Eat Healthy, Eat Local

by Helen Legare
Legare Farms, Inc.

I love this time of year for the vegetables not the heat. We are picking sweet corn and tomatoes as well as butterbeans.  I can make a meal off of just corn but usually add other fresh vegetables to the mix. A fresh bell pepper cut into strips and eaten as a side is the best. Tomato pies are always a great addition to any meal.

When I was growing up, we always had corn fritters for breakfast when we were harvesting the sweet corn. Corn fritters are nothing more than pancake batter with sweet corn kernels added to it. It is almost sweet enough not to require any syrup but some good sugar cane syrup over the top makes a fabulous breakfast or any meal.

In addition to enjoying the fresh vegetables, we’re busy canning and freezing the vegetables to enjoy all year long. I like to freeze my cream corn and can in Mason jars tomatoes. We also freeze our butterbeans as well as squash. Canning vegetables is almost a lost art. We offered a couple of canning classes that were taught by Clemson Extension Food Specialist Gayle Williford and we had a great turnout. People are eager to learn how to preserve their own food so they know where it is coming from.

I find nothing more satisfying than knowing everything on my dinner plate including the meat was raised right here on my family’s farm. We just need to plant a few tea bushes then even my sweet tea cold be from our farm.

We never ate tomato pie growing up and I actually had never heard of it until about 20 years ago but I’m glad I discovered it. Here’s a good recipe for it.

Fresh Tomato Pie

2 medium ripe tomatoes
1 frozen pie shell (9inch)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced green pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoon butter
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 to 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 ½ teaspoon salt
pepper to taste

Cut tomatoes into slices and set aside. Prepare frozen pie shell for a one crust pie. In a skillet, cook onions, green peppers and garlic in butter for 5 minutes. Beat eggs with milk, cheese, salt and pepper. Stir in the cooked vegetables. Pour the eggs and vegetable mixture into pie shell and place the tomato slices around the top. Bake in 375 degree oven for 50 minutes to an hour until set. Cut into wedges. Makes 6 servings.