YMCA Healthy Living Magazine, powered by n4 food and health Spring 2016 | Page 8
CLARE WOLSKI, APD
Clare is a passionate Accredited Practicing Dietitian who loves
empowering people with good nutrition information so they can
make the best decisions for their long-term health. Learn more
about Clare at healthyeatinghub.com.au
or n4foodandhealth.com
SIX SPRING
VEGETABLES
Nutrition expert Clare Wolski helps you embrace seasonal eating this spring.
ating seasonally is great for
your body, the environment
and the economy. By picking
foods that are in season and locally
produced, you reduce the ‘food miles’,
maximise nutrient retention and
support local farmers.
E
The wide availability of veggies in our
supermarkets can make it hard to figure
out what is actually in season because
typically you can get winter vegetables
in summer and autumn vegetables in
spring. It can also be hard to know
what to do with all the different
seasonal produce. So here is a
rundown of a few veggies that are at
their peak in spring, and some ways
you can cook them up.
five minutes will soften the exterior of
the asparagus while leaving a light
crunch.
Sauté: You can sauté the asparagus in
a pan with a small amount of extra
virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic.
How to prepare
You don’t have to
boil your asparagus
into a soggy mess.
There are lots of
ways to cook it up.
Remember to snap
the woody base of
the stalk off.
Steam:
Steaming
for three to
8
New ideas
•
Grilled: Lay it diagonally on a grill to
give the asparagus lines of golden
brown.
Finely chop your Asian greens and
add them to your next soup, try
our Asian Style Chicken Broth (see
page 11).
•
Zap: If you are running low on time pop
your asparagus in the microwave for
two minutes! Done!
Whip them into an Asian salad with
some carrot, capsicum, coriander,
lime, chilli and peanuts.
•
Stir fry them with delicious flavours
like garlic, ginger and chilli.
New ideas
•
Asparagus pairs amazingly well
with salmon. Try steaming a bunch
and adding to a dish like Salmon
Salad with Yoghurt Dressing, or a
Warm Asparagus and Pink Lady
Apple Salad (see page 10).
•
Add asparagus to a quiche or
frittata for a bit of bite.
•
Leave asparagus raw or lightly
steamed and use as a vegetable
dipping vessel with some aioli.
1 ASPARAGUS
Asparagus is chock-a-block full of
vitamins and minerals. One cup of
asparagus will give you two times your
daily adequate
intake of vitamin
K, which is an
important
nutrient for blood
health.
Chop them to your preferred size and
you are ready to go.
2 ASIAN GREENS
Bok choy, choy sum, pak choy, gai lan,
wombok. These green leafies are a rich
source of vitamin A, and
a vital nutrient for
vision, immunity,
bone health and
skin health.
How to
prepare
Rinse and drain
your Asian
greens well.
YMCA HEALTHY LIVING MAGAZINE SPRING 2016
3 BEETROOT
Beetroot is a sweet root vegetable that
will brighten and
improve the
nutritional quality
of any meal.
Beetroot has high
levels of nitric oxide,
which improves
circulation by
helping your
blood vessels
relax. The leafy
green tops of
this root are also a
good source of iron,
folate, potassium and fibre.
How to prepare
Chop off the leaves (save those for a
salad or sandwich) and give the
beetroot a good scrub under running
water to remove excess dirt. Place the
whole beetroot in a saucepan and bring
to the boil. Simmer the beetroot until
they are tender when pierced with a
fork. Drain and rinse beetroot under
cold water and allow to cool. Peel the
outer layer of skin. You can also buy
beetroot that is peeled and ready to