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The warm weather is now behind us and fall has finally arrived. With that comes a change in produce; berries are replaced with apples and pears, cucumbers and zucchinis are swapped out for winter squash and pumpkin.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While you don\u2019t have to change the foods you\u2019re eating (one of the advantages of living in a modern society), changing your diet seasonally has some benefits.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n
The first benefit is that it may save you some money because the produce doesn\u2019t have to be imported from warmer climates or grown in greenhouses.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n
Another benefit is that seasonal produce tends to be more nutritious. Often times, when the produce is grown and needs to be imported, it\u2019s picked unripe. Seasonal produce can be grown locally and therefore is picked when ripe and at the peak of both flavor and nutrition. If you need an example of this, try buying tomatoes in the middle of January. They probably won\u2019t taste as good as the ones you get in the middle of July.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n
Finally, since the produce is often times local, you support the local economy and can put one of those \u201cshop small, shop local\u201d bumper stickers on your car.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n
So, what\u2019s in season? Here are 15 fall vegetables to try out this fall:\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n
Butternut Squash:With about half the calories of a sweet potato, butternut squash can easily replace a starch–such as potatoes–at dinner. by. Roasted it is usually the most popular method for making it, but mashed or made into soup are other popular options. Some people have even been successful at making butternut french fries (I failed when I tried).\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n
Butternut squash is full of vitamins and minerals, the most notable being vitamin A.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n
Delicata Squash: If you haven\u2019t tried them, the flavor is often compared to corn. They are low in calories like the butternut squash (and all other squashes, except for spaghetti), but also full of vitamin A. Delicata also has about 8% of your calcium needs making it a decent plant source of calcium per cup (one of the many reasons this is my favorite squash). It\u2019s best to cut it into half moons, cut in half and roasted, or made into a mash.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n
Parsnips: Another one of my favorites this season, parsnips are related to carrots but their flavor is described as \u201cnutty.\u201d Similar to winter squash, they are best served either roasted or mashed (my personal favorite)), but can also work well in some soups. They aren\u2019t powerhouses when it comes to vitamins, but they are a good source of minerals in your diet.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n
Carrots:While also a spring vegetable, many farmers grow them in the fall since they tolerate a light frost. The orange carrots you\u2019re familiar with can grow year round, but usual varieties like purple, yellow, and true baby carrots are grown this time of the year. Most of you already know that carrots are vitamin A powerhouses and low in calories (52 calories per cup), but those unusual varieties can offer other health benefits. Purple carrots have the same types of antioxidants that are found in blueberries and pomegranates (and they still taste like regular carrots).<\/p><\/div>\n
Fennel: Come November, my wife will be requesting a fennel, orange, and cranberry salad at least once a week. Since it bolts and can become bitter in warm weather, it\u2019s typically eaten this time of the year. It has a flavor similar to anise or licorice, but it\u2019s very mild. It can be eaten raw, or you can saute or braise it. It\u2019s very low in calories but not particularly high in any vitamins or minerals; one thing it does have going for it is that it has a variety of unique antioxidants like rutin, quercetin, and various kaempferol glycosides.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n
Broccoli:You either like broccoli or you hate it. I ate so much broccoli when I was bodybuilding that I could care less about it. But if you\u2019re not a fan or want to give it a try, this is the season for it. It\u2019s a little more sweet and less bitter in the fall and winter.As you probably already know, it\u2019s ultra low in calories with tons of health benefits.<\/p><\/div>\n
Brussel Sprouts:So I switched from eating broccoli all the time to these guys. They\u2019ve become a new fad in restaurants and food for good reason; they taste great fried. Since they\u2019re in the same family as broccoli, warmer temperatures can make it bitter. If you haven\u2019t tried them, now would be the time to start thinking about it. Cut them in half or quartered and roast, or if you have an air fryer, you can use that. As a cruciferous vegetable ( like broccoli and kale), brussel sprouts have a ton of benefits including: cancer-fighting properties, possible help with depression, anti-inflammatory benefits, microbiome support, protection and elimination of toxins, cardioprotection, may reduce pain, and may help with insulin levels.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n
Cabbage:Another one in the cruciferous vegetable family, so you can apply the same benefits of brussel sprouts. The cooler the weather is when cabbage is harvested, the sweeter it tastes. My favorite way to make it is either shredded raw as a slaw or to braise it with apples and onions. The other option is sauerkraut.<\/p><\/div>\n
Mushrooms:Spring and fall are the best time for mushrooms. Mushrooms have a ton of health benefits that could make for an entire nutrition seminar. You should try and have them at least once a week in your diet. My favorite way is to saute them or follow this recipe with potatoes, lemon, rosemary, and chicken.<\/p>\n