Delicious is in season!
These are the fruits in season during November, and you’ll find 2 scrumptious, easy recipes below.

• Apples
• Avocados
• Bananas
• Cape gooseberries
• Coconuts
• Dates
• Grapefruit
• Guavas
• Lemons
• Naartjies
• Nectarines
• Oranges
• Pawpaws or papaya
• Pears
• Pineapples
• Sweet melon
• Strawberries
• Apricots
• Blackberries
• Cherries
• Plums
• Prunes
• Raspberries
• Sweet melon
• Watermelon

We all know the orange, it is one of the most popular fruits in the world. Oranges originated thousand years ago in Asia, in the region between southern China and Indonesia. Oranges are quite acid and I would only introduce them  to a child after 12 months old  they can cause nappy rash and rashes around the mouth.
Oranges are among  the top 20 foods in which pesticides  are rife , try and buy organic oranges whenever possible. Apparently the non uniformed oranges are injected with citrus RED number 2  ( an artificial dye) at the level of 2 parts per million.
Orange juice is a great constipation remedy – it can work better than apple, grap or prune juice and the natural sugar content is lower than the other fruit juices.
Oranges provide antioxidant and immune support: have anti – inflammatory, anti – viral, anti – cancer and cholesterol – lowering benefits;  relieve constipation and promote healthy digestion; keeping bones and teeth strong and, provide protection against cardiovascular disease and arthritis.
 
Orange Smoothie
There’s a secret ingredient in this blend that makes ALL the difference: vanilla! Just put everything in your blender (makes sure the cap is on tight J) and whizz it up.
You will need:

• 2 cups ice
• 4 peeled oranges
• 1/3 cup milk – it can be coconut or raw cows milk
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1-2 tablespoons honey
  

Coconut Ice Lollies
These are fabulous for hot days and they’re also good for sore throats – the special fat in coconuts helps to fight bad bacteria and the icy cold soothes inflammation.
You will need:

• ¾ cup of coconut water
• 1 can of whole coconut milk
• ¼ cup of maple syrup
• Lollie/popsicle molds

How to do it:
Mix all the ingredients together with a spoon in a glass jug or bowl with a pouring spout, then pour into your molds. Put them into the freezer and leave for at least 4 hours. They’ll keep in there for quite a while, so make a big batch!
Next: In-season veggie recipes
 
 

Why do chefs and health experts often agree that you should eat fruit and vegetables seasonally? Here are some very good reasons.
Nutrition
Seasonal fresh produce is picked when fully developed and ripe, which means they’ve had more sun exposure (higher levels of antioxidants) and more time to pull nutrients from the soil. Fruit and vegetables grown closer to you don’t get to spoil on long journeys in shipping containers or in cold storage.
It saves you money
When there’s an abundance of a product, such as naartjies in spring, the prices drop. Farmers would rather sell a seasonal crop for a lower price than not at all – so use the opportunity to get great fresh produce and save.
Flavour
Think about a ripe and buttery avocado, or a sweet, crunchy apple! Food harvested and brought to the shelf in season ripens naturally, giving you all the flavour. Transportation and refrigeration mean that produce doesn’t ripen in the same way, and you end up with bland flavours and textures.
The environment
Seasonal crops can grow without too much interference by way of genetic modification or pesticides, which is good for the soil and water – and good for us. Also, crops raised in season are more likely to be produced by local farmers, and that means less “food mileage” by road or by sea.
Community farms
It’s great to buy seasonal fruit and vegetables from farmers’ markets and local fresh produce outlets. The support helps to sustain their production, but you also get to know where your food is coming from. Everybody wins.
Cooking fresh foods
Bringing home a box filled with fresh-grown greens and fruit is bound to get you cooking. Besides being a healthier choice than processed food or take-out, preparing delicious things at home can be a fun activity for the family – get the kids involved. Seasonal buying will also get you try some new foods and variety is healthy for our bodies.

Abalimi Bezekhaya is my favorite social profit organisation who deliver local and seasonal vegetables, they also support 3000 farmers in the form of cheap bulk resources education.
http://www.harvestofhope.org.za

Fermented salsa recipe...

Why fermented foods? Because they are chock full of healthy probiotics that help to build your gut health and it’s proven that great gut health goes a long way in ensuring overall good health and wellness!
It’s delicious, you can put it on almost anything, and this version gives you a home-made table relish without any artificial flavour or added chemicals. Besides a great kick of flavour!
What you need:

• 1 red onion
• ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
• 1 big ripe tomato
• 1 green bell pepper
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• ¼ cup whey (see notes)
• The juice of 1 lime
• A clean Mason jar

Here’s how you do it:

1. Remove the stem and seeds from the pepper and skin the onion
2. Chop the onion, tomato and bell pepper into little pieces
3. In a bowl, mix together the chopped vegetables, corriander, tomato, lactobacilli starter, lime juice, cayenne pepper and salt.
4. Spoon the mixture into your Mason jar and press it down – leave at least 3 centimetres of space at the top.
5. Seal and leave at room temperature for 2 days – then store in the fridge where it will keep for up to 4 months.

Notes Where do I get whey? If you eat whole milk yogurt, you've probably noticed the yellowish liquid that separates from the yogurt after your yogurt has sat in your frig a couple of days – that liquid is whey and it's the foundation from which you can make tons of lacto-fermented foods. You can easily capture whey from whole milk yogurt by simply draining your yogurt – and the great thing is, you'll end up with delicious homemade yogurt cheese, or cultured cream cheese.