What to eat in October

This week I took my children with me to do the weekly food shop – but there was one rule. We weren’t allowed to add anything to the basket that wasn’t grown or produced in the U.K.

Back went the sweet potatoes. Adios avocados. It was such a great way to make us really think about the food we were choosing to purchase. This week we challenge you to do the same, to really connect with where your food is coming from. I’d love to hear how you find the experience.

When discussing this with the team it opened up a really interesting conversation, in particular the fact that even at our local farmers markets or greengrocers, the produce is not necessarily locally grown. If you’re lucky enough to have a local market that you can shop at, maybe it’s simply about striking up a conversation with them to find out more about where their produce comes from.

At Detox Kitchen, our recipe inspiration is always led by the seasons, so we thought we would give you a few tips on what to cook with this October for the most nutritious and delicious meals.

1. BEETROOT benefits from a long season but it is best between September and January. Pick the golden variety if you are roasting them, they have a slightly softer texture and a delicate sweet flavour. We always roast them with the skin on, as in this nutritious, seasonal salad. It preserves all of the nutrients and provides a much more interesting texture with a crispy outer skin and soft silky centre. A good tip is to use the leafy tops in your salad as they contain calcium and iron. If you're looking to sneak some veggies into a delicious sweet, check out our famous beetroot brownies!

2. PARSNIPS are just coming into season which is perfect given that they are delicious in warming soups and stews. When selecting them at the grocers go for small to medium sized ones as they are less fibrous and more flavourful. Parsnips are a great source of fibre, especially if you keep the skin on when roasting or steaming.

3. SWEETCORN is at the end of it's season so enjoy while it's still at it's best. There is nothing better that a griddled corn on the cob with a good drizzle of olive oil and some malden salt. Sweetcorn chowder is also one of our go-to soups at this time of year; try making it with cauliflower and coconut milk topped with fresh chillies.

4. BUTTERNUT SQUASH is currently at its peak, it has a relatively short season between September and November, so enjoy it now while the UK crop is widely available. When buying a squash always go for a heavy one as this indicates it will have the richest and sweetest flavour when you come to cook it. Squash is a great combination of complex carbohydrate and fibre, two nutrients that work in harmony together, carbs (here in the form of glucose) are a key source of energy, while the fibre works to control the rate at which your body absorbs the glucose. Why not try this butternut squash, corn and avocado salad...

5. BLACKBERRIES are delicious at this time of year, and you only have a few more weeks to get your hands on delicious plump British ones! We love making this cardamon and coconut porridge with blackberry compote- it's the perfect breakfast now that it is getting cooler in the mornings. So if you're wondering what to do this weekend, a forage in the local woods for the seasons last berries could be a nice way to see out their season. They are also a powerhouse of nutrients and are packed full of antioxidants, including vitamin C and ellagic acid, which may provide protection against chronic disease.



Our new autumn menu champions the best of the season's produce, including the beauties above. Click here to book one of our packages now.