Fall in Love with Fall Vegetables

There’s so much I love about fall. The cool but not-too-cold weather. The leaves changing color and crunching under your feet. And, of course, the abundance of delicious fall fare. Fortunately, fall foods aren’t limited to pumpkin-spiced treats. There are plenty of autumn veggies ready to liven up your plate and fill you up without leaving you feeling stuffed. If you’ve followed my previous blogs, you’ve probably noticed that I love talking about my favorite veggies. This time, I wanted to hear from my other team members in our communications and outreach department and have them share their favorite fall veggies. Here’s what they had to say.

“My favorite fall vegetables are Brussels sprouts. I typically toss them in a little bit of olive oil and minced garlic and roast them in the oven, then sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top.” Alyssa M., Outreach Liaison

“I love all kinds of winter squashes. I make a squash stew with diced butternut, corn and red beans mixed with brown rice. The colors look kind of odd together, but it is delicious.” Barbara M., Associate Editor

“I like to cube rutabaga, sweet potatoes and whatever type of bagged potatoes I have on hand and then throw them in a big nonstick covered skillet with just a couple tablespoons of olive oil, fresh rosemary, salt and pepper. (Of course, you need to really soften up the rutabaga first by microwaving or parboiling.) I fry the root veggies over medium-high heat, shaking vigorously every few minutes and turning them to avoid burning, until they’re crispy and fragrant outside and soft inside. Even our very picky teenagers love this dish—we hardly ever have leftovers.” Shannon L.M., Communications and Outreach Director

“Instead of resorting to the calorie-laden pumpkin spice drink, I’ve started experimenting with pumpkin and spices. There’s so much you can make with pumpkin puree! So far, I’ve tried pumpkin hummus, which has the same staple ingredients of chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and salt, but then I add in ⅔ of a cup of pumpkin puree. I add a dash of cinnamon as well. Then I throw it in a blender. A food processor would work too. It’s good with cinnamon pita chips.” Taylor P., Member Content Associate

Do you sing the praises of pumpkin or rave about rutabaga? Let me know what your favorite fall vegetable or fruit is in the comments section below! Cheers to a happy and healthy fall.