Treat Yourself to Summer with Fresh Fruits & Veggies

Although I know this is not an original thought, I still have to say it--one of my favorite things about summer is the plethora of amazingly delicious fruits and veggies that are in season and ready to be eaten up by peeps like me. See? Not very original, but oh-so-true. As many of you already know, I'm a total fruits and veggies girl, so when I can enjoy my favorite summer treats while they're actually in season, I'm a pretty happy camper.

So, just because they make me so excited, I decided that today I had to share my top 5 favorite summer treats (in no particular order) and my 5 favorite health benefits associated with each of these treats. Read on for the scoop!

Avocados: OMG do I love avocados. Ben and I buy them by the bag-full, and have really been going through them over the past few weeks. He brings half an avocado to work every day with his lunch, but I like to eat them in the following ways...
Favorite ways to eat: Chopped up on a salad, on a sandwich or turkey/veggie burger, or as fresh, homemade guacamole (obviously!).
Favorite nutritional benefits: Eating avocado with a salad can help your body to absorb the other nutrients in the salad, for instance, the carotenoids found in other veggies. Also, avocados are the best "fruit" source of Vitamin E!

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Watermelon: Although it can be messy, heavy, and hard to get home, watermelon is TOTALLY worth it. We've been buying them and hauling them back to our apartment just so that we can enjoy their juicy sweetness. Nothing like a fresh watermelon in the summer!
Favorite ways to eat: Fresh, off the rind, as a snack or side item to a summery meal. Making watermelon "icees" is also a fun way to indulge--just add watermelon and ice and blend! Yum :)
Favorite nutritional benefits: Packed with vitamins A, C, B6, and lycopene.

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Corn on the Cob: We cooked some Sunday night and it was utterly amazing. I always forget how much I love fresh corn on the cob until I have it in the summertime...
Favorite ways to eat: Grilled, on the cob. Just add a spot of butter and salt :)
Favorite nutritional benefit: High in fiber and several vitamins, including C, niacin, and folic acid.

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Summer Berries (especially Strawberries and Blueberries): Have I mentioned before that I like summer fruit? I know, I know, I am truly obsessed. But is there anything that says summer more than going blueberry or strawberry-picking? We went all the time when I was little, and I've been wanting to schedule a day trip to do it again soon. So. much. fun.
Favorite ways to eat: Fresh, right off of the bush or from the package (washed, of course), over a bowl of granola, or mixed in with steel-cut oatmeal and a dash of milk.
Favorite nutritional benefit: Both of these berries are packed with vitamin C, manganese, and antioxidants. Miracle foods!

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Tomatoes: Remind me of when I was young! My mom used to grow fresh tomatoes in our backyard, and there was nothing like a fresh  tomato on a hot, summer day in Atlanta. They were always warm from being in the sun...sigh.
Favorite ways to eat: Sliced, with salt, pepper, and olive oil drizzled on top (add mozzarella cheese for a real treat!), sliced in a cheddar and tomato sandwich, or chopped on top of a salad.
Favorite nutritional benefit: Filled with TONS of antioxidants which have been shown to fight cancer and other diseases.

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So what are you waiting for? Pick up one of these summery treats ASAP! It's always so exciting for me when I realize that my favorites are also good for me...

Happy summering!

Namaste,
Mary Catherine