One thing we can be sure about during the winter is that it’s cold outside! As I watch the snow falling I dream of summer months, farmers’ markets and deliciously fresh, locally grown food.  We often don’t think of winter as a time of year for salads or fresh vegetables and fruit on our plate, so much as a time for heartier comfort food, which can make it hard to consume the required amount of servings.  I say let’s challenge that notion and aim to get our 7 to 10 servings of vegetables and fruit per day even in the winter.

Think you can’t?  Well read on!
Winter offers a fantastic range of vegetables and fruit to boost our intake. Look for seasonal produce that is locally grown and available in winter months such as mushrooms, onions, cabbage, rutabaga, parsnips, leeks, apples, winter squash, beets or potatoes.  All of these are great on their own or added to heartier fare such as soups, stews, casseroles or chilis.  Mash, bake, roast or steam away. These vegetables have a number of ways they can be prepared – try combining them (think puréed cauliflower in mashed potatoes– Yum!).

Don’t overlook greenhouse produce such as cucumber, lettuce and tomatoes. These options are just as fresh and nutritious as those grown in summer months and, with the help of greenhouses, let us take advantage of these products all year-round.
 

Not into seasonal winter produce?  Not to worry! Now with global markets we have access to a number of fresh vegetables and fruit that may not be in season where we live. We can also choose canned or frozen produce and then we don’t have to worry about seasonality. One advantage is that you can store these vegetables and fruit for longer than fresh produce and they are nutritionally equivalent to their fresh counterparts. When selecting look for low-sodium and low-sugar options.  You can even get organic or local canned or frozen produce. Add them to your everyday meals, serve them on the side or in whole-grain rice or couscous.
 

And last but not least, look for websites that emphasize seasonal recipes and tips for buying and storing winter produce for ideas and inspiration. Need some help to get you started?

Here are a few delicious recipes that will definitely be on my winter table:

• Oven roasted root vegetables; (what about puréeing these into a soup- delicious!)
• Mustard beet and apple salad
• Chili casserole with polenta
• Asian mushroom turkey loaf

Bon appétit!