AUTHOR

MARNIE

NITSCHKE Marnie is an Accredited Practising Dietitian who specialises in gastrointestinal nutrition . Find out more at forkthatnutrition . com and follow her on Instagram @ forkthatnutrition .

Marnie talks autumn seasonal eating inspiration .

I think it ’ s fair to say that the summer of 2021 felt like no other summer we ’ ve had before here in Victoria . The cherries and mangoes were amazing ; avocados have been cheap and abundant ; and we tentatively ( at first ) got back to the beach . We have also been balancing our socialising with staying and eating at home to be safe and heathy .

Now autumn is upon us , and with that comes some cooler weather , new seasonal produce and recipe inspiration to look forward to . The natural reminder to change up your menu and flavours really is one of the fabulous things about mother nature . After all - the seasons just keep coming around , no matter what is going on in the world .

Here ’ s what ’ s in season this autumn :

Fruits

Apples , bananas , figs , strawberries ( still !), persimmons , pomegranates , grapes , melons , pears ( including nashi ), rhubarb , and citruses including grapefruits , mandarins , and oranges .

Vegetables

Beans , beetroot , brussels sprouts , cabbage , capsicum , carrots , cauliflower , celery , chillies , corn , cucumbers , eggplant , leeks , lettuce , onions , parsnip , peas , potatoes , pumpkin , silver beet , spinach , spring onion , squash , sweet potato , tomatoes and zucchini .

Herbs :

Basil , chervil , chives , coriander , dill , mint , oregano , parsley , rosemary , tarragon , thyme and sage .

Autumn Inspiration

If you ’ re feeling a bit burnt out and uninspired in the kitchen right now – here are some cracking ideas :

Stir fry

Stir fries are a great , trans-seasonal meal that doesn ’ t take a lot of time or energy to whip up . Use seasonal greens like beans and spinach , and add splashes of colour with corn and red cabbage . And if you ’ re bored of the usual flavours , herbs like basil ( or Thai basil ), chilli , and ginger ( or lemongrass ) are a stir fry game changer !

Ratatouille

Try your hand at a ratatouille and make use of the abundance of tomatoes , capsicum , eggplant and basil around at the start of autumn . The process of having it bubbling away on the stove top , and the lovely smells it fills your house with are therapeutic . Serve your ratatouille with some pasta or just a side of crusty bread with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil . Yum !

Roast vegetable salads

I think earthy , roast vegetable salads really come into their own in autumn . Maybe it ’ s the colour of the autumn leaves , or the weird weather that doesn ’ t know if it ’ s hot or cold , but autumnal salads are a winner . Roast up a tray of beetroot , sweet potato , carrot and whatever else looks good with lashings of extra virgin olive oil and a hint of spice like cumin , coriander or za ’ atar . Then toss through a grain like quinoa , barley or buckwheat , some greens like wilted silver beet or rocket , and top it off with a luxurious dressing to really make the flavours sing .

If that ’ s not enough to get you enthused , check out these recipes using seasonal fruit and veg in this edition :

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YMCA HEALTHY LIVING MAGAZINE 5