What’s in season for winter

What’s in season for winter?

Winter might mean it’s cold and the days are short, but it does give us the chance to cook and eat delicious winter produce.

Cooler climate-loving vegies such as beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, leeks, mushrooms, potatoes, pumpkin and spinach make perfect winter-warming meals.

Top 3 meals to have on rotation this winter

1. Shepherd’s pie

This is comfort food done well! With added seasonal vegies such as carrots, onions, zucchini and potato, our Shepherd’s pie packs a nutritious punch!

2. Roast pumpkin and tomato pasta sauce

Pumpkins are at their best, so why not whip up a batch of our delicious roast pumpkin and tomato pasta sauce. This sauce is perfect on freshly cooked pasta or use as a healthy version of pizza sauce.

3. Cauliflower and spinach dahl

Full of flavour, our one-pot cauliflower and spinach dahl will keep you warm and nourished throughout the winter period.  Leftovers are perfect in a wrap for lunch the next day.

More fruit and veg that are in season this winter:

Marvelous mushrooms

Did you know you can ‘super charge’ the vitamin D levels of your store bought mushrooms by placing them out in the sun for 15 minutes? Once they have been ‘charged’, the levels of vitamin D will remain in the mushrooms for up to a week if stored in the fridge. Eating just 3 mushrooms can provide 100% of your daily vitamin D needs.  Why not boost your mushroom intake by trying our mushroom, spinach and lentil lasagne or our mushroom-packed lentil and vegie cups.

3 medium sized button mushrooms = 1 serve of veg

Beautiful broccoli

Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that contains a wide range of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, calcium, magnesium and potassium, and the all important fibre. You can steam, stirfry, roast, grill, add to a soup or salad or even eat raw with some dip. Remember don’t discard the stems – they are packed with nutrients and provide a delicious crunch to a stirfry.

1/2 cup (75g) = 1 serve of veg

Perfect pumpkins

Packed with nutrients like beta carotene (vitamin A), B vitamins, Vitamin C and fibre, you can use pumpkin in many ways.  Roasted, pureed into soup or in a roast pumpkin and tomato pasta sauce, baked into a scone, mashed into a pikelet or use leftovers in a roasted vegetable salad.  

2 pieces of pumpkin or half a cup cooked (75g) = 1 serve of veg 

Crunchy capsicum

Capsicum comes in many colours and contains beta carotene (Vitamin A), B vitamins and fibre. A few capsicum strips (25g) will provide 100% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C!  It’s delicious, cooked or raw.  Why not try throwing capsicum into a Spanish couscous or in a yummy Mexican salsa?

1 medium sized capsicum (120g) = 1.5 serves of veg 

Amazing apples

The age-old saying ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ is spot on.  Apples are packed with fibre, which is needed for a healthy gut. Why not try our stuffed apple snack.  If it’s a cold day, pop it in the microwave for 1 minute and add a dollop of plain yoghurt with a sprinkling of cinnamon to make a delicious dessert.  Stew up any tired apples with some sultanas for a warming dessert or snack.  Check out our stewed apples and sultana recipe. 

1 apple = 1 serve of fruit 

Astonishing avocados

Avocados are rich in healthy fats.  Did you know that avocados are the only fruit, apart from olives, to contain monounsaturated fats?  They also contain fibre, B vitamins and potassium.  Smash into guacamole, add to a burger or spread in a sandwich or wrap.

1/4 avocado or 50g = 1 serve of veg

Why you should eat local, seasonal food

1. It’s good for the environment.
2. Your food is fresher, more nutritious and tastes better.
3. It supports local farmers and our economy.
4. There is plenty of fruit and vegetables are in the shops, so they are cheaper.

Check out our winter seasonality guide: