I'll second MamaCooks about taking the kids -- samples at the market are a great way to encourage them to try new things. Also, if you don't know how to cook something (or if you just want new ideas), ask the farmer.

I've used whole milk yogurt in its place, when making pumpkin pie from scratch and I didn't want to taint my fresh pumpkin puree with canned milk. You might want to add more sugar to compensate, but of course that depends on what you're trying to make.

I would add herbs. I've made scape pesto with basil, parsley and chives (separately) this season. Different nuts balance the garlic flavor better too, like peanuts or cashews.

There's nothing better than Oregon strawberries! Great photo!