Continuing with our blog posts about seasonal eating it is time to talk about fall! Here’s some info to jog your memory about some of the benefits we discussed in previous posts: Eating seasonally means the ability to choose locally grown produce. This reduces shipping and processing, therefore reducing waste in the environment.

In-season produce is proven to be more nutritious, but eating seasonally also has other health benefits. Many people draw on wisdom from holistic methods and traditional Chinese Medicine to come to the conclusion that the body naturally needs certain foods that protect based on the time of year. The way we cook also plays a role in this. For example, in the cold winter months our bodies naturally crave hot and moist foods like soup. This is creating the perfect balance to counteract what is happening to our bodies in the cold, dry season of winter.

Now on to Seasonal Fall Eating…

This is taken from Delicious Living Magazine “Beginner’s Guide to Seasonal Eating.”

Health Focus of this season is storing energy and building immunity.

“This is a time of gathering in, preparing for cold winter months, and shoring up the immune system in the face of cold, dry, windy weather. Fall gives us immune building foods rich in beta-carotene, like pumpkin, squash, and kale. Those foods also provide extra sweetness while stabilizing blood sugar, to keep us energized as the days get shorter. According to TCM, sour foods like sauerkraut, lemons, olives, and tart apples gather in the scattered energy of summer, and pungent foods like chiles, onions, garlic, and ginger clear toxins before winter sets in.

What to choose: Apples, pears, brussel sprouts, winter squash, pumpkin, persimmons, garlic, carrots, kale, chard, broccoli, cauliflower.

Cooking Methods: Stir-frying, sautéing, steaming, and braising add heat and water, which prepare the body for the cold, dry winter months ahead.

We will be uploading some fall recipes so check back!