 | | | winter squash
| | | | | | Autumn isn't fall at all- when it comes to delicious foods, it rises to the top of culinary lists. The colorful fruits, roots, tubers and vegetables of harvest time also contribute to make us healthier as we go towards winter. They're loaded with phytochemicals - pigmented antioxidants and vitamins that support immune system health during the change of seasons and influx of "germs." Taking vitamins is no replacement for treating yourself to the produce we are lucky to have in farmers markets and grocery stores. As you can see below, there are many fabulous foods in fall. Venture into these when dreaming up "what's for dinner":
 - Apples, pears, figs
- Beets -- orange, red, yellow
- Carrots, Turnips, Parsnips
- Cabbage, Brussel sprouts, Broccoli
- Cranberries, Pomegranates, Persimmons
- Sweet potatoes or yams
- Pumpkins, winter squash (acorn, butternut, etc.)
A tasty and smart way to benefit from these natural foods is to combine several colors in recipes. Plenty of mouth-watering fall recipes exist and have wide appeal. Let yourself wander through websites and cookbooks and have some fun. Here are several recipe ideas:
- Tri-color beet salad with feta, toasted walnuts & oregano
- Figs braised with cabbage, apples & balsamic vinegar
- Greek stuffed cabbage with turkey meat & avgolemono sauce
- Pumpkin soup with shrimp*
- Cauliflower Marranca*
- Tunisian Vegetable Stew*
- Gluten-free Pasta Fagiole (pasta & bean soup)
- Dr. T.'s Special Chard Saute' (See below)
- Pears Poached in Red Wine
Dr. T's Chard Saute'
(The contrasts of these ingredients appeal to even chard-avoiders.)
- 1 bunch Swiss chard, sliced in 1 inch ribbons
- 3 yams or sweet potatoes, diced in 1-in. cubes
- 3 leeks (whites) chopped, or 2 medium onions, large dice
- 1 apple, peeled & diced
- 3/4 lb. organic free-range bacon (pork or turkey)
- 2 Tbs. high-heat canola oil
Directions: Fry or microwave bacon til crispy, chop coarsely and set aside. Steam or microwave sweet potatoes for about 5 minutes; set aside. Heat oil in large skillet, add onions or leeks and saute til very soft and almost caramelized, then add chard, yams, apples and bacon. Saute' til fragrant and yams are cooked through.
Serves 4.
Pears Poached in Red Wine*
From http://www.whats4eats.com/desserts/poires-au-vin-rouge-recipe
Note: The pears can be poached ahead of time, & stored in poaching liquid)
- 4 Bosc pears
- 3 cups red wine
- 1/2 cup sugar (or Xylosweet)
- Long strip lemon zest
- 1 cinnamon stick
Peel the pears, leave stem attached, slicing small piece off bottom of pears so they'll stand up straight. Add wine, sugar or Xylosweet, lemon zest & cinnamon stick to large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium flame. Stir to dissolve sugar completely then reduce heat to very low. Place pears in simmering wine & poach for 15-20 minutes, carefully turning from time to time. Do not overcook pears. Remove pears to individual plates. Bring wine to a boil again and reduce to about 1 cup. Strain the liquid, pour over the pears and serve.
The poet George Eliot wrote of fall, "Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking successive autumns." Enjoy your seasonal bounty and you will be healthier.
*For more info:
http://www.whats4eats.com/seasons/fall-recipes
http://pnwmg.org/pdf/mgfallveg.pdf
http://epicurious.com
"Moosewood Cookbook", Mollie Katzen, Tenspeed Press, Berkeley
"Moosewood Collective Cooks at Home", Moosewood Collective, Simon & Schuster, N.Y.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA