It’s so important to eat seasonally, and as consumers we play a big role in supply and demand. Over the years, suppliers have worked hard to get us produce all year round, either importing it from other countries, using produce that’s been kept in cold storage all year or growing it out of season. We want to be able to eat certain foods all year round but the problem with purchasing produce like this is that it’s not only more expensive (ever try to buy a punnet of berries or an avocado out of season?), it’s also lower in nutrients as the food has had to either travel thousands of kilometers to reach you, or has been sitting in storage for months. And by the time it goes from your fridge, to your plate, and then broken down and digested, it’s nowhere near as nutritious as when it was first picked.
Reduce your impact on the environment and increase the goodness you’re getting out of your produce by purchasing local and seasonal produce when possible. See below for some fruits and veggies that are currently in season, as well as a delicious recipe celebrating a few of these Autumn goodies!
Fruits
apple, avocado, banana, blackberries, kiwi, lemon, lime, mandarins, oranges, pears, persimmon, plum and rhubarb.
Vegetables
Asian greens, beans, beetroot, Brussels sprouts, carrots, eggplant, fennel mushrooms, parsnip, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, silverbeet, spinach, squash, swede, turnips and zucchini.
Maple Sesame Carrots
(Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free)
Ingredients
1 bunch organic carrots (choose the mixed ones for a wider variety of nutrients)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon GF tamari
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Method
- Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees Celsius.
- Trim tops off of carrots (save these to make pesto with to reduce wastage), and halve the carrots lengthways.
- Toss the carrots and remaining ingredients together and arrange on a baking tray.
- Roast for 15-20mins, until carrots are golden and caramelised.
Written by Laura Phongsavath
Holistic Nutritionist at pH Clinic Manly
Laura is a qualified Nutritionist, registered with association ATMS. She is a firm believer of food as medicine, and has a passion for gut health and women’s health. You can find her, and other holistic therapists at pH Clinic Manly, a multi-modality health clinic that specialises in gut health and natural medicine.