You’ve heard of using seasonal ingredients, but matching your cooking methods to the climate is just as smart. Not only do you get the best out of fresh produce in terms of taste and cost, you can also cool yourself down or warm yourself up with well-chosen cooking techniques.
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Here’s a quick guide from Terry Harris, dietitian at Discovery Vitality, to the best ways of preparing meals, all year round:
Create light meals fast in spring and summer
Fast, high-heat cooking methods
From grilling and braaiing to sautéing and stir-frying, hot and fast is the way to go. Meat and vegetables are equally happy to be prepared in this manner, so make space on the grill for veggies the next time you braai. Corn on the cob and braai mushrooms are a must, but you can just as easily pop on baby marrows, aubergines, asparagus and leeks.
Go raw
Fresh produce is at its peak during this time, so pack out slices of summer fruit and snacking veg, like carrots, cucumber, celery and cherry tomatoes. This is also the perfect time to try a home-made dip of tangy tomatoes or creamy brinjal instead of a store-bought sauce packed with preservatives and salt.
Keep it cold
From chilled soups to salads, either raw or cooked, serve them cold and fresh. Don’t skimp on dark leafy greens. (For example, add a handful of fresh baby spinach or kale to your next salad.)
Roasting
Roasting works all year round and is very versatile, as meat and vegetables can be cooked at the same time. Serving roast leftovers cold the next day is also ideal for summer. Consider roasting beetroot and sweet-potato slices wrapped in foil on the coals when braaiing.
Steaming
Steaming is one of the healthiest cooking methods around and can be used to cook everything from fish and chicken breasts to asparagus, beans and broccoli. Using a bamboo or even microwave steamer means it will take just minutes to produce a light and fresh meal.
Preserving
Up to your knees in beans? Almost any vegetable can be pickled and bottled. Plus, you’ll be thankful for the extra effort later when you miss those summer flavours.
Cold desserts
Salads and ice creams packed with summer fruit are an ideal end to a meal on a hot summer’s day.
Go slow and hearty in autumn and winter
Slow, moist cooking methods
Slow cooking helps to break down the collagen in tougher cuts of meat to produce stews, soups and braises. Wholegrains are perfect accompaniments to these meals. You can also easily throw in some canned pulses or a few handfuls of soup mix to thicken a stew and up its nutritional ante.
Roasting
Roasts are great when it’s chilly outdoors, and root vegetables like carrots, squashes and baby potatoes are especially delicious when roasted with a large joint or chicken.
Boiling
For the ultimate winter comfort food, try soups as a way to increase your vegetable and legume intake. Legumes such as peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas will also help you feel fuller for longer.
Baking
Simple and satisfying, this technique covers one-dish dinners like lasagne (try layering with sliced aubergine instead of pasta), shepherd’s pie and stuffed vegetables.
Poaching
This underused method is generally quite healthy, as it cooks the food by simmering it in a small amount of liquid, like water, broth or even wine. Try it for chicken, fish or vegetables and, if you’re feeling creative, poached pears!
Warm desserts
The cold months are perfect for baked-fruit desserts like apple tarts or warm, cooked puddings. Look up little tweaks to help make desserts healthier, like replacing some of the sugar with fruits like dates or raisins, using fat-free milk and less sugar when preparing home-made custard, and adding more nuts and seeds for added fibre.
PHOTO: iStock/RuslanDashinsky
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