WINTER HAS ARRIVED AND IT IS THAT TIME OF THE YEAR WHERE YOU CAN’T HELP BUT WANT TO STAY INSIDE AND CUDDLE UP IN FRONT OF THE HEATER OR FIREPLACE.
At Hydro Produce the cold wintery mornings make it a challenge for us to leave the house but we do love the slightly slower pace of harvest time throughout the cooler months.
Here we are in July halfway through winter and I think we can safely say the cold has well and truly settled in. So, let’s take the time to celebrate the great things about this time of year, like food, glorious food! We encourage you to cook with our winter favourites like Cauliflower, Zucchini, leafy greens and Sweet Potato. So versatile and so easy to prepare.
Here are a few reasons you shouldn’t give winter veggies the cold shoulder:
- Hearty – keep those tummy’s full and maintain energy levels throughout the day.
- Value – in-season vegetables harvested fresh daily means your local supermarkets will have better quality and value vegetables in stock, leaving you with change for a toasty hot chocolate on the way home!
- Longevity – whether it’s in a cool dark spot of your pantry or in the veggie section of your fridge; vegetables will remain fresher for longer.
- Versatile – the colourful array of winter vegetables can be used in so many ways; fry, bake, mash, steam and boil.
- Nutritional – good carbs, good energy and happy healthy functional tummies. It’s easy to feel a little on the average side through winter and enjoying vegetables can boost your serotonin levels which can, in turn, improve your mood.
“You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients” Julia Child
SATISFYING SOUPS AND WARMING SALADS WE LOVE:
Hello winter, hello health benefits from some of our favourites:
We dig Sweet Potatoes (literally) and so will you! Making a good, sweet carbohydrate option to any meal, they are delicious in bowl hugging soups, sliced in to wedges and baked with herbs on top or tasty cupcakes with Ginger cream cheese icing on top that will please the whole family. Sweet Potatoes are your saviour when it comes to the cold weather winter brings, packed with vitamins A, B6 and C which help maintain healthy skin and immune system. Harvested on demand from our farms in Bundaberg (QLD) and Cudgen (NSW), the pick of the crop will be the sweetest on top of your families go to vegetables.
Eat raw, bake whole or blitz as a rice substitute, Cauliflower has become a versatile vegetable throughout any dish. Low in calories and easily hidden in bakes or mashes to get extra nutrients. Harvested from Werribee (VIC) and Lowood (QLD) this brassica contains vitamin C, is full of fibre that aids in good digestive health. Cauliflower will become your family favourite during this season, add in salads, soups or simple on its own served as a side.
Cabbage is mostly commonly sold as Green, Purple and Wombok, this crunchy vegetable is great for pickling into a condiment, steaming with a little apple cider vinegar and serving with pork or roughly chopped as a base to a coleslaw salad. Grown in Lowood (QLD) and Thorpdale (VIC) they take 3-4 months to grow, upon harvest these leafy round wonders are high in vitamins A, C and K and a great source of fibre and antioxidants that protect against heart disease and promote healthy vision.
Becoming an all-rounder veg, Zucchini is incredibly versatile and simple to prepare in slivers tossed through a salad, slice up and grill on the BBQ or try stripped into zoodles as a healthy alternative to noodles or spaghetti. This healthy green machine is low in cholesterol, is a good source of potassium, vitamin C and fibre. It also works wonders on the beauty front, similar to water and Cucumber, Zucchini aids in hydrating your skin and boosting collagen.
Deep vibrant wintery greens, quick to cook and packed with loads of nutrients that are key to keeping you healthy during the flu season. Take, Silverbeet it can be eaten raw through a salad or chopped and included in a lasagne and curries adding fibre, vitamins A and C.
Then there is English Spinach, high in antioxidants, folate and vitamins A, C and K. Easily incorporated into omelettes or smoothies (great for a green boost for the kids!) or enjoy on its own sautéed with sauce and topped with Chilli.
One that we talk about a lot is Kale and how can we not it is the Queen of Leafy Greens, a powerhouse of vitamins A, C and K. Add a couple of leaves to your next smoothie, stir through pastas or tear and sprinkle on top of a one pan breaky with Sweet Potato and Coriander.
COOL RECIPES THAT WILL WARM YOU UP:
LIVE FRESH!
Share your winter winning masterpieces with us at marketing@hydroproduce.com.au
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