Food plays a massive role in sustainable living. Think about it. We eat three meals a day. When it comes to shopping and consuming, food is the number one item we buy most.
So it should come as NO surprise that one of the best ways to have a positive impact on the planet is to eat in-season, local produce. As a bonus, it also just tastes about 1,000 times better. Seriously!
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I wanted to start a new series where I round up all of the current in-season produce for North America and then list out a few recipes. Some of the recipes are old favorites and others are new ones that I'm going to whipping up this month along with you.
All of the recipes will be vegetarian and vegan because another great way to have a positive impact with your diet is to reduce the amount of animal products you consume.
If you're looking for more tips, be sure to check out our Foodie's Guide to Saving the Planet detailing all the ways you can eat your way to a healthier Earth.
I'll also try and pick out meals that are perfect for making in large batches so you can cook once and eat twice or even three times. Because who doesn't love leftovers!?
what's in season this Feb?
As far as months go, February like January is pretty barren. It's definitely the middle of winter and there's not a lot of fresh produce around.
If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, here are the goodies you can expect to find!
- Citrus (grapefruits, navel oranges, pomelos)
- Asparagus
- Artichokes
- Cabbage
- Celery
- Greens (escarole, kale)
- Leeks
- Radishes
- Squash (winter)
- Turnips
I think the bright spot in winter, of course, is CITRUS! I look forward to citrus season every year because clementines are my j-a-m. That being said, I don't feel like clementine jam would be that tasty...
Anyways, don't be surprised to find a hefty dose of recipes including my beloved citrus below.
breakfast:
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day! I love eating breakfast foods even when it's dinner time so I've done my best to round up some versatile recipes.
My top picks for savory breakfast recipes are squash hash with kale and baked eggs as well as quiche with leeks, thyme, and goat cheese. Both of these meals would make a great lunch or quick dinner.
Quiche keeps really well in the fridge, and the base of the hash will keep pretty well. You'll just need to make your eggs fresh. If you're vegan, sub in a little tofu scramble!
My top picks for sweet, but easy to pack-breakfasts are these sweet potato almond butter muffins which I'm going to make ASAP, and these cranberry, orange, quinoa breakfast cookies!
Lastly, my show-stopping breakfast are these vegan carrot cake pancakes! Pair these pancakes with mimosas made from freshly squeezed orange juice, roasted potatoes, and you've got a vegan brunch feast for all of your friends!
lunch:
Is there anything more February than a soup or stew? All of my lunch recommendations will be super easy to make, take on the go, and store in a mason jar.
I've got a hearty winter, lentil stew that looks absolutely perfect to pair with a crusty loaf of bread. I definitely plan on making this in my crockpot.
Another crockpot meal is this split pea soup. If you have too much soup leftover so that you can't eat it all, here's how you can freeze in mason jars.
And, I can't have an entire lunch section with mentioning at least on salad. This salad is a bit rebellious though as very little lettuce is involved. Instead this warming winter Panzanella is more my speed during the coldest month of the year.
It's also the perfect way to finish off any of the crusty bread that might have gone stale from all your delicious soup making!
dinner:
I am so excited about these dinner recipes! I will definitely be feasting on these all February long. The best part is that all of these dinners are vegan!
Up first, this creamy butternut squash linguine with fried sage is calling my name. Who doesn't want to sink into a creamy and decadent bowl of pasta when they get home from work? There's no dairy in the recipe at all so it's a surprisingly light version of the dish. You can sub the linguine noodles with elbows if you're feeling more like traditional mac & cheese.
Another one of my favorite meals to make is risotto. This dish whips up in about 30 minutes and is so creamy and yummy. This winter version also uses butternut squash!
Not a big squash fan? Well, this one-pan sheet bake will be right up your alley. Cabbage, potatoes, and chickpeas are roasted with a delicious vinaigrette. Serve with a side of brown rice and you've got an amazing, quick dinner, that will store great for leftovers.
I'm not sure if you can tell, but I'm on a bit of a pasta kick. I love radishes because they're slightly peppery. When roasted they have a texture similar to a potato. So this lemony, roasted radish pasta intrigues me. It seems to strike the perfect balance between the perfect lunch and dinner dish.
My final dinner I'll be giving a try this month is this Indian Cabbage and Potato Curry. I love all of the spices and flavors of Indian food so I can't wait to give this a try!
dessert:
Since it's citrus season, you might have a lot of citrus peels leftover. If this sounds like you, then check out this recipe for candying them so you can have candied citrus peels on hand all year long.
And, If you're heading to a big event or just want to make something extra sweet for your honey during this month of love, these vegan and gluten-free lemon bars are classic.
Since January and February have such a similar in-season list, be sure to check out all 15 recipes I found!
