Cooking with the Bounty of Fall

While it may feel like things are wind­ing down in fall, the fresh pro­duce is just heat­ing up, nutri­ent wise.  Fall is the best time of year for apples, root veg­eta­bles, squash­es, pears, cab­bage, and more.  These fruits and veg­eta­bles have spent most of the sum­mer get­ting ready to be deli­cious addi­tions to your plate.  While they each boast their own fla­vor set, the boun­ty of fall is chock full of incred­i­ble nutri­tion and packs a seri­ous healthy punch – includ­ing Vit­a­min A, Vit­a­min C, fiber, antiox­i­dants, and a seri­ous array of min­er­al goodness.

So, now that your counter and refrig­er­a­tor have turned into a sun­set-themed cor­nu­copia, let’s crack open the near­est squash and get cookin’.

Apples

• Caramelized Sweet Pota­to Apple Hash Browns. These deli­cious has browns from PaleoRunningMomma.com are per­fect for a crisp fall morning.
• Apple Wal­nut Cran­ber­ry Squash. These veg­an and gluten free stuffed squash­es from PaleoLeap.com come togeth­er with lit­tle effort and lots of flavor.

Acorn Squash

• Acorn Squash Pome­gran­ate Far­ro Sal­ad. Super­charged with fall fla­vors, this sal­ad from Jenessa’s Din­ners is both deli­cious and nutritious.
• Grilled Acorn Squash with Cran­ber­ry Gin­ger Maple Syrup. This side dish from PaniniHappy.com is an easy crowd pleaser.
  *You can sub­sti­tute coconut oil for the but­ter to make this dairy free if necessary*

Butternut Squash

• Hearty Chick­en Stew with But­ter­nut Squash and Quinoa. This hearty stew from FearlessHomemaker.com warms you up from your head to your toes on cool, rainy days.
• Roast­ed But­ter­nut Squash Soup. Super easy and super deli­cious, this tasty soup from AheadofThyme.com makes enough to keep some for the future in the freezer.

Brussels Sprouts

• Hon­ey Bal­sam­ic Roast­ed Brus­sels Sprouts. Brus­sels Sprouts take on a whole new dimen­sion when crispy and caramelized and KevinIsCooking.com
  shows you how to make the mag­ic happen.

Delicata Squash

• Chipo­tle Black Bean Stuffed Del­i­ca­ta Squash. ACoupleCooks.com eas­i­ly con­vinces you to try their deli­cious com­bo of fall fla­vor and Mex­i­can flair.

Pears

• Basil Pear Sal­ad. Crisp, bright, and delight­ful, this zesty sal­ad from CiaoFlorentina.com comes togeth­er in a snap.
• Pear and Cran­ber­ry Muffins. We all know how I feel about amaz­ing nutri­ent-packed muffins, and these fla­vor bombs from FlavourAndSavour.com are no exception!

Pumpkin

• Pump­kin Pan­cakes. These pump­kin­pan­cakes from PaleoHacks.com are my new favorite week­end break­fast – don’t for­get to dou­ble the recipe and store some in the freez­er for busy week­day mornings.
• Pump­kin Lentil Tacos. StrengthAndSunshine.com nailed it with these tasty, pro­tein-packed tacos. The pho­tos alone will have you run­ning to the farm­ers market!

Spaghetti Squash

• Spaghet­ti Squash Gre­mo­la­ta. This zesty, fla­vor-packed gre­mo­la­ta from AFamilyFeast.com is an easy, deli­cious meal on the warmer fall days when you’re not quite ready for a hearty cold-weath­er meal.
• Zuc­chi­ni Stuffed Spaghet­ti Squash. Super ver­sa­tile, these nour­ish­ing stuffed squash­es are per­fect after a fall day of rak­ing leaves or a brisk hike.

Sweet Potatoes

• Cheesy Sweet Pota­to and Parsnip Pat­ties. Adapt­ed from Inspiralized.com, these cheesy, com­fort­ing pat­ties have quick­ly become a reg­u­lar on the schedule.
• Black Bean and Sweet Pota­to Enchi­ladas. A favorite of Mr. Hatch Health and Hap­pi­ness, these enchi­ladas from WholeFoodsMarket.com are a def­i­nite crowd pleaser.

Hun­gry for more? Check out this site for more infor­ma­tion about the star-stud­ded nutri­ent den­si­ty of fall pro­duce:  https://greatist.com/health/healthiest-fruits-and-vegetables-fall