Sweet potatoes, also known as kumera, are originally from Central and South America and have been cultivated for at least 10,000 years. Our ancient ancestors where definitely on to something and modern science has revealed that sweet potato is packed with potassium, Vitamins A and C, is high in calcium and highly digestible.

 
While the most commonly available type is orange, sweet potatoes also come in white, yellow, pink, and purple. The orange and yellow types contain the most vitamin A, while the purple variety has the highest rates of antioxidants. Its name and sweet taste is thanks to enzymes that convert most of its starches into sugar as the potato matures. Moreover, its sweetness continuous to increase during storage and when they are cooked.

 
In Western Australia, sweet potatoes are grown all year. Despite this, most sweet potatoes sold and consumed are actually imported from Queensland (they grow most the countries supply). There are 3 key growing regions in WA, each with different harvest months. Carnarvon is best between December and February, as well as August and September. Broome has good supply from December to March and the Perth area has a short but awesome harvest window from February to March and May to June. Sweet potatoes take 4-5 months to develop which makes them a relatively long-term investment for our local growers. We work with our partners at the Canning Vale market to source the best sweet potato from the WA region that is producing the sweetest and best produce at the time.

 
When cooking, the great news is that sweet potato doesn’t take long to prepare. Additionally, cooking them will help maximise the nutritional value. Simply cutting it into ½ inch slices and steaming for about 7 minutes is enough to bring out their fantastic flavour.

 
For an exciting way to try sweet potatoes, read our Seared Pork Loin Chops with Roasted Sweet Potato Salad – It’s fantastic!

Researches from Oregon State University uncovered evidence to suggest that in ancient Roman and ancient Egypt, mushrooms were reserved for royal families. The theory is that there was a belief mushrooms heralded super-human strength.

This belief from Ancient times is not without merit. We now know that all mushrooms, including the common white button mushroom, assist in removing excess oestrogen circulating in our body. Published medical studies have linked this property with significantly reduced breast cancer cell growth and reproduction. They may not be super-human, but ancient and modern scientists agree that Mushrooms sure can help in maintaining a healthy body.

For cooking, mushroom are used in dishes because of their distinct flavours and an ability to blend well with other flavours. For a new and different way of using mushrooms, our Char Siu Mushroom Buns are a fantastic way to get more mushrooms in your life.

Zucchini, also called “courgette”, originated from the Americas but became extremely popular in Italy and it was there in the warm Mediterranean soil that the Zucchini we know and love was first grown.

Zucchini is commercially available in a few different styles, including yellow and green. Also available are the flowers, making it one of only a few ingredients where almost all the parts are edible; including the flesh, seeds, skin and flower.

Zucchini is low in calories, which is fantastic if you are keeping an eye on your weight, yet it still contains important nutrients to support a healthy lifestyle. High levels of vitamin C help to maintain eye health and avoid sclerosis or easy bruising. Moreover, when eaten regularly, it can help in lowering your homocysteine levels that aid in the prevention of heart attacks, strokes and blood clots.

Though classified as a fruit, zucchini is usually eaten as a vegetable because it is best when added to cooked dishes. For an interesting way to include more Zucchini in your diet, try our Japanese Pancake (Okonomiyaki).

A healthy kind of fat – Avocados are packed with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These are the type of fats the body needs and have been found to have significant positive health benefits.

 

Because of a reputation for being high in fat, some of us avoid eating Avocado. While it is true that 77% of the calories in Avocado are from fat, not all fats are created equal and these fats are the good type. Some studies have shown that Avocado actually help in weight loss, and aid in lowering the risk of heart disease. Other research has also indicated that the fats found in Avocado can assist eyesight, reduce the risk of cancer and relieve the symptoms of arthritis.

 

With a high fat content it’s only natural that Avocado can be used for cooking oil. Very similar to olive oil, the fats in Avocado help in resisting heat-induction oxidation, making Avocado oil healthy and safe in cooking.

 

Avocados are also high in potassium and actually contain more than bananas. Potassium has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke by helping the body regulate a healthy blood pressure.

 

Thanks to the climatic differences of growing regions, WA avocados are available all year round. However, the main commercial season runs from August through to February.

 

Get more Avo in your diet today – Steak Fajitas with Sizzling Capsicum and Creamy Guacamole

Farro, also known as emmer, is one of the oldest wheat grains still being used. Popular in parts of Europe, it is often used as an ingredient in salads and soups. It has a subtle earthy flavour, and although prepared by cooking in water until soft, it retains a unique and delicious crunchiness.

In addition to tasting delicious, Farro has a number of health benefits that justify using it more often in our cooking.

As a wheat, Farro contains a high level of fibre, which is good for the heart. Fibre also helps in regulating your blood sugar and lowering cholesterol.

Farro is high in vitamin B which can help to stabilise blood sugar and aids the regulation of cholesterol. With a low GI, Farro helps in maintaining high energy levels and it’s packed with goodies that help brain function so you can stay focused and feel full for longer.

Farro can be difficult to buy in generic supermarkets, but it is grown right here in Australia and is available under several recognised brands. If you want something new but healthy, subscribe to this week’s recipe – Salmon Fillet with Salsa Verde and Orange, and Spinach and Farro Salad.

Health fads will come and go, but some healthy eating ideas have stood the test of time – one of those is Salmon. Salmon is a fresh and healthy dinner option you can feel great about. In Australia, Salmon is expertly and sustainably farmed in Tasmania. There are some key advantages to locally farmed fish. Firstly, it will be fresher, secondly it will have a substantially lower carbon footprint than anything imported from Europe or North America, and finally, it is grown to strict Australian food standards so you can be sure you’re not eating anything dodgy.

We think there are 3 healthy reasons to enjoy Salmon on your dinner plate:

Protein: A mere 113g of salmon will contain roughly half of your daily protein goal. We cater about 150g per person, so that’s a lot of bang for your buck! The proteins found in Salmon are constructed from amino acids which help to build and maintain muscle mass as well as boost your metabolism. You can think of Salmon as a support system for all your hard work in the gym.

Vitamins: Salmon is loaded with vitamins and minerals. There are high concentration of B vitamins that help you to stay energised. Vitamin D helps calcium absorption for healthy bone growth.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids: Say what you want about fat, but not all fat is created equal. Some fats are our enemies, but many others, like EPA and DHA, are our friends. These are omega 3 fatty acids. According to numerous scientific studies, these fats help to maintain healthy joints & skin, reduce your risk of heart disease and aid in brain function. The important thing is that our body can’t make these fats and therefore we need to get them as part of our diet.

Plate some Salmon for dinner and stay healthy 🙂

 

Western Australia has some of the most fertile and productive land in the world. Clean water, fresh air and arable soil allow us to enjoy world-best produce all year round. As winter nears its end, we’ve picked our 5 favourite vegetables that are perfect for the change of season period.

5 Vegetables in season right now

Celeriac – This is the ‘frog-prince’ of winter vegetables. Pare away its warty exterior and you’ll uncover a royal vegetable within. Celeriac is the perfect substitute for potatoes and other starches in soups or stews, but we think it’s even better when prepared as a traditional French side salad. Try it in our apple and celeriac slaw. 

Parsnip – Closely related to the carrot and parsley, parsnip is a root vegetable that takes one year to complete its growth cycle from seed to harvest. High in potassium and antioxidants it is also a great source of dietary fibre. Try it in our one-pan vegetable lasagna.

Cauliflower – Manjimup, in the Southern Forests region, is Australia’s largest producer of cauliflower and at one stage accounted for almost 80% of the countries cauliflower exports. The cauliflower reproduces by seed and takes 12 months from germination to harvest. To enjoy its earthy flavours, taste our delicious quinoa casserole with brussels sprouts and cauliflower.

Brussels sprouts – Forerunners to the modern brussels sprout were likely cultivated in ancient Rome. However, the brussels sprout as we known it was developed in about the 13th century in what is modern day Belgium. We think they’re delicious honey roasted and served with steak.

Leek – The leek is a titan of the onion family, but one of the challenges when cooking with them is that they are almost always dirty. This dirt is a product of the way they are grown, with soil piled up around them to shade the leek from the sun. We love them in this pan roasted fish with melted leeks and roasted baby potatoes with thyme.

Celeriac is the frog prince of winter vegetables. Pare away its warty exterior and you’ll uncover a royal vegetable within: a perfect, ivory-fleshed alternative to potatoes and other starches.  It’s an ingredient so epic that it was mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey where even the God Hermes could not help being charmed.

Although not popular in Australian kitchens, it has long been a favourite in Europe.  A relative of the common leafy celery it has a similar aroma but comes with a more mild flavour.  A winter vegetable, it takes farmers about 120 days from seeding to harvest, and actually benefits from a few days of frost before harvest.

We find that a paring knife, rather than a peeler, works best for removing the outer skin. Shave downward with the blade in broad strokes. Placing the prepared celeriac into acidulated water (water into which some lemon juice has been squeezed) will prevent discolouration.

Celeriac is very low in calories, 100g of root has just 42 calories.  However, it’s a very good source of vitamin K, with 100g of root providing about 41µg or 34% of the recommended daily intake.  It’s also rich in vitamin C, potassium and fibre.

Celeriac is the perfect substitute for potatoes in soups or stews, but we think it’s even better when prepared as traditional French side salad.  Try it in our apple and celeriac slaw. 

Spaghetti squash is a paleo friendly, low carb and gluten free noodle alternative. We source ours from a local farm near Manjimup. Because it has mild flavour we recommend enjoying it with a flavourful sauce or soup – the team loved it with feta, chickpeas, and wilted spinach. Although popular in North America for many years, it remains relatively unknown in Australian kitchens.

The middle contains many large seeds, and its flesh is bright yellow (almost orange) in colour. When raw, the flesh is solid and similar to other raw squash. When cooked, however, the flesh falls away from the sides in strands and looks remarkably similar to spaghetti or vermicelli noodles.

We believe in providing quality, fresh local produce; so our spaghetti squash is sourced from WA grower Alexis, who with her husband Kim, grows spaghetti squash near Manjimup in WA’s Southern Forests region. The pair also run the Diamond Tree Angus Stud and the Diamond Tree Farm Stay (a great place for a cheeky getaway).

Alexis on her farm near Manjimup, WA.

June 17 is “Eat Your Vegetables Day” and the perfect excuse to try and get that extra serve of vegetables into your diet.

In Australia, the recommendation is to eat 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegetables a day.  The natural question is then: how big is a serve?  The physical size of the serve will vary depending on the specific fruit or vegetable.  This is because the guide for what constitutes a serve is based on weight.  A standard serve of vegetables is 75 grams.  For fruit, it’s 150 grams.

My mum (bless her) was always telling me to eat my vegetables because they are good for me.  Thankfully, we don’t have to rely solely the testimony of my mum.  A study, by University College London, found that eating large quantities of fruit and vegetables significantly lowered the risk of premature death – my mum was right all along.  Knowing that eating vegetable and fruit is good for you is not groundbreaking, what is amazing is the size of the effect it has.  The study found that eating at least seven serves of fruit and vegetables a day reduced the specific risks of death by cancer and heart disease by 25% and 31% respectively.  This UK study therefore supports the Australian recommendation of “Go for 2&5”.

Unfortunately, there is no shortcut to gaining the health benefits.  Your fruit and vegetables need to be fresh (or preferably combined as part of one of our delicious recipes).  The same study found no evidence of significant benefit from fruit juice.  Amazingly, canned and frozen fruit appeared to actually increase risks associated with cancer and heart disease by 17% per portion.

The sheer scale of the health benefits means it’s time to put down that tinned food, put away your frozen dinner, cancel your takeaway order and instead start to cook delicious recipes with fresh local ingredients – that’s why we exist.