Summertime is Fruit and Veggie Time

By Terri Rozema

Many of our gardens are overflowing with more fruits and vegetables than we know what to do with. If you don’t have a garden, your local farmer’s market will be teeming with tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash, and melons right now. So pick some up, bake some muffins and share a salad with your friends. But be prepared, you’ll most likely get asked to do so again, again and again.

Applesauce & Summer Squash Muffins

These muffins freeze brilliantly. I have several dozen in our spare freezer that we will enjoy all winter long. I’m sure in a few weeks, there will be several dozen more.

You will need:

• Muffin Pans (12 muffins total)
• Leaf lard, raw butter, or organic coconut oil
• 1 cup organic cane sugar
• 1/2 cup organic brown sugar
• 2 pasture-raised eggs
• 1/2 cup organic applesauce
• 1/3 cup leaf lard, raw grass-fed butter, or organic coconut oil.
• 3 tsp. vanilla bean paste (or extract) - I prefer Nielsen Massey
• 2 cups zucchini, ends trimmed, seeded, shredded and finely diced (see directions)
• 3/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts
• 3 cups organic all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. ground organic cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. freshly grated organic nutmeg
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. Celtic sea salt
• 1 heaping tsp. Dr. Cowan’s Garden Carrot Powder
• 1 heaping tsp. Dr. Cowan’s Garden Parsnip Powder
• 2 heaping tsp. Dr. Cowan’s Garden Three-Beet Powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (use convection, if possible)

Directions:

1. Rinse zucchini and trim the ends. Slice in half lengthwise and gently scrape out some of the seeds. Shred half and small dice the other. (See photo.)
2. Generously grease muffin tins with leaf lard, raw butter, or coconut oil.
3. In one bowl, cream fat of choice and sugar together. Add eggs, vanilla, and applesauce; stir to combine. Fold in zucchini and walnuts.
4. In a larger bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices, Carrot, Parsnip, and Three-Beet Powders; mix well.
5. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients; stir just enough to combine. Do not over-mix.
6. Spoon batter into muffin cups.
7. Bake at 350 Fahrenheit for 15 minutes; rotate the muffins 180 degrees.
8. Bake for another 15 minutes.
9. Check doneness by sticking a toothpick into the center of the muffin. If it is clean when removed, the muffins are done. If the batter sticks to the toothpick, bake longer.
10. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes; remove muffins from pan and cool on a baking rack.

Easy Peasy Summer Salad - Party Size

 - Best prepared at least one day in advance

You will need:

• 4-5 pounds various organic tomatoes
• 1 1/2 pounds organic cucumbers
• 1 large organic red onion
• 1 tsp. Celtic sea salt
• 3/4 pound block organic feta cheese
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar of Modena - I recommend Malpighi Prelibato White Balsamic
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar - I recommend Pommery Sherry Vinegar
• 2 cloves of organic garlic, grated
• 2 tsp. raw honey
• 1/4 cup dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. Dr. Cowan’s Garden Sea Vegetables Powder
• 1 tsp. Dr. Cowan’s Garden Low-Oxalate Greens Powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chives, basil, or Italian parsley (optional)

Directions: 

1. Rinse tomatoes and cucumbers.
2. Core large tomatoes and cut into large dice; quarter cherry tomatoes.
3. Trim ends from cucumbers and slice in half, lengthwise. Gently scrape out most of the seeds.
4. Medium dice cucumbers.
5. Finely dice onion.
6. Place tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion into a large colander. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. Salt and mix gently with your hands. Let rest for 1 hour in the sink, stirring occasionally (helps to remove excess water.)
7. Crumble feta cheese, set aside.
8. In a small bowl, add dijon mustard, honey, balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar, garlic, and vegetable powders. Whisk. While whisking, slowly pour the olive oil into the mustard mixture until fully incorporated.
9. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Gently mix. Salt and pepper to taste.
10. Allow marinating in the refrigerator for at least one day for optimal flavor.
11. Garnish with fresh herbs (optional.)
12. This salad should stay crisp, fresh, and delicious for one week, refrigerated.