The Best Produce to Eat in Fall
Fall is here…makes me want to cozy up with a bowl of chili or indulge in a piece of pumpkin pie! I do prefer the summer months in Ohio, just because our winters seem so long. However, fall has its benefits too! The trees change to all sorts of beautiful colors and we get to enjoy the deliciousness of squashes, kale, cabbage, beets, and apples to name a few! Pumpkin spiced items fill the grocery stores and cinnamon apple smell fills the air:-)
I’d like to talk about some of the great produce that is available this season. It is generally best to eat fruits and vegetables when they are in season because they contain the most nutrients. Buying seasonal produce from local farmers is less time from market to plate preserving most of the nutrients, so it’s wonderful to do when you can. Or grow your own kale and squashes at home!
Here is a list of the best produce grown in Ohio in Fall:
Apples
Cauliflower
Corn
Squash
Tomatoes
Beets
Turnips
Kale
Pumpkins
Carrots
Apples - there are so many varieties of apples, ranging from somewhat bitter to very sweet. Apples can be added to salads, stews, and desserts.
Cauliflower - is a very versatile vegetable that takes on the flavorings of whatever you like to season it with. Cauliflower can be roasted with taco seasoning for cauliflower tacos, steamed and mashed into cauliflower mash, riced for a veggie bowl, roasted with buffalo hot sauce to make cauliflower “wings”, and many more possibilities.
Corn - corn can be enjoyed on the cob or the kernels cut off to add some sweetness to dishes. Corn is high in fiber, folate, and phosphorous.
Squash - so many different types and shapes! My favorites are butternut, spaghetti, and acorn. Most often these can be roasted and used to make a sauce for butternut squash mac and cheese, butternut lasagna, spaghetti squash can be used as a replacement with any sauce or toppings that you would use for pasta, or acorn squash can be filled with stuffing and roasted, or simply sprinkle cinnamon over top (your house will smell like fall!). Squash is full of vitamin A and C, great for your immune system in the colder months!
Tomatoes - can be added to many things! Sliced and added to sandwiches or burgers, added to salads, made into sauce, added to stews and chili’s, canned to preserve the freshness in later months, or sliced up and drizzled with a lil olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper (my favorite!).
Beets - can be added to salads, made into hummus, roasted or pickled. Beets are full of antioxidants and vitamins like folate, manganese, potassium, A, and C. Delicious nutrient powerhouses!
Turnips - can be baked, steamed, or boiled for a yummy side dish. Very good when combined with the sweetness of carrots.
Kale - very nutrient dense and should be consumed often! Kale can be made into a salad, added to pasta, grain bowls, smoothies, and so much more!
Pumpkins - very rich in vitamins A, B1, B6, C, copper, folate, fiber, and manganese. There are so many recipes out there for pumpkin now! Pumpkin can be made into soup or pasta sauce, breads, and so many desserts!
Carrots - very rich in Vitamin A which is important for eye health and the immune system. Carrots can be added to grain bowls (like my Carrot Power Bowl), soups, or salads.
