Eating Seasonally
One of the most wonderful and rewarding concepts to adopt is eating seasonally. The majority of produce is now available year round in many areas, but fruits and vegetables are tastiest during their natural time of harvest and also at their most nutritious stage. This connection to nature is a great way to be mindful of how you nourish your body and provide more variety in meals to avoid recipe fatigue.
Think of the soups, salads or sandwiches that you regularly prepare. What ingredients can you add or substitute based on what’s in season? How can you incorporate something fresh for breakfast, lunch and dinner?
Below is a day’s worth of seasonal meals for each time of the year:
Eating Seasonally in the Fall
BREAKFAST: Oatmeal with persimmons topped with maple syrup
SNACK: Apple with cinnamon
LUNCH: Shredded cabbage salad with kale, cranberries and roasted chickpeas
SNACK: Wasa cracker with cottage cheese and pear
DINNER: Sauteed swiss chard and fish drizzled in extra virgin olive oil
Eating Seasonally in the Winter
BREAKFAST: Hard-boiled eggs with a side of orange slices
SNACK: Yogurt with walnuts and honey
LUNCH: Tossed spinach and radichio salad with smoked salmon and avocado
SNACK: Wasa cracker with almond butter and pomegranate seeds
DINNER: Lentil turnip soup with a squeeze of lemon and side of roasted brussel sprouts
Eating Seasonally in the Spring
BREAKFAST: Spinach protein smoothie
SNACK: Strawberries with almond butter
LUNCH: Fish and fava beans
SNACK: Apricot and cherries
DINNER: Veggie lasagna with a side of green beans
Eating Seasonally in Summer
BREAKFAST: Open faced rye toast with butter and figs and a protein shake
SNACK: Yogurt with raspberries, blueberries and blackberries
LUNCH: Bruschetta with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella
SNACK: Watermelon and feta salad
DINNER: Baked eggplant with sauteed onions and beans
I encourage you to visit a farmers market this weekend and pick out at least one newly-harvested ingredient to incorporate into a dish and enjoy!