Summer Bounty

This is my favorite time of year. Sure, it's hot enough to grill tofu on the sidewalk, but that hot summer sun makes for ripe, luscious fruits and veggies. For example, check out MY FIRST TOMATO!!!


This is the first fully-ripe, edible bit of produce I've ever grown (aside from fresh herbs). It's a Cherokee Purple heirloom tomato (though it looks a little red), and even though it's from my plant, I really owe my neighbor Wes credit for keeping it alive. He waters it daily when he waters his other plants. It'd be dead by now if it were up to me (now do you see why I've never been able to grow anything?).

Though you can't tell in the photo, the bottom of the tomato was rotting a bit. I trimmed that part off and immediately devoured the rest, slice by juicy slice. Wow! I've eaten Cherokee Purples, but this was so much better than any tomato I've had before. It didn't even need salt!

For dinner that night, I made Fried Tofu Ricotta and Hickory Smoked "Cheddar" Stuffed Squash Blossoms:


I picked the blossoms up at the farmer's market Saturday morning but wasn't sure what to do with them. So I made some quick tofu ricotta and shredded some Hickory Smoked Sheese (good stuff!) for stuffing. Then I battered them in a whole wheat flour/soymilk mixture and fried them in safflower oil.

Here's what they looked like before frying:


On the side, I made Grilled Peach Salad with Faux Feta:


The peaches were also from the farmer's market, courtesy of the local Jones Orchard. I sliced them in half and threw 'em on the grill for a few minutes to bring out the natural juices. Look at these babies:


Then I sliced them and laid them over fresh arugula (also from the farmer's market) and topped with Sunergia Mediterranean Herb SoyFeta and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. That, my friends, is what summer is all about!