Happy Holidays! With the Easter long-weekend just around the corner, now’s the time to head to your local Fruit and Veg Shop to pick up your ingredients for the weekend of feasting ahead! Making sure you’re eating healthy throughout a big weekend of celebrations is made easier with an abundance of tasty offerings of nutritious fruit and vegetables this week!
Our pick of the week this week is Beetroot, a staple in our weekly dinners, including salads, burgers or roasts! Beetroot can be used in a number of ways, whether you’re in the mood for something savoury or sweet! It’s an excellent veg to include in your weekly shop, as it is packed with beneficials vitamins and minerals for a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle! These include folate, manganese, potassium, iron and vitamin C, which are all important for cell function, reduced blood pressure and skin health! For a speedy way to get your Beetroot fix, try this Beetroot and Banana Smoothie!
Fruits to put in your basket this week include Bananas which are in abundance, and make the perfect snack, or addition to sweets! Apple season is in full swing with various varieties now available at your local Fruit and Veg Shop, so get crunching into an apple this weekend!
Pears and Figs are excellent quality, and are perfect Autumn fruits to include in a platter this weekend, or a salad, like our Fig, Pear and Goats Cheese Salad! This is a salad that will be gone in seconds at this weekend’s lunch plans.
Grapes are in abundance, and make another great option for sharing and snacking over the Easter weekend. Try a new variety this week, as there are plenty of options available! The skin of a Grape contains the highest levels of antioxidants, making them a healthy snack.
Want to impress your guests with special fruit this weekend? Take your pick of Mangosteen, Feijoa, Custard Apple and Persimmons, which are all some of our favourite Autumnal fruits.
There are excellent quality vegetables available at your local Fruit and Veg shop for the weekend which are perfect for your big family roast dinners or perfect for the barbecue.
Char-grilled Zucchini and Eggplant are a delicious option for creating a simple meal with bold flavours! Simply slice lengthways, and place onto a hot griddle or barbecue with a generous amount of oil and you’ve got a ticket to flavour city!
We love the versatility of Sweet Potato, as a perfect veg that can hold its own as the star of the show, or makes the perfect side dish for any meal. One of our favourite combinations for a dish that will impress your guests this weekend is our Sweet Potato and Apple Salad, which perfectly balances velvety roasted sweet potato with the delicate crunch of new season Apples!
Don’t forget to pick up some Mushrooms this week, with brown varieties like Swiss and Portobello, the perfect addition to a breakfast cook-up!
In greens this week, you can expect to find Asparagus, Green Beans, Snow Peas and Okra. Okra is a great option if you haven’t tried it before, as not only is it loaded with vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B-6 as well as magnesium and calcium, it’s also a texture sensation, turning soft and slightly gelatinous when cooked.
Your greengrocer will be more than happy to help you out if you are unsure of any produce in-store. We encourage you to get talking and ask questions about what’s in season! Not only does shopping in season mean you’re saving money, but you can be sure you’re eating the best quality produce available and supporting Australian growers.