Eating Seasonally with Tanya Gervasi
What does “eating seasonally mean?”
To eat seasonally means to eat the produce which, here in the UK is currently being harvested. As most fruits and vegetables are being grown somewhere in the world at any one time, eating seasonally refers to eating produce that’s being grown right now – locally.
The impact of eating seasonally means that you will be eating fresh produce, rather than that which is grown and imported from another country. Therefore, minimising the time from harvest to your plate.
Why eat seasonally?
IT saves you money : As a consumer, we take on the cost of shipping for foods which have been grown in another country and require a further distance to travel. However, eating foods that are seasonal means that they can be grown in natural conditions and as they are harvested locally, have lower associated costs for transport.
It is higher in nutrients : We know that the fresher the foods we eat, generally the healthier they are. To allow for foods to be on our shelves 365 days a year, they are required to be grown across the globe. This length of distance means longer travel times. When fresh produce spends days or weeks travelling to us before it makes it’s way into our kitchens, the nutrients are depleted. Often, to prevent the produce spoiling on the way to the UK, produce is harvested earlier than it would normally be, which also affects the nutrient content.
The decrease in nutrition not only affects the health value of the produce but will also affect the quality and taste of the produce. Seasonal produce comes such a short distance that it doesn’t spoil on the way to you. It is harvested at the very best time, so taste and nutrient quality is maximised.
It is better for the environment : The “carbon footprint” is recognised as the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere for one specific activity. The higher the footprint, the worse off this is for the environment. Produce supplied from a further distance has a larger carbon footprint compared to produce supplied locally due to the increase in transportation time.
What is in season?
Model and gastronome Tanya Gervasi shared with us on the Be Well Instagram this week the foods that she recommends that we eat, which are currently in season.
UK Fruits currently in season (June)
Apricots
Kiwis
Strawberries
Raspberries
Gooseberries
Blackcurrents
Elderflower
Apples (Gala, Jazz, Braeburn varieties)
Pears (Conference variety)
Bananas, mangos and papayas are all imported! Give priority to locally grown fruits and enjoy the rest occasionally as a wonderful treat.
UK Vegetables currently in season (June)
Lettuce
Rocket
Chicory
Spinach
Carrots
Beetroots
Peppers
Spring onions
Tomatoes
Asparagus
Aubergine
Peas
New potatoes
Rhubarb
Eat the rainbow! Welcome onto your plate as many colours as you can.
RUSSIAN BEETROOT SALAD
Tanya shared this traditional recipe on the Be Well instagram live this week. Using fresh ingredients to create a colourful and vibrant salad. This salad is best eaten when the beetroots are in season, which in the UK is between July to January.
“It's a special recipe to me as it's my mom's, from the years she lived in Moscow, we are originally from Minsk - Belarus.”
- 4 Beetroots
- 1 Garlic clove
- 1 Handful of walnuts
- 1-2 tbsp fulls of mayonnaise
- 1/2 tbsp of plain natural yogurt
- Salt to taste
To make a healthier version you can substitute the mayonnaise for more natural yogurt.
Method
First take care of the beetroots! Ideally I prefer the fresh ones, I boil them the night before and then I let them cool down (surely get rid of the water). If you cannot bother to get the fresh ones, the precooked are also fine (but trust me the taste is not the same).
So use a box grater on the large holes side, grate the beetroots into a bowl.
Mash the garlic, crash the wholenuts until they are in small pieces (but don't turn them into flour), and them to the bowl along with the mayo, the smetana and a bit of salt.
Stir until all is evenly mixed.
Place in fridge for 1 hour or longer.
Alternative
Some don't eat garlic (but if you do you can add more than one clove!!), so I know a Russian friend of my mother uses a few dried prunes. Up to you!
How To Eat
We eat it just like that, as a salad. Goes well with boiled potatos (my favourite). However, I believe that for non-Russians this can make a wonderful bread spread.