Market Fresh Report Week Ending 29th March

New-season Royal Gala, Jonathon, Granny Smith, Delicious and Golden Delicious apples are all available. Fresh of the trees they are sweet and crunchy.

Smooth, creamy with a nutty-flavoured Shepard avocados are a top buy. A good source of vitamin B6, this vitamin has many functions and is especially important during exercise when it plays a role in changing amino acids into glucose to provide energy to the muscles.

Banana prices have been up for a few weeks now, due to exceedingly hot days back on February that cooked the fruit on the trees. Supplies are bouncing back and prices are expected to easy and supply increases. TIP: Remember that overripe bananas can be frozen, then added to a smoothie or defrost and add to cakes, muffins and pancakes.

Kale is a super nutritious leafy green that is delicious and easy to prepare. Crisp and crunchy the leaves are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and iron. Toss trimmed leaves into stir-fries, soups, delicious roasted or sautéed kale is a thrifty buy.

Medium to large-sized zucchinis are so versatile and their mild flavour makes them perfect for grating and adding to risotto, rissoles, meatloaf, pasta dishes

Put grapes on your shopping list as the range and quality are superb. With over a dozen different varieties to select from including seeded and seedless varieties, juicy grapes are at their best eating in autumn. Prices will vary depending on variety, size and colour.

Sweet persimmon also known as fuji fruit is a non-astringent persimmon the most popular variety being the Fuyu. Select smooth, glossy, bright-coloured orange fruit. Like an apple, sweet persimmon can be eaten firm and crisp, however, you can also leave at room temperature to soften.

Vitamin C rich pomegranates are a beautiful, delicious and antioxidant-rich. Add colour and sweetness to an autumn salad with a generous sprinkle of pomegranates arils; they team delicious with oranges, rocket, feta, rice, lentils, beetroot, quinoa, rhubarb, pears and lamb.

Vibrant eggplant comes in many shapes and sizes, so versatile, this mild-tasting veggie is the perfect addition to a variety of cold and cold autumn dishes because it readily absorbs flavour and becomes very tender once cooked. Eggplant is delicious any way you try it barbecued, roasted, grilled or fried.

Fennel’s mild aniseed flavour is scrumptious teamed with tomatoes, oranges, lemon or yoghurt in salads, roasted fennel is a superb partner for lamb, chicken or seafood. Bulbs can be cooked whole, cut into wedges or finely shred for salads.

With their sweet, tender and juicy flesh, pears are an autumn delight! To ripen pears, leave at room temperature for 3-5 days. Select from Williams, Packham and Corella pears. Serve pears poached, add wedges to salads or enjoy sliced pears with low-fat cheese.

There is still plenty of good eating stonefruits available. Peaches, nectarines and plums, some that were destined to be exported are now available at your local greengrocer and seasonal prices.

Lively, leafy Asian greens add flavour, colour and crunch to stir-fries. Make the most of the quality selection on offer steam or add leaves to a stir-fry. Most are locally grown so stored in the refrigerator on a plastic bag will keep fresh for several days.

Chestnut season has started and you would be nuts not to try them. Cooked chestnuts have a sweet, taste and a texture similar to roast sweet potato. Chestnuts are delicious eaten once boiled, baked, grilled or roasted.

Broccolini is a versatile quick to cook vegetables similar to broccoli in flavour but this week a more thrifty option as broccoli prices are seasonally up at this time of year.