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Friday 12 July 2019

Some foods in season during July


What's in season in July 

Summer is in full swing and July brings plenty of seasonal fruit and vegetables to enjoy in the sunshine. Runner beans and peas bring fresh flavour to a variety of summer dishes, while earthy beetroot adds bold colour. For puddings, it's all about berries. Make the most of the short gooseberry season by swirling them into creamy fools or baking into cakes for picnics. Blackberries and cherries are also in abundance throughout July, making it easy to whip up sweet fruity desserts all month.

Beetroot 
Sweet and earthy in flavour and a beautiful, vibrant purple in colour, beetroot is extremely versatile. Wash your hands as soon as you've finished preparing beetroot, as the purple juice can stain your fingers. Add beetroot to a range of dishes ...
You may like to try these recipes:
Cajun chicken with oodles of spice, tahini dressed beetroot, oven crisp carrot fries and hardly any carbs; see details here
Beetroot and orange soup with mustard seeds; see details here

Peas
These bright, luscious pods are at their best from now until October. Peas can be whizzed to make a soup, braised in butter or blanched as a side (add mint to enhance their flavour). Choose pods that are full but not bulging – less mature peas are softer and sweeter.
You may like to try these recipes:
Chicken with mushrooms and peas, a recipe that suits my LCHF lifestyle; see details here
Easy Peasy Cheesy Frittata; see details here
Pea and lettuce soup with poached eggs; see details here

Gooseberries 
Gooseberries are high in vitamin C, vitamin A, Potassium and Magnesium. These tangy berries are only available for a short time, so grab them fast! Green, early season gooseberries have a tart flavour and are usually used for cooking, while later, red-tinged fruits are sweeter and milder.
You may like to try these recipes:
Gooseberry crumble by Phil Vickery, it's lovely but not low carb; see details here
Gooseberry and elderflower custard; see details here
Gooseberry fool, a lovely recipe from Mary Berry (use sugar substitute for a lower carb version of this recipe); see details here

Runner beans 
Runner beans are longer and stronger in flavour than green beans, but can be used in many of the same recipes. For the freshest veg, look for young, crisp beans with firm pods. The beans will need to be top and tailed, and for larger or older beans also remove the string.
You may like to try these recipes:
Trout with a lemon zest served with a warm bean salad, which brings together the flavour of runner beans, fine beans and butterbeans; see details here  
Pork with orange and poppy seed salad, a colourful and tasty plate of food, with the welcome addition of runner beans, cucumber and some crumbled feta cheese; see details here

Cherries 
These sweet summer fruits have been grown since Roman times, and became popular in Britain in the 15th century. In the UK National Cherry Day is on the 16th July. Why not celebrate with a cherry recipe.
You may like to try these recipes:
Black Forest Gateau, a low carb recipe which uses pitted black cherries; see details here
Cherry Bakewell Frangipane Tart, a vegan and gluten free recipe; see details here

Blackberries 
These sharp yet sweet fruits are at their best in late summer. In British folklore, it was believed to be unlucky to pick wild blackberries after Michaelmas, on 29 September – so make the most of them while you can! They’re best stored unwashed, on a layer of kitchen paper in the fridge to prevent them crushing each other.
You may like to try these recipes:
Blackberry Cobbler/Crumble, a lovely low carb recipe; see details here
Grilled Chicken & Blackberry Salad, so delicious; see details here

I wonder what would be your favourite from the above?
Mine is blackberries ...

Dear reader, 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

27 comments:

Tom said...

...we just bought some cherries today!

Elephant's Child said...

Seasonal is often best - on so many levels, which include taste and cost.

Miss Val's Creations said...

Beets are a vegetable that I can't seem to like. To earthy! Blackberries are my favorite from the list too. Unfortunately I never buy them because they are pricey here. Maybe we will have a bush someday.

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

I love the cherries, blackberries are delicious too. Always nice to have some fresh fruit available. Enjoy your day and weekend!

dellgirl said...

Blackberries and Cherries would be my favorite. I haven't had either in a while, and now I wand some.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Cherries are all gone in our stores. I'm not a fan of beets, but I absolutely adore peas.

Sami said...

I love blackberries which I often use with my breakfast yogurt, but nothing beats cherries in Summer, so delicious.
Never been a fan of green beans, just in soup.

Chatty Crone said...

I have been reading about cherries and how good they are for you!

Margaret D said...

Do you know that we have cherries in our local supermarket and it's winter here.
Those cherries come from the USA! $17.00 AU a kilo.

Lady Fi said...

Yum! I love cherries and blackberries.

Valerie-Jael said...

This is a great time for fruit and veggies. The blackberries in the fields and hedges are almost ripe, so I will soon be going picking! Have a great weekend, Valerie

baili said...

peas are my most favorite dear Jan ,i wish i can find other fruits here too

in part of my age i am trying relay more on veggies and fruits

Phil Slade said...

I actually saw both broad beans and peas in the local Aldi. And then with my usual cynicism, wondered how many people would actually buy either. Many I hope.

Bob Bushell said...

Lovely, fresh as fresh can be.

mamasmercantile said...

I do need a bit of inspiration for beetroot, I tend to grow it and then pickle it so it is not wasted.

Jo said...

Beetroot is my favourite. I used to grow it when we had the allotment but I never buy fresh beetroot as there's only me who likes it. I do buy pickled beetroot though and I love that on a salad.

Crafty Green Poet said...

I should try some of those gooseberry recipes,

CJ Kennedy said...

I love blackberries. When I was a kid, we used to go into the woods and pick wild blackberries. Bring them home and put them in the large freezer my mother had in our cellar. The Brother and I liked to eat them frozen.

Francisco Manuel Carrajola Oliveira said...

Alimentos frescos e bem saudáveis, aproveito para desejar um bom fim-de-semana.

Andarilhar
Dedais de Francisco e Idalisa
Livros-Autografados

carol l mckenna said...

Oh so fresh and delicious looking ~ yum to all!

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

Conniecrafter said...

Mine too, I like the taste of the black berries but don't care for all those seeds. I am so excited that my green peppers are finally taking off :)

Fun60 said...

Good to know what's in season. I like beetroot with a cottage pie.

Catarina said...

Those green beans remind me that I haven't bought some for a while.

William Kendall said...

For me, it's cherries.

Teresa said...

Me gustan todas, pero mis favoritas moras, cerezas y remolacha en ensalada. Feliz día.

Snowbird said...

I love them all too!xxx

daisoftware said...

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