Taste, nutritional value and sustainability – the benefits of eating seasonally are many. Wherever in the world you are, produce that’s in season is fresher and more likely to be local. If you eat produce out of season it's probably been shipped from abroad and may have been sprayed with chemicals or preservatives. Ingredients available and native to the environment you live in will also naturally contain the nutrients the body needs to cope in that season.

For the cooler months
During winter, most seasonal ingredients are heavier and root vegetables are more common: food that retains heat and helps provide energy to battle the colder weather. This spicy noodle soup with tofu is a wonderfully warming, nutritious meal for these months – a great alternative for vegetarians, plus a boost to the beauty of the skin.

“Work with new season to eat fresh food that is available at that time of year.”

Spicy noodle soup with tofu

400g udon noodles
400ml coconut milk
250ml vegetable stock
1 teaspoon coconut oil
20 oyster mushrooms, finely sliced
8 sugar snap peas, halved
150g fresh tofu, cut into 2.5cm squares and dried on kitchen paper

For the spice paste
2cm knob of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
2 lemongrass stalks (outer leaves removed), chopped, plus extra to garnish
3 shallots, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon coconut oil

To garnish
Fresh coriander leaves
Crushed raw peanuts
Bean sprouts
Lime wedges

 

Place all the ingredients for the spice paste in a food processor and blend to a pulp.

Cook the udon noodles according to packet instructions and set aside to drain.

Place a frying pan over a medium heat, add the spice paste and fry for two to three minutes. Pour in coconut milk and vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes.

Heat the coconut oil in a separate frying pan over a medium heat. Add the oyster mushrooms and fry over a medium heat for three minutes or until softened.

Add the mushrooms to the sauce in the first frying pan. Add the sugar snap peas, tofu and drained udon noodles to the sauce and stir well to combine.

To serve, spoon into bowls and garnish each with fresh coriander leaves, crushed peanuts, bean sprouts, lime wedges and chilli to taste.