Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Palm Beach Illustrated
Produce at its Peak
By Abigail Duffy,
2024-02-13
Ivey serves up her roasted carrots and butternut squash over sautéed kale. Photo by Kent Anderson
As you peruse the produce section at your local market, you’ll notice that you can find pretty much anything you’re looking for. But you’ve probably never asked yourself how that fruit or vegetable got from the ground to the grocers. That path isn’t quite as direct as you may think.
Consider an apple. In the United States, apples are only harvested between late August and early November. That means if you’re eating an apple from the grocery store in the spring or summer, it was picked as many as 10 months earlier. These apples are stored in low-oxygen refrigeration for months to keep them from ripening, thereby depleting their nutrients.
While it’s convenient to be able to purchase whatever fruit or vegetable you want whenever you want, we thrive when eating seasonally from our direct environment. For example, produce that’s ready for harvest in the fall and winter (think citrus and squash) is high in vitamins C and A to boost our immunity and energy levels as we enter the colder season, when we are more prone to colds and viruses. In the spring and summer, the in-season fruits and vegetables like cucumber and watermelon have a higher water content to keep us hydrated as temperatures rise. Spring and summer fruits and veggies are also higher in beta-carotene, which helps to protect against sun damage. Talk about letting food be thy medicine.
Plating the roasted carrots and butternut squash over sautéed kale. Photo by Kent Anderson
But the benefits don’t stop there. Because in-season produce is picked at its peak and doesn’t require weeks or months in transit or refrigeration, it is more nutrient-dense, more flavorful, and costs less. Read on to learn what’s in season when.
Fall/Winter In-Season Produce
Apples
Asparagus
Eggplant
Citrus
Lettuce
Beets
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Butternut squash
Carrots
Cauliflower
Kale
Papaya
Sweet potatoes
Swiss chard
Year-Round in Florida
Mushrooms
Spring/Summer In-Season Produce
Avocado
Blueberries
Celery
Cucumber
Guava
Mango
Radish
Tomato
Watermelon
Roasted carrots and butternut squash over sautéed kale. Photo by Kent Anderson
Roasted Carrots and Butternut Squash Over Sautéed Kale
Ingredients
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup butternut squash, diced
3 tbsp. olive oil (divided)
2 cups kale, chopped
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice of 1 / 2 a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley to garnish
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss carrots and squash with 2 tbsp. olive oil, then arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through the cook time.
Meanwhile, add the remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil to a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the kale, shallot, and garlic until the kale is wilted and the shallot is caramelized (about 5 to 7 minutes). Finish the kale with lemon juice and toss in pan to combine.
Arrange sautéed kale on a large platter. Top with roasted carrots and squash. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh parsley.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0