Summer may be over, but fresh produce has not gone with it. Now is a great time to enjoy fruits and vegetables of the fall harvest. My favorite vegetables to enjoy this time of year are root vegetables. Potatoes, parsnips, onions, turnips, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, and rutabaga all fall in the root vegetable family. They are full of fiber and packed with nutrients.
Root vegetables are a complex carbohydrate. Complex carbs are digested slowly by the body, releasing glucose for energy at a steady pace. The slow digestion also helps keep you feeling fuller longer. Plus, they taste great! The trick to enjoying root vegetables is in the way you prepare them. You can roast potatoes, make ribbons out of carrots, use sweet potatoes in a wrap, or combine them all to make Roasted Root Vegetables.
The buck doesn’t stop there! Apples, pears, winter squash, and broccoli are a few more of the fruits and vegetables also in season this time of year. You can find a full list of fall fruits and vegetables on fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org. Take a look and add a few to your menu plan this week. Enjoy!
