Whenever the colder months hit and I suddenly realise that the summer is not going to last forever, I start panicking about what to eat.
I grew up in Hungary, going to the farmers' markets with my mom to do the weekly shopping. She never knew exactly what she was going to buy, but kept an open mind and would see what they had on the tables. I was therefore used to not having oranges in the summer or watermelon in the winter and instinctively knew what was in season just by seeing what was on my dinner plate.
Moving to the UK, where supermarkets are filled with various produce regardless of season, I was stumped.
I tried to navigate this new world by googling obsessively, trying to see if a veggie I was craving was in season, convincing myself not to buy it if I knew it wasn't.
I thought I would compile some of my findings and motivate you to eat seasonally this October!
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Beetroot
My absolute favourite veg in season is the humble beetroot. I love them roasted with a bit of balsamic vinegar, as I learned from Jamie Oliver.
Whole roasted beets are also delicious.
Other veg for roasting
Aubergines, brussels sprouts, carrots and cauliflower are all in season and excellent for roasting. Click on the names to see the recipes I enjoy making!
Squash
Butternut squash makes an excellent sweet treat if you roast it with some honey! And there are plenty of other varieties of squash out there for you to try.
Celeriac
Celeriac is often overlooked, but you will change your mind if you try stuffing it with some walnuts and blue cheese.
Spinach
I love making soup out of spinach. If you haven't tried it yet, I would suggest starting out with this recipe. Simple and delicious. It includes:
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Other vegetables in season:
Broccoli
Brassica oleracea var. italica (Italica Group)
Chicory 'Pan Di Zucchero'
Cichorium intybus 'Pan di Zucchero'
Courgette
Cucurbita pepo ssp. pepo var. Zucchini
Cucumber
Cucumis sativus
Kales
Brassica oleracea (Acephala Group) 'Kales'
Lettuce
Lactuca sativa
Onion
Allium cepa
Wild Parsnip
Pastinaca sativa
Pea
Pisum sativum
Winter Squash
Cucurbita spp.
Raphanus sativus
Raphanus sativus
Garden Rocket
Eruca vesicaria ssp. sativa
Runner Bean
Phaseolus coccineus
Swede
Brassica napus ssp. rapifera
Maize
Zea spp.
Swiss Chard
Beta vulgaris (Cicla Group)
Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
Turnip 'Snowball'
Brassica rapa (Rapifera Group) 'Snowball'
Watercress
Nasturtium spp.
Button Mushroom
Agaricus bisporus
