Weekly Spotlight: How to Store and Create Recipes Using Summer Produce!

It’s summertime which means enjoying in-season fruits and veggies! However, when it comes to enjoying in-season fruits and veggies, storing them so they maintain their maximum shelf life is a big part of enjoying and avoiding food waste. Storing fruits and veggies is simple: pop them in the refrigerator and eat them when you’re ready. But when it comes to making your berries, mangoes, peaches, and tomatoes last as long as they can, there are a few tricks to it.

Most of it is knowing your fridge. Does your produce freeze when it’s put in the back of the fridge? Do you have enough space to store things in different containers or water? Sometimes, those tricks and tips don’t work for everyone, so feel free to find what works best for you and your household. And in a pinch, know that popping fruit and veggies in the freezer is a great way to keep them fresh longer. (If possible, try flash freezing. This is done by placing individual pieces of fruit on a tray to let them freeze before tossing them into a bag to store them. This keeps them from freezing in one large clump.)

We also highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App  — with over 20,000 delicious recipes, it is the largest meatless, vegan, plant-based, and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help you get healthy! And don’t forget to check out our Weekly Meal Plan Archives! 

This week, we’re bringing delicious, fully vegan, and plant-based ways to store and create recipes with summer produce!

Berries and Cherries:

Source: Walnut Ricotta Toast with Strawberries and Sweet Dukkah

For berries, you can rinse them and then place them in a paper towel-lined container to help keep them from collecting condensation. This method also works with cherries, Definitely try a few different ways to see what works for you and the fridge. Feel free to get creative with storing berries. For instance, if you’ve got a lot of fresh strawberries, you could make a simple strawberry and mint salad that can marinate to enjoy all week long. Or, you can freeze a batch to use later.

• Pavlova With Saffron Berries, Passionfruit, and Pistachios by Rebekah Waters
• French Yogurt Cake with Strawberries and Cream by Julie Zimmer
• Walnut Ricotta Toast with Strawberries and Sweet Dukkah by  Angelina Papanikolaou
• White Chocolate Mousse Cake With Chocolate Drizzle and Strawberries by Melanie Kröpfl
• Broiled Maple Cinnamon Grapefruit and Strawberries by Shanika Graham-White
• Grilled Pound Cake With Berries by Pavani Nandula
• Coconut Cream Parfait with Berries by Lena Ropp

Peaches

Source: Stewed Peaches with Dates, Cardamom, and Almond Cream

Peaches are perfect to ripen on the counter, and once they’re ripe, they can be in the fridge. You can also cut up the peach and put them in the fridge to store them, too. Storing them in paper bags can also help them ripen.

• Peaches and Cream Vegan Galette by Zuzana Fajkusova and Nikki Lefler
• Stewed Peaches with Dates, Cardamom and Almond Cream by The 25 Day Ayurveda Cleanse, by Kerry Harling
• Peaches and Cream Overnight Oats by Tara Weir
• Peaches and Cream Crêpes by Aaliyah Jenkins
• Roasted Peaches With Cashew Cinnamon Cream and Caramelized Almonds by Annabelle Randles

Mangoes

Source: Mango Sticky Rice

Mangoes, like peaches, can ripen on the counter. Once they’re ripe, you can place them in the fridge. You can also keep them on the counter to eat right away! These delicious mango recipes are perfect for a hot day, and if you’ve got extra on hand, frozen mango makes a delicious summer snack.

• Blood Orange Mango Chia Cups by Julie Zimmer
• Mango Popsicles by Namrata Edward Kshitij
• Jerk Mushrooms with Mango Salsa and Coconut Rice by Dominique Ebra
• Mango Sticky Rice by Raymund Macaalay

Tomatoes

Source: Herb Roasted Tomatoes

Tomatoes can be stored on the counter or in the fridge and can be stored in their container. If you have a lot of tomatoes, you can chop them up and add olive oil, seasonings, and fresh herbs for an easy and quick marinated tomato dish. And the best part is that the longer it sits in the fridge, the more the flavors marry.  You can also roast tomatoes and keep them to add to burgers or sandwiches!

• Lemon Pesto Lentil Salad with Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes by Jackie Akerberg
• Summer Squash and Tomatoes by Melanie Sorrentino
• Fusilli With Heirloom Tomatoes by Adam Merrin and Ryan Alvarez
• Quinoa Tabbouleh Stuffed Tomatoes by Stephanie McKinnie
• Herb Roasted Tomatoes by Shanika Graham-White

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and essential stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!