PACK AN AUTUMN PICNIC

The mild days of Autumn are perfect for eating outdoors. Here are our picks of tasty and portable food, perfect for the season

CITRUS SALAD WITH AVOCADO (SERVES 4)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped shallot 1 teaspoon honey 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/ 4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 medium oranges, preferably a mix of varieties such as cara cara, blood and navel Flesh of 1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, for garnish

Method: Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, shallot, honey, salt and pepper in a liquid measuring cup to form an emulsified dressing.

• Slice off the top and bottom of an orange, standing it on one cut end.

• Make a series of downward cuts as you work around the fruit, to remove the peel and all white pith.

• Repeat with the remaining oranges, then slice them crosswise into thin rounds. Discard any pits.

• Arrange the orange slices on individual plates. Fan out or arrange the avocado on top.

• Drizzle each portion with the dressing and scatter coriander leaves over the salads, and serve.

LEMON SQUASH

Ingredients: 10 lemons 4 cups water 3 cups sugar

Method: Use a vegetable peeler or channel knife to zest 4 of the lemons.

• Bring the water to a boil in a large, wide pot over high heat, then add all the lemons, including the zested ones, and the strips of lemon peel.

• Cook for 2 minutes, then transfer the lemons to a bowl to cool.

• Reserve 2 cups of the lemon cooking water and the boiled strips of lemon peel in a separate medium-sized saucepan.

• When the lemons are cool enough to handle, cut them in half, then juice them into a large measuring cup, straining and discarding the pulp, seeds and spent lemon halves. The yield should be 1 to 1½ cups.

• Add the sugar to the lemon cooking water and lemon peels in the saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, cook for 5 minutes then remove from the heat. Discard the lemon peels, or reserve them for candying. Stir in the fresh lemon juice until well mixed. Fill the jars, leaving a 0.5cm head space. Wipe the jar rims well and place the lids and rings, tightening until just secure. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath, starting timing from the moment the water returns to a boil.

• Remove the jars from the water bath, setting them upright on a folded towel to cool completely.

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES TO PLANT IN AUTUMN AND HOW TO COOK WITH THEM

LUTHO PASIYA

Gardening is a great way to get the whole family involved in the meal prep process

AUTUMN is upon us. As the nights get longer and the days cooler, it is essential to make sure that you and your family are getting as many of the right vitamins and nutrients as possible, to keep you healthy this season.

While you prepare your home and wardrobe for the cooler weather, keep in mind that this is also an ideal time to grow your own fruits and vegetables.

Growing your own produce can help with your appreciation for fresh foods and the intake of the nutrients your body needs from those foods. Gardening is also a great way to get the whole family involved in the meal prep process – everyone can help care for the plants, harvest the crops and prepare the meals with your own home-grown food.

Growing your own fruits and vegetables also provides a wide range of benefits, which include no or reduced pesticides, no genetically modified organisms, lower grocery bills, enhanced mood, reduced stress, improved heart health, increased self-esteem, and increased production of vitamin D due to sun exposure.

If your home or backyard has space for a garden, consider planting some of these fruits and vegetables this autumn.

Vegetables:

Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, Lettuce, Carrots, Leeks, Turnips, Parsnips.

Fruits:

Plums, Lemons, Apples, Oranges, Watermelon, Avocados, Figs, Grapes, Granadilla, Naartjies, Grapefruit.

How can you add some autumn flavour to your meals? Cookbook author and recipe developer, Julia Turshen shares, below, her favourite autumnal foods to cook with.

APPLES

You can serve the savoury ones alongside roast chicken or pork chops, or on toast that you’ve slathered with goat cheese or ricotta. The sweet ones can be offered in the morning to make usual oats less usual, or for dessert with ice cream.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS

The polarising vegetable can also take on so many forms and lend themselves well to strong flavours. Peel the leaves off each sprout, roast quickly, and top with salty pecorino cheese and bright lemon juice.

These are incredibly good and can be served on their own as a snack (like kale chips, but better) or as a side dish. You could even toss them with cooked pasta and call it a day. Or you can skip cooking altogether. Just combine thinly sliced raw sprouts with crumbled gorgonzola and chopped, toasted hazelnuts for a rich salad.

CAULIFLOWER

With its sturdy florets, cauliflower can also stand up to big flavours. Roast a whole head broken into pieces until they’re browned and crisp at the edges and toss with butter and hot sauce. Or roast and drizzle with a simple cheddar cheese sauce (like nachos sans the chips).