Seasonal Recipe Round Up: July – August

We’ve finally reached everyone’s favourite season!

The summer months of July and August don’t just mean sunshine and warmer weather, they also mean it’s time to harvest some of the most delicious fruits and vegetables. 

The supermarket shelves are now bursting with ripe berries and fresh seasonal salad vegetables. 

This means they’re freshly picked from local sources, so they’re much cheaper than when they’re available out of season and need to be flown in from other locations.

Eating seasonally is not just good for the environment, it’s good for you too. 

Fruits and vegetables that are eaten when they’re in season are fresher, more flavourful and full of goodness. 

To help you make the most of the summer harvest we’ve rounded up some of our favourite recipes that use fruit and veggies that are currently in season.

Watercress

With it’s slightly mustardy flavour, watercress is one of the strongest tasting salad greens.

Some varieties can be harvested all year round but it’s at its best during the peak of summer. 

It’s been known as a superfood for a long time, thanks to being full of vitamin C and immune boosting goodness. 

The peppery flavour can be a little strong for some, but it’s delicious when you balance it with other mild tasting salad leaves just like in our Very Green Zingy Salad recipe. 

Generally eaten raw in salads, you can also cook watercress – it’s great in soups. And it adds a really vibrant flavour as a garnish or in a sandwich as an alternative to lettuce. 

We love it in these Cheesy Bacon Flatbreads. The slight heat works well with the creamy cheese and salty bacon. So good!

Tomatoes

Juicy, plump and so versatile, the humble tomato is a favourite all year round. 

In season between June and October, there are lots of varieties which each give a slightly different flavour. 

Add cherry or plum tomatoes to salads, roast on the vine, or add a slice of beef tomato to your burgers.

Cooked or uncooked, tomatoes are used in so many recipes! 

Perfect for soups and sauces, you can also finely chop them to make super fresh tasting salsa like the one we’ve made to go alongside our Halloumi Cous Cous Burgers. 

Or roast cherry tomatoes in the oven with fresh asparagus and flaky white fish for a really easy summer dinner.

This Cajun Baked Cod With Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes is so light, and just 177 calories. 

Summer Berries

Blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and cherries are all in season during July and August. 

Juicy and plump, these berries are much cheaper during their seasonal months and we like to make the most of them while they’re at their best!

Of course, when they’re fresh like this, they taste delicious on their own – so they make the perfect healthy snack choice. 

But there are so many incredible recipes to try using seasonal summer berries! They can liven up your breakfasts and create supersweet, slimming friendly puds too. 

These Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries are always a firm favourite and we love to pile extra berries onto these Lemon and Blueberry Waffles. 

Right now, we can’t get enough of this Summer Berry Cobbler – and it’s a great way to use up any leftover berries before they go bad. 

You can use absolutely any berries that you like! They bubble together with the sweetener in the oven, releasing juices that turn into the most irresistible syrup. You have to try this! 

Courgettes

We think courgettes are one of the most versatile veggies! 

Sometimes known as zucchinis, they’re related to the cucumber family and have a mild flavour that means they go well with almost anything.

If you have fussy eaters, courgettes can be grated or finely chopped into all kinds of sauces to add some extra vitamins without them even noticing. 

They’re so easy to use – courgettes don’t even need peeling. Chop them, slice them or peel them into ribbons. 

When you’re trying to cut down on carbs, courgettes can also double up as pasta. Try making courgetti out of spiralised courgettes or have a go at our Lasagne Courgette Boats. 

Loaded with bolognese and topped with cheese, you’ll never miss the pasta lasagne sheets.

Courgette is amazing at bulking out a recipe so that it’s filling, but low in calories. This Cheesy Courgette Gratin is a great example – instead of using lots and lots of potato, we’ve added courgette slices. 

The result is a dish that tastes so indulgent but comes in well under 300 calories.

You can even enjoy raw courgette in a salad. Our Courgette Ribbon, Lemon and Feta Salad has a perfect blend of flavours, with a satisfying crunch from the strips of courgette. 

Sweetheart Cabbage

Cabbage gets a bad reputation for being a little stinky and tasteless, but we think it’s underrated! 

Sweetheart cabbages have a pointy shape that makes them look a little like a heart.

They’re milder and sweeter tasting than other types of cabbage, with a fresh, crunchy texture that works well in salads. 

Try using this instead of an ordinary white cabbage in our Coleslaw or Buffalo Coleslaw recipes. 

Perfect for picnics and light lunches, the creamy dressing and crunchy cabbage is hard to beat. 

For cooler days, you want a side dish that can be paired with a warming roast dinner. 

Our Creamed Cabbage and Leeks is a great way to use up leftover cabbage and makes eating your greens a lot more enjoyable.

Green Beans

From July through to September, the supermarket shelves are full of beautiful, UK grown green beans. 

If you’re never quite sure what to serve with green beans, don’t worry! They’re actually super versatile and can be used in lots of different ways, from salads to casseroles. 

We love to keep them classic and simple as a flavour-packed side dish. 

Our Garlic Green Beans make this yummy veggie the star of the show, no matter what you serve them with! You can even let them go cold and mix them into a salad. 

You can use green beans to add extra flavour and texture to a hearty meal like this Lemon and Garlic Chicken Traybake too. 

Throw in whatever veg you have in the fridge and you’re onto a winner! 

Get started with seasonal cooking

Hopefully you’re now feeling a lot more inspired to make the most of this season’s fresh fruit and veg! 

How will you be making the most out of July and August’s fresh produce? Tell us over on our Facebook Group, where there are almost 1 million members sharing support and inspiration.