Summer is a time to enjoy the simple pleasures in life… to slow down, to savor the sweetness of a cherry, the zing of fresh mint on my tongue. Yum! What a joy it can be to eat fresh and simple foods. It is these simple pleasures that make it so easy for me to follow a vegan diet!

With tomatoes in abundance at the farmers’ markets, it’s the perfect time to make your own sun-dried tomatoes! It’s easy to do in your oven or food dehydrator, and you’ll have a bit of summer’s sweetness to take into the Fall. Yellow sungolds are the sweetest, purple cherry tomatoes add a depth of color, and standard cherry tomatoes have the tang and acidity with which you’re likely the most familiar. You can also use standard full-size tomatoes as well to make “tomato chips!”

Do you want to reduce your carbon footprint? Learn to be a locavore! It’s great to report that there are convenient options to purchase fresh produce that you know is locally grown. Let’s compare farmers’ markets and CSA shares to see which choice is the best for you.