July
You might have heard about ‘eating the rainbow’ – choosing as many different colours of fruit and vegetables as possible to squeeze the most health benefits from them. If you’ve thought about giving it a go, now is the ideal time to try it, with fruit and vegetables at their best.
Raspberries
Delicate raspberries don’t keep very well, but they are so delicious that shouldn’t be a problem. Don’t team them with other berries, as they’ll be overpowered, but pairing with apricots or peaches works well. Add a handful to your G&T and they add flavour and give a bonus of an alcoholic ‘snack’ when the glass is empty.
Peaches and Nectarines
Is there anything more ‘summer’ than biting into a peach or nectarine on a July day? Indeed, their flesh is so juicy that eating them outside is the best way to do it. Make sure yours look fresh and have a red blush. They are the same fruit, with just a gene variation between them, and are packed with vitamins A and C.
Tomatoes
From fire-engine red to sunshine yellow and from the naturally sweet little piccolo to the big beef variety, tomatoes are available in all shapes, sizes and colours. They are very much part of our regular diet all year round, but in the summer British tomatoes account for half our consumption – so all the more reason to eat them in July.
Watercress
Another salad staple and widely grown in the UK. It’s a nutritional powerhouse, crammed with iron, calcium and vitamins C, A and E.
Aubergines
Although associated with imported dishes such as moussaka, aubergines are widely cultivated in Britain and are an excellent source of fibre and folic acid. When it comes to cooking, with their firm skin and flesh, they make a superb meat substitute for vegetarian dishes and curries. Perfect on the barbecue too.
Globe Artichoke
Artichoke hearts are packed with flavour and loaded with vitamins and minerals. They do need quite a bit of preparation, but when ready they can be barbecued whole or simmered and served in butter or with a creamy hollandaise sauce.
Mangetout
Well-deserved of the name, which is French for ‘eat all’, mangetout are equally good eaten raw or cooked. They are a tasty snack due to their delicate skins and fresh flavour, especially with a dip, and are super in salads and a staple in a stir-fry.
