Hass avocados
Hass is the most commonly grown avocado variety in the world. The fruit has high oil content and a nutty, rich taste. The flesh is smooth textured, while the thick, alligator-like skin gave it one of its names – the ‘alligator pear’. Other names given to avocados include ‘ahuactl’, an aztec word for testicle, ‘avocado pear’ and ‘butter fruit’. avocados are believed to have originated in Mexico and the Spanish exported them to Europe in the 16th century. The first avocado is thought to have been introduced to New Zealand in Gisborne in the 1920s.
Hass avocados are around 20-25 per cent fat, but the good kind. so, while they are high in energy, a quarter of a fruit giving you around 400-500kJ, they’re also nutrient dense. The fats are mostly monounsaturated and avocados are low in sodium and high in potassium, making them a heart-healthy spread. And with that quarter avo, you’ll also get 2g fibre as well as useful amounts of folate plus vitamins B6 and e.
Recipe
Cavolo nero
A variety of kale, cavolo nero, literally ‘black cabbage’ in Italian, has a long tradition in Italian cuisine, especially Tuscan, giving it its other name, ‘Tuscan kale’.it grows 60cm-90cm tall and is a traditional ingredient of minestrone and ribollita.
Kale, as a member of the brassica family, contains glucosinates – antioxidant compounds associated with reducing inflammation and potentially having anti-cancer effects. This nutrient-rich vege gives us folate, calcium, potassium, iron, vitamins a, C and B6 as well as fibre. Kale is also a good source of lutein and zeaxanthin, important nutrients for eye health.
Fresh this month
(Harvested in New Zealand gardens in October)
Vegetables: Broccoli, cabbage, cavolo nero, celeriac, chilli, cauliflower, courgette, leek, lettuce, mushrooms, onion, parsnip, potatoes (new season), pumpkin, radish, rocket, silver beet, snow peas, spinach, spring carrots, spring onions, swede, watercress.
Herbs: Chives, coriander, dill, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme.
Fruit: avocado, kiwifruit, lemon, lime, navel oranges, tangelos.
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