The Root of all Comfort – Fall Produce

Though summer technically ends on September 23^rd this year, we hate technicalities here. Put away the watermelons, our interest is no longer! September is a fall month and we’re ready for hearty gourds, root vegetables and a spooky atmosphere. If you’re clinging onto summer fare, good luck, because right about now is when the melons start to disappoint and the peaches aren’t so peachy.

Enough nonsense, here’s what you need to start buying from our local market:

Pumpkins

Though they’re technically just very large berries, because of their savory treatment they’re vegetables by association. These versatile gourds make an appearance in a multitude of ways and their color adds to the autumn theme on your dining table. Though carving them for Halloween seems wasteful, they’re actually a very “low-waste” ingredient as you can use both the flesh and the seeds.

Cabbage

This budget friendly ingredient seems to be in season all year round! Though cabbage reaches it’s maximum flavor potential at the end of summer it continues getting sweeter as the weather gets colder. Cabbage is delicious raw, cooked, or pickled and keeps well in the fridge for days to come.

Brussels Sprouts

They’ve been the “come back” vegetable for the last few years! While some still pinch their nose and run the other way, others break the rules of traditional Brussels sprout cooking and think outside of the box when using these guys in the kitchen. Their small size and layered interior means they’ll char and roast beautifully. A newer method of cooking with Brussels sprouts is shaving and using them as a base for slaw: Recipe Here

Cauliflower

These weather dependent beauties won’t produce heads during the summer heat, but welcome winter frost and get sweeter as they grow. Though roasting is always my go to (cut or whole), I’ve recently learned to use grated cauliflower as a substitute for rice, which opens a whole new window of opportunities for those who want to take it down a notch with their carb intake.

Butternut Squash

These funny looking gourds are the creamiest gourds you can find, if you can figure out how to peel them! Instead of hacking at their rock hard exterior, keep your fingers safe and learn how to do so safely: HERE!

They’re a great addition to grain salads, and add an extra bump of body to curries and stews.

When roasting, don’t be scared to coat with something sweet like honey or maple syrup and season with warm spices such as cinnamon, cloves, anise, or all spice