A Recipe For All Seasons
By Monica McCarthy
Every season brings it’s own basket of delicious and nutritious produce. Not sure what to eat when? Here’s some guidelines to keep in mind, no matter where you hang your hat!
SPRING:
For those of you who live in areas where the winter months bring snow and freezing temperatures, the first signs of spring can be filled with excitement and anticipation. The end of winter means no more hibernating!
Spring is a fantastic time to load up on lots of greens. They’re rich in nutrients and have fresh delicate flavors. Mix and match lettuce, spinach, mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, and watercress to create delicious salads.
Don’t forget- many local herbs such as dill, mint, chives and tarragon are at their peak in spring. Add to any dish or fresh mint to your fresh squeezed lemonade. And of course fresh fruits like strawberries and rhubarb make excellent desserts!
SUMMER:
Get out your bathing-suits because warm weather and trips to the beach have arrived! Summer is a fantastic time to visit farmers markets, roadside farm stands, or your own garden for perfectly ripe produce. Bring vegetable kebabs to any picnic! Try onions, peppers, tomatoes, summer squash, and eggplant.
Try a salad of tomatoes sliced and topped with fresh basil and pressed garlic.
Fresh Summer Veggie Mix
No bar-b-q would be complete without grilled fresh sweet corn!
Corn & Tomato Salsa recipe
Enjoy gazpacho- cold soup made from tomatoes and cucumber.
Gazpacho Juice
Start the morning with a bowl of raspberries, blueberries, and sliced melons.
Berry Bowl Recipe
Melon Mania Recipe
Watermelon Mint Recipe
Savor ripe cherries for a delicious snack.
AUTUMN:
Changing leaves, cooler weather, and bountiful harvests are sure signs that fall has arrives. Soups and hot apple cider terrific ways to soak up nature’s nutrients.
Warm up with delicious butternut squash soup.
Apple & Squash Soup
Roast pumpkin seeds for a tasty snack.
Pumpkin Potato Bake
Go apple picking and then enjoy the fruits of your labor (pun intended!)
Cherry Cinnamon Apple Bake
Apple Peach Bake
Enjoy chopped broccoli sautéed in garlic… and use the stems for juice.
Fall is peak time for cauliflower. Why not give it an Indian flair with curry powder and some chopped parsley?
WINTER:
Baby it’s cold outside, but that doesn’t mean there’s not delicious and nutritious vegetables to nosh on. Winter brings us our stand-bys like potatoes, onion, carrots, cabbage, beets, and winter squash, but there’s plenty more veggies that can add holiday cheer. Why not try experimenting with Jerusalem artichokes, parsnips, burdock, kohlrabi, celeriac, turnips, and rutabagas?
Mashed or roasted winter squash
Roasted Acorn Squash with Mushroom & Sage
Carrot and red cabbage salad
Carrot soup
Sweet potato and Bok Choy Soup
Replace broccoli with kohlrabi in almost any recipe
Beet, celeriac, and carrot juice
Winter Squash spice cake
Potato leek soup
Sweet potato fries