Fall Vegetables

As summer approaches to its end, we all look forward to autumn and some healthy vegetarian cooking. As much as we all like summer, autumn is another beautiful season, with its gold and yellow colors, the crisp air and its, still yet, clear blue sky.

As the summer months end, we look for different types of vegetables that we can cook on the stove. Or if the weather still permits, on the barbeque. There are many vegetables that one can enjoy during the months of fall. Late August, beginning of September is a good time to buy tomatoes and eggplant. As we get more into the fall months broccoli, sweet potatoes, acorn squash, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, swiss chard, pumpkins and beets are in good supply.

By eating red vegetables like tomatoes, we take in nutrients like lycopene which help reduce the risk of prostate cancer and lower blood pressure. Carrots, yams and squash contain beta-carotene, potassium, and vitamin C along with lycopene. Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cabbage, kale, spinach and brussel sprouts contain fiber, calcium, and vitamin C. All these nutrients reduce cancer risks, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and can reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence.

In these three months of autumn, different areas of the world can enjoy some kind of fall vegetables and fruits. Starting in late September, tomatoes, apples and eggplant are a great source of fall vegetables. In October one can find in the supermarket or farmer's market fresh artichokes in peak season, along with pumpkins, mustard greens, leeks and kale. November is the month for cranberries, dill, spinach, bosc pears and winter squash. December brings us brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, mandarin oranges, rutabaga and turnips.

There are many ways one can cook fall vegetables. Some of them can be incorporated into stews, soups, broiled in the oven, or, if the weather permits grilled on the barbeque.

Eggplant: It's at its peak in September. It can be peeled, sliced thinly, and broiled or grilled with just a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. It can also be grilled whole, till soft, and then peeled and chopped up. Incorporate half chopped red onion, parsley and olive oil in the mix and you have baba ganoush.

Tomatoes: Also at their peak at the end of September. They can be used for spaghetti sauce, or hollowed out and stuffed with ground turkey and rice and baked in the oven. They can also be sliced, along with cucumber and a banana pepper, drizzled with some olive oil, and you have a Greek village salad.

Mustard greens, Kale and Leeks: They are at their peak in October. They can be boiled, drizzled with olive oil and served as a side dish. Leeks make an excellent cream of leek soup.

Spinach and cranberries: They are at their peak in November and December and there are abundant uses for both of them. Fresh baby spinach can be used as a salad with fresh cranberries, a red onion chopped, and drizzled with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. It can be blanched and mixed with cooked pasta, or just boiled, drained and mixed up with crumbled feta cheese, a couple of eggs, beaten, and baked in the oven for a nice vegetarian quiche. As for the cranberries, they can be used for stuffing, cranberry pies or cranberry jam.

Swiss chard: It's at its peak in December. It can be blanched and tossed with olive oil, crumbled feta cheese, and a drizzle of soy sauce.

Broccoli and brussel sprouts: They are at their peak in December. They can be boiled and used as a salad, drizzled with olive oil and the juice of half a lemon.

As for fall fruits, there are apples, bosc pears and tangerines that can be eaten plain or used to make desert. Apples can be baked whole, with the core hollowed out, stuffed with brown sugar and nuts and baked in the oven. Or can be peeled, sliced and layered in a pie and then baked. The same for bosc pears.

Autumn is a beautiful season to enjoy fall fruits and vegetables. It's a great season to spend time with family and friends and enjoy the abundance of Mother Earth.