Hello, and welcome to this month's (slightly delayed) edition of
Fresh & Seasonal Recipes! July is here, and while it hasn't quite been warm and sunny here in Milwaukie, Oregon, we still have an incredible selection of fresh, local produce. Here are some ways we're excited to use it.
Apricots

Apricots are a good source of vitamins A and C, and an excellent source of delicious flavor! Looking for a spectacular dessert? Check out these
Individual Stone Fruit Crumble Pies. Here, a simple pie crust made with
Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour forms mini pies filled with apricots (or the stone fruit of your choice) and topped with a crumble made with
Regular Rolled Oats, butter, pecans and spices. Top with ice cream or whipped cream!
For an even easier option, try this
Stone Fruit Crisp from Imperfect Produce. Sliced stone fruits are tossed with sugar,
Cornstarch, spices and lemon juice and topped with a combination of
Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour,
Regular Rolled Oats, butter and
Brown Sugar.
Blackberries

An excellent source of fiber and vitamin C, blackberries are delicious eaten straight off the bush or sprinkled over oatmeal, but when we have the time, we love making these
Lemony Blackberry Shortcakes. Tender shortcakes made with
Fine Grind Cornmeal, unsalted butter and buttermilk are sprinkled with
Coarse Turbinado Sugar and filled with juicy blackberries and an incredible lemon curd whipped cream. Fantastic!
I swear we don't just eat dessert in July, but if you have a couple pints of fresh-picked blackberries, we highly recommend this
5 Ingredient Fresh Blackberry Galette recipe from Chef Billy Parisi. A simple dough of
Organic Unbleached All Purpose White Flour, sugar, butter and water is filled with blackberries, baked, and topped with ice cream and caramel sauce.
Cucumbers

Perfect for a hot summer day (hey, it can still happen here in Milwaukie), cucumbers are hydrating and incredibly versatile. We love them sliced over a salad, rolled into spring rolls, or grated into Greek yogurt with fresh herbs for a cool summery soup. This
Mediterranean Sorghum Grain Bowl is another fantastic use for cucumbers and a great choice for warm weather cooking, especially if you use a slow cooker to cook the
Gluten Free Sorghum and
Chickpeas. Top this bowl with feta, olives, cilantro and fresh squeezed lemon juice for extra flavor.
Tabbouleh is another excellent warm weather option. Here,
Bulgur is tossed with parsley, mint, scallions, tomatoes, cucumber and spices. Enjoy it as a entree with a grilled protein like shrimp or tofu, or add to a mezza platter with hummus, olives, feta and pita bread.
Green Beans

While you can find green beans year round at the grocery store, there's nothing better than fresh picked (or farmers market) summer beans! An excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of fiber, green beans are delicious raw, steamed, grilled, pickled . . . you name it. This
Farro Nioise Salad uses blanched green beans and puts them on a bed of
Farro with shallot, fresh herbs, lemon juice, capers, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs and kalamata olives. For an authentic touch (and extra protein), add some good oil-packed tuna.
We're big fans of green bean casserole, and this
Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole is gluten free and vegan! Here, a creamy sauce made with
Chickpea Flour is mixed with tender green beans and mushrooms, and topped with crisp onion rings for comfort food heaven.
Peppers

Peppers come in so many beautiful colors and flavorsfrom sweet to spicywhich makes them an easy way to brighten up your plate and palate. Slice raw peppers and serve with your favorite dip, roast them to add smoky flavor to pasta, or dice them into salsa. These
Mediterranean Farro Stuffed Peppers are filled with a delectable combination of onion, garlic, ground lamb and beef, fresh herbs and parmesan, and
Organic Farro. Sprinkle with lemon juice and bake for a satisfying meal fit for company!
For something completely different, try this
Red Pepper Hemp Smoothie! This lightly sweet smoothie blends up
Pea Protein Powder, red bell pepper, mango, fresh basil, lime juice and coconut water.
Raspberries

Did you overdo it on raspberries at the U-pick? No worries: these
Raspberry Chocolate Protein Popsicles are the perfect use for any surplus. Here, banana, raspberries, coconut milk and
Chocolate Protein Powder Nutritional Booster are blended up and frozen into a perfectly summery sweet treat!
Got a July birthday to celebrate? Whip up this impressive-yet-deceptively easy
Yellow Cake with Raspberry & Chocolate Frosting.
Gluten Free Muffin Mix creates a delicious yellow cake topped with a fresh raspberry buttercream and drizzled with rich chocolate ganache.
Happy eating! What are your favorite July recipes? Post them below!