EatingWell July - August 2015

You might call this season summer. I call it fruit-stockpiling season. Weekends mean a command-picking performance at the local berry farm or next door at my mother’s fruit trees. Gallon ziplocks full of frozen fruit that I’m squirreling away for next winter are piled like bricks on the shelves of my freezer. On the bottom: strawberries. Then sour cherries, raspberries and blueberries. The capstone on the wall is sliced peaches. The light is blocked. If I need anything else, say ice, or frozen meat, forget it. It’s buried. SHARE PICS of your summer fruit using #knowyourfood and tag @eatingwell All this fruit doesn’t go straight to the freezer. I savor it for breakfast or snacks and occasionally I bake it into a dessert, something simple like a cobbler (page 58) or buckle…

Early birds don’t just get the worm, they can also get the best squash blossoms. The goldenorange blooms are best gathered early in the day before the hot sun wilts their delicate petals, whether you’re harvesting them from your own garden or seeking them out at local farmers’ markets. All varieties of squash, summer and winter, produce edible blooms. Male flowers are clipped from the plant’s stalk while the females might be picked with or without miniature vegetables attached. Luckily, squash are so prolific that you won’t be stealing from your harvest when you take a few blooms. Beyond their beauty, the blossoms have a light texture and delicate floral, slightly peppery flavor that pairs nicely with different foods. Arrange them as a sundial on pizzas or frittatas or add…

The National Park Service recently rolled out new healthier food standards, offering its 292 million annual visitors more fruits, vegetables and local foods. The Healthy and Sustainable Food Program means better choices, including more salads and nosugar-added beverages on menus. Rest assured: you can still get your hands on summer classics—but now the burger in your hands is more likely to be grass-fed and organic. Of the 75 national parks (with food service) from sea to shining sea, here are five that go above and beyond the mandate with delicious, often organic and local food options that are so tasty you won’t even be tempted to pack a picnic. Camp Denali DENALI NATIONAL PARK ALASKA Since it’s a bit of a challenge for food suppliers to get to this park (shown here), the staf…

FOOD In warmer weather, pet foods have a higher risk of spoilage. Foods high in fat or with added fsh oils or omega-3s are more likely to spoil (since the fats can break down) and potentially make your dog sick. Pack pet food and treats in an airtight container. Use a cooler to keep food cool and dry and bring the food into your hotel room instead of leaving it in your hot car. WATER Dogs are susceptible to heatstroke when they don’t get enough water. Try a snap-in water bowl for crates or keep a collapsible dog bowl on hand. Be sure to make water stops every couple of hours. A SPECIAL TREAT If you’re making an ice cream stop on the road, it’s OK to treat your pup…

Are you wasting food because it ripens—then rots—faster than you can eat it? (We’re sheepishly raising our hands along with you.) Storing food the right way can make all the dif erence. Ethylene, a natural gas that’s released from some fruits and vegetables, speeds up the ripening process. That can be an advantage—to ripen an avocado quickly, seal it in a paper bag—but too much ethylene can cause produce to spoil. Fruits and veggies that release high amounts of the gas shouldn’t be stored alongside ethylene-sensitive produce. And it’s not all about ethylene; temperature plays a role, too, in getting the most from your produce. Rise and Shine Perhaps we should all take that saying more literally and bask in the early-morning rays. People who got extra morning light had lower BMIs—regardless…

JUST CHILL Get tips to brew the best iced tea at eatingwell.com/webextra Add-Ins Place ingredients in an ice cube tray. Thyme Tarragon Basil Mint Blueberries Raspberries Strawberry slices Edible fowers or petals Fill & Freeze Add liquid to cover and freeze until solid. Water Cranberry juice Grapefruit juice Orange juice Coconut milk Lemon juice Lime juice Lemonade/limeade Cool Combos Here are a few mixes we love: Thyme + grapefruit juice in a vodka tonic Marigold petals + coconut milk in iced black tea Blueberries + water in lemonade Raspberries + cranberry juice in sparkling water FELICIA PERRETTI; STYLING: LISA RUSSELL…