10 FALL VEGETABLES YOU SHOULD RIGHT NOW!

Fall has finally arrived!

It’s time to put on your coziest sweater, stock up on hot chocolate, pull out all the warm blankets and find your favorite pair of boots that are probably buried deeeeeep in your closet.  

And it’s also time to start cooking with alllllll the Fall vegetables.   

In my last blog post (in case you missed it, here’s the link), I chatted about how important it is to have a well stocked kitchen.

When you have a well stocked kitchen, you’re literally minutes away from a tasty home cooked dinner. 

And one of the first things you should always stock your kitchen with is seasonal produce.

To help, I’ve rounded up 10 of my favorites Fall vegetables AND how to’s for cooking AND links to recipes .

If you want more recipes, menu planning tips and ideas for what to cook for dinner delivered straight to your inbox, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter!

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We can get to know each other better…..and don’t forget to grab your favorite beverage before you head on over!! I’ll be drinking my latte, and can’t wait to meet you!

One last thing……..Did I leave out your favorite Fall veggie?

Is there a recipe you use all the time that you absolutely LOVE? Drop a comment below and let’s get the conversation started!

Butternut Squash

If you just KNOW your kids won’t eat butternut squash, I’ve got the perfect way to get them to at least try it. Roast it up until it becomes golden brown and soft. Put it in a blender with a bit of chicken (or veggie) broth, and mix until smooth and the consistency of dip. Then add it to pasta sauce or chili or soup. It’s sweet and without any actual identifiable bits.  And your kids will actually eat their squash.

My kids didn’t find out that their favorite mac and cheese had butternut squash in it until they were teenagers!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Chickpeas (the recipe in the photo above)

Butternut Squash Chili

Butternut Squash Soup

Acorn Squash

Cut the squash open, use an ice cream scoop to scoop out the seeds. Add a pad of butter, drizzle of maple syrup and roast until golden and soft. It’s practically like eating candy.

You can also cut it into rings and bake it. Stuff it with a mixture of ground meat and herbs (topped off with cheese) and bake it.

Roasted Kabocha Squash (this method of cooking also works great for acorn squash!)

Spaghetti Squash

I think this just might be my favorite squash. When my husband wanted to cut down on carbs a few years ago, at first I was wondering how in the heck I was supposed to do that when I LOVE carbs. I LIVE for carbs. Carbs are life in my world.

And then I discovered spaghetti squash.

Is it exactly like pasta? Nope.

Is it close? Kind of.

Is it delicious? YES!

Cover it with any sauce you like — marinara, pesto, meatballs. And you have an incredibly satisfying, delicious and healthy dinner.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Kale Pesto (photo above)

Cheesy Spaghetti Squash with Spinach and Garlic

Spaghetti Squash with Marinara Sauce

Carrots

Yes, I know carrots are available year round. But Fall carrots are extra sweet and delicious!

Maple and Harissa Roasted Carrots (photo above)

Glazed Carrots with Goat Cheese and Honey

Cider Braised Carrots with Pearl Onions and Mint

Kale

Ok, Kale may be EVERYWHERE. But it’s one of those veggies that is incredibly versatile which is one of the reasons it has so much staying power.

You can serve it raw in salads, add it to soups and stews. It’s a great addition to baked pasta dishes and pot pies.

Spicy Sausage Lentil Soup with Kale

Grilled Kale Salad with Bacon and Lemon Vinaigrette

Kale and White Bean Soup (photo is above)

Pumpkin

Pumpkins pretty much define the word FALL.

And there are soooooo many possibilities!

Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin bread, pumpkin soup……and my favorite pumpkin muffins. You can also use pumpkin in veggie lasagne, make ravioli or simply roast and purée it for a delicious side dish.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Broccoli Cheddar Pumpkin Soup

 

Apples

Honeycrisp, Gala, Granny Smith, Jonnygold — all gorgeous and crisp, some sweet and ready for pies, others a bit tart and perfect for cooking.

Apple Cider

Apple Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Parsnips and Carrots with Thyme

Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Apple Salad

Brussels Sprouts

These tend to be a “love ’em or leave ’em” vegetable.

But here are some recipes that, if you’re more of a “leave ’em” could sway you right on over to “love ’em.”

And if you’re a “love ’em” then these will be your new favorite recipes!

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad (pictured above)

Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower Au Gratin

Sweet Potatoes

Baking and roasting are great……but this spiced version takes sweet potatoes to a whole new level of flavor.

Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Cauliflower

I love just simply roasting cauliflower and then giving it a good drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice and red pepper flakes.

But it also makes the creamiest soups, tastiest gratins and a gorgeous fluffy riff on a couscous.

Paul Bertolli’s Cauliflower Soup

Roasted Cauliflower with Onions and Pine Nuts (picture above)

Spiced Cauliflower Couscous