Eating seasonal produce is one of those no-brainer ways to improve both the quality of your meals and the quality of your environment. Fruits and vegetables that are in season are often cheaper when purchased directly from local farmers- and they’re definitely fresher.

As an unabashed foodie, I care a lot about the quality of my produce and where it comes from. And if you’re like me, and want the only the finest figs or sweetest strawberries for your kitchen concoctions, then you’ll probably want to check out the Eat Well Guide. This website offers seasonal food guides for the entire United States, letting you know which veggies are coming fresh from the fields (as opposed to off-season hothouses.) Definitely also take a look at their other offerings, including some pretty cool widgets for your homepage/iGoogle/blog, a hormone-free dairy map, and water-conscious ratings that can help you determine whether the restaurants you frequent are doing their part to cut down on excessive water consumption.

And while you’re at it, here is a recipe selected by CUESA (the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture) specifically for its usage of produce that’s seasonal RIGHT NOW:

Ratatouille: Provencal Vegetable Ragout
from Fabrice Marcon of Mistral

Serves 4
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INGREDIENTS:
8 Tbs. Olive oil
2 Large onions sliced
2 Green peppers, diced
2 Eggplants, diced
2 Zucchini, cut into ½ inch slices
4-6 Ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut in wedges
Salt and ground black pepper
1 Tbs. Chopped parsley
1 pinch Marjoram or oregano
1 pinch Basil
1 large Clove of garlic, crushed

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PREPARATION:
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, add the onion slices and sauté until they are transparent. Add the diced green pepper and eggplant and, 5 minutes later, the zucchini and tomatoes. The vegetables should not be fried but stewed in the oil, so simmer gently in a covered pan for 30 minutes. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste with the chopped parsley, marjoram or oregano, basil and crushed garlic. Cook, uncovered, for about 10-15 minutes or until the ratatouille is well mixed. Serve hot from the casserole or cold as beginning to a summer meal.

Note: This recipe and many others can be found at www.cuesa.org/seasonality/recipes/.

Happy Dining!