Healthy Chicks

I’m a huge advocate of eating with the seasons, as nature intended us to. After all, there’s a reason that berries come into season in the summertime to cool us off, and hearty vegetables like squash and potatoes become more available in the winter to provide insulation during the colder months.

Unfortunately, genetically modified crops and shipping food across the country makes every fruit, vegetable and grain available all season long. While some may think this is a good thing (watermelon in December!) I encourage you to take a step back and think about what this means. Is consuming blueberries in January, or bananas that have been shipped from South America natural? Does it really make sense to eat this way?

Now that we’re entering autumn, I challenge you to experiment eating with the seasons. Here are some fall staples to get you started:

• Pears: Mix them into a salad with spinach, quinoa and goat cheese for a delicious & easy lunch

• Cauliflower: Cut the calories in your “mashed potatoes” with cauliflower instead of potatoes, or roast it to make one of my favorites: Balsamic & Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower from Eating Well.

• Apples: Pick your own apples before apple season comes to an and, and use them to make homemade apple crisp, or pair them with natural peanut butter or aged cheddar cheese for a healthy snack.

• Walnuts: I’m all about walnuts this fall! Make your own pesto with walnuts, basil, olive oil, garlic and parmesan cheese, use them for salad toppings or make your own trail mix with mixed nuts, dried fruit and dark chocolate chips.

• Sweet Potatoes: Dice ’em up into wedges, coat with olive oil, salt, pepper and herbs and bake for about 30 minutes to make sweet potato fries! I also love mashing them up and mixing with cinnamon and a dash of agave syrup for a sweet & savory side dish.

• Pumpkin: This signature fall item can be added into oatmeal, morning smoothies, or used in a homemade pumpkin pie.

• Squash: Play with different types of squash this season, like making homemade Spaghetti (Squash) & Turkey Meatballs a la Martha Stewart.

• Dates: Stuff ’em with peanut or almond butter, or use them to make these No-Bake Gluten Free Brownie Balls.

What are your must-have fall staples or favorite fall recipes?