What's in Season? August

Though there’s plenty more warmth and sunshine to come yet, August feels like the last official month of Summer; when the days seem to stretch out forever and it’s perfectly acceptable to treat ourselves to ice cream no matter the time of day. 

As we shift from mid to late Summer, this is the part of the season when vibrant fresh greens and juicy strawberries give way to heartier carrots, peppery radish and nutrient-dense kale. Tomatoes and tomatillos are also bursting with ripeness, and each of these foods holds specific health benefits that our bodies accept with gusto at this time of year. 

As you’ll know if you’ve been keeping up with our What’s In Season? blogs; nature always provides what we need, exactly when we need it. The foods that are growing around us right now help give us the vitamins and minerals we require in order to thrive right now, and they also help fortify us for the colder months ahead by supporting a naturally strong immune system. 

Keep reading to discover what’s in season this August, and our favourite ways to use these delicious fresh foods…

 

Tomatoes

Served fresh in a crisp salad, sliced into sourdough sandwiches or slowly cooked into a bubbling sauce, tomatoes truly signal Summer sustenance. High in vitamins C, K and folate, tomatoes are also one of the very best sources of an antioxidant known as lycopene. This important nutrient supports heart health and healthy vision, as well as protecting the skin from sun damage through these warm and sunny weeks. Lycopene has also been found to be especially helpful in reducing the risk of prostate, lung and stomach cancers, and helps lower inflammation too. 

Our favourite way to use tomatoes: The beneficial lycopene content in tomatoes increases when they’re cooked, and we love making the most of it by cooking tomatoes into a sauce to accompany grass fed beef mince in a bolognaise. We currently have a variety of rare heirloom heritage tomatoes from ‘black beauty’ to ‘moonglow’ and ‘ananas’. 

 

Kale

This robust green is high in beta carotene, which promotes healthy eyes and skin, as well as strong immune function. Just 1 cup of cooked kale provides over 100% of the RDA for vitamin K too, which is needed for blood clotting and bone health, and it’s also a great source of quercetin, which can help reduce symptoms of seasonal allergies like hayfever. Consuming kale throughout the warmth of Summer helps keep electrolyte levels topped up, as it contains good levels of potassium, a nutrient that works alongside magnesium and sodium to keep us fully hydrated, as well as helping to lower high blood pressure. 

Our favourite way to use kale: Kale is best steamed, as the raw leaves can be hard to digest. Add to a warm salad with seasonal broccoli and French beans and dress generously with olive oil. Many of the nutrients in kale are fat-soluble, meaning we need to consume them alongside healthy fats in order to absorb them. 

 

Broccoli

One of the key benefits of broccoli is its sulforaphane – a compound which acts as an antioxidant to protect cells from damage, reduces inflammation, balances blood sugar, supports heart health, and may protect from types of cancer too. Sulforaphane is also important for detoxification and can promote healthy hormone balance, especially when it comes to hormones like oestrogen. Broccoli is also high in immune-strengthening vitamin C, and calcium for bone health.

Our favourite way to use broccoli: Steamed and drizzled with Tahini and olive oil for a delicious and satisfying side salad.

 

Carrots

Have you ever heard of the ‘doctrine of signatures’? This is a theory that a food’s appearance gives us clues as to what it can support within our own body. Chop a carrot in half and you may notice that the inside resembles the iris of an eye. For hundreds of years, people have thus associated carrots with improved eyesight. It turns out there’s some truth to this too, as carrots contain great levels of beta carotene, needed for eye health. Beta-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A, which is essential for the production of rhodopsin, a pigment in the retina that helps us see in low light. Consuming carrots now, can therefore support us as the nights draw in and the darker months approach. 

Carrots also support a healthy skin barrier, which helps protect skin in the Summer sun, as well as supporting immunity. 

Our favourite way to use carrots: Do you know about the now-popular internet-viral raw carrot salad? This simple concoction is all about supporting hormone health by providing the body with fibre and nutrients from carrots that can help to prevent estrogen dominance - an issue all too prevalent in our culture today. To make it, shave a large carrot into ribbons, then mix with melted coconut oil and a splash of apple cider vinegar. 

 

Tomatillos

Often mistaken for green tomatoes, tomatillos are a small green veg (well, technically a fruit!) with a distinctly tangy flavour that makes them perfect for salsa and sauces. Much like their tomato cousin, tomatillos are high in vitamin C, which supports collagen production for glowing skin and strong joints, as well as being high in phenolic compounds, which protect cells from damage. This is particularly important during Summer, when lots of time in the sun can lead to dry and damaged skin, and being extra busy during longer days can lead to a little more damage to cells. Tomatillos can also aid in blood sugar regulation as they’re low in sugar but high in fibre, which slows the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream. To use them for their blood sugar balancing effect, pair tomatillos with carb-rich meals such as tortillas or tacos, which suit them perfectly as tomatillos originate from Mexico. 

Our favourite way to use tomatillos: In a tangy salsa verde recipe to enjoy with chips or our pasture raised heritage pork chops. 

 

Radish

Peppery and bold, radishes promote healthy digestion and secretion of bile - a substance that helps digest fats and proteins, and supports detoxification by carrying excess hormones and toxins away from the body, ready to be excreted. Radishes have a high water content, which supports hydration throughout Summer, and they contain that all-important potassium to help regulate blood pressure too. Some studies even show that radishes can help increase insulin sensitivity, making them perfect for balancing blood sugar and potentially even helping to manage conditions like type 2 diabetes. Their antibacterial and antifungal properties even help protect against heat-related infections and foodborne bacteria throughout Summer. 

Our favourite way to use radishes: Chopped into a refreshing cucumber and radish salad with our vibrant red leaf lettuce. 

 

Fresh Shallots

These small, onion-like bulbs have a slightly sweet flavour and are packed with nutrients such as flavonoids, antioxidants, B vitamins and vitamin C, so they’re great for the immune system, as well as skin and mood. Shallots are also rich in prebiotic fibre, which feeds good gut bacteria and promotes a healthier gut overall. There’s even evidence to show shallots could help with hair growth and scalp health due to their sulphur content, and as they contain all three major electrolytes (potassium, sodium and magnesium) they’re a superfood for hydration during Summer. 

Our favourite way to use shallots: Quickly pickled shallots with lemon and fresh herbs like our thyme and forest-grown sage are delicious tossed into Summer salads or served with our 100% pasture-raised Galloway Topside Beef Joint. 

 

Cabbage

Soothing and anti-inflammatory, cabbage is a humble superhero that holds some surprising benefits. Eating cabbage throughout Summer can help keep us hydrated, as it’s about 92% water, and from the perspective of ancient health systems like Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, it promotes coolness within body and mind. Cabbage is also high in insoluble fibre and prebiotics, which feed good gut bacteria, as well as being high in B vitamins and magnesium, which support mood and energy. 

Our favourite way to use cabbage: Thinly slice cabbage and cucumber , and mix with fresh mint, olive oil and lemon juice for a refreshing, hydrating Summer slaw. Perfect to accompany our Pasture Raised Pork Belly Ribs.

 

Courgette

Cooling and hydrating, courgettes are perfect for warm Summer days and are in abundance right now. They’re high in vitamin C for immunity, fibre for gut health, and antioxidants to protect cells from damage. What you may not know though, is that courgettes are a wonderful source of potassium, which most of us aren’t getting enough of. Potassium plays a key role in fluid balance, muscle and nerve function, and blood pressure regulation. It also supports heart health, bone health, and may help reduce the risk of kidney stones. 

Our favourite way to use courgette: Sliced into ribbons and mixed through a leafy salad, or lightly steamed to create ‘courgetti’ – delicious served with our Grass Fed Beef Mince.

French Beans

These slender green beans are rich in bone-building calcium, as well as potassium and vitamins C, K and beta carotene, which is vital for eye and heart health. Being high in fibre, French beans can help support blood sugar regulation, as consuming them alongside carbohydrates helps slow down the rate at which sugar enters the bloodstream. If you’re enjoying a meal rich in carbs like pizza, pasta or bread, try adding French beans as a side dish to support your blood sugar.

Our favourite way to use French beans: Sauteed in our rich, grass-fed butter and topped with crushed fresh garlic and a generous pinch of salt.

 

Now you know the foods in season this month, come and visit us on the farm and make the most of these nutrient-rich foods just bursting with goodness! We’d love to know what you make with them and how you enjoy them through the last weeks of Summer. 

 

Written by Emma Newlyn