Looking for meal inspiration for winter? Trying looking to the vegetables in season in August! As we enter the home stretch of winter, it is important you keep trying to eat nutrient rich foods so you can be ready for a fabulous spring!
And with the latest nutrition data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showing only 7% of adults in Australia get the recommended amount of vegetables each day (5 serves) I thought why not focus on vegetables for August! There are many different ways you can increase your vegetable intake and I am not talking about sitting down to a plate of steamed plain vegetables. Vegetables have many different flavours and textures, and can easily be added to meals to boost deliciousness!
So let’s look at some of the vegetables in season to help get you inspired! Remember, vegetables in season are usually cheaper and more readily available, not to mention having amazing flavours.
Vegetables in season in August *
Beetroot
Broccoli
Broccollini
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celeriac
Fennel
Leeks
Pumpkin
Silverbeet
Spinach
Sweet potatoes
Okay, so what are you know going to do with these fabulous foods? Here are some tips to add these foods to your meals:
- Silverbeet is something my mum has always grown lots in our garden and I love it! But lots of people don’t know what it is due to the popularity of baby spinach and kale being so fashionable these days. When making a pasta bake or lasagne I always put it on every layer with tomato layered on top. It wilts nicely and add such a fantastic flavour.
- You can also chop silverbeet up and mix it with low fat cottage cheese and make a nice substitute for bechamel sauce in lasagne.
- Instead of having lettuce for a salad base, try baby spinach. Dark green leafy vegetables are a good source of folate and the antioxidant leutin. I also through baby spinach in all stirfrys and pasta dishes I make!
- Love getting giant mushrooms and stuffing them!
- Or if you are a mushroom lover try eating them raw for a snack! I know my husband loves stealing them from the chopping board while I make dinner.
- For something different, try roasting all your vegetables; carrots, beetroot, potatoes, pumpkin and leeks are all delicious roasted. Add some herbs to top off the flavour!
- And the poor old brussel sprout! It gets such a beating… Sooooo many people assume they dont like brussel sprouts. Well I don’t blame you if they are the kind granny boiled and boiled and boiled and served up half cold yuk! But why don’t you revisit them… Try chopping them up and tossing into a stir fry just like any other vegetable. Whats the worse that can happen? If you don’t like them you can push them to the side of your plate BUT if you like them… well you have just added a nutritious vegetable to your repertoire.
