Fall brings so many amazing things, like beautiful colours, cozy sweaters, a sense of comfort, and tons of vegetables that are in season and great to add to your meal plan.
Being in Burlington, with farmland to the north and northwest and farmers markets, gives us the benefit of buying these vegetables locally. The best way to get a variety of much-needed nutrients from fruits and vegetables is getting the produce when it is harvested. Eating seasonally gives you variety and supports shifts in our bodies’ systems due to adjusting to temperature changes.
Fall brings hearty and warm vegetables. To most, the concern is that they are carbs. However, fall vegetables are actually amazing high-fibre carbs that we should be adding to our meal planning for good gut and hormonal health.
The following five vegetables are great roasted, in soups, and in healthy desserts. You can bring in spices and herbs like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, sage, and rosemary, amongst others, which also provide amazing nutritional benefits.
1. Pumpkin: when it comes to this hearty vegetable, we think pumpkin pie, but it also can be used in soups and stews. Carving pumpkins for Halloween is a great family activity and has the biggest bonus — keeping the seeds for roasted pepitas!
For seeds:
Get them out using a large scoop (like an ice cream scoop) and remove any guck and strings from the seeds; rinse with cool water and dry well.
Toss raw seeds with avocado or coconut oil, salt and pepper, and roast on a sheet pan in a 375° F oven for 7 to 10 minutes. Heat brings out their nutty flavour and crunch.
You can add a flavour kick to them with some cumin and chili powder, or go sweet with cinnamon and brown sugar. Once toasted, fresh pumpkin seeds should be kept in an airtight container for about a week.
For soup:
Although you can use large field carving pumpkins for soups and stews, the best kinds to use are smaller or oblong pumpkin varieties like sugar pumpkins, white casper pumpkins or cinderella pumpkins. Carving pumpkins are a bit watery, stringier, and make for paler-looking soups.
The nutritional benefits in pumpkin:
- High in fibre
- High in the minerals potassium, magnesium, and iron
- High in beta-carotene (precursor to vitamin A — helps with eye and skin health)
- High in vitamins C and E, which have antioxidant properties
- Seeds offer fibre, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, magnesium, potassium, and antioxidants
2. Swiss chard: not many know what to do with this vegetable, but it is extremely nutrient-dense. It is a cruciferous vegetable, which is great for hormonal health. It is also a bitter vegetable, so the correct cooking process is key. Swiss chard contains oxalic acid (which may prevent or reduce the absorption of minerals), so it is best to eat it cooked. You can reduce the bitterness by cooking on a low heat and adding a splash of rice vinegar, garlic, sea salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and onions.
You can also sauté swiss chard with avocado oil or coconut oil plus one or more of the additional ingredients listed above. You can add it to soups and stews. It’s a great side for your morning eggs. You can also rub the leaves with oil and sea salt, then bake on low heat until crispy.
Nutritional benefits of swiss chard:
- High in vitamins K, A, and C
- High in fibre
- Good source of calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, sodium, phosphorus, and vitamin E.
- High in antioxidants
3. Brussels sprouts: another cruciferous vegetable — the one that you either love or hate. They are a great addition to a meal for a hearty green vegetable. It has a similar taste to cabbage but is sweeter in taste. You can eat them whole, slice or shred them.
If you eat animal protein, they are great cooked with turkey bacon and garlic. They are easy to slice and roast with avocado or olive oil, then adding spices you love. You can grill them on skewers, sauté them, roast them or add them to casseroles.
Nutritional benefits of Brussels sprouts:
- High in vitamin C and K
- High in fibre
- Good source of folate and vitamin A
- High in antioxidants
- May support hormonal health
4. Potatoes: potatoes have gotten a bad rap but are very nutrient-dense and gluten-free if you can’t have gluten. They come in different varieties, giving you a variety options for cooking. Russet potatoes are fluffier, so great for mashing and baking, but not great for salads, stews or soups because they become mushy. Waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold are great for salads, soups, and stews, but not great for mashing because they become gluey. White potatoes are fluffy, so great for baking and mashing. Fingerling and new potatoes are great for roasting because they are small with thinner skin. Sweet potatoes are sweeter and great to use in many recipes, including salads, muffins, and stews.
Cooked and cooled potatoes are a great source of resistant starch (which I’ve written about previously here) that is amazing for gut health. Prepare potatoes the day before and use in salads. You can re-heat or add to recipes the next day and still reap the benefits of the resistant starch.
Use herbs like rosemary and spices like garlic and pepper. Eat the skin because it is full of nutrients!
Nutritional benefits in potatoes with skin:
- High in fibre
- High in potassium, magnesium, and folate
- High in vitamins C and B6
- High in antioxidants
- Sweet potatoes are high in beta-carotene
5. Squash: There are so many varieties of squash to choose from. Butternut, spaghetti, pepper, and zucchini are the most popular. All are great for stews and soups as well as mashed or shredded. So amazing with cinnamon, maple syrup, rosemary, garlic, and pepper.
You can use spaghetti squash and mix with rice pasta to lower your carb intake and add fibre. You can stuff the hollow of a squash: cut in half, clear out the seeds, stuff with your choice of filling (grains, veggies, meats), and then roast. This is a great, easy way to create a meal.
Zucchini allows you to get quite creative. You can make zucchini boats, add it to dessert recipes like muffins or cakes (great for picky kids), add to stir-fries or spiralize it into long, curly “noodles” and add it to pasta dishes.
Nutritional benefits of squash:
- High in vitamin C and beta-carotene
- High in fibre
- Good amounts of magnesium, potassium, and manganese
All of these fall veggies offer so much nutritional benefit. They are must-haves in your meal planning if you are eating fresh and in-season. It also gives you so much variety in your meals, as well as making sure you get a wide range of nutrients.
Adding these veggies to your meal plan is a great way to nourish your soul as well on days where you want comfort food. You may think it wants unhealthy snacks, but it is actually aching for these fall beauties. It’s important to give your body the foods that are offered seasonally, especially here, with Canada’s cooler and cold seasons.
Part of enjoying the fall is getting in all that it offers. From the amazing outdoor walks to enjoy the colours of the changing leaves to the harvest of foods. Support your body nutritionally while supporting local farmers.
