The sunny days of summer are upon us. Poolside relaxation, road trip vacations, and cookouts galore from June until September. A new season means a new batch of produce that is ripe for the picking and the eating. Whether you’re looking to munch on juicy watermelons or throw some zucchini on the grill, let’s dive into all the delicious fruits and veggies for summertime.
Vegetables
- bell peppers
- cucumbers
- corn
- eggplant
- green beans
- okra
- summer squash
- zucchini
- tomatoes
- cherry tomatoes
- poblano peppers
- jalapeños
- sweet onions
- radishes
- lettuce
- arugula
- kale
- swiss chard
Fruits
- watermelon
- cantaloupe
- honeydew melon
- peaches
- nectarines
- plums
- apricots
- cherries
- strawberries
- blueberries
- blackberries
- raspberries
- figs
- grapes
- mangoes
- pineapple
Herbs
- basil
- mint
- cilantro
- parsley
- dill
- oregano
- thyme
What’s the first thing you’re grabbing from this list?
There’s a new vegan restaurant on the block in Chicago and I’m so happy about it. For the past couple of years there has been a trend of vegan restaurant closing nationwide. To see a new spot in a major city like Chicago that has a huge vegan community is truly a blessing.
The Green Ape was opened by Chef Bri (Briana) was first opened her first restaurant Tastes of Bri in 2018. She attended Le Cordon Bleu and had used her culinary expertise to create scrumptious plant based meals.
Let’s explore The Green Ape. Located on the busy Milwaukee Street in Wicker Park, you will be greeted with a sign with a green ape holding a green apple. The interior is clean, simple, and gorgeous yet minimalistic with a very spacious layout with an earthy aesthetic.
I started with the Tropical Green Smoothie, a 16oz swirl of spirulina, coconut cream, and fruits like mangoes and pineapples. 10 out of 10. Refreshing and of course fresh as The Green Ape makes all of their smoothies.
For my meal, I ordered the Green Ape Soul Plate which is a rendition of Soul Food, a Black American cuisine, made into a vegan plant based remix. The Soul Plate consists of macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes (aka yams or candied yams), greens and either fried mushrooms or crispy fillet fish made out of heart of palm. I went with the fried mushrooms for the first time.
This plate was phenomenal. The macaroni and cheese tasted just how I make my own, the yams were sweet and delicious, but the star of the show might have been the greens. Never in my life have I tasted such flavorful vegan greens before. They were seasoned to perfection. Everything was seasoned amazingly. I also got a Butterly Pea Flower Tea to go. It was my first time trying this drink and it was sweet, thirst-quenching, and enjoyable.
The Green Ape is on the pricier side with most meals ranging $20+, but well worth it in my opinion. As for the service, it was also standard. Bri herself came out to serve. I am super excited to taste more food from this establishment. No complaints. Check out my video review below:
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