Coming into season

This article was originally published in August 2014

Green beans

Rents Due Ranch, Stanwood, Wash.

With a fresh, green flavor and superb crunch, these great local beans provide a fine remedy for those pining for asparagus season. Blanch and toss with your favorite salad dressing, or try grilling them for a dish that’s entrée-worthy. They have a welcome mix of nutrients, including vitamins A, C and K, plus good amounts of fiber, folate and manganese.

Get the recipe for Grilled Green Bean Salad >>

 

Black-rind watermelon

Inaba Farms, Wapato, Wash.

These round melons are a sensible size — not so unwieldy you can’t pick them up, but plenty big enough to share. The “black rind” is actually solid dark green with no stripes; it’s not the same variety as your typical grocery store melon. Along with their refreshing natural sweetness, they contain good amounts of vitamins A and C, along with some magnesium and potassium.

 

Northwest Tomatoes

Pride of the Umpqua, Roseburg, Ore.

Harmon and Noreane Walker have been growing tomatoes since 1974, and their expertise shows. These certified organic beauties are available in several varieties as the growing season progresses; you’ll find the latest, fresh-picked ones waiting for your best-of-the-year BLTs and caprese salads. Tomatoes offer a well-balanced mix of potassium and vitamins A, C, K, along with the antioxidants lycopene and zeaxanthin.

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Follow the fiber

Fiber doesn't receive as much praise as other nutritional buzzwords (antioxidants, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids), but it should — a food's fiber content is a great indicator of wholesome, minimally processed foods.