February produce blends winter staples with the hopeful first ingredients of spring. Bring out the citrus fruit, brassica, and root vegetables to create delicious February recipes with seasonal food.

Shorter than the rest, February bids goodbye to the “dark at 4 pm” winter and hints at brighter days. It is all about hearty vegetables and fruits packed with vitamins – perfect for keeping your immune system in top shape with soups, salads, and sides. So here are the top produce options in season in February. 

Citrus fruit

Packed full of Vitamin C and overflowing with overall health benefits, we need citrus more than ever during the winter months. You’ll find oranges, lemons, lime, and grapefruits in abundance at the supermarket.

But there’s one that reigns supreme over them all – the blood orange. I would argue it is the most versatile – its sweeter and less acidic taste is more complex than the traditional orange and is great for cooking or baking into this delicious Blood Orange Cake.

More citrus recipes

Brassica vegetables

Derived from the cabbage plant and occasionally referred to as cruciferous vegetables, Brassica vegetables are hearty and packed with vitamins. They are a great source of fiber too. The best February vegetables are cabbage, Swiss chard, and cauliflower.

You can eat Swiss chard raw, but it’s also delicous sauteed or in a soup. Just chop the stems and enjoy all the colors.

More chard recipes

Cabbage is great raw, boiled, roasted, stuffed and rolled, or pickled (quick pickled or sauerkraut). Plus, you can make nutritious coleslaw or salads with it.

More cabbage recipes

If you’re continuing Veganuary into February, cauliflower is about to become your best friend. You can use it into a healthy hearthy soup, as cauliflower rice, or simply roast it.

More cauliflower recipes

Chicory vegetables

Crispy and a little bit bitter, but perfect for salads. Chicory vegetables are generally grown “forced” and in complete darkness, so they’re good throughout the year. But I’ve found they’re at their best in February.

Chicory is perhaps better known as endive lettuce (or Belgian endive), with an off-shoot vegetable known as radicchio. With a slightly reddish hue, they make a colorful addition to any winter salad. Or you can slice in two, brush with oil, and grill till slightly browned – an excelled side dish option.

Root vegetables

Carried over from January, February is all about root vegetables thanks to their ability to hold over through the winter. Yams and sweet potatoes are packed full of essential nutrients that we need to keep ourselves healthy during the winter months. Plus, sweet potatoes count as one of your five a day (white potatoes don’t!). And they are also hugely versatile in the kitchen – make mashed potatoes, fry them, bake them, and more.

More sweet potato recipes

Others

Part of the carrot family, fennel is bright, green, and packed with an Aniseed flavor that’s definitely an acquired taste. You can enjoy it raw in a salad or cooked (roasted, grilled).

More sweet potato recipes

Leeks are a great addition to soups, stews, and other recipes. Plus you can also make a simple side dish by grilling or roasting them.

While the above fruit and veggies are in peak season, for some – it’s the end of the season. Now’s the time to enjoy these before they are all gone:

• Brussels sprouts, kale,
• Parsnips, turnips, rutabaga (swede),
• Winter squash, butternut squash,
• Potatoes,
• Apples and pears,
• Clementines.

If you try any of these recipes with February fruits and veggies, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!