Awesome fruit and veg tips

Discover an amazing array of fresh fruit and vegetables from everyday favourites to the weird and exotic. We love sharing tips and advice about how awesome fresh fruit and vegetables are. We also love sharing how to select and prepare a healthy meal. Here’s our advice and tips!

1. White radish

Do you have a sluggish bowel, or suffer indigestion? White radish, a popular Chinese vegetable may be the cure for you. Eating white radish and ginger soup or white radish and carrot stir-fry could improve your condition.

For white radish and ginger soup, add a handful of chopped radish, one piece of ginger and four cups of water. Boil the ingredients together, simmer for 10 mins, then add the coriander and salt and pepper to taste.

2. Banana pepper

The banana pepper is a medium-sized member of the chili pepper family that has a mild, tangy taste. You can fill it with prosciutto for antipasto or dice them to use in relish or salsa.

3. Okra

A member of the cotton family and known as bamia or ladies fingers, the juice of an orka that can be used as a natural thickener to add to stews or gumbo. Okra can be roasted, sautéed as a refreshing side dish for grilled chicken or steak.

4. Turnip

Not sure what to do with the humble turnip? Try this easy turnip mash with crispy bacon recipe.

Peel and cut turnips, simmer in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and mash. Add butter, salt and pepper to taste. Fold in crispy cooked bacon, chopped chives and top with parmesan.

5. Sugar bananas

On an ‘I quit sugar’ diet? Despite the name, don’t worry about eating these delicious sugar bananas. Although they taste sweeter than normally bananas, they have natural sugars as well as many other health benefits and are a great healthy snack.

6. Bok choy

When you’re talking about fresh fruit and vegetables you can’t forget bok choy. For a simple quick meal and the perfect accompaniment to your main meal, sauté bok choy with garlic, honey and soy sauce until just tender. Remove from heat, toss through some sesame oil and serve.

7. Bitter melon

Bitter melon is often used in Chinese cooking for its bitter flavor – in stir-fries often with pork and douchi, soups, dim sum, and herbal teas.

8. Red radish

With many health benefits and an array of flavour, red radishes are a veggie you should start paying more attention to. Perfect to add to a salad, they can be eaten raw, cooked or pickled. Good for digestion, they also keep you hydrated in the warmer months.

9. Ginger

To prepare ginger, snap off a knob the size you need then, using a small, sharp knife, peel away the skin, removing only a thin layer of the flesh beneath. Then grate, slice, cut into batons or crush.

10. Salad onion

Salad onions are also known as spring onions. They are shallots that have been allowed to grow for a little longer, until the bulb develops further. The small, white onion and the light green parts of the stalks can both be eaten, either raw or in cooking.

11. Rambutan

This quirky-looking fruit is the rambutan. Native to the Malay-Indonesian region, rambutans have leathery skin with soft spines and white, translucent flesh that resembles the lychee in taste and texture. The rambutan is a sweet and sometimes sour grape. Pair with some rum for a delicious sweet and spicy cocktail.

12. Melon

These unique football-shaped melons have mottled yellow-green rinds and pale green or orange flesh. Similar to Piel De Sapo (Santa Claus or Christmas melon), football melons have a sweet taste and are best served with creamy cheeses or cured meats.

13. Spinach

Did you know that spinach is extremely high in nutritional value? Studies have found that eating spinach daily may increase muscle efficiency. Spinach also boosts eye health and has strong anti-aging properties. No wonder Popeye was a fan!

Best cooked steamed or lightly in a small amount of water.

14. Corn on the cob

For a twist on corn on the cob, try cheesy butter! Mix six tablespoons of butter with one cup of finely shredded cheese and two tablespoons of grated parmesan. Then refrigerate until firm. Or season your grilled corn on the cob by placing the corn in a paper bag. Squeeze lime over the corn, then sprinkle with one teaspoon of chili powder and 1 1/4 teaspoons of coarse salt. Close bag and shake to coat. Voila!

15. Silk melon

Silk melon is marvelous, mild, and as its name says, silky, too. It tastes delicate, is a mite sweet, and is very soft.

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