The feel-good flavors of Autumn.

Author: be well™ with Big Y^® Registered Dietitian Team

If you’re someone who loves to spend time in the kitchen, you’ll probably agree there is no better time to be cooking and baking than in the fall. As days get cooler, warming up the house with smells of cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla simply can’t be beat. Local farms are harvesting beautiful produce ‍–‍ from crisp, sweet apples and vibrant red cranberries to savory squash and hearty pumpkin ‍–‍ so let’s dive into the flavors of the season and cook up some feel‍-‍good autumn treats.

Apples

According to the USApple Association, over 100 different varieties of apples are grown in the United States. While scanning your grocer’s apple display, take a minute to see if you can spot any you haven’t tried before. When cooking and baking with apples, use multiple varieties to build complexity in any dish.

Make All Forms Fit: Use both fresh and 100% juice by making these perfectly‍-‍portioned Mini Walnut Apple Pies. While less common, you may find apples in frozen fruit blends which lend themselves well to sauces and smoothies. Use dried apples when making homemade granola and canned in hand pies or crumb bars.

Cranberries

If you’ve ever had the chance to visit a cranberry bog, you know how much care goes into getting them from field to plate. These bright red gems are harvested for a limited time out of the year, so snatch up bags of America’s Original Superfruit^® while you can.

Make All Forms Fit: Utilizing frozen cranberries in this Orange Scented Cheesecakes with Cranberry Chutney recipe is the perfect way to enjoy them year‍-‍round. Jellied cranberry makes a delicious spread and filling for baked goods and don’t forget to stir dried cranberries into batters for added nutrition.

Winter Squash

Acorn, butternut, delicata, oh my! With so many different types to choose from, winter squashes are the perfect ingredient for both sweet and savory dishes. Did you know, pumpkins are also considered a type of winter squash? Simply keep in mind smaller varieties like sugar or pie pumpkins are best for baking. Expert tip: Don’t forget to bake the seeds from your winter squashes for a perfect snack or crunchy texture added to soups, yogurt and salads.

Make All Forms Fit: Winter squash is typically sold in its fresh form. With butternut squash, though, you can often find it in frozen, ready‍-‍to‍-‍roast forms as well ‍– for busy weeknight dinners. For a restaurant‍-‍worthy plant‍-‍based dish, go savory using fresh butternut with this Ravioli with Butternut Squash, Walnuts and Chard recipe. Or, pull out the canned pumpkin with these irresistible Easy Pumpkin Pancakes. You can’t go wrong with either!