As we embark on the fall season, it's important to pay attention to our body's needs. The air is getting crisp and cool and the fruits and vegetables that are readily available to us are changing. Our body is looking to warm itself with cooked, heartier foods, rather than raw vegetables that were plentiful in the summer to cool us off.
When you eat seasonally, the foods are fresher, tastier and more nutritious than foods consumed out of season. Studies have shown that fruits and vegetables contain more nutrients when allowed to ripen naturally on their parent plant.
Here's my favorite fall vegetable recipe:
Warm Kale and Root Vegetable Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1 white onion, sliced
2 large golden beets, cubed with skin on (red beets are fine too)
1 medium sweet potato peeled and cubed should yield 2 cups
1 acorn squash cut in half, seeds removed, peeled and cubed
2 teaspoons avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
1 large head of kale, chopped- the more the better
Directions:
Pre-heat you oven 400F and set aside a baking sheet. Cover with foil.
Place sliced onion, beets, sweet potato, squash, oil, cinnamon, salt, pepper and place in the oven.
Roast for 35 minutes, rotating half-way through. When the veggies are about 2 minutes away from completion, remove from the oven, place the chopped kale on top. Return back to oven.
Meanwhile, combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside. Remove the squash from the seeds. Place them in a frying pan with a little avocado oil, dash of salt and pepper. Heat on medium-low heat. Roast until golden, stirring often.
When veggies are done, transfer squash, plus roasted veggies into a bowl, add dressing and serve immediately.
OPTION- add some dried fruit like prunes, raisins or dates and any toasted seeds for crunch.
Check out this weeks seasonal Clean Eats™ menu filled with nutritious, portion controlled vegetarian meals.