Sourcing sweeter, juicier, fresher, and often cheaper, produce can come down to buying what’s in season. Here’s a look at what should be in your fridge, pantry and fruit bowl this winter.
Strawberries
It’s time to stock up on these red globes of goodness once again. Pop them in your smoothies, slice them up and add them to your morning cereal or drop one into your champers at the end of a long week; they’re so versatile. Strawberries are great on the lips, but even better on the hips. They contain vitamin C and dietary fibre and the camarosa varieties are super sweet, fragrant and grown in Queensland.
Mandarins
If you’ve recently strolled through your local fruit shop or the fruit and veg section at the supermarket, then you might have noticed an influx of mandarins. A lunch box favourite, these citrus fruits are bountiful throughout winter, as are many other citrus varieties. If the sugar content of a mandarin just isn’t enough for your sweet tooth, then they make the perfect dessert accompaniment. They taste near perfect by themselves, though. Grab an imperial the next time you’re after mandies, as they’re easy to peel and have very few seeds.
Blood oranges
Blink and you’ll miss it. The blood orange season passes us by pretty quickly, so we’ve got to nab these ones while they’re available, which is generally at the end of winter and as we enter spring. Stock up and then pop them in the fridge for up to a month. Use slices of blood orange in salad; the zing of the citrus goes really well with fennel.
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Lemon
If you haven’t heard about the wonders of lemon water in the morning, then it’s time to listen up. It flushes out the body and is a great detoxifier. Just add a couple of teaspoons into a cup of hot water in the morning and you’ll be feeling great in no time. Lemon also goes really well with poultry dishes and is delicious in a lemon tart. Don’t forget the cream.
Potato
Gloriously starchy and the go-to food come winter, the humble potato is in season throughout winter. But there are different varieties of spud to go for, depending on how you like them. Waxy potatoes, like the kipfler, are great for boiling or putting into stews and curries, while the coliban is good for frying and making chips.
Pumpkin
With every roast potato, there must be roast pumpkin to accompany it. And, lucky for us, the pumpkin is also in season during winter. A few varieties of pumpkin are available now, including Jap pumpkin, butternut pumpkin and Queensland blue pumpkin. As well as roasting, we can’t look past a great pumpkin soup. Add a dollop of cream and lop it up with a slice of crusty bread.
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Asian greens
Get cracking on those stir-fries, because Asian greens are in season throughout the cooler months, too. Bok choy, choy sum, gai laan and wonga bok are just some of the varieties worth having in the chiller. Not only do these leafy vegetables add a pop of colour to any dish, they’re also great for your health, as they’re high in vitamins A and C.
Broccoli
While we’re on the subject of all things green, let’s talk broccoli. It’s insanely nutritious for starters, but cook it right and it’s as delicious as it is healthy. What can’t broccoli do? It’s said to detox and lower cholesterol, and it contains fibre, too. These green bunches are great sautéed, steamed or tossed in a stir-fry.
Tell us! What are your favourite seasonal fruits and vegies throughout winter?
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