Springing into spring food

Avocado and mango rice paper rolls

5+ A Day says now is the time to enjoy spring’s bounty and discover new ways to create colourful, flavoursome meals the whole family will enjoy.

Sue Pollard, CEO of the New Zealand Nutrition Foundation, says spring’s seasonal produce is full of vitamins and nutrients essential for good health and well-being.

“Fruit and vegetables are affordable, highly nutritious foods that not only taste great but also help to protect against major illnesses, such as heart disease and some cancers,” she says. “Because most fruit and vegetables are low in calories and fill us up, eating plenty of vegetables at meal times has the added bonus of helping with maintaining a healthy weight.”

Spring produce is not the only choice available at this time of the year. Tropical fruit is available in New Zealand all year round and is particularly good value in the coming months.

Make the most of fresh produce with these vibrant recipes.

Avocados

Avocados are used as a vegetable but are technically a fruit. Highly nutritious, avocados contain vitamins C, E and B6, folate, dietary fibre and niacin. They are also one of only a few fruit to contain fat, the good type of fat, monounsaturated, which helps to lower cholesterol.

Quick recipe ideas

One of the best ways to use avocado is to simply mash on to toast, bread or crackers. Add freshly sliced tomato on top with a squeeze of lemon juice for a healthy breakfast or snack. For a quick side, cut an avocado in half and remove the stone. Pour a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar into the avocado and season. Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve with crusty bread. Or for a creamy smoothie, blend half an avocado, banana, 1 teaspoon of honey and trim milk. Whizz until smooth.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are versatile fungi that can be used at breakfast, lunch and dinner. They are a good source of B vitamins, which play a key role in a healthy nervous system. They also contain potassium an important mineral for healthy growth and development in children.

Quick recipe ideas

The ultimate breakfast comfort food has to be mushrooms on toast. Sauté sliced mushrooms with olive oil and garlic. Add a little crème fraiche or light cream and cook until mushrooms are lightly coated. Season and serve piled on to toast, finish with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley. Stuffed mushrooms are a hit as an appetizer. In a food processor pulse sandwich bread, garlic, goat or feta cheese, parsley and chilli flakes into fine crumbs. Spoon filling into white button mushroom caps and bake until lightly browned. Grilling is a great way to cook mushrooms. Place under a grill and brush with a little olive oil and garlic for flavour. For added punch, add a dollop of basil pesto before grilling.

Mangos

With their sweet, unique flavour, mangos are one of the most popular tropical fruits. Known as the “king of fruits” mangos are a good source of vitamin C and vitamin A.

Quick recipe ideas

Jazz up a quinoa salad with diced fresh mango and chopped mint. And get on your way to 5+ A Day with fruity kebabs. Thread chopped mango, banana, kiwifruit and pineapple onto a skewer. Serve with low-fat yoghurt for a dipping sauce.

Pineapples

Grown in the tropics, pineapples are a sweet, juicy, fragrant fruit that comes in a number of varieties. Pineapples contain bromelin which breaks down protein, making them great in marinades or for tenderising meat or fish. They are also a good source of vitamin C.

Quick recipe ideas

Eat pineapples raw in salsas, desserts and sweet or savoury salads. And a few minutes under the grill transforms fresh pineapple into a mouth-watering dessert. Sprinkle freshly peeled pineapple rounds with sugar and cinnamon. Grill until golden and serve with frozen yoghurt.

Here’s an easy and tasty recipe using avocados and mangos.

Avocado and Mango Rice Paper Rolls

Serving size: Makes 10 rolls

Preparation: 30 minutes

Cooking: None

Ingredients

10 rice paper wrappers (or more, if needed)

2 avocados, slice each into 10 wedges — sprinkle with lemon

Juice of 1 lemon

¼ red cabbage

1 handful rocket or spinach

2 carrots — cut into long thin strips (about 8cm)

1 mango, peeled and sliced lengthways

½ handful of coriander leaves

Dipping sauce ingredients

2 tablespoons honey

¼ cup soy sauce

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 red and green chilli, sliced thinly at an angle

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

Juice of ½ a lemon

Method

Mix all dipping sauce ingredients together. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Prepare all ingredients in bowls or plates. Fill a large shallow dish (large enough to fit the rice paper) with warm to hot water. Wet a clean tea towel and wrap around a chopping board.

Submerge one rice paper at a time in the water for about 20 to 30 seconds or until softened. Place the softened wrapper on the wet tea towel.

Arrange two wedges of avocado in a row in the middle of the rice paper. Alternate with strips of mango, carrot, red cabbage, salad greens and a little coriander.

Fold the short side of the rice paper over ingredients until covered. Fold in each side of the rice paper and roll to seal ingredients.

Repeat for each roll.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

• Visit www.5aday.co.nz for inspiration and education resources.