I know, our summer started off a little rough. Just a tad, a teeny bit rough. Oh yes Terri, you could say that! If you call fleeing for our lives, sleeping in ditches and dealing with the aftermath of a massive fire “a little rough”. That being said I try to live what I preach.

1. Be grateful every day for what you DO have.

2. Do the work, the results will follow.

3. Head up, eyes and heart open and smile through the hard times.

Now that some of us are back home and trying our hardest to find our new normal, I have been happy to see a host of people on my social media accounts posting beautiful pictures of their homegrown produce. Considering that a few short months ago we thought we wouldn’t have a town to come back to much less gardens to tend, I think that’s a pretty good thing. Nothing beats the taste of vegetables fresh from the ground. The tasteless versions that come through most grocery stores pale in comparison. I created this dish out of my love for colour, my need for micronutrients to stay healthy and respect for my fellow gardeners.

One of the most important thing about “eating the rainbow” of different coloured vegetables and fruits is the micronutrients they contain. These are the essential components that help all the systems of your body run at full capacity. They ensure your brain, heart, kidneys, liver, lungs central nervous system, bone density, joints, and ligaments each have the vital resources they need to operate at full capacity.

Here’s something you might not know: Without fully satisfying your micronutrient needs, your macronutrients (fats/carbs/proteins) will not be utilized effectively. Think of micronutrients as the worker bees that work to manufacture honey out of the raw materials of carbs, fat, and protein. They make it useful. And fortunately for you, they're easy to find in the garden and in the store.

So here’s one definitely delicious summer dish to help you showcase all that hard work you’ve been putting in. For FREE recipes and to follow my rants and raves visit my new food and fun focused website www.therantingcook.com

Summer Vegetable Gnocchi

Ingredients:

• 1 package fresh gnocchi

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 spring onion, minced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 red bell pepper, cubed

• 1 yellow squash, cubed

• 1 zucchini, cubed

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes

• ¼-1/2 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

• ½ teaspoon ground sage

• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon butter

• zest of ½ lemon

• juice of ½ lemon

• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

• 3 tablespoons fresh basil, minced

Instructions:

1. Cook gnocchi, drain and set aside.

2. Place a large saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil along with onion and garlic cloves. Cook until onion becomes translucent.

3. Add red bell pepper and cook for about 2 minutes, then add squash, and zucchini. Cook for about 6-8 minutes, until veggies are soft, then add plum tomatoes along with salt, oregano, sage, and garlic powder, and cook for another 2 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to burst. Remove veggies from pan and set aside.

4. To the hot pan, add olive oil and butter. Add the gnocchi and cook for about 1-2 minutes per side, until browned. Then add the veggies back to the pan along with lemon zest, juice, parsley and basil and mix.

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