Warmer weather, farmers’ markets, gardens, delicious produce readily available…you gotta love this time of year.
With the unofficial start of summer upon us (Happy Memorial Day, by the way), I’m really excited about the plethora of fresh food at my fingertips!
There’s nothing I love more than farm fresh eggs and planting my own herbs and vegetables.
Ahhhh, summer!
With that said, I wanted to share with you some wonderfully DELICIOUS, not to mention super nutritious, recipes with you all to make the most out of this season’s best produce!
But first, I want to mention why farmers’ markets are so FANTASTIC!
Farmers’ markets aren’t just the latest fad, they aren’t a trend and they aren’t going out of style anytime soon.
Farmers’ markets have been around for hundreds, if not, thousands of years.
In fact, the first farmers’ markets technically originated in Egypt over 5,000 years ago when farmers along the Nile brought their fresh produce to be sold.
Today, there are farmers’ markets all over the world, with the smallest ones being no more than 3-4 vendors selling their fresh produce, to the largest one in the world in Tokyo, Japan which has over 1,700 stalls!
Farmers’ markets are defined as common facilities where several producers gather on a regular basis, usually on a regular schedule, to sell fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, flowers, baked goods and prepared foods.
They are direct to consumer from the producers, thereby cutting out the middleman, such as, supermarkets and big chain stores.
The most important criteria to be considered a farmers’ market is that goods are produced locally and vendors sell their own products.
Some benefits of shopping farmers’ markets and buying locally:
-Fresher produce
-Healthier foods
-Knowing where your food is coming from and where it has been
-Less pesticides and GMOs
-Social atmosphere
-Discovering new foods
-Shopping outside
-Close to home
-Supporting your local growers
-More affordable than supermarkets and big box stores
-Meeting neighbors in the community
These benefits (and more!) are why you should take advantage of the season and thoroughly enjoy all that your local farmers’ market has to offer.
Not sure if your area has a farmers’ market? Go to LocalHarvest.org and see the list of markets near you!
So, now to the good stuff. The recipes. Check out my delicious array of summery goodness and enjoy your unofficial start to the summer season!
(Don’t forget to make a pitcher of iced oolong tea to drink along side these summery dishes!)
Chicken & Blueberry Pasta Salad
Summer Tomato, Onion & Cucumber Salad
Roasted Corn With Basil-Shallot Vinnaigrette
Marinated Grilled Summer Veggies + Sausage
With all of these delicious recipes, there’s no excuse not to visit your local farmers’ market and pick up some fresh produce and meats and enjoy all that summer has to offer.
You can even use your tea to marinate many of your farmers’ market finds and enjoy an added boost of antioxidants and health benefits! Check out how you can cook with our oolong tea, here.
What are some of your favorite summer recipes? Share in the comments below!
Have a wonderful week!
Cheers to you!
Yours in Health & Happiness,
Chrissy
P.S. Hop on over to OkumaNutritionals.com and pick up a box (or 2, or 3, or MORE!) of our AMAZING Wu-Long Slimming Tea! It is THE favorite amongst our customers!! Not only is it a fat-torching powerhouse tea, it also fights free radicals to make you look younger and feel VIBRANT!! If you’d rather drink iced tea, NO PROBLEM! Brew our tea and serve with ice for a delicious summery beverage. Heck, throw in some grapefruit, lemon, watermelon, or berries to make it even more delicious! The possibilities are endless!
