It’s mid-August, and that means gardeners are drowning in zucchini and tomatoes. The following websites have lots of suggestions for how to use that abundance. (Hint: One thing that uses pretty much everything in your garden? Ratatouille.)
Basil
You’ve made lots of pesto for the freezer, but your basil continues to grow unabated. Look here for some suggestions:
Five Exciting Ways to Use Basil at jimlongsgarden.blogspot.com
10 Delicious Ways to Use a Bunch of Basil at thekitchn.com
10 Ways to Use Fresh Basil from Chef Mom at sheknows.com
Eggplant
It’s so pretty with its shiny, purple skin. But now you have to get your son or daughter to eat it. Maybe you could use some new tips.
How to Handle Eggplant Overload at seriouseats.com
5 Ways to Cook Eggplant at self.com
10 New Ways to Cook Eggplant at shape.com
12 Great Ways to Use Eggplant at oldwayspt.org
Tomato
Oh, the tomato. We wait every summer for the first, luscious tomato to be ready for eating. But it never comes to the party alone—it always arrives with several dozen of its good friends. What to do with them all?
14 Ways to Enjoy Ripe Tomatoes at simplebites.net
35 Fresh Tomato Recipes You’ll Love at midwestliving.com
100 Ways to Use a Tomato at endlesssimmer.com (Aside from the tasteless first exclamation, this article is packed with tasty ideas.)
Zucchini
This is it, the mother of all overproducers. You’ve seen the tables full of zucchini in driveways or in church basements with a “Free for the Taking” sign. Well, don’t let those zucchini go to waste.
10 New Uses for Zucchini at sparkpeople.com (and none of the uses is a doorstop)
26 Zucchini Recipes at health.com
100+ Ways to Cook Zucchini at treehugger.com
It’s time to get out there and use your produce. If you haven’t grown anything this year, you can bet someone else did, and now they’ve got some to spare!
About the Author
Kristy Quist is Tuned In editor for The Banner and a member of Neland Ave. CRC in Grand Rapids, Mich.