 The last time I posted on the blog, I focused on the amazing summer fruit available right now in our part of the world. Vegetables took a back seat for the day, but today, I want to give you a recipe for something that may be in season where you live--spaghetti squash! Technically, June is the end of spaghetti squash season here in California (though many grocery stores carry it year round), but I still love this as a summer recipe because spaghetti squash could easily be substituted for a number of spiralized vegetables...zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, peppers...If you've never heard of spiralizing, check it out here!
Zucchini would be my first choice as a substitute because of it's prevalence in our area in June and July. In fact, here's a photo of our vegetable garden at the peak of summer harvest (and fortunately, surviving this insane heat wave). Whatever vegetable you choose to use in this recipe, I hope you enjoy it! Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs Serves 4 20 turkey meatballs (recipes below) 1 large spaghetti squash Approx ½ c water 2 c good quality marinara Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Place one half in a heatproof dish, cut-side up. Fill the cavity with water and replace other half over the top (as if you’re putting the squash back together). Microwave for 10-15 minutes (flipping squash over every five minutes and checking for fork-tenderness). While squash cooks, begin to prepare meatballs. Once squash is cooked, drain any remaining water and with an oven mitt, hold the shell of each half and use a fork to scrape out spaghetti “noodles”, and set aside in a clean bowl. Once meatballs are straining, add spaghetti “noodles” to the meatball pan. Add in marinara, then the strained meatballs and allow flavors to marry for 5-10 minutes, over low heat. Serve warm and top with additional parmesan, if desired. Turkey Meatballs Makes 20 meatballs .75 lb organic ground turkey 1 cage free egg 1 slice whole wheat or whole grain, gluten free toast, chopped/crumbled into very fine pieces 1 T dried Italian herbs mixture ½ t sea salt ½ t ground black pepper ¼ c finely shredded fresh parmesan cheese (organic, if possible) 2 T extra virgin olive oil In a large bowl, combine all ingredients with hands and form 20 equal sized meatballs. Wash hands. Cook meatballs in a large skillet in 2 batches (1 T olive oil allotted for each batch) over medium low heat, until browned on every side and cooked through (no pink when one is cut open). Set to strain over a paper towel and wipe skillet down before moving on to the next step.
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 It's here! Summer produce is both ripening and sweetening and it just feels right to do a deep dive into some of the benefits of our favorite summer fruits, in particular. Here's a snapshot of what we have in our kitchen at the moment. On any given day, we're adding melon, blueberries, plums, and nectarines to the mix too. (Not to leave vegetables out or anything, but they'll have to just get their very own post once tomatoes come onto the scene). So here goes!
Strawberries High in vitamin C (very high, in fact) and fiber and especially sweet this time of year, chow down if you feel a summertime cold coming on. My favorite way to eat them is in smoothies with banana and peanut butter (yup)! Peaches Also a decent source of vitamin C and fiber, peaches pack a punch in the potassium category too. We need potassium to keep our muscles healthy, so peaches would be a good choice as an after-workout snack (paired with protein, of course). I love a juicy peach and blueberry cobbler myself. Apricots Turn to these little babies when you need a boost for your skin because they are high in Vitamin A. Apricots provide a nostalgic flavor to me since I grew up with a flourishing tree in my backyard. I love chopping ripe apricots up into oatmeal with a little cinnamon or nutmeg in the mornings. Cherries These sweet bursts of flavor keep up with berries and stone fruits on all fronts: in Vitamins A, C, potassium, and fiber levels. Additionally, some say cherries can help with insomnia, as they can increase melatonin production (specifically in the form of tart cherry juice). My favorite way to eat 'em, though? Straight outta the bowl. Yum! |
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