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the season of autumn. which produce is good for you, where to get it, how to eat it, health tips and more…

Eating well news
A recent study has identified which fruit and vegetables contain the highest pesticide residue. The worst culprits are (from 1-12) peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce, grapes (imported), carrots and pears. This research was based in the USA, however would be pertinent to many Australian crops.

for this article visit...
www.motherjones.com

for The Environment Working Group, who conduct the research see... www.foodnews.org/

Eating seasonal produce is a good way to get fresher fruit and vegetables, that have higher nutritional quality. The autumn list includes fruit: apple, banana, custard apple, fig, grapes, guava, honeydew, kiwifruit, lemon, lime, mandarin, mango, nashi pears, papaya, passion fruit, peach, pears, plum, rhubarb, rockmelon... and... vegetables: asian greens, avocado, beetroot, borlotti beans, broccoli, brussel sprouts, beans, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, fennel (but will vary somewhat according to where you live in this vast land)....

For a comprehensive list on what is in season for autumn click here... www.campionandcurtis.com

For farmers markets in your area click here...
www.onestophealth.com.au

Autumn recipes:

delicious beetroot salad
ingredients- 1 red onion 6-8 large cooked beetroot 2 tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil 2-3 tablespoons of mint 1 tablespoon italian parsley 2 slurps of red vine vinegar squeeze of lemon or lime juice pinch of sea salt pine nuts to sprinkle

method-
 peel and dice onion and marinate in vinegar, lemon juice and half of the herbs
 cook beetroot and dice into bite sized pieces
 mix
 serve warm or cold

white bean hommus
ingredients- 2 ½ cups white beans, drained and rinsed, or soaked if using dried 1 1/2 tablespoons of tahini 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1 1/2 cloves of garlic, crushed ¼ teaspoon sea salt (optional) water

method-
 in a blender or food processor, blend the white beans
 add tahini, lemon juice, cumin, garlic, olive oil (and salt) until the ingredients form a creamy, paste-like consistency
 add small amounts of water as needed until desired texture
 pour the mixture into a large serving bowl
 have now or in the fridge for later

This hummus recipe uses white beans instead of traditional chickpeas. Hummus is high in protein, fibre and nutrients: vitamins B1 and B6, folate, iron, magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese and selenium.

roasted salmon cutlets
ingredients- 4 salmon steaks (about 200 grams each) chopped lemongrass, ginger, spring onions and chilli to taste 1/2-1 cup of sauce, made from 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and the juice of 1/2 an orange

method-
 marinate steaks for 10-30 minutes in sauce
 add herbs
 roast at medium heat to taste (not too long)

for organic fish and meat click here... _www.onestophealth.com.au

Autumn health tips:

1. Find time to meditate. A lot of know that we should "find 30" for physical exercise each day but finding 10+ minutes each day for the mental exercise of meditation can do wonders for improving mental health...
for resources see...
www.onestophealth.com.au

2. Take immune enhancing nutrients every day in part of your natural diet. Certain foods are known as functional foods, that is as well as providing energy (kilojoules), they also have additional health benefits. The following foods are worth eating as part of balanced diet: garlic (high in anti oxidant nutrient selenium, plus tryptophan, manganese and Vitamin C), salmon (high in omega-3-fatty acids), blue/purple coloured fruits bunch as raspberries, blue berries, purple grapes etc (high in anti oxidants such as ), oats and psyllium lower cholesterol, yoghurt with active cultures (for immune function especially those with allergies), seaweed is high in iodine and soy products (organic best) high in plant estrogen (phytoestrogens).This is an important aspect of nutritional preventative medicine, that is tasty :)

3. Maintain exercise as the daylight hours diminish. Research shows that the lack of sunlight/outdoor time in the cooler months may contribute to depression...
for resources see... www.onestophealth.com.au