What to cook for Fall

In-season produce and what to do with it

It’s time to switch up your grocery list. As the weather cools and the leaves turn, the market is fresh with new goods. Here is a list of my favorite fall produce and some ideas for what to do with them:

my favorite kind of fall leaves (image from Foodwise)

Apples—I know we can get apples year-round, but they are generally harvested in the fall. You should find lots of new varieties at the market. I love crisp apples in a salad, and the skillet apple crisp in Foodwise (p. 197) is one of my favorite fall desserts.

Arugula—Everyone knows arugula as a green, but it’s actually a cruciferous vegetable. It is full of antioxidants, fiber, prebiotics, calcium, and more. Mix in a salad, add on top of pizza, or try making a fall pesto with arugula instead of basil.

Beets—My favorite preparation of this notoriously hard-to-cook vegetable is to just roast them (like this). I also love to shave raw beets on a salad. Don’t knock it ‘til you try it!

Brussels sprouts—If you can find on-the-sprout Brussels, you’re in for a treat. They’re fresher and more tender and taste amazing shaved raw into a simple salad with pecorino, an olive oil-dijon dressing, salt and cracked pepper.

Carrots—There are two seasons for carrots, spring and fall, although they’re mostly available year-round. I love heirloom varieties of carrots, the yellow, purple, and multicolored ones found at the market. They’re great cut and roasted with olive oil and sea salt, added into soups, or shaved into ribbons in a salad.

Cauliflower—If you’re sick of cauliflower, you’re not alone. But instead of trying to turn it into something else, why don’t we just eat it as it’s supposed to be. Try the roasted cauliflower with popcorn capers, pine nuts, and tahini from Foodwise (p. 106) and tell me if it makes you think differently about cauliflower.

Celery—By far the most underrated vegetable, IMO. I love a good celery salad, but have you ever sautéed celery? It’s shockingly delicious. And, it’s a chicken soup-must.

Celery root (or celeriac)—If you haven’t tried celery root before, please make this your year. You can make a celery root mash (like the one on top of the shepherd’s pie in Foodwise, p. 158) or a pureed sauce for slow cooked meats. Follow meal prep, because this will make an appearance and it’s good. Very good.

Chard—My favorite way to prepare Swiss or rainbow chard is just to give it a rough chop, steam it, and season with lemon and Maldon salt. A very simple side that goes well with my favorite pumpkin curry.

Eggplant—Earlier this week I posted one of my favorite eggplant preparations: miso-glazed grilled Japanese eggplant. I could eat this every day. On the other side of the flavor spectrum, I can’t wait to get the stuffed eggplant back in the meal prep rotation for fall.

Fennel—Another excellent vegetable shaved into a salad. I love the anise-y taste of fennel, and this roasted fennel dish is 100% on my list for fall.

Figs—This is a fruit that lights up with a salty pairing, like cheese, prosciutto, or nuts. We had a fig tree growing up and I remember eating so many of them this time of year.

Pear—There are 6 grams of fiber in one medium pear. That’s pretty decent if you’re goal is to eat 35+ grams a day. Pears are a delicious fall fruit that should be in everyone’s fruit bowl this time of year.

Persimmon—I truly eat only this fruit during the fall. I loooove it on a cheese plate, but it’s also very delicious sliced into a salad (as you would an apple) or eaten on it’s own.

Radicchio—This is my winter salad hero. It’s a type of chicory that comes in a variety of gorgeous colors and shapes (see that gorgeous photo up top). I love the heartiness and bitterness of it. It goes great with all fall fruit, a tangy vinaigrette, and a sharp cheese. I also like it grilled with a balsamic drizzle.

Winter squash—Pumpkin, butternut squash, acorn squash, delicata squash, spaghetti squash, and more. These are so quintessentially fall and delicious. A really excellent carbohydrate source this time of year. Spaghetti squash is a current favorite in my house right now.

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FALL EDIT
A few other fall things I’m into right now.

• Currently wearing: A cozy cardigan, blingy earrings, jeans (on sale, btw), my new favorite t-shirt, yellow sneakers I can’t shut up about (still some sizes left)

• Cooking with: Dutch oven for soup making, soup ladle (not the one I have, but the one I want), the ultimate vegetable peeler, and a game-changing garlic press, salt sphere

• Cooking playlist: Santo & Johnny on Pandora