I love everything about summer vegetables. The colors, the freshness, the flavor straight from the garden or even the farmers market… nothing in a can or frozen bag can ever compare. A ripe tomato still warm from the sunshine, crisp zucchini ready for the skillet, bright yellow squash piled high in a basket — it all feels like summer is feeding both the body and the soul. My grandfather was a farmer and I grew up eating fresh veggies....sometimes right there in the field. Nothing like taking your own salt shaker to the field with you....pulling a fresh ripe tomato and eating it right where you stand.
I truly believe our bodies know the difference when we eat fresh foods. Summer vegetables are full of goodness, vitamins, and natural energy that make us feel alive from the inside out. Tomatoes bursting with flavor, cucumbers with that cool crisp bite, okra fresh from the garden, green beans snapping in half, peppers in every beautiful color imaginable… I think it's nature’s way of reminding us to slow down and nourish our bodies.
Fresh vegetables just taste happier. A garden tomato sliced thick with a little salt and pepper can outshine the fanciest meal. I'm not a huge meat eater, so diving into a dish of fresh sliced tomatoes for me, is like a meat lover diving into a big Texas grilled sirloin. You want a great smell in your kitchen? Slice up some zucchini and squash and sauté them together with onions and your kitchen will smell like pure comfort.
I have so many summer memories of not only the tomato fields and the watermelon patches that my Papa farmed, but of the Pea fields and those long Pea sacks. And how about the many hours spent setting on the porch shelling peas....this had a way of connecting generations.....Lots of talking and a lot of sore fingers.
The older I get, the more I appreciate simple foods that come straight from the earth. No complicated ingredients. No fancy trends. Just fresh goodness that reminds us how beautiful healthy living can be.
Those were some good ol' days for sure...
Shug.....🍅
I agree, a neighbor gave us some fresh tomatoes off the vine, and I have to tell you, wow...what a difference in taste, smiles. Wishing you a beautiful day and keeping in prayer.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree, nothing like picking something straight from the garden and eating it right there. My dad always had a big garden and we would often stop for a tomato snack. YUM.
ReplyDeleteThere really is nothing like getting something from the ground and bringing it in doors for sure. When we were kiddos we did the strawberry picking and I always ate more than I picked! What fun.
ReplyDeleteRegarding your comment on my blog, I love ALDI. For my location the produce is very, very good though there was a time many, many years ago when it wasn't and I stopped going because of the old manager. Just didn't know what they were doing.
However these days, just love it. It's a small discount store. Not fancy. Things still in boxes and instead of many kinds of club crackers there's one. Instead of many kinds of corn chips, there's far less than at big box stores.
That's what I love about it though. And it helps keep the prices low and the shopping quick. Though I confess, I can walk around and look at ingredients for awhile, it's my happy place.
Sending you lots of yummy weekend wishes my friend.
Shug, whenever I come to read your blog, I always am uplifted by your beautiful writing style and your beautiful way of reminding us of the simple things that bring so much joy. There is nothing better or healthier than fresh vegetables from the garden. I love how you said that sitting and shelling peas had a way of connecting generations sitting togather and talking and sharing. A lovely post.
ReplyDeleteFresh is always the best way to go, Shug. My father always had a garden when we were growing up, so summertime always gave us a bounty of goodness to enjoy. Danny and I really take extra care to eat "clean." Welcome to MAHA!
ReplyDeleteHi Shug :) I've always heard that fresh tomatoes are so different than store-bought ones. That has always intrigued me. I'm not a fan of tomatoes, so I can't imagine just biting into one like an apple. I hope you're feeling better, day by day. Have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteLovely memories of perfect foods.
ReplyDeleteI am hoping to have a crop of tomatoes from my garden sometime soon. Anything from the garden always tastes better than bought.
ReplyDeleteI sure hope they all grow off good for you Kim. I love the freshness of veggies coming from the garden... My youngest daughters husband grew up in a big city....when he came here, he had never seen blackberries growing on a vine...We have taught him many things about living in the country.
DeleteOh yes! Agree food is love and medicine. This brings back such memories. My grandparents had a hug garden and my favorite was the peas - eating then right in the field as I helped weed. And grabbing corn and help shuck it. So many great memories. Blessings to you Shug 💗
ReplyDeletelol Carrie....I forgot about the corn....we would even shuck and ear of corn and eat it raw. I'm surprised we didn't all have worms.. lol.
DeleteMmm...nothing better than farm fresh. I totally agree!!
ReplyDeleteSo true Kim....and so healthy for us too...
DeleteAh yes, the good old days of fresh veggies and the smells of Summer.
ReplyDeleteMy folks always had a garden of sorts. I loved the taste of vine ripen tomatoes. There sure is no comparison to store bought fruit and veggies.
I liked your thought of the kitchen smelling like "Pure Comfort".
Yes it does.
Sue
Oh Sue....Sam loves to smell the kitchen when I am cooking big. His grandmother cooked all the time and he grew up with those smells of good foods cooking.
DeleteI remember thinking Tom was "telling fibs" when he'd talk about carrying a salt shaker out to the field to snack on those tomatoes! I'm still learning to enjoy them, but draw the line at anything less than refrigerated. Love everything else, and yes. I agree the fresh ones taste happier. What a great turn of a phrase!
ReplyDeleteOh yes...we all had our very own salt shaker out in the field with us. My papa was getting half of the work out of us because we would stop and take a few minutes to enjoy our tomato...or watermelon .....cantaloupes or whatever was in the field.
DeleteAmen to that about fresh tomatoes. I don't salt mine though -- just pure vine-ripened tomatoes. ❤️
ReplyDeleteJust can't beat them...I also like lots of pepper on my tomatoes. lol
DeleteI can only imagine what marvelous summers you had growing up. We lived in the city and I probably never even saw a farm till I was married! But now we are surrounded by barns and farmer's markets. How is Sam doing with the pill?
ReplyDeleteI do love barns and I know that they are beautiful up North. My grandfather's old barn is still standing to this day... So far, The main issue for Sam is extreme exhaustion...hoping this gets better soon..
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. There is nothing like the fresh bounty of summer!
ReplyDeleteHubby and I eat a large serving of fresh vegetables every day with lunch and have more with dinner. But I always look forward to the summer, when 'fresh' means it was grown locally, not halfway across the country.
ReplyDeleteWe like the carrots and green beans ogh so good..peas are the art of patience:)
ReplyDeleteShug, that photo is mine :))
ReplyDeleteI wish you a nice sunny weekend, Hugs, Andreja!
Isn't that the truth, Shug. Garden veggies are simply the best. My dad had a garden, and would bring in the best looking veggies, and my mom would cook them for dinner that night. I loved hearing about your grandfather's farm and the tomato fields and the watermelon patches. You have some wonderful memories there. There's nothing like a homegrown tomato. I never shelled the peas, but we used to snap the ends of the green beans. Oh, your post was sunshine and joy this morning, Shug. Summertime provides all those wonderful natural fruits and veggies. And guess what? I used to work on a farm during the summer months when I was growing up. We all helped out early in the morning, as my brother just opened a produce store. I can just see you in the field running and enjoying all the good foods that your grandfather grew. : )
ReplyDeleteThey taste so much better - they are prettier - and they are so much better for you.
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