FRUITS:
Bananas - green when not ripe, a little bitter but becomes more sweet as it ripens and turns yellow. It can be eaten with a little brown on it, I've found the taste to be unbearable once it becomes to brown. I like to caramelize mine and top pancakes with them, you can also top a nice banana bread with the caramelized fruit as well.*Bananas are great fruit for athletes, it helps to prevent cramping.
Grapefruit - (white & ruby red) pick one that is firm and thin skinned. Great for fish, if you want a different taste other than the regular citrus fruit lemon or lime.Kumquats - This is a small thin skinned citrus fruit that resembles an orange. Good to follow a rich meal or a sauce for a poultry dish.
Oranges - look for this fruit firm and thin skinned. I like to use a little of the zest and a spritz of the juice to spice up sweet potato pies or sauteed apples.VEGETABLES:
Avocados - good when they have a slight press to them, not mushy but, not hard. If you do get them hard and want to ripen them, place them in a paper bag and that should work just fine. These are great in salads, or made into a relish to top a burger with.Broccoli - (dark green & purple) avoid yellowing buds, when picking look at the stem and check for coloring of the cut end. This will give you an idea of how long it's been sitting on the shelf. Great for one of my favorites Cream of Broccoli Soup.
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| Different flowers of broccoli |
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| Bok Choy Asian Cabbage |
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| Red and Green Cabbage |
Cabbage - (winter varieties: red, white, savoy, napa, bok choy) pick a tight firm head with no bruises or broken leaves. If it does have broken leaves it could be due to the elements, pull that first layer off to see what you are dealing with. Good for a great slaw (I will be putting my recipe up soon because I don't like the traditional coleslaw I had to come up with a different variation).
Celery Root - Watch for bruises or dark marks, also known as spades. Stay away from roots larger than a softball because they get woody on the inside as they become overgrown. Delicious addition to coleslaw, soups, stews roasts, and mashed potatoes (boil before adding to mashed potatoes).
Parsnips - look for firm roots, and stay away from the large ones they require more peeling and have a woody core. Good with stews soups, and mashed potatoes (boil before adding to mashed potatoes).Squash - (winter) pick one with hard skin and no blemishes. Halve, de-seed, season with salt, pepper and, olive oil and roast at 350 till fork tender (about 30-45 mins). Great in soups or risottos.
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| Assortment of winter squash |
Turnips - smooth white and purple skin. Just the other day me and a neighbor had a conversation about the difference in regions this veg grows in and tasted a raw one from Tennessee. The southern turnips have a sweeter taste than the ones grown in the northern states. Great with game meats dew to its strong flavor profile.
