Eat the Seasons – January

The middle of winter is an easy time to get into a slump, food-wise. But these seasonal ingredients are an easy way to inject some colour into those cold, grey days!

Beetroot

Not only is the gloriously purple beetroot delicious, but also packs a real nutritious punch. Eating beetroot, or drinking beetroot juice, has been shown to improve blood flow, lower blood pressure and can even be used as a natural performance enhancer for exercise! Try these beetroot burgers for a tasty way to introduce them into your diet.

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Kale

Love it or hate it, kale is one of the most nutrient dense foods you can find. Containing a wealth of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamins A, K, C and B6, manganese, calcium, and potassium!

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Blood Oranges

The deeply coloured red flesh of blood oranges comes from the presence of anthocyanins, a family of antioxidants that can be found in fruit and flowers. With a unique, almost raspberry-like flavour, blood oranges can be made into marmalade, zested for baking or simply juiced for delicious drink.

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Parnsips

If your memory of parsnips is that of boiled, overcooked, ‘white carrots’ your granny used to serve up, we’re here to tell you that there is another way! If you halve them (removing the woody centre), lay them flat on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and then brush with a mixture of honey and wholegrain mustard, you will have sweet, almost caramel-like parsnips that will change your life forever.

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Leeks

The national vegetable of Wales! Legend has it that in 640AD, the Briton King Cadwallader and his men were engaged in battle with invading Saxons. To distinguish themselves from the enemy, the Welsh wore leeks in their hats – and subsequently gained a great victory over their opponents. Other than being a brave choice of accessory when it comes to defeating your enemies, leeks also contain many flavanoid antioxidants and can help to reduce the level of enzymes in the liver.

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Shallots

Sweet in flavour, shallots are a wonderful ingredient and actually have a better nutritional profile than onions, containing more antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. Shallots have also been shown to contain allicin, a mineral that can help reduce cholesterol production. As if that wasn’t enough, this little wonder-veg is also found to have antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal activities.

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