My favorite thing about the hot summer months is when okra comes to the farmer’s market. Did you know that you can enjoy delicious okra preparations that don’t involve breading and frying? I’m here to tell you, you can!

We get the bulk of our groceries at Aldi, however, I get a large portion of our produce at the Farmer’s Market. There’s a small selection of vendors who sell at the big farmer’s market in Raleigh who set up tables on Tuesdays at WakeMed where I work, so I love to go and get seasonal produce (tomatoes, okra, and corn these days!) and fresh eggs to supplement our basic staples for the week.

Buying seasonal produce will often cost you less than produce purchased in an off-season, and will usually be much more flavorful.

Buying locally helps to reduce your carbon footprint by limiting the travel a veggie or a piece of fruit has traveled from the farm to your table. This reduced travel time allows the produce to hang onto all those nutrients you’re looking for by preserving freshness, so you’re getting it at its peak.

Buying locally also supports farmers in your area, and also allows you to develop relationships with the farming community who grows your food. This enhances gratitude for each meal and all the individuals connected in making it, and helps you think about, slow down, and REALLY enjoy your food.

Okra is my favorite vegetable, tomato is a close second. My favorite thing to do with okra used to be slicing and roasting it, at 450 for 12-25 minutes. Since I got a Ninja Foodi 5-in-1 Grill, I now slice the okra, toss it in about 1/2-1 tbs high quality olive oil and 3 shakes of onion and garlic powders, several generous shakes of smoked paprika to taste, a pinch of salt, and a dash of fresh cracked pepper. I use the air crisp function on my Foodi at 450 for 10-12 minutes, watching closely so they don’t burn. Delicious!

What are you summer produce faves, and how do you love to prepare them? Let me know in the comments.