Throughout the spring and summer, I have been sharing my experiences with my first vegetable garden in an effort to encourage more people to plant gardens, regardless of the size.  Over the last couple of months I have been delighted with the small amount of effort it has taken to keep the garden up; harvesting, weeding and replanting, and thrilled at the bountiful harvest it produces daily.  I can honestly say that the only vegetable I have purchased this summer is corn on the cob and yet I have eaten more vegetables than any previous summer.  What does this have to do with a gluten-free diet?  Everything.  At Glutenfreeda headquarters, we have always subscribed to the concept of a natural gluten-free diet, meaning to focus on foods that are naturally gluten-free, instead of obsessing on substitutions for wheat.  There are so many wholesome and nutritious foods that are naturally gluten-free I could never list them all, but as a starter: all vegetables, fruits, meats, poultry, fish, legumes, dairy, nuts, seeds, rice, polenta, quinoa, etc.  What’s missing from this abbreviated list is junk food and overly processed food.  Everyone knows what cutting down on carbs can do for one’s health and waistline, so consuming less baked goods just makes good sense whether you’re on a gluten-free diet or not.  This brings me back to the garden.   Throughout the growing season, I have built our menus to include or focus on our harvest.  This has been a delicious, nutritious and very cost effective experience!  

Tomato & Mozzarella Salad

The beginning of September finds my garden in full production of tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, crook neck squash, scallions, Swiss chard, green beans, peppers and brussel sprouts.  In celebration of these wonderful vegetables, I’d like to share six recipes that really showcase their flavors.

Baked Swiss Chard 

See this month’s cooking class for detail and photographed instructions on making this incredible dish!

Roasted Tomatoes

Brussel Sprouts with Caramelized Shallots

Tomato & Mozzarella Salad

Zucchini Stuffed w/cheese

Brussel Sprouts with Caramelized Shallots

Polenta Stuffed Peppers

- Chef Yvonne

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