The wonderful thing about summer is there are endless choices of fruits and vegetables to choose from. Whether you find yourself hiking, biking or swimming, it’s important to stay hydrated and nourished and fruits and veggies will help you meet that need. Dr. Mark Hyman however recommends to steer clear of produce that may be high in pesticides. Here are Dr. Hyman’s recommendations:

“Organic agriculture offers a safer alternative, but not one that’s easily available (or affordable) for everyone. If our only choice is non-organic produce or no produce at all, we should choose the former. But I believe we can do better than that. Some of us can grow at least some of our food. That way we can make sure no harmful chemicals were used, and we save money, too. Second, we can choose the vegetables and fruit that are proven to have the least amount of pesticide residue.

“There really is no need to buy everything organic. If we buy in-season produce at farmers’ markets from small local grower...

This is a quick and easy recipe that doesn’t take too long to prep or make. Quinoa is an excellent source of protein, and it makes a great replacement for rice. 

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup baby tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup finely minced red onion
• 1 cup chopped roasted red peppers
• 1 avocado diced
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Protein of choice (chicken, steak, shrimp tuna)

Optional Add in :

Radishes, Arugula, Peppercinis, Broccoli

Dressing (Yields 1/2 cup)

Ingredients

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste

 Directions

Add all the ingredients to a container with a lid. Cover and shake until combined. Add salt and pepper as needed. Store in fridge up to 5 days.

Equally divide the quinoa, yellow bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, minced red...