January is upon us, which means the weather is colder and our bodies are craving hearty, nourishing foods like soups and stews. Seasonal eating is what our ancestors had no choice but to do and our body’s needs have evolved around the foods that were available to us. Although we no longer need to rely on what we can grown in our gardens, it is still nice to be aware of what fruits and vegetables are in season this tie of year. I hope you enjoy my January Produce Guide!
Welcome to my very first Seasonal Produce Guide! I’ve been wanting to add these to the site for a while now, and have finally decided that this is the year for it. I meant to get the January guide up last week, but one of our beloved kitties, Cheeto, had a major health scare and I’ve been pretty distracted. He’s improving, but we’re still not quite sure what his long term outcome will be. Prayers are appreciated <3
Seasonal winter produce might not seem quite as exciting as all the goodies that pop up during summertime, but you might be surprised at what can actually grow in these colder temperatures!
With grocery stores these days, we don’t quite have to rely on just what is in season this time of year, but you’ll find that eating foods like winter squash and citrus is just what your body needs right now.
Below I’ve highlighted a few of my favorite winter produce and I’ve linked to a few recipes that will give you ideas of how to enjoy them!
JANUARY PRODUCE GUIDE
APPLES
Apples belong to the Rosaceae, or rose, family, along with strawberries, peaches, cherries and almonds. Most people, myself included, usually associate apples with fall, but there are a few late season varieties that are in season right now! Late season varieties include Honeycrisp, Braeburn and Corland apples. Apples are great because they can be used in both sweet and savory recipes. I love putting them into everything from baked oatmeal and muffins to salads and stuffing. They add a nice refreshing sweetness and a crunchy texture, when served raw.
As the saying goes, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” so you know that apples must have tons of healthy benefits to them! Apples are a great source of vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants. They can also help lower bad cholesterol, maintain a healthy weight and they are even known for boosting brain health. Apples are high in flavonoids, which are known for having anti-inflammatory properties and can help reduce inflammation inside the brain that could lead to Alzheimer’s disease.
Caramelized Apple and Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal Cups
Refreshing Kale Salad with Apples
Easy Apple Crisp Breakfast Bowls
BEETS
Beets are in the Beetroot, or Chenopodioideae, family, which also includes spinach, Swiss chard, and sugar beets. Beets are root vegetables known for their bright red color, although there are other varieties, including yellow beets. Both the beet root and the beet greens can be enjoyed raw or cooked. I like to grate the root and add them raw to salads or slice and roast them until they have a meaty like texture. Beets can also be pickled, steamed or fried. They have an earthy flavor that is slightly sweet.
Beets have many health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, liver support, improved digestion, and inflammation reduction. They’re packed with antioxidants, Vitamin C, choline, and Vitamin K, just to name a few. Root vegetables are also considered grounding and can help you feel more stable and connected to the earth. Additionally, beets are high in phytonutrients, which are nutrients found in certain foods that can help keep your body healthy and prevent disease.
Beet and Carrot Salad with Chickpeas
Goat Cheese Beet and Balsamic Puff Pastry Bites
Vegan Beet Burgers with Brown Rice
Roasted Beet Chickpea and Black Rice Bowls
Healthier Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry and Beets
BROCCOLI
Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that is in the mustard family, along with cabbage, Brussels sprouts and kale. There are a few different varieties of broccoli, but Calabrese is the most common one in the United States and probably the one that most of us usually cook with. Broccoli can be enjoyed raw, roasted, steamed or fried. I like chopping raw broccoli into bite sized pieces and adding it to salads and keeping steamed, or frozen, broccoli on hand to toss into pasta or stirfry.
Broccoli is a powerhouse vegetable that offers lots of health benefits. Broccoli is packed with tons of antioxidants, which help reduce unwanted inflammation inside the body. Broccoli also contains a large amount of both fiber, which is important for digestion and vitamin C which helps boost the immune system. One cup of broccoli has about as much vitamin C as an orange.
Chili Garlic Broccoli with Chickpeas
Crunchy Broccoli Salad with Maple Mustard Dressing
Veggie Packed Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Crunchy Baked Broccoli with Spicy Soy Sauce
Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole Bites
BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Brussels sprouts are in the Brassicaceae, or crucifers, family, which also includes broccoli, cauliflower, kholrabi and kale. They resemble tiny little cabbages that grow together on a big stalk. Brussels sprouts have always gotten a bad wrap for being steamed and stinky, but they can actually be super delicious when cooked well. Brussels sprouts can be served both raw and cooked. I like to thinly grate raw sprouts and add them to salads and slaws. They are also great roasted or sautéed. You can, of course, steam them but I would recommend not over steaming and seasoning with at least salt and pepper.
Vegetables in the cruciferous family are packed full of health benefits. They’re a good source of fiber, antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K and carotenoids. Brussels sprouts also contain Sulforaphane, which is a compound that can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol. If you are someone who does have issues digesting vegetables from this family, I would recommend that you avoid eating them raw and try eating smaller portions of them, to avoid any stomach upset.
Roasted Brussels Sprout Bowls with Honey Mustard Dressing
Lemon Pepper Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Easy Roasted Vegetable Pasta with Parmesan
CABBAGE
Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable from the Crucifers, or Brassica, family, which also includes cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kale. These vegetables are known for their pungent smell, as well as having many health benefits. Cabbage commonly comes in green and purple colors and I tend to use them both similarly in recipes. Cabbage can be enjoyed raw, like in coleslaw or cooked.
Cabbage is packed with fiber, antioxidants, vitamin C, calcium, folate, and potassium. These vitamins and minerals help lower blood pressure, improve immune function, and fight diseases such as cancer. Cabbage is also a low-calorie food that can help maintain a healthy weight.
Fried Cabbage and Noodles with Tofu
Noodles with Cabbage and Carrots
Halloween Salad with Rice and Veggies
Chickpea Salad with Cucumber and Cabbage
Holiday Salad with Cabbage and Kale
CARROT
Carrots are springtime root vegetables that are pretty easy to grow. Orange carrots are most commonly seen and sold at the grocery store, but you can also grow a rainbow colored variety. Carrots come in different sizes, some are short and wide, while others are long and thin. Baby carrots, however, are not an actual carrot variety, instead they are made with a machine using regular sized carrots. I love to snack on raw carrots or add them to salads and wrap. Carrots can also be roasted, sautéed, cooked into soup or baked into cakes or muffins. They are a very versatile vegetable that can be used in both sweet and savory recipes. Carrots are probably most eaten raw, with ranch or hummus, in the US though! Or baked into carrot cake 
It’s true that carrots are good for your eyes! Carrots are high in beta carotene, a nutrient that your body turns into Vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for maintaining healthy eyes and good vision. Carrots are also a good source of fiber and antioxidants. Fiber helps with digestion, but can even help lower the risk of heart disease. Soluble fiber from carrots binds to cholesterol particles and helps expel them out of your body, through stool.
Carrot and Chickpea Salad with Orange Maple Dressing
Roasted Carrot and Dill Hummus
Noodles with Cabbage and Carrots
Curried Sweet Potato Carrot and Red Lentil Soup
CAULIFLOWER
Cauliflower belongs to the cruciferous family, which also includes broccoli, kohlrabi, kale and brussels sprouts. I use white cauliflower more than any other variety, but you can also find purple and yellow cauliflower. The taste varies slightly but they can all be used interchangeably in your recipes. Cauliflower can be cooked so many different ways. It can be roasted, steamed, charred, pureed and even turned into rice (a veggie version anyhow 
). My personal favorite way to cook cauliflower, and what is pictured below, is coating it with batter and a crispy coating, baking it in the oven until crispy and then tossing it in a flavorful sauce.
Cauliflower has similar health benefits as most of the other cruciferous vegetables. It’s a good source of fiber, antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K and carotenoids. Cauliflower also contains Sulforaphane, which is a compound that can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol. If you are someone who does have issues digesting vegetables from this family, I would recommend that you avoid eating them raw and try eating smaller portions of them, to avoid any stomach upset.
Golden Roasted Cauliflower with Coconut Curry Tahini Dressing
Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos with Ranch Slaw
Vegetarian Cauliflower Fried Rice
KALE
Kale is in the Crucifers family and comes in a few different varieties including: curly, lacinato and purple. Kale is a hearty green that can withstand colder temperatures. Baby kale has also become quite popular these days and is still hearty, but a little more similar to baby spinach or lettuce. Kale can be enjoyed both cooked and raw. I love massaging raw kale and adding it to salads. It’s hearty and has some texture, while also being refreshing. Kale wilts quickly, so it can easily be thrown into soups, stir fry and pastas.
Kale is considered a superfood because it’s packed with a variety of vitamins and nutrients. Dark leafy greens are important to include in our diets, and kale is a great way to do that. Kale contains four times more vitamin C than spinach and twice the amount of selenium. Kale is also low in calories, making it great for maintaining a healthy weight.
Chopped Kale Power Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Kale and White Bean Pasta with Parmesan
Garlicky Kale with White Beans and Lemon
LEMON
Lemons are citrus fruits that happen to be in season during the winter. They are in the citrus family and considered to be a fruit. I always make sure to have lemons around in the kitchen and add them to everything from salads to soups to pasta. I also like squeezing some in my water, to help kickstart digestion in the morning. They add a tangy freshness that is great for balancing rich flavors. Lemons can be the main flavor of your recipe, and go really well in desserts, or you can use them as a seasoning used to brighten your meals up.
Lemons have numerous health benefits, including supporting heart health, aiding digestion, lowering blood pressure, and reducing the risk of kidney stones. Lemons are a great source of vitamin C, which is crucial for maintaining a healthy immune system. The immune system is responsible for helping us fight off sickness, as well as making sure wounds are healed quickly.
Lemony White Bean Soup with Quinoa
Herby Lemon Jalapeno Pasta with Crispy Chickpea
Lemon Dill Orzo Broccoli Salad
POTATOES
There are quite a few different varieties of potatoes out there, including: russet, Yukon gold, purple and fingerling. I love all types, but probably use russet most often in the kitchen. Potatoes are great ingredients because they’re filling and usually pretty affordable.
Potatoes can be roasted, fried, baked and mashed. They are probably one of the most commonly used vegetables in the United States, thanks to French fries! I love making mashed potatoes as a cozy side dish or browning them up in a skillet for breakfast, like below.
Seasoned Grilled Potato Wedges
SWEET POTATOES
Sweet potatoes are in the morning glory family, which also includes bindweed, moonflower and water spinach (which is not very common in the US). They come in a few different colors, including orange, red and purple. They are root vegetables, meaning they grow under the soil and have greens that grow above. The greens are edible, but the actual potato part is more commonly eaten. My favorite way to cook sweet potatoes is to roast them. I like to dice them into chunks or slice them into French fry shapes and then toss them with some spices. You can also mash sweet potatoes or bake them like you would a regular potato and add your favorite toppings.
Sweet potatoes provide many health benefits and are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, fiber and antioxidants. The fiber in sweet potatoes is both soluble and insoluble, which really helps with digestion and gut health. The potassium and magnesium in sweet potatoes can help reduce blood pressure and stroke risk and can also lower cholesterol. Purple sweet potatoes, specifically, contain anthocyanins, which can help reduce inflammation inside the brain and lower the risk of developing memory issues later in life.
Roasted Sweet Potato Hummus Wraps with Honey Mustard
Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Fajitas with Black Beans
Vegan Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
WINTER SQUASH
When I say winter squash, I’m referring to varieties like butternut, acorn, spaghetti, delicata, red kuri and pumpkin, which are all in the squash, or Cucurbitaceae, family. They’re hearty and they grow well in colder temperatures and usually have a long shelf life. Some have thick skin that needs to be peeled off, like butternut squash, while others like delicata squash have skin that can easily be eaten. Winter squash is best enjoyed cooked, in my opinion. I like to roast it and add it to bowls or wraps. Squash is also great in soups, stews and curries. Spaghetti squash has great texture and can be used in place of pasta.
Vegetables in the squash family are highly nutritious and are packed full with antioxidants, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium. The antioxidants in squash can help fight off free radicals in the body, that otherwise can damage cells and cause disease. They also help reduce inflammation inside the body and boost the immune system. Squash is also low in calories and high in fiber, which is a combination that can help you maintain a healthy weight.
Easy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Amazing staggering amount of recipes and work that you have put into this blog – thank-you. It is great to have recipes by food type for the veggie patch crop,
Thank you so much, Anne! So glad this is helpful to you! I plan to add a new one for each month!