September foods, harvest time

September is my favourite month of the year and one of the reasons for that is the variety of wonderful foods. It really is a flavour-fest!

This is the time of harvest and we get to reap what we have sown.

Soups are top of the list for me, as we have lentils and squashes, beetroot and courgette.

In season this month:
Apple, Damsons, Figs, Pear, Plum, Raspberry, Sloe
Aubergine, Beetroot, Butternut squash, Cabbage, Chicory, Cobnut, Fennel, Globe artichoke, Pumpkin,
Radish, Rocket, Sweetcorn, Swiss chard, Truffle, Watercress
Grey mullet, Mackerel, Mussels, Oyster, Scallop, Sea bass,
Grouse, Lamb, Partridge, Venison, Wild duck

Going out of season:
Apricot, Bilberries, Nectarine
Courgette, Cucumber, French beans, Greengages, Kohlrabi, Marrow, Pepper, Runner beans, Spring onions, Tomatoes
Crab, Sardine

So do get them while you can!

If the weather holds out, it is a great time to havea few late barbeques before its back indoors for casseroles and risottos or stews and lovely soups. As I mentioned in a post some time ago, Bubble and Squeak is one of my favourite meals, a great way to use up excess cabbage and full of wonderful goodness.

I mentioned before a book I was reading called In Defence of Food by Michael Pollan. I cannot recommend this highly enough! It is an excellent book on food, diets and how to live well and be healthy. It was a Sunday Times best food book of the year and rightly deserves this title.

As a diabetic, i like to know what foods have a good effect on my blood sugars. I monitor regularly and have noticed that lentil soup seems to work very well at balancing my sugar levels. I strongly recommend home-made lentil soup to anyone with diabetes. Lentils are also very good for lowering cholesterol and balancing blood pressure, so if you have a health problem in any of these areas, you might want to start eating a few bowls of soup, or having lentils as part of a main meal. Red work very well but puy are also good. I haven't tried yellow lentils yet and as such cannot state whether they are as effective.

As a result of reading this book, I am more inclined to go for organic produce than before, even though it is more expensive. Organic food has more nutrients than heavily farmed non-organic produce.

Good eating :D

On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scotland about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback: The Island of the Mist is book 2 The Stone in the Sword is book 1 The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats: The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin

Eggs are so versatile!

Eggs really are one of the great ingredients of the cooking work. Cheap, packed with flavour and bursting with nutrients, these wonderful little oval gems are one of the most versatile foods around. Frying an egg - when was the last time you indulged? A cholesterol free oil is a good idea here, as we don't want to do anythign to negate the pleasure - and guilt about frying something negates the pleasure! I love to put my fried egg on toast that has a thin layer of dijon mustard on it. A little pepper makes it a luxurious breakfast! Scrambled - just add a little milk - no ream, it's rich enough. Many people add too much milk and wonder why it's watery - this is why. Again, i love some pepper here and I occasionally indulge in a dash of salt - just a little. Boiled - eaten with toasted soldiers or mashed up in a sandwich! Omlette - this is a true luxury - 2-3 eggs, a hint of butter in the pan, a hint of milk in the mix, salt and pepper are a must here. Cook it until it's just, just cooked and serve immediately. Unlike popular theory a few years ago, we now know that eggs are not high in dangerous cholesterol. They make no differene to the cholesterol in your body. They are high in protein and rich in vitamins, so why not crack an egg open today! My book is now available in print and on kindle! http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Sword-N-Roy/dp/1477466347/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339378508&sr=1-1