If you’re on the road this June, you’ll no doubt be feeling the chilled fingers of winter. While there’s plenty to love about winter travel, it can get a bit miserable if you’re feeling under the weather. This month, Catherine Milford is all about staving off those ills and chills.
Tasty tamarillos
High in fibre, potassium, and Vitamins A, C, E, and B6, these tart-tasting burgundy and gold fruit are packed with antioxidants – molecules that protect your cells from damage. Tamarillos are in season from June to August, so now’s the perfect time to pick some up from your local farmers’ market. Tamarillos make for delicious jams, chutneys, and relishes, but they are delicious poached in a little honey and vanilla, cooked up in a crumble, or even sliced, grilled, and dished up alongside fish or chicken. They also add piquancy to a simple salsa: chop tamarillos into one-centimetre cubes and mix it with chopped red onion, a fresh chilli, a squeeze of lemon or lime, and a bunch of fresh chopped herbs. Yum.
Slice up a swede
This innocuous-looking root vegetable is a great addition to your winter pantry. Known as rutabaga in America, swedes are high in Vitamin C, E, K, and B6. In fact, 100g of swede has 41% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C. Contrary to appearances, swedes have a delicate, sweet flavour; pick ones about the size of a tennis ball that feel smooth and firm to the touch. Traditionally, swedes have been boiled, however, tender grated raw swede is delicious in salads and also when thinly sliced, seasoned, and tossed in olive oil and gently fried. Alternatively, chop into chunks and add to soups or stews, or cover it in your favourite herbs and spices and roast it in the oven.
Pantry staple: garlic
The clear winner when it comes to winter-boosting food is, of course, garlic. Although garlic is always better from fresh, it’s worth keeping a jar of it on hand or some garlic powder or salt to add to your dishes. Garlic is packed with the powerful antioxidant allicin, and its antimicrobial and antibacterial properties work as a superpower on your immune system, helping alleviate coughs and congestion. Recent studies indicate that eating garlic in winter may contribute to your heart health, too. For those with winter joint pains, garlic’s anti-inflammatory properties can make a real difference, and it’s good for your bones, too.
