Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Collards, Kale, Avocado, Cabbage, Spinach, Citrus, and Bananas are all in season this time of year. Here are some great recipes from Fresh Baby to help you enjoy the season’s freshest produce.
Avocado
The avocado is a fruit that tastes more like a vegetable with a smooth consistency and a rich, nutty flavor. It is one of the world’s few fruits that contain fat. Fortunately, most of the great tasting fat is the good monounsaturated variety. Along with a healthy dose of fat, the avocado is densely packed with plenty of nutrients. The avocado is proudly recognized as having the highest fiber content of any fruit, it contains 60% more potassium than a banana, and it is the highest fruit source of vitamin E – and that is just the beginning!
Banana
Potassium is essential to mental function, brain power and nerve impulses. In fact, according to certain biochemists, new brain cells cannot be made without potassium. Bananas, one of nature’s richest sources of potassium, are also one of the easiest ways to give your body this important mineral that powers your brain and your muscles.
White Bean, Sweet Potato and Banana Puree for Baby
Broccoli
By including broccoli regularly in your diet you can reduce and prevent ailments like cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, high blood pressure and it may help lower blood cholesterol. The nutrients in broccoli also build strong bones, boost the immune system, and lower the incidence of cataracts and birth defects. In addition, broccoli’s wealth of the trace mineral, chromium, may be effective in preventing adult- onset diabetes in some people.
Carrots
Apple Carrot Casserole for Baby
Cauliflower
Cauliflower is an awesome vegetable – especially terrific to eat during the cold and flu season. One serving contains 100% of the Vitamin C you need for the day! Cauliflower is also fat-free, low-carb, and a good source of potassium and folate.
Kale
Spinach
Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, beta carotene, Folate (a B vitamin), and a very good source of magnesium. These nutrients are important for maintaining a healthy heart. Spinach is also high in dietary fiber and contains a substance known as Cartenoids, that help to keep eyes healthy in elderly people and to fight prostate cancer. The vitamin K provided by spinach – almost 200% of the Daily Value in one cup of fresh spinach leaves – is important for maintaining bone health.
Spinach and Sweet Potato Risotto