This time of year, backyard gardens, local farmers markets and roadside stands are bursting with fresh summer produce. Savor the flavors of summer by pairing fresh watermelon, tomatoes, peaches, corn and more with lean beef as part of a delicious and nutritious family meal.

Summertime takes me back to visits at my grandparents’ house, where the 1 1/2-acre garden kept us busy watering, weeding, picking, cleaning and cooking. Today, my husband and I love growing our own produce during the summer in several raised beds, with varying degrees of success from year to year. The process of planting, caring for and harvesting the ultra-fresh veggies gives me a deeper appreciation for the hard work farmers put into producing our food.

Regardless of whether you have your own garden, visiting a local farmers market can be a fun and educational activity for the whole family. It’s also so much more than a shopping trip — it’s an opportunity to teach your kids to eat healthy vegetables and fruits, learn about where your food comes from and support your local economy.

When I meet the farmer who grew my food, I tend to have a greater respect for it. I waste less and savor more. Ask farmers questions about how to select or prepare items or about their farming practices. Just like the rest of us, farmers are passionate about what they do and are usually more than happy to share.

Pairing lean beef with fresh summer vegetables and fruits makes for a light and well-balanced meal with the right mix of protein and fiber-rich carbohydrates to satisfy hunger while not leaving you feeling overly stuffed. If you’re grilling a top sirloin or flank steak, try throwing some veggies on the grill, like sliced yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant or bell peppers.

Italian Marinated Steak with Grilled Ratatouille

This recipe combines some of my favorite flavors, featuring fresh basil, lemon and garlic, and could be made ahead for company.

Ingredients

• 1 beef Top Round Steak, cut 1 inch thick (about 1-1/2 pounds)

• 1 small eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices

• 2 large red or yellow bell peppers, cut lengthwise into quarters

• 1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise in half

• 1 medium yellow squash, cut lengthwise in half

• 1-1/2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

• 1/3 cup lightly packed chopped fresh basil

• Salt and ground black pepper

Marinade

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Combine marinade ingredients in small bowl. Place beef steak and 1/2 cup marinade in food-safe plastic bag; turn steak to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator 6 hours or as long as overnight, turning occasionally. Cover and reserve remaining marinade in refrigerator.

Remove 2 tablespoons of reserved marinade for ratatouille; set aside. Brush vegetables (except tomatoes) with some of remaining reserved marinade.

Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Place steak in center of grid over medium, ash-covered coals; arrange vegetables around steak. Grill steak, covered, 12 to 14 minutes for medium-rare (145°F) doneness, turning occasionally. (Do not overcook.) Grill eggplant and bell peppers 12 to 15 minutes; zucchini and yellow squash 8 to 12 minutes or until tender, turning occasionally and basting with remaining reserved marinade.

Cook’s Tip: To prepare on gas grill, preheat grill according to manufacturer’s directions for medium heat. Place steak and vegetables on grid as directed above. Grill steak, covered, 16 to 19 minutes for medium-rare (145°F) doneness, turning occasionally. (Do not overcook.) Grill eggplant 6 to 8 minutes; bell peppers, zucchini and yellow squash 7 to 11 minutes or until vegetables are tender, turning occasionally and basting with reserved marinade.

Cut grilled vegetables into 1-inch pieces. Carve steak into thin slices. Cover and refrigerate 1 cup each vegetable and steak slices to use in another recipe. For ratatouille, combine remaining vegetables, tomatoes, basil and reserved 2 tablespoons marinade in medium bowl; toss to coat. Season ratatouille and remaining steak with salt and black pepper, as desired. Serve ratatouille with steak.

Old South Burgers with Peach Compote

Making burgers? Shake things up with this recipe. Featuring lean beef patties topped with a mixture of peaches and beer and served up on biscuits, these burgers are anything but ordinary.

Ingredients

• 1 pound Ground Beef (93% lean or leaner)

• 1 cup diced peaches, fresh or frozen

• 1 cup diced sweet onion

• 1 cup Budweiser beer

• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

• 1/4 cup goat cheese

• 4 pre-baked biscuits, split

Directions

To prepare peach compote, heat large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add peaches and onion; cook and stir until lightly browned about 5 minutes. Add beer, brown sugar and rosemary; bring to a boil. Cook until peaches and onion are soft and liquid is almost gone, 13 to 15 minutes; keep warm.

Lightly shape ground beef into four 1/2-inch patties. Place patties on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 8 to 10 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, covered, 7 to 9 minutes) until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 160°F, turning occasionally

Cook’s Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness.

Evenly spread goat cheese on bottom half of each biscuit; top with burgers. Evenly spoon peach compote over burgers. Close sandwiches.

— Ivey is a registered dietician nutritionist who can be reached at Jessica@JessicaIveyRDN.com. For more recipes, visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com. This article was funded by beef farmers and ranchers.