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Friday 13 August 2021

Friday Five : Vegetables, Herb and a Fruit !

Yes, Friday comes around once more! For today's post my first thought was to name five vegetables but somehow a herb and a fruit was also included! Oh well, never mind! Have you used any/all of these five in your recipes? Have you got a favourite vegetable or fruit beginning with the letter 'F'? Please share your thoughts in the comments.


Fennel
Fennel is wonderfully dynamic as it can be used as an herbal additive or eaten wholesale as a vegetable. Fennel comes as a large ‘head’ which is sort of a cross between celery and Pak Choi. When braised or slowly baked it takes on a sweetness with hints of aniseed and is an ideal accompaniment to foods high in fat such as pork. The tips of fennel can be finely shredded and used raw as an eye-catching garnish, and if you encounter Fennel Seeds, these can be ground or added whole to dishes to give more depth. Use Fennel seeds sparingly as they are very strong.
Please see a recipe featuring fennel here

Fenugreek
Fenugreek is herb that features predominantly in food that most would call spicy. Whether you are making an Indian dish or something from South America such as a Chili Beef, Fenugreek can add subtle hints of sweet and nutty flavour that taste almost like overcooked sugar.
Please see a recipe featuring Fenugreek here

Fig
Figs are one of the oldest fruits known to mankind and feature worldwide as a healthy source of vitamins and minerals. Figs are at their best when they are ripe and are super sweet. They tend to ripen quickly so it is common practice that they are preserved by drying them. The flesh of the fig and the crunchy seeds inside are edible.
Please see a recipe featuring fig here

French bean
Whilst called French beans, you might have heard them referred to as ‘green beans’. They are one and the same thing. They can be served finely chopped and raw in a salad, or if you prefer them cooked steam them until they are just cooked. The make an ideal filler in soups and stews and also feature very heavily in Asian cooking. With French beans it is a good idea to avoid overcooking as the texture turns very soft.
Please see a recipe featuring French beans here

Fava bean (also known as broad bean)
Fava beans are a great source of vitamins, including vitamin C and Iron. They have a long pod which, once split, reveals a bright green treasure within. They can be eaten raw as a snack, or alternatively shelled and cooked.

Please see a recipe featuring Fava (broad) beans here

Some details taken from article here


You will find a variety of articles and recipe ideas within this blog and it is important to 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

31 comments:

Tom said...

...things that I'm not familiar with.

Christine said...

Fuji apple!

William Kendall said...

I have never had figs.

J.P. Alexander said...

Adoro los higos y las habas. Genial receta te mando un beso

DVArtist said...

Yes I have used all of those. Lovely flowers.

Practical Parsimony said...

Green beans are actually my favorite vegetable. And, fig fresh off the tree are a rare treat.

peppylady (Dora) said...

We got fennel growing in our garden.
Coffee is on and stay safe

Angie's Recipes said...

I love fenugreek and fennel!

Elephant's Child said...

Yum. I enjoy them all. I also like your beautiful flowers beside the cup of tea. Thank you.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I grow fennel. I saved the seeds from last year. It's not going to get any bulbs on it this year.

I also eat a lot of green beans. In fact, today I had a squash, green bean, and tomato skillet meal because I bought way too much squash at the store to compensate for my squash plants dying a waterlogged death.

Some of my favorite foods begin with F. I love fudge, flan, and decadent french fries. Of course, only the french fries are single items. The others contain several ingredients.

Valerie-Jael said...

All good things. I love fennel tea, too. Valerie

Phil Slade said...

Broad beans are hard to find around here with just one or two real veg shops. Fava beans are a starter in many of the Skiathos restaurants - hope to be there soon.

Victor S E Moubarak said...

Aha ... you mention figs. We love figs. We can't get ours to ripen. They stay hard on the tree.

Is it true the story that insects, (bees), enter the fig fruit and is digested by the plant? I saw it mentioned on TV and it was not 1 April.

God bless.

Jo said...

I've never used fennel or fenugreek, I tried figs a long time ago and didn't like them but I do love both beans, perhaps it's time I tried the other three.

eileeninmd said...

Great post and info!
Have a great day and weekend!

Margaret D said...

Interesting.

My name is Erika. said...

Clever take on eating 5 fruits and veggies a day! And an interesting way to hit those F foods too. Happy start to your weekend. hugs-Erika

DeniseinVA said...

Hi Jan, I learned a lot today, thank you so much and all the best!

This N That said...

French green beans are about it!! I don't eat most of you "F"'s...You have to cook to use most of them, I guess...I don't :)

Laura. M said...

Me encantan los higos. En Extremadura es famosa la sopa de tomates con higos. Rico plato:))
Buen fin de semana. Cuidaros
Un abrazo.

J C said...

I'm afraid mine is mostly B's, as in Berries. Yesterday I found the most delicious, HUGE sweet tasting blackberries...at the market.

Debbie said...

such pretty flowers...i failed on the "F's"!! i must try harder!!

Maria Rodrigues said...

Hi Jan,
Insightful and informative post.
thanks for sharing

Pam said...

Five Friday of all F's....nice

Lowcarb team member said...

Victor S E Moubarak said...
Aha ... you mention figs. We love figs. We can't get ours to ripen. They stay hard on the tree.

Is it true the story that insects, (bees), enter the fig fruit and is digested by the plant? I saw it mentioned on TV and it was not 1 April.

God bless

Hello Victor, many thanks for your comment and question.

Yes, it's true!
"If you always thought your childhood friends were pulling your leg when they told you figs were full of dead insects, it turns out they were right and you were wrong. Indeed, figs do contain digested wasps, which become trapped inside the fruit during pollination. Without this gross and deadly cycle, neither the fig tree nor the wasp could reproduce."

Please read more here
https://knowledgenuts.com/disturbing-truth-about-figs/

All the best Jan

R's Rue said...

I love figs. Yum.

Victor S E Moubarak said...

Right ... I am not going to eat any more figs!

Thanx Jan. God bless.

HappyK said...

That's creepy about the figs. Now I'm glad I don't like them! :)

Ananka said...

Not ones I am up-to-date with. I do like fennel seeds and figs are okay. Not too sure about the beans? I might have had the French Bean. I like mangetout and eat them raw. But that isn't F. Argh struggling to think of one!

♥ Łucja-Maria ♥ said...

I like figs very much, unfortunately I eat it very rarely.
They are hard to buy in my country.
Have a nice, relaxing weekend.

Teresa said...

Feliz semana. Besos.