We enter autumn without forgetting seasonal products. The new episode of the “A gust amb la Terra” podcast delves into the foods specific to this time of year and the healthiest recipes.
After a hot summer, the temperatures are starting to give us a break. In the fall, the days are cooler, and because of this, diet changes become an inescapable thing, which can only mean one thing: new seasonal products.
Today we will discover what fruits and vegetables this season brings us and, as always, we will do it with the help of Noelia López, Nestlé nutritionist.
Autumn: citrus fruits, tropical fruits and many more products
We often associate summer with the season with more fruit on offer, but autumn is not far behind, being the season of citrus fruits, such as oranges, tangerines or lemons; in addition to tropical fruitslike mango and avocado.
Mind you, the fact that we are talking about tropical fruits does not mean that we give up ours local productssince in our lands we have our own tropical fruit crops.
avocado
This is the case of the avocado, a fruit whose consumption has grown exponentially in recent years. There are many reasons why the avocado is considered an irresistible food for most, but we mainly distinguish two: it is I laugh and above all versatile. We can combine it with almost anything, from desserts to salads, lasagna and toast.
Noelia López collects two of its main benefits:
- Higher percentage of fat: Yes, it has a higher percentage of fat than fruits like the apple. And this is more than a positive aspect, even if a priori we think the opposite. And it is rich in fat monosaturatednecessary in our diet.
- texture: Its creamy texture makes it possible for the avocado to fit perfectly into any recipe and give it a special touch, without giving up on the healthy.
Granada
How to forget pomegranates in autumn, one of the products par excellence of the season. Its attractive red color, typical of pigments, makes it impossible to overlook. They are rich in antioxidants and, despite the fact that many do not know it, they give a lot of play in the kitchen.
The nutritionist provides some ideas that can liven up the consumption of this fruit:
- Baked aubergines with yogurt and pomegranate sauce
- Couscous with chickpeas, raisins and pomegranate
apple
Also in autumn, apples are fruits that deserve special mention. They can be included in countless preparations, being the star recipe Apple pie.
Of course, in addition to traditional cakes, the nutritionist also suggests the possibility of combining this fruit with pumpkin, thus creating a healthy cream ideal for cold days.
Pumpkin
We couldn’t ignore pumpkin, rich in carotene, in our list of seasonal foods. One of its main advantages is that, like the avocado, it is very versatile:
- It’s possible to combine with other seasonal vegetables, such as the already mentioned apple or with leeks, chestnuts, carrots or beans. The purees that arise are typical of autumn.
- It is a base ingredient for tasty cakes
In the case of pumpkin, Nestlé’s expert recommends trying the pumpkin gratin with cod and caramelized onions, a complete contrast of flavors.
radishes
On the other hand, and although we do not find the same versatility, radishes are also one of the typical autumn products. Of course, not finding it versatile is not the same as not having it.
“Sometimes we use the same vegetables and we don’t know how to use others that we don’t normally buy”, says the nutritionist.
For this reason, it provides a recipe specific to autumn and which includes this vegetable: endives with horseradish saucea preparation that is both easy and healthy.
sweet potatoes
And if we are guided by smells… Let’s talk about sweet potatoes, a tuber whose main advantage is its easy preparation. In addition, it is a classic of our gastronomic culture. sweet and rich in carbohydratesit is the perfect accompaniment to any dish.
We can use it to:
- ridges: sweet potato, cinnamon and hazelnut crusts are rich and more than appetizing on these dates
- cake: A sweet potato and condensed milk cheesecake is a tasty and viable option.
- puree: very typical and tempting in autumn
- chips: as is the case with the crispy sweet potato chips
chestnuts
Beyond fruits and tubers, who hasn’t wished for autumn to return just to consume chestnuts!
Autumn is the season for this dried fruit, present in many recipes. These are its peculiarities:
- Consuming them raw can cause irritation. But it has an easy solution, by baking them, in addition to gaining flavor, because they are less bitter, we avoid them feeling bad.
- Roasted, toasted, cooked. Subjecting them to these processes produces changes in the starch, directly affecting juiciness, texture and digestibility.
- Nutritional contribution. It does not contain fats and proteins like other nuts, but is rich in hydrates and water, in addition to presenting very interesting values in fiber, vitamin C and folic acid.
Let’s not forget the mushrooms!
The weather that accompanies the autumn season makes fungi very common. At this time of the year we talk specifically about mushrooms.
“It’s important to know the varieties and we shouldn’t pick them if we don’t know them for sure”, points out Noelia López.
Mushrooms are very common autumn products, there is no doubt about that. But as much as we like to collect them, the risk is not worth it. The change of color when cutting it or the striking tone are not sufficient precautions for the safe consumption of mushrooms, so if you walk in the field, the expert recommends sticking to it, without collecting any mushrooms in the process
Starting from this basis, we can talk about an infinity of recipes and stews with which they combine, among which the Catalan fricandó or its simple preparation on the grill with garlic and parsley.