Guide to picking the most delicious summer vegetables

The summer season is a great time to look for nutritious, fresh veggies that your family will love. Every year, the availability of crops and the exact time of the harvest vary depending on your exact location, but follow this list of vegetables to know more about the best ones to look out for and when.

These versatile and flavoursome vegetables are always at their best in the summer season:

1. Zucchini: The tastiest zucchini tends to be available from July through October. This dark green veggie has a mild, nutty flavour, making it great for salads, breads, muffins or to eat with dips. It’s low in calories and contains vitamin A and C, fibre and protein.
2. Broccoli: One of the most popular cruciferous vegetables, broccoli is at its best from June through October. Rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre, broccoli is great in stir-fries, salads and soups. It’s nice raw or it can be steamed. Lemon, butter or hollandaise sauce make good accompaniments.
3. Potatoes: Potatoes are available year round, but the harvest takes place from spring to fall. Rich in nutrition, potatoes are stacked with potassium, vitamin C, fibre and folic acid. They can be eaten in many ways – try them baked, roasted, fried, boiled and mashed. Sweet potatoes (which are root vegetables) are also good in summer.
4. Cauliflower: Available from June to November, cauliflower is tasty in soups, salads, stir fries, Indian curries and cheesy bakes, to name a few dishes. It’s low in fat and calories, and high in vitamins and antioxidants.
5. Corn: From July through October, you’ll be able to find the sweetest, juiciest corn. Cobs of sweet corn are great on the barbecue or boiled. You can also add corn to fritters and most vegetable dishes. Sweet corn is packed with vitamins including fibre and vitamin C.
6. Spinach: Fresh summer spinach tends to be readily available from May to October. This dark green, leafy veggie is very good for you, as it’s packed with iron and vitamins. It goes well with salads, dairy products, soy sauce, vinaigrette and salty meats.

Other veggies that are ripe for the picking in the summer season include cucumber, cabbage, carrots, green beans, celery, peppers, snow peas and lettuce.

Aside from the flavours and nutritional value of vegetables, it’s worth keeping certain things in mind when you go shopping:

• Many fresh vegetables won’t last more than five days after buying them
• The freshest vegetables are often found in farmers markets
• Summer harvests and the veggies available will vary each year

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