Top 10 Fall Produce Picks & What To Do With Them By April Sins, MS, RDN
(originally published on website Fruitsandveggies.org)
If you close your eyes and think of the words “Fall season,” what colors come to your mind? You may be thinking of reds, oranges, yellows, and browns. Similarly, many of the fruits and veggies that are in season are these colors. There are many fresh produce items in season for the fall. I picked 10 to highlight below. Keep in mind, if your favorites are not in season, head over to the canned and frozen section of the grocery store.
Pumpkins Pumpkins and roasted pumpkin seeds are such a great way to get the fall feels that we all crave at this time of year. As you carve your favorite face into the pumpkin, don’t forget to keep the seeds and use them for roasting! Fresh roasted pumpkin seeds can be added to a trail mix or top a salad! Fresh pumpkins are lots of fun, but don’t forget about the convenience of canned pumpkin. One of my favorite pumpkin dishes this time of year are pumpkin muffins using canned pumpkin.
Avocados Even though avocados are considered fruits, they tend to make a great addition to any meal or dish. They also lend themselves to a great ingredient to replace the fat in a recipe whether it’s baking, blending, or making guacamole. Check out the nutrition, selection, and storage of avocados.
Apples Since apples are in season, load up on citrus with it for a squeeze of citrus juice after slicing it. One of my favorite snacks is sliced apples with peanut butter and chocolate chips – satisfy a sweet and savory craving! Apple Waldorf Salad can be something different to make and enjoy for the holidays as well.
Cranberries Cranberry cocktails are fun way to use fresh cranberries. They can also make a seasonal flavor in a warm apple cider drink.
Brussel Sprouts Many customers that I have spoken with tell me that they don’t like brussels sprouts because they have had them prepared boiled. This is the prime example of how cooking preparations can completely change the taste and texture of certain foods – try roasting, sautéing, or air frying brussels sprouts for a flavor rejuvenation!
Oranges Isn’t it interesting that when cold and flu season hits, oranges become in large abundance? Nothing like nature’s perfect timing on a high Vitamin C source.
Winter Squash When winter squash come into season, they make a very affordable option for making soups and casseroles. Squash tends to offer more volume per pound in addition to filling the stomach and warming the soul. Spaghetti squash has become a favorite winter squash for many people with its noodle like texture and appearance.
Raspberries These are great for kitchen entertainment during afternoon snacking – next time you have raspberries, see how many you can fit on your fingertips! Kids will love this game, plus they make the perfect ‘finger food.’
Grapes Quite possibly one of the easiest snacks and healthy treats! Packing washed grapes and a few cheese cubes for a prep and go snack solution can make packing lunch bags simple.
Limes Homemade margaritas anyone? Fresh squeezed lime juice can make a great addition to any beverage. Grab a few extra limes to squeeze into that guacamole recipe above.
Okra Buy fresh okra in large volumes, then wash, cut, and freeze! Cut okra with tomatoes is great fall dish to enjoy over rice or as a side dish and a great way to use them from frozen! This Crispy Roasted Okra can add a nice crispy side dish for the family dinner.
Pomegranate Nothing like a zero-waste fruit – use the juice and pulp for a smoothie and drop the arils in hot oatmeal.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
INGREDIENTS
1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
DIRECTIONS
Separate the seeds of the pumpkin from its stringy pulp. Place the seeds in a large bowl filled with cold water; the seeds will float to the top. Skim them out with your hands, pulling away any slime that’s stuck on the seeds. Shake the seeds in your hand to get rid of any excess water, and transfer them to a lightly oiled baking sheet. Don’t blot them with paper towels; the seeds will stick.
Heat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Roast the seeds until they’re dry and tacky, about 5 minutes.
Remove baking sheet from oven. Drizzle the seeds with the olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat, and spread into a single even layer. Return seeds to oven and bake, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool before serving.
If you’ve searched online or through a magazine lately, you’ve probably seen at least one recipe that calls for roasting autumn vegetables. One reason is that fall veggies hold up well to this cooking method. Sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, brussels sprouts, acorn and butternut squashes, and cauliflower are just a few vegetables that are ideal for roasting
If you’ve never tried roasting veggies, I strongly encourage it. You’ll be surprised at the depth of flavor it gives to your vegetables. I recently found a recipe for roasted brussels sprouts and cauliflower, which I’ve altered to make it a bit healthier and it’s become an instant hit with my family. The funny thing is that my husband is not a big fan of brussels sprouts and cauliflower is not on the list of favorite veggies for my son. However, roasting these vegetables gives them a different flavor than boiling or sautéing. You might find that a vegetable you don’t normally enjoy will surprise you with an entirely different flavor after roasting it.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Cauliflower
1 large head of fresh cauliflower
1 pint container of fresh brussels sprouts, halved
6 fresh garlic cloves, chopped
6 slices of turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
olive oil
Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a non-stick roasting pan with cooking spray and add all vegetables (including garlic) to the pan. Drizzle olive oil on top of vegetables and then stir so that oil coats the vegetables well. Roast vegetables for 15 minutes and remove from oven and stir. Test vegetables with a knife to see if they are tender. If not, place back into oven for another 10 minutes. When tender and slightly browned remove from oven, sprinkled lightly with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/roast-veggies-for-added-flavor/
