Edited on Monday, 22ⁿᵈ February 2021
Fruit
Apples | Avocadoes | Bananas | Custard Apples | Dates | Figs | Fingers Limes | Grapes | Guava | Cucumber | Kiwifruit | Lemons | Limes | Imperial Mandarins | Pears | Passionfruit | Papaw | Plums | Pomegranates | Quinces | Rhub
Vegetables
Bok Choy | Beans | Broccoli | Brussels sprouts | Cabbage | Capsicums | Carrots | Cauliflower | Chestnuts | Celery | Celeriac | Chokos | Eggplant | Fennel | Lettuce | Leeks | Mushroom | Onions | Potatoes | Parsnips | Pumpkin | Silverbeet | Spinach | Sweetcorn | Swiss chard | Sweet potato | Tomatoes | Turnips | Witlof | Zucchini
Quinces
Quinces are an all-time favourite for many residents. Make the most of these sweet and delicious fruit while they’re in season. When slow cooked, quinces turn a deep pink colour and their flesh becomes tender, a perfect dessert ingredient for residents in aged care.
Silverbeet/ Swiss or Rainbow Chard
Silverbeet and Swiss or Rainbow Chard are a perfect accompaniment to roasts and other hearty dishes in aged care. Rainbow chard can offer a nice colourful alternative and you can cook both the leaves and stems. The large, firm leaves are mild, sweet, earthy and just slightly bitter; a bit milder than spinach though. The stalks resemble flat celery with a sweet taste slightly reminiscent of beets. Generally, any flavour that works well with spinach will partner with chard, including butter, lemon, cream, garlic, shallots and vinaigrette.
Apples
As it starts to get a bit chillier, apples come into season. High in fibre and Vitamin C, they are perfect in many recipes for breakfast, mains, desserts and salads, and they can also help bulk out your meals. The cheaper cost of apples, when in season, can help manage the food costs yet still provide good nutrition.
Mushrooms
A large variety of mushrooms come into season in autumn and are a perfect addition to your dishes. Mushrooms, sometimes referred to as the “meat for vegetarians”, can help bulk out your dishes as well as provide important nutrients for your residents. Don’t wash mushrooms with water as they already have a high water content and can soak up more. Pat with a damp paper towel quickly before use and store in a cardboard box in a cool room.
Here for some great recipes with mushrooms:
Canadian Baked Vegetable Poutine with Mushroom Gravy
Braised Lamb Rump with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Mushroom Parmigiana with Bocconcini, Pesto
Diced Steak and Mushroom Goulash
