Marketfresh Report - Week Ending July 28th

Apples continue to be a popular choice, offering a wide range of varieties and sizes perfect for snacking or cooking. This week, try a new apple variety: Cosmic Crisp. Originating from Washington, these apples are a delightful cross between the Enterprise and Honeycrisp varieties. They are generously sized, with a vibrant red colour and crisp white flesh. Cosmic Crisp apples are incredibly sweet, juicy, and remarkably slow to brown.

Sweet and tangy tangelos are bell-shaped citrus that have a vibrant orange rind. Fruit can range in size from mandarin size to as big as an orange. Each tangelo has 12 large, juicy, brilliant, orange-coloured segments that are easy to separate and very few seeds. They are perfect for juicing; add segments to a winter salad. Tangelos are in season until September.

Pineapples are low in kilojoules and rich in vitamin C. They also contain an enzyme that aids digestion, making them the perfect fruit to serve after a heavy meal.

Celery is a reliable ingredient available year-round, but it truly shines in winter. It's easy to use but often overlooked and not served solo. Now is the perfect time to enjoy celery, whether hot or cold, at its best. Slice celery stalks thinly and mix with crumbled blue cheese, chopped walnuts, and apple slices. Toss with a simple vinaigrette made from olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Parsnips, a staple food in Europe before the introduction of the potato, were highly valued in ancient Rome and often enjoyed as a sweet treat due to their natural sugars

Brown onions have a strong, pungent flavour, making them perfect for winter soups, casseroles, and roasting. Sold loose or in pre-packed bags, they are ideal for hearty dishes like French onion soup with cheese toast.

Oranges are plentiful, and you have so much choice in winter. Traditional navels. Cara Cara navels, and blood oranges are the choice pick. Easy peel navels are also now available.

The vibrant green coloured flesh of kiwifruit adds colour to a fruit platter or salad and has the added bonus of being sweet tasting and rich in vitamin C.

Indulge in the vibrant taste of luscious Queensland strawberries. Enjoy them straight from the punnet or add a burst of flavour to your favourite home-baked treats. Perfect for crumbles, muffins, pies, and puddings, now is the perfect time to cook with this rosy fruit!

Celery's bulbous cousin, celeriac, is at its best in winter. This knobby-skinned vegetable has delicately flavoured flesh that is delightful when mashed or served in a classic remoulade

· Baby carrots also known as Dutch carrots are rich in flavour and nutritional value. Trim stem and serve whole steamed or add small carrots to casseroles

Inexpensive and ultra-versatile pumpkin has an inherent natural sweetness, which works deliciously with sweet and savoury dishes. Choose from Jap, Butternut and Jarrahdale all an economical buy when purchased whole.

Spreading avocado on a sandwich instead of butter makes healthy sense. Simply swapping 20g of butter for 2 tablespoons of Hass avocado reduces the kilojoule and fat content by half. Hass avocados have no cholesterol, so pop two in your shopping basket this week

Winter is a great time to enjoy fresh Medjool dates. Plump, soft, and caramel-sweet, fresh dates are also a good source of vitamin C, which is important for helping prevent infection. Add dates to a curry, enjoy them as a snack, or whip a delicious sticky date cake pudding.

This week, there are ample supplies of passionfruit, especially the Panama variety.Look for multi-buy specials to save more. Pair passionfruit with pears and roast with honey.

· Beetroots are sweet and earthy and a great source of potassium and fibre. Beetroot is sold in bunches, and larger bulbs are sold by the weight.

Glossy red capsicums from Bowen and Bundaberg are a bargain this week.

Choose small, even-sized, compact Brussels sprouts. Cut them in half, quarters, or slices, and cook quickly to avoid overcooking.