It is starting to feel very cold outdoors, and if you’re missing the fruits and veggies of summer, you’re not alone! We could just cry thinking about how we have to wait until NEXT JULY for the next Farmers Market. But there ARE fruits and veggies that are great for this season, so you can fight the winter blues with awesome recipes filled with tasty ingredients! Check our top winter fruits and veggies you should pick up on your next grocery run!
Winter Fruits and Veggies You’ll Want All Year Long
Getting fresh local fruits and veggies is hard during the colder seasons. But there are produce options for winter that could be the star of your next dinner recipe and maybe even your new favorite til next summer! Here are our favorites:
Pumpkin & Squash
You’re crazy if you thought we weren’t going to include pumpkins on this list! Though technically pumpkins grow during the summer and are harvested early fall, pumpkins have a fairly long shelf life, and if stored properly, could last you all winter long!
Looking for a sweet pumpkin recipe that isn’t pie? We’ve found a delicious recipe for gluten-free pumpkin bars that are perfect for the holiday season. Get the recipe here.
Winter squash might also be the obvious choice but our mouths are drooling just thinking about all of the creamy soups you can make with butternut squash. And squash has SO much potential. From spaghetti squash to replace pasta, to chunky grilled pieces of yellow squash to substitute potatoes, to buttery soups, your family will love it, (and you’ll love knowing they are getting something nutritional this winter).
Billings Lifestyle Magazine published a delightful looking recipe last January, and we thought we’d share their “Soup for the Soul” recipe here because it’s loaded with butternut squash and the ingredients list basically sums up the taste of fall.
Cabbage
A lot of people try to confuse iceberg lettuce and cabbage because they look so similar but don’t be fooled! Cabbage is loaded with vitamin K and fiber, while iceberg lettuce doesn’t have as many nutrients and tastes much more like water. Plus cabbage has phytonutrients that help naturally detox your body. Cabbage has a really strong flavor, and makes for a great stew!
Try adding this Italian sausage and cabbage stew recipe to your meal plan this week!
Sweet Potatoes
A lot of us eat sweet potatoes all year long, and good thing! Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin B, fiber, and potassium! Besides replacing your golden french fries, sweet potatoes taste great served sweet, salty, and even spicy! This article in Cooking Light gives you a whole plethora of sweet potato options that you can try today!
As far as winter fruits and veggies go, sweet potatoes might be one of the most versatile options!
Pomegranates
Is anyone else here a HUGE fan of pomegranates? They might be one of our all-time favorites! They aren’t in season very long, but we can’t stop drooling over those plump red seeds. They are often a pain to peel, but the reward is sweet and so worth it.
Add the seeds to your salads, drink the juice, or eat it plain, this exotic looking fruit is a winter favorite! If you really want some traditional November flavors in a recipe, try making this winter squash with spiced butter recipe. They used pomegranate seeds as a garnish and it looks AMAZING!
Blood Oranges
Blood orange kind of sounds like a luxury you can’t afford. But we encourage you to try this sweet and delicious citrus fruit, as it’s also high in vitamin C and fiber! Though we tend to add this fancy fruit to fizzy drinks and alcoholic beverages, try this blood orange shrimp salad recipe. Perfect for a fresh recipe during the holiday season!
Cranberries
Are you one of the many who just has to have canned cranberry jelly on Thanksgiving? You’re not alone! But cranberries should be a part of your diet more often! Cranberries can help reduce the risk of certain infections, and they also help to improve good cholesterol levels.
We love mixing sweet things into otherwise uninspiring dishes, and this wild rice cranberry salad has won us over with creativity and festiveness!
Bonus: Rhubarb
Ok, we said six but Rhubarb is one of those special vegetables that pretends to be a fruit. It is a stalk veggie and thrives in cool weather. It is best when sweetened (what isn’t?), to balance out the acidity. It is a very low-calorie ingredient that has good amounts of vitamins C and A and even calcium!
Try this rhubarb pie recipe with coconut milk whipped cream! It’s grain free, dairy free, and also free from refined sugar. YUM!
There you have it! Our 7 favorite winter fruits and veggies you should give a try this winter season! Did we miss any of your favorites?
Don’t forget that we are constantly updating our menu to stay current with what is in season, so come in and try something new today!
