Increase Your Fruit and Veggie Intake (With Recipes!)

 

Written by Nicole Nyerick RD, LDN

Edited by Sarah Criscuolo MS, RD, LDN, CSN, CPT

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What better time of year is there to explore new fruits and vegetables than now? So much wonderful produce becomes readily available during the upcoming fall months. What produce is harvested when, and how does buying or growing locally impact its nutritional value?

 

When To Harvest What in North America

1. Summer: Tomatoes and corn are the stars of summer produce. Other summer market staples include avocado, blueberries, basil, cucumber, green beans, eggplant, mangoes, shell beans, zucchini, bell peppers, and garlic.

2. Fall: The crisp fall brings a bounty of vegetables perfect for roasting, like Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, broccoli, turnips, beets, and sweet potatoes. There are also many fruits that are at peak ripeness in the fall, like apples, pears, grapes, persimmons, pomegranates, and even melons and berries.

3. Winter: Look for root vegetables of all colors, like carrots, beets, and radishes. Leafy greens, like chicories, Swiss chard, kale, and collard greens are ready by this time of year, as are cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, beets, and winter squashes.

4. Spring: Green garlic, young leeks, green onions, baby artichokes, asparagus, fava beans, spinach, bok choy, shelling and snow peas, and morel mushrooms, among others, make their debut during the spring. Lamb and local wild salmon become available, and herbs like tarragon, mint, parsley, and chives begin to arrive.

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Benefits of Eating In-Season Fruits and Veggies

“In season” foods are those that are consumed around the same time that they are harvested, which can be beneficial due to:

– Being picked at peak ripeness, which means optimal taste and nutritional value. The longer a fruit or vegetable takes to get from field to table, the more nutrient loss occurs. One study found that leafy greens lost almost 50% of their original vitamin C levels after transport, storage, and 3 days of sitting on the grocery store shelf.

– Supporting local farmers and distributors, which also cuts down on energy costs and food waste. Because your food spends less time traveling, it’ll be fresher — and perhaps less expensive, since there will be fewer costs associated with shipping and storing.

– Increasing knowledge about your food, where it’s grown, and how it’s grown if buying directly from near-by farmers.

– Expanding your and your family’s palate by being introduced to new foods you or your family might not have tried before. If visiting a local farmers market or community food co-op, you may discover a food that isn’t available in your regular grocery store.

– Providing opportunities to try a new recipe or food to share with family or friends and appreciate the food the earth gives us!

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Growing Your Own Food

If you want to test out your green thumb, growing your own food is a great way to eat seasonally. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to have a close, hands-on relationship with your food.

Luckily, you can grow food anywhere, even in a smaller apartment or small outside deck using pots or containers designed for gardening.

Plants for small spaces:

-Herbs
-Tomatoes
-Peppers
-Microgreens
-Cucumbers
-Lettuce and greens
-Radishes
-Peas
-Strawberries
-Zucchini

Plants for large spaces (grown in the ground or in raised beds):

-In-ground trees
-Rows of corn and other grains
-Larger amounts of any produce listed above

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Tips for first-time gardeners

-Be consistent with nurturing your plants. Don’t forget to water and feed them.
-Use compost to feed the soil to life, which in turn will nourish your plants.
-Attract biodiversity (pollinators, bees, bugs) and try to foster a balanced ecosystem.
-Spend time enjoying and taking care of your garden, no matter how big or small, and let the wonders of nature do their work.

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Where can I find foods in-season in my area?

Since in-season foods are always changing throughout the year, you can head here before your next grocery store or local market visit to look up what’s in season near you this time of year: https://www.seasonalfoodguide.org

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Recipes with in-season fruits and vegetables

Greek Cottage Cheese – Serves 1

Ingredients:
8 oz cottage cheese
2 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Mix together, season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Enjoy!

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Spinach Beet Salad – Serves 1

Ingredients:
1-2 cups baby spinach
1 cooked beet, sliced
¼ cup walnuts
2 tbsp dried cranberries
¼ cup goat or feta cheese
Dressing: 2 tbsp olive, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:
In a bowl, combine spinach with other toppings. Whisk together salad ingredients and pour over salad when ready to eat!

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Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp – Makes 9 squares

For the crumble mixture:
1/2 cup rolled oats
½ cup flour of choice
¼ cup packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons coconut oil melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the strawberry rhubarb mixture:
2 cups thinly sliced strawberries
2 cups thinly sliced rhubarb
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon cornstarch can also sub in tapioca or arrowroot starch

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish.
Combine the oats, flour, coconut oil, brown super, vanilla extract and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
Next, mix the sliced strawberries, rhubarb, maple syrup and cornstarch together in a medium bowl until well coated. You can also sub in equal amounts of tapioca or arrowroot starch for the cornstarch if you prefer.
Press half the crumble mixture into the bottom of the greased baking dish with the back of a spoon or spatula.
Next, evenly distribute the strawberry rhubarb mixture over top of the crumble mixture.
Evenly sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture over top of the strawberry rhubarb mixture.
Place it in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the crumb mixture on the top is golden.
Let it cool for at least half an hour before serving.

 

Interested in learning more about cooking with in-season fruits and veggies? Use this link to schedule an intake call and start working with one of our dietitians here at Karuna!

 

Source:
1. https://www.seasonalfoodguide.org/why-eat-seasonally
2. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fsn3.685