With the harvest from the garden comes the challenge of ensuring these vegetables are prepared in a nutritious and healthy manner. Don’t get me wrong, I will occasionally serve fried green tomatoes, fried squash or fried okra, but these garden delights can also be served raw or prepared in a healthy manner while still providing the wonderful flavors we all desire!

Eggplant, zucchini and summer squash can be marinated and grilled to provide a pleasing side dish. Simply grilled ears of corn or making veggie kabobs are superb as well. Another great idea is to sauté tomatoes, zucchini and basil as a mouthwatering dish. Stuffing peppers or zucchini is another idea with endless possibilities to compliment the vegetable. Grilled squash quesadillas with a side of fresh garden salsa or black bean and corn salsa sounds amazing. Don’t forget those marvelous BLTs with the thick slice of tomato and crispy lettuce. There are infinite ways to take these garden vegetables and prepare a healthy, nutritious dish and/or meal.

Have I made you hungry yet? Take advantage of those fresh veggies from the garden, the grocery or the local farmers market and be creative. Choose preparation methods that preserve the nutritional value of the foods such as steaming, microwaving, or sautéing. This will allow for the greatest satisfaction to be derived from preparation to consumption. Search your recipe box; look at online food sites, such as the cooking channel, for ideas that use common kitchen and garden ingredients. Branch out and take this opportunity to enjoy the wide variety of garden vegetables available at this time of year and try new recipes or enjoy old ones with a new healthier twist. The overall goal is to increase vegetable consumption and engage in healthier food preparation methods.

Combining fresh and canned vegetables is another option. I make a corn salad that uses one can of white corn drained and rinsed, combined with fresh diced tomatoes and green onions, mix in one tablespoon of reduced fat olive oil mayonnaise and salt and pepper to taste. This is quick, simple and a great healthy side dish! Here’s a helpful hint, displaying the fresh produce in the kitchen serves as a reminder to incorporate them into your meals. Step outside of the old standard and be creative. Enjoy!

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