted Poblano and Potato Soup

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Roasted Veg Tacos with Avocado Cream and Feta

Sweet and Sour Stuffed Pepper

Sweet Corn and Goat Cheese Stuffed Peppers

Recipes from around the web:

• Pickled Peppers from Taylor Takes a Taste
• Stuffed Poblano Peppers from A Couple Cooks
• Lentil Stuffed Anaheim Peppers from Taste of Healthy Goodness
• Blue Cornmeal Crepe Chile Rellenos from the Buried Carrot
• Sweet Pepper Soup from Happyolks
• Egg Enchiladas with Roasted Poblano Sauce from Cookie and Kate

Whenever I think of summer berries, I always think of children sticking raspberries on their fingers and eating them off one by one, like they are the best tasting thing ever (because really, the are.)  Ripe summer raspberries have a sweetness to them that can’t be found in their store counterpart.  Similar to blueberries, I usually don’t end up with enough to even make a recipe because I eat them all before getting out of the car.  If I do ever have them around, they make their way in to oatmeal or on top of pancakes.

To freeze simply lay them out on a baking tray, freeze, and then toss in a freezer safe bag.  Use like you would frozen blueberries and frozen strawberries.  Raspberries also make a delightful summer jam (but, you have to not eat all the berries before you get that far!)

My recipes for Raspberries:

Canning (the rundown: recipes, ideas, and information)

Three-Grain Breakfast Bake

Sugar Snap Peas

Sugar Snap Peas are a relatively new item to me.  Sugar, I’ve known about them from stir fries but what I didn’t know how delicious they could be on their own.  Often when I’m out to the CSA, I’ll grab a handful of these beauties and snack on them as I walk around an harvest.  Unlike sweet peas, there’s no need to shell.  I usually just snap the end off and eat away.  Some varieties have a string that runs down the back and should also be removed.  These are great raw, steamed, in stir-fries, and even in their own salads.

To freeze sugar snap peas, blanch for two minutes and immediately place in an ice bath, pat dry, and then stick in a freezer safe container.  I love remember that I have a bag of sugar snap peas during the cooler months when I’m craving a stir-fry.  They are the perfect addition!

My recipes for Sugar Snap Peas:

Lemon-Dill Snap Peas and Chickpeas

Roasted Snap Peas and Soba Noodles with Honey Soy Dressing

Summer Squash

Whenever I here “squash” my mind always jumps to the hard-shelled squash of winter.  However, summer has some magnificent squash that in a way are slightly easier.  Most of the summer squash have thin enough skins that no peeling is required, just simply dice and add to your favorite meal.  For the most part, summer squash have a sweet taste that is really brought out when roasting.  These squash also make great companions with the grill!  While zucchini is a summer squash, I chose to focus on other summer squashes for this post (so that they wouldn’t be over-shadowed!)  The summer squash picture above is called patty pan.  There are also other kinds of yellow summer squash that are more long and narrow.

Much like zucchini, summer squash is best frozen in either cubes or shredded.  Blanch for two minutes, ice bath, pat dry, and place in a freezer safe container.  Occasionally, after blanching, I will give the squash a quick puree and freeze it that way.  This creates the perfect creamy addition to soups in the fall.

My recipes for Summer Squash:

Basic Veggie Lasagna with Homemade Noodles

Cilantro-Lime Marinated Veggie Kabobs with Barley Kale Salad

Curry Marinated Summer Squash Salad

Roasted Veg Tacos with Avocado Cream and Feta

Summer Squash Soup

Zucchini, Squash, and Ricotta Galette

Sweet Corn

Since I currently live in Illinois, I really feel like no list would be complete without summer sweet corn.  In the hot, humid months of July, sweet corn becomes the number one topic of conversation, even topping gas prices.  Everyone is on the look-out for the farmer’s with their truck beds full of sweet corn.  While there are different varieties, my family also got the same one, from the same farmer: Nichols’ Peaches and Cream.  It’s delicious, it’s sweet, it’s the quintessential summer food.

Sweet corn also freezes really well.  Because corn continues to ripen and break down after it’s picked, it is best to blanch the corn for roughly 5 minutes, ice bath it, cut of the kernels, and then place in a freezer safe container.  While you can also blanch and freeze the ears whole, I find the corn takes up too much space and I’m usually using corn in something rather than a whole ear.

My recipes for Sweet Corn:

Black Bean and Corn Mole Tacos

Black bean and corn salsa

Chipotle Black Bean, Corn, and Rice Bowl

Cilantro Lime Corn

Corn Chowder

Corn Cilantro Cakes with Roasted Zucchini Salsa

Creamy Roasted Corn Soup

Roasted corn and cream cheese {baked} potstickers

Roasted Corn and Ricotta Enchiladas with Chipotle Tomato Sauce

Roasted Tomato and Corn Salsa

Roasted Veg Tacos with Avocado Cream and Feta

Spiced Corn and Chickpea (baked) Samosas

Sun-Dried Tomato and Corn Farro Risotto

Sweet Corn and Goat Cheese Stuffed Peppers

Sweet Corn and Pepper Soup

Sweet Peas

Sweet Peas are completely different once you eat them fresh.  The sweet summer flavor works well alone or paired with many of the other summer flavors.  Plus, it’s a fun activity to shell the peas (at least I think so!)

To freeze peas simply shell, blanch, ice bath, pat dry, and throw in to a freezer safe container.  Frozen peas are perfect for when fall rolls around and you want a nice comforting meal such as a pot pie or soup.

My recipes for Sweet Peas:

Ricotta, Smashed Pea, and Hard Boiled Egg Toast

Tomatoes

I feel like tomatoes need very little introduction.  For me, tomatoes are the highlight of the summer season (just as sweet potatoes are the highlight of fall.)  I don’t eat tomatoes unless they are in season.  The sweet taste of freshly picked tomatoes trumps a grocery store tomato any day.  Some of my favorite types of tomatoes include roma, cherry, heirloom, and slicing tomatoes.  My favorite way to eat a tomato? Thickly sliced with a pinch of salt and pepper sprinkled on top!

When it comes to preserving tomatoes, the sky is really the limit.  You can can, dry, or freeze tomatoes with ease.  Tomatoes can be frozen whole (I often remove part that attaches to the vine) both with skin on or off.  To remove the skin, blanch for 30 seconds to loosen the skin.  Place whole tomatoes on a baking tray and stick in the freezer.  Once frozen, place in an freeze safe container.  You can also make tomato sauce (see recipe below) and freeze that if you do not want to mess with canning.  If you want the flavor of a sun-dried tomato, there are instructions to easily dry them in the oven.

Tomatoes come in a such a wide variety that all have different taste and are perfect for many uses.  I recommend tasting all the varieties you can and plan accordingly!

My recipes for tomatoes:

Bulgur Chili (vegan)

Canning (the rundown: recipes, ideas, and information)

Canning: A Winter Update

Caprese Brown Rice

Chipotle Tomato Soup

Cilantro-Lime Marinated Veggie Kabobs with Barley Kale Salad

Curried Tomato and Brown Rice Soup with Fried Paneer

Gazpacho

Homemade Ketchup

Homemade marinara and whole wheat pasta

Ricotta Stuffed Shells with Roasted Tomato Sauce

Roasted Corn and Ricotta Enchiladas with Chipotle Tomato Sauce

Roasted Curried Tomatoes with Fried Paneer and Rice

Roasted Garlic and Tomato Soup

Roasted Tomato and Corn Salsa

Roasted Tomato and Egg Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Roasted Tomato Pizza Sauce

Roasted Tomato Salsa

Roasted Tomato Soup (The Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook)

Roasted Veg Tacos with Avocado Cream and Feta

Spicy Tomato Chutney

Summer Farro Salad

Tomato, Herb, and Goat Cheese Frittata

Zucchini

Oh Zucchini.  I sometimes feel bad for zucchini.  It is such a forgiving vegetable.  You turn your back for five minutes and it seems like not only do you have too many, they are all the size of a small child.  One can only make zucchini bread for so long and before long, you have zucchini everywhere.  But trust me when I say that there are so many options beyond the good ole loaf of zucchini bread.

To keep zucchini, I love to cube it up.  From there you go through the normal cycle: blanch for two minutes, ice bath, pat dry, and sit in a freezer safe container.  You can also shred zucchini with the same process.  All in all, it’s great to know that with so much zucchini in the summer, it can be easily saved throughout the year.

A quick aside, zucchini flowers are also fantastique. Here is a quick article that gives you a few more facts on the flower!

My recipes for Zucchini:

Basic Veggie Lasagna with Homemade Noodles

Candied Ginger Zucchini Muffins

Cilantro-Lime Marinated Veggie Kabobs with Barley Kale Salad

Corn Cilantro Cakes with Roasted Zucchini Salsa

Grilled Cumin-Lime Zucchini Quesadilla

Roasted Veg Tacos with Avocado Cream and Feta

Stuffed Zucchini Flowers

Zucchini (Summer) Paella

Zucchini Cheddar (yeast) Bread

Zucchini Pizza

Zucchini, Squash, and Ricotta Galette

{spring} spring rolls