Summer Produce
Tips & Recipes

fast fact—from the creamy white "Albina Vereduna" to the candy striped "Chioggia," beets offer dramatic plate presentation

culinary tip—to save on labour, look for fresh, peeled beets that are sealed in an air-tight container, giving the fresh beets a refrigerated shelf life of up to six months

nutritional profile—(1/2 cup/125mL) good sources of folate; source of potassium, vitamin C, and magnesium

fast facts—they turn reddish when exposed to acids, such as lemon juice and vinegar, and they turn greenish-blue in a batter that has too much baking soda, which creates an alkaline environment¹

culinary tip—one dry cup of fresh blueberries equals two-thirds of a cup of puréed blueberries²

nutritional profile—(1/2 cup/125 mL) good source of vitamins K and E; source of vitamin C and fibre

fast fact—on average, there are 44 cherries in one pound³

culinary tip—turn your salsa into a seasonal offering by adding cherries to it

nutritional profile—(1/2 cup/125 mL) good source of potassium and vitamin C

fast fact—an ear of corn averages 800 kernels in 16 rows⁴

culinary tip—for a hit of fresh, sweet flavour, grate corn for corn pancakes, corn pudding or sweet-corn soup

nutritional profile—(1/2 cup/125 mL) good source of folate; source of potassium, vitamin C, thiamine and magnesium

fast fact—fig trees don't blossom on their branches; the blossom is inside the fruit

culinary tips—slice in half and top with goat cheese; drizzle with olive oil and grill

nutritional profile—(1/2 cup/125 mL) good source of potassium, vitamin K, magnesium, B6 and fibre

fast fact—yellow and purple beans offer the same flavour profile as green beans

culinary tips—for an Asian twist, add garlic, ginger, chili paste and soy; for a Mediterranean spin, add stewed tomatoes, onion and garlic

nutritional profile—(1/2 cup/125 mL) source of folate, vitamins C, K and magnesium

fast fact—according to freshmangoes.com, the fruit of the mango is called a drupe, which consists of the mesocarp (the edible part) and the endocarp (the pit)

culinary tips—mangos shouldn't be refrigerated until they reach desired ripeness; try using green mango in a savoury summer slaw

nutritional profile—(1/2 cup/125 mL) good source of vitamin C; source of folate, vitamins K, B6 and E

fast facts—nectarines are fuzzless varieties of peaches and are smaller and smoother than peaches

culinary tip—look for fragrant nectarines that give slightly to the touch

nutritional profile—(1/2 cup/125 mL) good source of thiamine and source of vitamin C

fast facts—according to the Pear Bureau Northwest, Comice and Seckel have a rich sweetness to them, Anjou offers more of a clean sweetness and Bosc lends a honeyed sweetness

culinary tips—lightly poach pears used in salads to keep them from browning; grill pears for a great seasonal garnish

nutritional profile—(1/2 cup/125 mL) source of vitamin C and fibre

fast fact—if cooking with plums, look for the Japanese varietal called Elephant Heart

culinary tips—store between 0°-1°C (minimal breakdown will occur), ripen between 11°-25°C and avoid holding in the 2°-10°C range, where the fruit's lifespan can be shortened by up to 75%⁵

nutritional profile—(1/2 cup/125 mL) source of vitamins C and K

fast fact—there's more than just red and black raspberries—look for purple and yellow for added menu interest

culinary tip—frozen raspberries keep for about three months, but freeze raspberries with a bit of sugar and they keep for up to a year

nutritional profile—(1/2 cup/125 mL) good source of vitamin E and fibre; source of folate, vitamins C and K, and magnesium

fast fact—from Cherokee Purple to Green Zebra, heirloom tomatoes add colour, variety and a connection to local farms

culinary tip—one pound of fresh tomatoes equals three cups of puréed tomatoes

nutritional profile—(1/2 cup/125 mL) source of folate, potassium, and vitamins C, K and E

fast fact—seeded watermelon are oblong in shape while seedless watermelon are round

culinary tips—the average 20-pound watermelon yields about 53 6-ounce wedges, each ¾-inch thick; the average 20-pound watermelon yields 14 pounds of edible fruit, leaving six pounds of rind

nutritional profile—(1/2 cup/125 mL) source of vitamin C and magnesium