It is officially fall! And while it seems like pumpkins are the only seasonal veggie in the spotlight, we wanted to share some of the other goods you’ll definitely want to throw in your basket this season along with some delicious recipes to incorporate them in.
All of these produce items are freshest from mid-September to mid-December and are sure to be plentiful at your local farmers market.
We would love to get some of your recipes for these fresh fall picks along with a few of your other favorite seasonal goods, so share them with us in the comments!
Broccoli and Cauliflower
We know broccoli and cauliflower are different vegetables, but for the sake of brevity we’ll group them together. Broccoli is a great source of Vitamin C and dietary fiber with a good dose of Vitamin A and K as well.
Cauliflower doesn’t pack as big of a nutritional punch as broccoli, but does win in its amount of potassium and folate.
Cauliflower also comes in other colors other than white if you want to get your kids excited about it, we love the purple variety. The difference in color is due to the presence of the antioxidant anthocyanin, which can also be found in red cabbage and red wine.
No matter which veggie you choose to go with, you really can’t go wrong. Both are extremely nutritious, and we love how you can eat them raw or cooked in a variety of ways.
Winter Squash
Despite its name, winter squash is actually grown throughout the summer months, and once it develops a full, hard rind it is good for eating and storing. By the time the squash fully matures, that time is in the fall and winter months.
There are quite a few varieties of winter squash, pumpkins included (however, we had to give pumpkins their own category), but some of the other notable ones include butternut squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, sweet dumpling squash and carnival squash.
According to epicurious, winter squash varieties are naturally low in fat and calories, and deliver rich amounts of vitamins A, B6, C, and E, as well as magnesium, potassium, and manganese. Winter squash is also a source for iron and riboflavin.
Pears and Pomegranates
We couldn’t let vegetables take all the glory, there’s some fall fruits worth fawning over, too. These two fruits not only delicious on their own, but we think they’re pretty good as a pair as well.
While pomegranates do require a little more patience, the nutritional benefits make fighting for those little seeds worth it. Pomegranates contain three types of antioxidant polyphenols, including tannins, anthocyanins, and ellagic acid, in significant amounts, which is why pomegranates are touted as one of the top superfoods.
Pears are high on the fiber scale with roughly 6 grams for a medium-sized fruit, and they also contain vitamins C, K, B2, B3, and B6 and folate. Calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese are also found in pears. Kind of makes you rethink that “apple a day” phrase. Maybe we should switch to a pear a day!
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