Green and Gold Summer Vegetables
A big part of Meal Making Transformation is learning how to simplify healthy meal making without sacrificing flavor. Check out the 4 techniques in this picture recipe for bumping up the flavor in of your dishes.
Technique #1: Combine Seasonal Color One of the neatest things about seasonal eating is that good taste almost always accompanies whatever lovely color combinations you assemble from the array of produce in season–like the vibrant green and yellow in this dish.
Main Ingredients (for 1 serving)
- 1 med. yellow summer squash
- 1 cup sugar snap peas (or snow peas), inner string stripped
To “strip the inner string” pull the flower/stem end down the curved inner edge of the pod. The bigger the pea, the bigger the string.
Technique #2: Complimentary Cuts Cut the main vegetables in pieces that have a roughly similar size and mouthfeel. In this case, cut the squash lengthwise into halves or quarters, depending upon how big it is. Then cut it horizontally into half or quarter rounds, about 1/4″ thick.
Leave the peas whole or slice in half. I cut the larger ones in half and left the smaller ones whole.
Technique #3: Quick Stir-Fry for Fast Flavor Summer vegetables often do best with just light cooking–unlike their sturdier winter cousins who benefit from longer cooking times. Using a high-heat oil (like avocado, safflower, sunflower or refined peanut) stir fry quickly over higher heats just until crisp-tender to taste. Try to avoid cooking until the veggies are soggy and mushy–but if you do, the dish will still be fine.
Now just sprinkle with salt and pepper and you have a colorful and tasty vegetable dish.
Technique #4: Add More Flavor As You Have Time The vegetables in this dish can easily stand on their own, so don’t stress if that’s all you can do. If you have a little extra energy and time, try one or more of these ideas:
Throw in a little chopped garlic or sliced green onions at the end of the cooking time and cook 3-4 minutes with the veggies
Top with chopped cilantro and/or fresh lime juice and enjoy!
Are You Wondering . . .
“Can all those vegetables really be for just one serving?” Yes! That’s what I ate for dinner along with some steak strips and new potatoes (also in season and really delicious right now.) Remember we want to be eating LOTS of vegetables–and very often we eat few if any for breakfast and lunch. So dinner is the time to play catch-up. Don’t be alarmed by the quantity–it’s low calorie but way high in nutrient density!
