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Friday, September 15, 2017

Favorite Fall Fruit and Vegetables



Brussels sprouts, fall nutrition powerhouse



It's economical and healthy to pick up scrumptious fall fruits and vegetables including sweet potatoes, apples, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and pears at a local farmers market, grow them in your home garden, or get sale items in the produce sections of neighborhood markets. 

Updated 7/10/2023

Fresh seasonal fruits and veggies are loaded with nutrients needed to maintain wellness. Produce mentioned in this post is at the peak of flavor in the fall. 

In-season local produce is usually less expensive and fresher than stuff that is imported and/or has to travel thousands of miles to get to your market. 

Most of us know it's important to serve the freshest foods we can find at the most economical prices, don't we?

Note: I’ve mentioned this before in earlier posts, but it bears repeating. I encourage my readers to purchase certified organically grown foods. 

Ongoing research on organic foods shows that the likelihood of exposure to contaminants such as pesticides and heavy metals can be greatly reduced through the purchase of certified organic products. 

Now Back to my Fall Favorites


Sweet Potatoes are Healthy, Tasty, Fall Favorite
yellow and orange fleshed Sweet Potatoes, and deep purple skinned piece of Japanese Sweet Potato



SWEETPOTATOES and yams are comfort foods for me. Perhaps it's mouthwatering taste is the same reason that this tater is so popular for Thanksgiving dishes and autumn meals. 

Although sweet potatoes and yams taste sugary, eating them without butter or other fatty toppings is helpful in lowering your glycemic index and reducing your hunger and sweet cravings. 

Orange or golden yellow fleshed sweet potatoes are rich in fiber and nutrients including Vitamin C. Eat the skin as well as the rest of this vegetable to reap the best nutritional reward. 


Sweet potatoes are a good source of potassium, Vitamin B6, and magnesium too. All work to lower stress, and munching on a sweet potato is a healthy way to fill yourself up without filling you out. 


Sweet potatoes and yams are rich in beta-carotene, which can prevent Vitamin A deficiencies, promotes healthy eyesight, and generates retinol production for healthy skin. 


For a treat you and your family are sure to love try this delicious Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts recipe from Katie Koteen at Well VeganIt combines two of my featured veggies and is so delicious.










Apples are Tasty, Healthy, and Fall Favorite

APPLES are juicy, loaded with goodness, and make a perfect snack when you’re at home or on the go. Farmers nowadays grow thousands of varieties, ranging from sweet to tart. 

Red and Golden Delicious are among the sweetest apples. Pink Lady and Crispin are sweet and tart combined. Braeburn and Fuji apples are slightly tart. Granny Smith apples are the most tart, but retain their texture best during cooking. 


Whole apples are a much better nutritional choice than apple juice. Whole apples are richer in dietary fiber. Juicing drastically reduces the polyphenolic phytonutrient concentrations found in the whole fruit. 


Apples are loaded with vitamin C, and almost half of an apple's vitamin C content is just under the skin. That’s why it's important to eat apples with their skins. 


Apples contain insoluble fiber and water, which provides bulk and liquid in the intestinal tract that cleanses and moves food quickly through the digestive system. In addition, apples have soluble fiber, pectin. This nutrient helps prevent cholesterol from building up in the lining of blood vessels, which in turn helps prevent atherosclerosis and heart disease. 


Taste wise, apples are their best from September to November. Eat those that are organic and grown local for best flavor.

Tasty, Healthy, In-season Fruits and Veggies
Miso Sesame Seed Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Quinoa, Beet Greens, and Brussels Sprouts



BRUSSELS SPROUTS are strong (bitter) tasting and yet I love them. This dark green veggie has special cholesterol-lowering benefits. The most nutritious way to cook them is to steam them. 

The fiber-related components in Brussels sprouts do a better job of binding together with bile acids in your digestive tract, when the sprouts have been steamed. 

Want to lower cholesterol levels? Eat more steamed Brussels sprouts. This bold tasting green vegetable tops the list of commonly eaten cruciferous vegetables. 

Total glucosinolate (a phytonutrient and anti-cancer agent) content is greater than the amount found in mustard greens, turnip greens, cabbage, kale, or cauliflower. 

Consuming one cup of Brussels sprouts at 38 calories provides 195 percent of the DV for vitamin K, 125 percent of vitamin C, 3 grams of protein, and 10 percent or more of vitamin A, vitamin B-6, folate, potassium, and manganese needs for the day. Brussels sprouts fulfill your DV for calcium, with 37 mg per cup. 



Recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts


My favorite way to prepare Brussels sprouts is simple and satisfying.

I purchase 2 cups of Brussels sprouts or roughly a pound. I like those that are sold loose or on the stalk. That way, it's easy to pick and choose the best. Select small Brussels sprouts, as they are the most tender and sweet.


Clean off wilted outer leaves and cut off bottom. Soak for a few minutes and then rinse in cool water. Cut each sprout in half lengthwise, and place in a baking dish. Mince 5 or 6 cloves of garlic and sprinkle on sprouts. Pour 1/4 cup water over the sprouts and stir so water and garlic is spread throughout.


Roast in a covered baking dish or roasting pan in a preheated 425 degree F oven for 1/2 an hour.  

Test to see whether the sprouts are thoroughly cooked. Brussels sprouts should be crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. If they aren't crispy on the outside, brown them uncovered for 10 minutes more.

Drain off any water that remains and place on a platter or into a serving bowl. 

Drizzle on 1 Tablespoon of extra virgin cold pressed olive oil. Add fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste. If you'd like, add a splash of fresh squeezed orange, lemon, or lime juice for zing.

Since Brussels sprouts are in- season fall, winter, and early spring in most places, it's a great veggie to serve in those seasons.

Sprouts make a delicious addition to Thanksgiving, Christmas or Hanukkah, Easter, and Passover meals. 


Brussels sprouts are fall veggies that's nutritious and easy to make,







BUTTERNUT SQUASH is a favorite too. It is a type of fall/winter squash that has a sweet nutty taste and tan-yellow skin. The flesh is bright orange. 

Peel off the skin and roast the squash until tender. It makes a tempting side dish along with lentil or bean and rice burritos. Cut butternut squash into chunks and add it to a tossed salad. 

Butternut squash is low in calories but high in many nutrients including Vitamin A, Vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium.





PEARS are a luscious yellow, green, brown, or red skin fruit that keeps us hydrated. It contains a lot of water, and packs a variety of helpful nutrients. 

Each medium-sized pear provides about 24% of the Daily Value of fiber. Much of its fiber is in the form of pectin, which reduces cholesterol and decreases the risk of heart disease. 

The fiber in a pear also helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels, ensures bowel regularity, and reduces the risk of colon cancer. 

Pears are an ideal snack food that is a good source of vitamin C, and provide 190 mg of potassium. Pears have phytonutrients, including anti-inflammatory flavonoids, anticancer polyphenols and anti-aging flavonoids. 

Studies regarding pear nutrition have linked the fruit’s consumption with lower levels of constipation, kidney stones, high cholesterol, and even diabetes.

Well folks...that's my take on Favorite Fall Fruit and vegetables. Eat color intense fall produce to maintain your health as well as enjoy their distinctive flavors.

This post is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. Although I research and fact-check every post, if you seek medical or nutrition advice, see a health care provider.

Before you go, please take a moment to comment. 

Scroll down, and comment at the bottom of this post. Please no links in your comment as I won't publish it that way.


Please tell me about ways you like to serve fall fruits and vegetables. 


What new tips or facts did you learn about fall fruits and veggies? 


Why not let me know what are your fall favorites?


If you like what you see, like this on social media and drop by again.





This post is a feature at What’s for Dinner? Sunday link up 441. Thrilled and Delighted!!!




This post has been shared at What’s for Dinner? Sunday link up 440

This post has been shared at Senior Salon Pit Stop 274

This post has been shared at November 2022 Edition of The Hearth and Soul Link Party 

This post has been shared at Home Matters Linky Party-Thanksgiving and Christmas


14 comments:

  1. I love all fruits and vegetables... all! Even I have not tasted something I am always willing to do it! Thank you for your visit at my blog

    www.artdecorationcrafting.gr

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    1. Thanks Christina for the comment and visit. I will follow you on my feed so I can be updated when you post. Have a beautiful day.

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  2. Thanks Christina for your comment. You are so fortunate to like them all. Have a wonderful evening and please visit again.

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  3. Nancy,
    what a great idea to review fall fruits and vegetables! Those pears look so good. I'm looking forward to the fall harvest!

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    1. Thanks Judee. Have a great weekend and enjoy your fall favorities.

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  4. I love fall vegetables! Thank you for sharing this.

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  5. I love fall vegetables! Thanks for sharing this.

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  6. Nancy,thanks for this great read. I enjoy the Japanese Sweet Potatoes as those tend to be sweeter depending on how you cook them. Thanks for stopping by Le Château De Pierre.

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    1. Thanks Cristele. I love Japanese sweet potatoes as well. How do you fix them? Have a beautiful day and keep up the good work at your blog.

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  7. Replies
    1. Thanks Leslie for the visit and comment. Wishing you a fabulous day.

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  8. I love brussels sprouts! Thanks for sharing at the what's for dinner party.

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    1. Brussels sprouts are so healthy and delicious, I'd like to eat them all the time. I bought a 2 lb. bag and having a grand old time preparing them and freezing some for later. Thanks for hosting What's for Dinner Sunday Link up and keep up the good work.

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