Mid-winter produce can start looking a little sad right now. Hopefully you still have a decent selection of winter squash, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage) and greens like chard and kale. Most of us can count on potatoes and carrots all year round.
As for fruit – apples, pears, bananas and citrus are usually available in the winter. In Israel we have local kiwi, persimmons and strawberries now as well.
I'm not a big fan of "long-distance" produce – fruits and vegetables grown thousands of miles away and flown in to satisfy our urge for raspberries in January. You see them here occasionally as well. Last week my green grocer had pineapples from Costa Rica and apples from the US. Thanks, but I'll stick with what's grown locally.
During the winter, think frozen – for a change of pace and when fresh are not in season.
Frozen fruit and vegetables are minimally processed. They're blanched first (immersed in a boiling water bath) to destroy enzymes that would otherwise effect their color, flavor and texture. Next they get a quick freeze. Most are flash-frozen soon after being picked, assuring that nutrients remain intact.
There's always a bag of frozen baby peas and artichoke hearts in our freezer. I've never been successful with broccoli, cauliflower or brussel sprouts, but corn and green beans are winners.
You can buy frozen mixed vegetables too (not just peas and carrots!) – good for soup, casseroles and side dishes. Look for vegetables with no added salt or fat.
Don't forget frozen fruit. For a special winter treat, add frozen blueberries or raspberries to your favorite muffin recipe. Perk up a winter apple or pear crisp with frozen cherries or berries.
Frozen fruit and vegetables are great convenience foods. Just cook in a little boiling water or in the microwave, and serve. Delicious, nutritious, easy and fast!
Hi Chana,
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time finding frozen fruit in the supermarket. I always see the veggies but never the fruit. If I do find fruit its very very expensive. Is there a certain supermarket chain that carries them regularly, and at a decent price?
Thanks!
Thanks for writing, Samantha. I assume that you're writing from Israel where frozen fruits are not always ready available. And, you're right - they are expensive. I can't recommend any particular grocery store, though the larger chains are most likely to carry at least a few boxes of frozen cherries and/or berries. Look in stores catering to Russian immigrants. I like to freeze some strawberries when they're in season and the price is low. Also, if you can find reasonably priced berries (grown on the Golan and ripe in June-July), freeze them on a cookie sheet and package in freezer bags to use during the winter.
ReplyDelete