Once autumn is upon us it’s time to embrace the fall harvest by crunching into a sweet/tart juicy apple. Maybe it is time to bake up some apple crisp or traditional apple pie. Just writing this post has me imagining the scent of apple drifting through the house, now my mouth is watering too.
Whether you grow your own crops or shop your favorite farmers the choices are vast.
Seasonal Vegetables & Uses
- Several Cabbage varieties – Fermented sauerkraut, cabbage soup, stuffed cabbage with ground meat & rice, coleslaw, grilled, roasted or even stir-fried
- Hard Squash – Soup (I love butternut with bits of ham), roasted with lots of fresh herbs, squash fries, squash potato salad, baked and stuffed. The choices are endless.
- Kohlrabi – Chopped raw in a salad, added to a soup or stew or even baked/roasted with olive oil and sea salt. If you have not tried this veggie maybe its time to walk on the wild side 🙂
- Onions (red, sweet, cooking) – Well what can I say they go in almost all my meals.
- Sweet Potatoes – These are a staple in our home. Sweet potato fries, baked, of course, savory sweet potato cubes, or even potato pancakes.
- Kale – Kale chips (love these – drizzle with olive oil, sea salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, and bake), add to soups or make a Southwest Kale and Quinoa salad.
- Cauliflower – Steamed Cauliflower, roasted, or cream of cauliflower soup – yum.
- Potatoes – Our family’s favorite is Yukon/golden. Bake them, grill, cream of potato soup (all fall must), hash browns or even potato pancakes.
In fall a variety of root veggies are in season. These are great to add to stews, casseroles, and of course my fall favorite Soups.
Seasonal Fruits & Uses
- Apples – Apples have fall written all over them. Baked, pies, eaten right off the tree, apple bars, canned, the list is immense.
- Pumpkins – Of course. Pie anyone?
- Pears – Eaten crunchy or dripping juice everywhere. What is your pleasure?
- Pomegranates – Brings back memories of Halloween and digging the plump red seeds out to eat, juice going everywhere, or now sprinkled on a salad.
- Grapefruit – Caution on consuming grapefruit with some prescription drugs, check with your medical professional. Grapefruit & cellulite, juice or cut in half and enjoy – no sugar necessary.
- Cranberries – #1 cranberry sauce, add to cookies, muffins, stuffing or even smoothies, raw in a salad. What is your favorite way to eat them?
- Mango – Cube or slice it and enjoy, make salsa or some chutney, add to a grain salad like quinoa or make a mango chicken salad.
By eating a variety of fruits and vegetable you receive a broad variety of nutrients. Eat the rainbow, the more colorful the greater the health benefits.
Benefits of Eating Seasonally
- Abundantly available
- Costs less, available locally
- Broadens what you eat
- Fresher
- Supports local farmers
With the cool crisp air now is the time to bake, roast and enjoy the scents of cooking in the kitchen. Dinner in the oven warms the kitchen and makes it a friend and family gathering place. Food is healing, family/friends bring laughter and memories and fall only comes around once a year. Make your season memorable, try some new recipes – step outside the box.