Start the year right with plenty of seasonal fruit and veg available through January, making those healthy eating resolutions a little bit easier. Choose between savoury toast in the morning with creamy avocados, or sweet with tangy homemade marmalade using sharp Seville oranges. Earthy Savoy cabbage and purple sprouting broccoli bulk out winter dinners, while lemons and limes brighten up the grey days.
Super-sweet and juicy with a fragrant, tangy flavour, pink grapefruits from Florida are at their best in January – perfect for brightening up dark winter nights. Named because it grows on trees in grape-like clusters, grapefruit is thought to be a hybrid of the orange and the Asian pomelo fruit. Balance its sharp flavour with yoghurt and warm cinnamon in a citrusy pancake recipe, add it to a simple breakfast pot for a speedy morning meal, or try it in savoury dishes such as this fresh salmon, green bean and pink grapefruit salad.
What would brunch be without avocado on toast? Stock up on avocados to help your healthy eating goals in January. Contrary to popular belief, the skin colour is not a true indication of ripeness and differs between varieties. Hass avocados are dark purple and rough-skinned, in contrast to smooth, green-skinned Fuerte. Choose avocados that are firm but give a little when gently squeezed. To prepare, cut into the avocado and slice around the stone, creating 2 halves, then twist to separate. Beyond brunch burritos and avo dips, try something different by adding them to this 'Guacamole-style' pasta or adding them to a radish and crab salad.
Bright citrus fruits bring a touch of sunshine to your kitchen in the depths of winter. Look for taut, glossy skinned lemons and fruits that feel heavy for their size, as these contain the most juice. Try roasting a chicken with whole lemons and a tangy lemon salsa for a fresh citrus hit. To make lemons the star of the show, try an impressive lemon meringue brûlée tart, or give this pretty lemon pound cake with a citrusy icing, a go.
Mouth-puckeringly tart, lime juice and zest are delicious balanced with something creamy or sweet. To get maximum juice, roll limes under the palm of your hand on a worktop for a few seconds before slicing and squeezing. Pack up this colourful chilli-lime chicken salad for a vibrant healthy lunch, blitz up a lime-mango smoothie, or use generously in tangy mojito prawn tacos. For a zingy side to any curry, pair with this lime and coconut rice.
For a crowd-pleasing dessert, serve up this blackberry and lime self-saucing pudding, or give a vegan lime-spiked Mojito drizzle cake a go.
Fuzzy brown kiwi fruit have juicy, sweet emerald flesh. Named for its association New Zealand, where it was first grown on a large scale, the kiwi actually originates from China and is grown as far afield as South America and Greece. The fruit should be firm but yielding when gently squeezed. Remove the inedible skin with a vegetable peeler, or cut in half and scoop out the flesh with a teaspoon.
Make a quick fruit salad or give breakfast a tropical twist by trying kiwi and coconut parfaits or kiwi, mint and pineapple smoothies.
Leafier and more colourful than the standard variety, these long stems of broccoli are at their best right now. Purple sprouting broccoli is prepared just like traditional broccoli – trim any woody stems and remove tough leaves.
Use as a nutty side for weekend roasts or try griddling with steak and serving with a sticky mango sauce for a quick 20-minute meal. You can also use the stems in this colourful tart recipe. For an easy lunch, roast the broccoli and use to top toasted bruschetta with a sunny-side up egg. Or, add the seasonal veg to some salmon parcels, paired with wild rice and pesto.
This dark green, crinkly cabbage has a sweet, earthy flavour and is great eaten cooked or raw. Savoy has slightly looser leaves than other cabbage varieties, but its head should still be compact and weighty, with crisp leaves. This dark green brassica has a distinctive, sweet and slightly earthy taste that stands up well against rich, bold or meaty flavours. Try roasting in wedges and drizzling with a bold blue cheese dressing, add to warming colcannon mash and serve with a creamy chicken and mushroom medley, or cook up a comforting savoy, chorizo and borlotti bean broth.
It makes a great side dish for a Sunday roast, too – just pair with zesty lemon and hazelnuts.
These rough-skinned fruits are famous for their sour taste that adds tartness to recipes. They make great marmalade: the bitter taste combines with sugar to create a deliciously intense flavour. When you’ve had your fill on toast, use in this orange marmalade cake. They only have a short season, but you can freeze Seville oranges for use throughout the year – simply pop them in the freezer whole!
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