Plus: Tips & Tricks for the Fall Kitchen
Clean your oven
Cleaning your oven helps prepare for fall and winter, when we eat less cold, raw food and more hot, cooked food. That way you can kick off the season without setting off your smoke detectors.
Eat produce high in vitamins A & C
They boost your immune system so it’s good and strong for fighting off the germ attacks of cold and flu season.
- Add greens like kale and collards to smoothies, soups, and pasta dishes.
- Other local A & C powerhouses include apples, cabbage, carrots, sweet potatoes, beets, parsnips, hard winter squashes, celery, celeriac, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. Many contain more vitamin C than oranges!
Eat whole grains
The dietary fiber in brown rice, quinoa, millet, barley, and whole wheat breads aids healthy digestion. Whole grains are also full of iron for healthy blood, antioxidants to keep your cells healthy, and B vitamins to give you energy.
Snack on nuts and seeds
You’ll get some of the healthy fat your body needs, especially if you can hone your tastebuds to enjoy them raw. Most nuts are good for you but walnuts in particular because they contain especially high amounts of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Topping the healthy seeds list are flax, chia, pumpkin, sunflower, hemp, and sesame, which all have tons of fiber and minerals. For cooking oil, use healthy liquid fats like olive oil, walnut oil, and flaxseed oil. And speaking of seeds…
Save butternut & acorn squash seeds
Don’t throw away those seeds you scoop out of butternut and acorn squashes! They’re deeeelish!
- Toss them in olive oil. Don’t waste time picking out the strands that come with them. The strands will shrivel in the heat.
- Spread them on a baking sheet and loosely cover with foil or parchment paper.
- Roast at about 400 degrees until they start to pop. (The foil keeps them from flying around inside your oven.) Stir them and keep an eye on them.
- Once they’re lightly browned, take them out, sprinkle with salt, and start snacking!
Make a homemade, nutritious stock or broth
You can freeze it and use it in soups, stews, and sauces all season long. Bone broth and vegan alternatives boost immunity, and they’re good for bone and joint health, too.
So if you’re eating local food in season, you’re eating food that’s fresher and more flavorful. Here are some ways to turn the best tasting produce into the best warm and cozy meals and sides.
When you see a recipe you like, just click on the recipe card. Then either share it to Facebook or Pinterest. Or right click on the image and save it to your phone or computer.
Fall Recipes You Have to Try!
About Seasonal Roots
Since 2011, Seasonal Roots’ online farmers market has connected Virginia families with local family farmers who use sustainable, humane practices. Our neighborhood market managers – who believe in living better through scrumptious, healthy eating, being kind to animals, protecting the environment, and spreading joy – home-deliver freshly harvested produce, pastured eggs, grass fed dairy and meat, plus artisan fare. We empower our members to eat better and live better with more nutritious, flavorful food that’s good for us and good for the planet. More info at seasonalroots.com.