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Tuesday 16 April 2019

Some Foods In Season During April


What's in season in April 


April brings gradually warmer weather, lighter evenings and plenty of new seasonal produce. Make the most the short Jersey Royal season with creamy potato salads, and bring colour to your plate with vibrant rainbow chard. Colourful stems of bright pink rhubarb brighten up sweet and savoury dishes – try using it to add tartness to salads or pair with custard in desserts for a classic combination that always works. 

Rhubarb 
Elegant stalks of bright pink rhubarb are a true symbol of spring. Rhubarb grows from a root that can live for up to 20 years, with some varieties growing stems up to 1.5m long. Choose firm, straight stalks that have a bright red colour. Avoid those that are limp or discoloured, or stalks that are very thick. Older stalks may be a bit stringy, like celery, but spring rhubarb will be tender, so there's no need to peel it. 
How about trying:
Roast chicken with rhubarb - see details here
Rhubarb fool, a delicious dessert - see details here 

Blueberries 
Aromatic blueberries are plump and super sweet, releasing lots of flavour when cooked. Look out for deep blue, firm fruit with a silvery bloom on the skin.
Contact with water can cause blueberries (and other soft fruit) to spoil or turn mushy, so avoid washing until you are ready to use them.
How about trying:
Cheesecake with Blueberries, a low carb summer delight - see details here 
Blueberry and Cinnamon Omelette - see details here 

Fennel 
Fennel has a white bulb with edible, feathery green fronds and a distinctive aniseed taste. If you find the flavour of raw fennel a little intense, try cooking it – heat mellows the taste and it becomes soft and caramelised.
How about trying:
Cod Parcels Steamed, with fennel and herbs - see details here
Pork Shoulder Pot Roast, with fennel, parsnips and carrots - see details here 

Rainbow chard 
Rainbow chard is easily identified by its beautiful, multicoloured stems. This leafy green has a sweet, nutty flavour similar to spinach, and holds its shape and colour during cooking. Cook the leaves and stalks separately, as the stalks take longer.
How about trying:
Pork medallions on a bed of chard with bacon and cider sauce - details are here
Sautéed chard with garlic - details are here 

Jersey Royals 
These regally named potatoes can only be called Jersey Royals if they are grown on the island itself, where they have been cultivated for 140 years. One of the real treasures of spring, these nutty, delicious spuds will only be around until July. The potatoes were first grown by accident when some Jersey farmers each planted a piece taken from one huge potato, and one (a ‘fluke’) produced kidney-shaped tubers. *Jersey Royals don’t need to be peeled. They make the ultimate potato salads. 
How about trying:
Slow roasted lamb with minted Jersey Royals and mint sauce - details are here
Super spring salad - details are
here 

Please remember if you are living a Keto or LCHF lifestyle it is best to avoid starchy foods like bread, pasta, rice, *potatoes, chips, crisps, porridge, muesli, foods containing processed flour and so on. 'Wholegrain products' are just less bad. Moderate amounts of root vegetables (carrots, parsnips) may be ok (unless you’re eating extremely low carb/keto). Please read our 'Introduction to low-carb for beginners' post for more information, it can be found here 

You will find a variety of articles, studies etc. plus recent news/views and recipe ideas within this blog, we hope something for everyone to read and enjoy ... but please note, not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter. 

All the best Jan

33 comments:

happyone said...

I've just noticed that my rhubarb has broken ground. I took some from the old house and planted some here at the new house in the fall. Sure glad I'll have it here too.

Tom said...

...we will need to wait a bit longer!

Miss Val's Creations said...

Yummy, healthy crops! I love the colors of swiss chard. Nature is amazing that way.

Lee said...

My landlords grow rhubarb on this property...but don't share any with me...and I don't raid their gardens! :)

Martha said...

Good to know! My favourite on the list is blueberries.

Anonymous said...

Looks wonderful, we are still waiting for snow to leave but soon, hopefully soon,

dellgirl said...

This is very interesting. I have never heard of some of these foods until I read about it here. And, there are some I have heard of but never ate them. Thank you for the helpful information.

Catarina said...

I like their texture, their taste, their colour!

Angie said...

Jan - all great ideas, and I most attracted to the chard and rhubarb. I will ask hubby to keep an eye out when he goes to the store!

Elephant's Child said...

Eating in season is something I do try and achieve. Fresher, tastier, better for me and for the planet.

Iris Flavia said...

The Blueberry and Cinnamon Omelette just went to my favorites-list :-)

Valerie-Jael said...

Bought rhubarb and blueberries yesterday, yummy. Valerie

Suzan said...

I live in the Southern Hemisphere. Some of our fruits and veg follow your calendar as they grow in the cooler weather. I am waiting for blueberries to drop in price so I can enjoy them for breakfast again.

My name is Erika. said...

Rhubarb isn't quite in season for us here in New Hampshire Us yet, but it is coming. I can't wait because I like it a lot. Well not plain but in baked goods or jams. Interesting about the potatoes too. Happy mid-week. Hugs-Erika

mxtodis123 said...

Yummy. I try to eat in season as well. Have a great fruit stand a block away that keeps me in check.

Sandra said...

So many unique and wonderful veggie/fruits to choose from. Thanks for the info. Have a grand one, Jan.

Debbie said...

good choices, i happen to love blueberries!! and the jersey potatoes...anything to do with new jersey, i read what you wrote but could not figure it out. i am a potato lover, no matter how you cook it!!!

William Kendall said...

Rhubarb and blueberries won't be in season here until summer.

sandy said...

everything looks good - ..I finally had a rhubarb pie last year and never knew rhubarb tasted so good.

Lorrie said...

Rhubarb and Chard are in season here now, but it will be few months before the blueberries appear, as the bushes are just in bloom now! We try to eat seasonally, too.

Lowcarb team member said...

Debbie said...
good choices, i happen to love blueberries!! and the jersey potatoes...anything to do with new jersey, i read what you wrote but could not figure it out. i am a potato lover, no matter how you cook it!!!

Hello Debbie, many thanks for your comment, and yes our 'Jersey Royals' may cause some confusion …

Firstly, I must say that I too love blueberries, and yes as a blogging friend, I know your love for potatoes :)

Secondly, The Jersey Royal Potatoes referred to in this post are from the Island of Jersey in The Channel Islands (UK) which are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy.

They include two Crown dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey, which is the largest of the islands; and the Bailiwick of Guernsey, consisting of Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and some smaller islands.

They are considered the remnants of the Duchy of Normandy and, although they are not part of the United Kingdom, the UK is responsible for the defence and international relations of the islands, more details here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Islands

Now onto the Jersey Royals, they are a premium, branded potato and the only fresh fruit or vegetable in the British Isles to boast an EU Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, similar to that enjoyed by other products such as Champagne, Camembert cheese and Parma ham.

The Jersey Royal brand attracts this level of protection because of the unique way in which it is grown, cultivated and harvested and the PDO ensures that only Royals grown in Jersey can be called ‘Jersey Royal’.

There is also more information about this potato here
https://jerseyroyals.co.uk/

Hope this helps both you, and other readers, who may not have come across these potatoes.

Enjoy the rest of the week, and with the Easter weekend approaching, early Happy Easter Wishes to you.

All the best Jan

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

The blueberries have my mouth watering.

Sandy said...

Our growing seasons aren't in sync at all. Still too early to even plant anything, let alone have something in season. But, nothing better than fresh veggies out of the garden.

Snowbird said...

Those fruits and veggies look so appealing!xxx

Victor S E Moubarak said...

Rhubarb is a favourite. But for some unknown reason it is expensive compared to other fruits/vegetables; considering it grows so easily.

God bless.

Little Wandering Wren said...

Hey, I was trying to work out when Blueberries are in season as I studied the Blueberries from Spain which I bought in Thailand and was trying to work out how fresh they would be! At least now know they are in season, even if they have more air miles on them than me LOL!
Wren x

eileeninmd said...

Hello, great list. We have been enjoying some blueberries and strawberries. Happy Thursday, enjoy your day. Have a great Easter Weekend!

Bob Bushell said...

Lovely jubbly.

Bill said...

Blueberries are my favorite.

carol l mckenna said...

Thanks for 'in season' foods ~ always a good reference!

Happy Day to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka ( A Creative Harbor)

Rose said...

They all look sooo good....

Jeanie said...

I adore fennell -- one of my favorite veggies. Lots of good things here. Spring is the start of really good fresh food. We got the garden partly in -- the part that can handle the cold. Can't wait for developments1

Meanwhile, thanks for checking in and catching up on my blog posts. I always really appreciate your visits and especially your nice comments! Happy Easter if you celebrate and Happy Weekend, no matter what!

baili said...

what a healthy collection for the season dear Jan!

i am loving the vegetables since some years :)