I once read that the average person typically loses or maintains their weight during the summer months. Perhaps the reason is the motivation to look swimsuit-ready for that summer vacation or pool party. Perhaps cooler season holidays and social gatherings like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Years prompt urges to overindulge in food and alcohol and snuggle up in front of a couch on a cold day rather than hit the walking trail.
For me, there are two other reasons.
First, it’s all about my appetite barometer. Heat usually prompts less hunger. I tend to eat less because heat wards off the need to OVEReat. No one wants to feel hot and sticky, let alone, stuffed, hot, and sticky.
Secondly, the summer season offers a colorful array of fruits and vegetables that you just can’t score during the cooler months. Juicy nectarines, summer squash, sweet corn, sweet watermelon, luscious peaches, and succulent plums, come out of hiding and become the main ingredient or preferable snack choice when it’s 97 degrees outdoors.
To celebrate the beginning of the sweltering heat season we call Summer (June 21st) and Eat Your Veggies Day! (June 17th), I’ve put together a colorful mix of summer-friendly vegetables to create the perfect, light, main meal or side dish for those who are like me and hate to OVERstuff themselves in the blazing heat.
EP4L’s 100 Days of Summer Garden Veggies is a healthy blend of yellow summer squash, mushrooms, peppers, fresh green beans, bright cherry tomatoes, and summer corn kernels perfectly seasoned with fresh herbs, then lightly sautéed with fresh garlic to deliver a crisp texture and harmonious flavor.
Serve as is, over a bed mixed baby greens, or with your favorite grain.
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- 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow squash, sliced into 1/4" thick rounds
- 1 medium orange bell pepper, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups fresh green greens, cut in half
- 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 stalk fresh corn, kernels removed
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves removed
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
- salt and pepper, to taste
Ingredients
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- Heat oil in large sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add garlic, green beans, mushrooms, squash, thyme, and salt and pepper. Stir, not allowing garlic to burn.
- Add corn kernels and tomatoes. Cook until green beans are slightly tender. Do not overcook. Stir in basil and remove from heat.
- Serve immediately as is, over your favorite grain, or over a bed of lettuce.
- Enjoy!
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