Our top 4 reasons to eat seasonal produce + guide to what’s in season now

We all know that it is important it is to eat seasonal food.  Cut down on food being transported all over the globe, just because we like to eat mangoes year round (who wouldn’t, but thats not the point!), doesn’t mean that we should.  Here is our Spring and Summer seasonal food guide, but first why should we eat seasonal produce?

Here are a few good reasons:

• flavour – produce that has been allowed to ripen naturally, in the sun, tastes better than produce that has been kept in cold storage (sometimes for months) and sprayed with growth retardants. Fact.
• nutrition – plants get their nourishment from the soil and the sun.  Seasonally fresh produce is picked when they are ripe and full developed.  This has allowed more sun and more exposure to soil = higher levels of anti-oxidants and enhanced nutrition.
• economy – produce that is in season is cheaper as it is normally in abundance (natural disasters notwithstanding- banana shortage a few years back, anyone??).  Seasonal food which is also produced locally, reduces the load on our environment with less transport required or ‘food mileage’ so is also cheaper for the consumer to buy AND contributes less  carbon emissions.
• creativity in the kitchen – eating seasonally forces you to use different ingredients, some you might not be that familiar with.  Variety is also more healthy for our bodies providing a greater nutrient profile, through the more variety of foods we eat.

As we now enjoy Spring and move into Summer, let’s have a look at what is in season now and in the coming months in Australia.  Luckily for us, Summer sees a multitude of our favourite things become increasingly available and well-priced:

FRUIT

Apples (red & green) and pears

Avocadoes

Bananas

All types of berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries)

Grapes

Grapefruit

Melons (honeydew, rockmelon, watermelon)

Kiwifruit

Lemons & limes

Mandarins

Mangoes

Oranges

Passionfruit

Pawpaw

Pears

Pineapples

Pomegranates

and of course, Stonefruit (nectarines, peaches, plums).

VEGETABLES

Artichokes

Asparagus

Beetroot

Broccoli

Cabbage

Capsicum

Carrots

Cauliflower

Celeriac/ celery

Cucumbers

Eggplants

Leafy greens (spinach, endive, kale, lettuce, silverbeet, watercress and witloff)

Fennel

Garlic and ginger

Leeks

Mushrooms

Onions

Parsnip

Peas

Potatoes / Sweet potatoes

Pumpkin

Snow peas

Sprouts

Squash

Sweetcorn

Tomatoes

Turnip

Zucchini

We are totally spoilt for choice here in the coming months – enjoy!  One of our favourite seasonal salads is the delicious combo of orange & fennel – give this recipe a try.  It might see you using a ‘new’ ingredient…..

ORANGE AND FENNEL SALAD

SALAD INGREDIENTS

• 4 oranges, peeled and segmented
• 2 small (600g) fennel bulbs, trimmed, finely sliced
• 1 medium red onion, finely sliced
•  1/4 cup loosely packed Continental parsley leaves
• 2 cups rocket leaves (optional)

DRESSING INGREDIENTS

• 100mls olive oil
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
• Celtic sea salt & ground black pepper

METHOD

• DRESSING – To make the orange dressing, finely grate the rind from 1 orange and reserve. mix the reserved orange find with the olive oil, orange juice, mustard and salt and pepper to taste in a screw-top jar. Shake well.
• ASSEMBLY – Toss the orange segments with the fennel and red onion in a bowl to combine. Place on a serving plate or in a serving bowl, sprinkle with the parsley and pour over the orange vinaigrette. Mix through the rocket leaves, if using.

If you like this one and would like more delicious recipes from the Soul Sister kitchen, click here.

Anna & Em xo