Autumn produces an abundance of fruits and vegetables that are perfect to highlight during the holiday season and beyond.
We’re all familiar with pumpkin, apples, cranberries, and butternut squash, but there are other equally delicious fresh produce options that deserve their place on your fall menus, too.
Figs
Early fall sees the harvest of those small brown-and-green fruits called figs. If you’re not familiar with fresh figs, they are a soft, plump and sweet fruit available in hundreds of varieties. The two most common varieties you’ll find in your grocery store are the golden variety, which boasts a subtle nutty flavor, and the Mission fig, a sweet, purple variety.
Figs are high in calcium, potassium and fiber, making them a healthy treat. The entire body of the fig is consumable, including the skin. Whether you eat them raw, caramelized, roasted or even baked, these small jewels of autumn work well with both sweet and savory recipes.
Pears
Often paired with apples, pears are a sweet, mild and luscious fruit that deserves more notoriety during its prime harvest season. Because of their delicate texture, pears are picked when they are hard and allowed to ripen off the vine at room temperature.
A great source of fiber, pears are also rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin K, as well as minerals, such as copper and potassium. With over 3,000 varieties of pears in existence, you’ll have quite a range from which to choose. The most popular varieties that you’ll find at a grocery store are Bartlett, Bosc, Comice and d’Anjou.
There’s nothing like experiencing a slice of juicy and sweet pear and savoring its buttery and floral undertones. There are many ways to use pears in your baking and meal prep. Try them in cakes, salads and dessert crisps and cobblers.
Beets
This earthy root vegetable provides one of the most tasty ways to experience what nature has to offer. You’ll usually see beets available in the classic red shade, which has a stronger flavor profile than the golden-hued variety, which is equally delicious with a more subtle flavor.
Beets are loaded with healthy benefits that elevate them to superfood status. Full of antioxidants, fiber, and multiple nutrients that help detoxify your body, these veggies should be on your menu during the fall season and beyond. While beets can be eaten raw, their flavor and texture are both much more palatable when roasted and cooked.
Radishes
Red radish, white radish, purple radish, striped radish: These cruciferous veggies are spicy little orbs of crunchy delight when eaten raw. As members of the mustard family, radishes are easily grown and harvested in spring, fall and winter, making them accessible in grocery stores and offered in a range of varieties as the seasons change.
While radishes do contain Vitamin C and iron, these crispy little vegetables are mostly enjoyed for the zing they bring to salads and other dishes. In addition to being eaten raw, radishes can be roasted, grilled, sauteed, marinated or pickled, offering a unique twist to their flavor.
Bring new tastes and textures to your menus this fall by taking time to explore these autumn foods and use them in new ways this season.