Seasonal Produce for Fall

It’s about to be September, people. SEPTEMBER. WHAT IS HAPPENING?

That month ends with an “r” so that means I can officially start talking about all things autumn. (Yes, I know technically fall isn’t until September 22, but that doesn’t coincide with my “r” rule.)

People love to bitch and moan about meal prep. “It makes too much for one person.” “I don’t like to eat the same thing every day.” “It’s too much work.” “The food is too boring.”

I don’t think there’s any reason why your food should be boring and flavorless. And if you cook meals that you like, why wouldn’t you want to eat it every day, at least for a week? (Hello, microwave; goodbye, dishes!)

One of the tricks to having a delicious and varied rotation of recipes is knowing what’s in season and choosing recipes appropriately. Nowadays a wide selection of fruits and vegetables are available to us year-round via imports to the local supermarket. So aside from the obvious (watermelon in summer, pumpkin in fall, etc.) it’s easy to forget that most produce still has a “peak” season, and will be its most flavorful during that time. For instance, blueberries peak in North America between April and September. I had a hell of a good time with them in my Lemon Blueberry Cake, but I probably won’t make that again until next spring.

So what’s on deck for autumn? Here’s a list to get you started:

Apples (Honeycrisp, anyone?)
Brussels sprouts and cabbage
Cranberries
Pears
Pomegranates
Butternut squash
Spaghetti squash
Acorn squash
Pumpkin (duh)
Sweet potatoes
Cauliflower
Shallots
Corn
Artichoke
Raspberries
Tomatoes
Mushrooms
Plums
Beets

Spaghetti squash is one of my favorite alternatives to pasta during the fall and winter months. Butternut squash and Brussels sprouts are both delicious with bacon (what isn’t?). You can infuse poultry with some really amazing flavor by cooking it with apples.

So get creative and spice up some of your tried and true meal prep recipes by adding fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables for variation year-round. And hey, if you come up with something really delicious, you’ll have something to look forward to making again year after year.

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