Seasonal cooking: Healthy autumn foods and the best ways to eat them
With autumn here, you might be seeing some seasonal favourite foods popping up at restaurants and on grocery shelves.
As someone who grew fond of food, I always encourage myself to learn which foods are in season and try to choose seasonal foods whenever possible.
The autumn season is no exception, there are so many amazing dishes you can create using seasonal produce. When you cook with the seasons, you get the best value for your grocery money.
Freshly picked fruits and vegetables taste better and have more nutrients than ones that have been stored for weeks or months. Scrumptious, healthy food means less waste too as your family finishes every bite.
These days, it is almost impossible to talk about inspired cooking without talking about seasonality. Choosing and working with the right ingredients is not hard, but it does require a little know-how and planning.
Let us take a look at some of the autumnal foods you should be eating throughout the cooler, darker days.
Brussels sprouts
The polarising vegetable can take on so many forms and lend itself well to strong flavours.
Peel the leaves off each sprout, roast quickly, and top with salty pecorino cheese and bright lemon juice.
These are incredibly good and can be served on their own as a snack (like kale chips, but better) or as a side dish.
You could even toss them with cooked pasta and call it a day. Or you can skip cooking altogether.
Just combine thinly sliced raw sprouts with crumbled gorgonzola and chopped, toasted hazelnuts for a rich salad.
Pomegranates
Pomegranates are arguably one of the most beautiful foods in the world, but they are so much more than just a pretty face. They are one of the healthiest foods you can enjoy.
Once cracked open, the stunning inner seeds of the fruit, called the arils, are bursting with colour, inviting you to dig in and enjoy their luscious beauty.
Unfortunately, as gorgeous as they are, they can be a bit annoying to remove.
We recommend cutting the pomegranate in half, then beating the outer shell with a large spoon to release the seeds.
Apples
There may be no fruit more popular during the autumn season than apples – and they are hard to miss, with colourful varieties to choose from.
Luckily, you can enjoy this seasonal favourite knowing they come with loads of nutrition.
You can serve the savoury ones alongside roast chicken or pork chops, or on toast that you have slathered with goat cheese or ricotta.
The sweet ones can be offered in the morning to make the usual oats less usual, or for dessert with ice cream.
Leeks
Leeks are a flavourful but milder alternative to onions and can be used interchangeably in everything from breakfast casseroles to lasagna.
Leeks can be sautéed and added to stir-fries, soups, or stuffing, and they have a mild onion flavour.
Cauliflower
With its sturdy florets, cauliflower can also stand up to big flavours.
Roast a whole head broken into pieces until they are browned and crisp at the edges and toss with butter and hot sauce. Or roast and drizzle with a simple cheddar cheese sauce.
Cinnamon
It turns out that this quintessential autumn spice does more than just add the perfect touch to pies and lattès.
Research shows that cinnamon may be helpful for those with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes.
Even if you do not suffer from one of those conditions, cinnamon could help you maintain blood sugar levels.
You can try adding a few shakes to your coffee or tea or adding it to roasted vegetables for the perfect seasonal side dish.
Kiwifruit
This soft little fruit is prized for its delicious flavour. It is also one of the most nutrient-dense fruits available, which means you get lots of nutrients out of every bite.
You can start a day out right with a fresh-flavoured smoothie that incorporates kiwifruit.
Parsnips
These might look like white carrots but they have a delicate, sweet flavour.
While they do not contain the same high amounts of vitamin A as carrots, parsnips are a good source of fibre, vitamin C, calcium, and iron.
Look for smooth and firm, small to medium-sized parsnips for the best quality. Traditionally, parsnips are boiled and mashed together with carrots, but they can be steamed, microwaved, boiled, roasted, or sautéed as a side vegetable.
They also stand in nicely for carrots, potatoes, or sweet potatoes in most recipes, and lend a gentle sweetness to soups and other combinations of root vegetables.
Grapes
The traditional autumn harvest of grapes is a cause for celebration for winemakers across the globe.
But, of course, grapes are good to eat fresh as well – on their own or added to dishes. Along with walnuts, they can liven up traditional chicken salad.