Eating Seasonally for Autumn
Autumn is a time of abundance when it comes to fresh produce. I love the flavours of it: apples, lemons, bananas, figs, grapes, kiwifruit, asparagus, beetroot, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, eggplant, tomatoes, pumpkins and zucchini. Because there is such a copious amount of fresh fruits and vegetables available, it’s easy to cook and create a variety of different meals that are full of flavour.
Foods taste better when they are in season, and they also have the most nutritional benefit at this time. Knowing what fruits and vegetables can be sourced locally is a great way to keep track of this, so eating watermelon during the winter months is not an ideal option (for example). If you’re not sure what is in season, spend a weekend day walking through your local farmer’s market to see what produce is available.
It is very important to listen to what our body is telling us, and often the body craves foods that balance out the elements of the season. For example, in summer people crave cooling foods like fruit, raw vegetables and ice cream. Conversely, in winter our body craves hot and heat-producing foods like soups, stews and meat.
With autumn comes rich, healthy, nutritious, comforting soups. Here is a recipe of one of my favourites.
Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup
Ingredients:
16 Roma Tomatoes, cut in half lengthways
2 onions, cut in half lengthways
1 head of garlic, roasted
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons mixed Italian herbs
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2.5 cups water or vegetable stock
1 cup light coconut milk
Method:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
Cut onions and tomatoes in half lengthways and place on parchment-lined tray. Cut the top of the garlic head in order to expose the majority of the garlic whilst it remains in tact.
Drizzle onions, tomatoes and garlic with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Roast in oven for approximately 60 mins.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Place in blender the roasted tomatoes (with their juices), onions, 8 roasted garlic cloves and all other ingredients. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Serves 6
