4 Fall Veggies to Add to Your Shopping List

The Best Fall Veggies – and How to Make Them!

It’s officially fall and you know what that means: hay rides, cinnamon candles, bonfires, cozy sweaters, and arguably the most important part, food.

There’s something about the immediate switch in cravings from cold smoothies and fresh salads to warm beef stew and a nice fire cider hot toddy. The veggies in fall also tend to be a lot denser, giving them a slow release of good, carb-heavy nutrients for sustained energy. 

Fair warning – this blog will make you hungry, so make yourself a hearty vegetable curry or a cup of hot cocoa (we’ll wait…) and come back to read all about the delicious line-up of fall veggies you need to add to your shopping list this season.

For even more fall recipes and nutrition-based advice, book a free session with a certified personal trainer today who can help you create a customized nutrition plan for your individual needs!

Pumpkin

Did you think we would start with any other vegetable for blog about fall foods? The pumpkin, queen of coffee, candles, and making funny faces, this sturdy vegetable is packed with dietary fiber, beta carotene (orange you glad your eyes work so well?), and good carbs.

It’s also incredible versatile and shelf-stable due to its edible shell. Cook it, roast it, puree it – pumpkins are the perfect vegetable for those who love to experiment in the kitchen.

Best Way to Cook Pumpkin

While yes, we do love a good post-dinner pumpkin pie slice, we also think that pumpkin is under-utilized as a side dish. It’s so often used in a bread, muffin, or pie dish that we forget it can be savory, too!

Here is our simple recipe for creating a wow-worthy pumpkin pie side dish.

1. Take one small pumpkin and scrape out the insides
2. Cut into small cubes, remove the top
3. Sprinkle oil over the pumpkin cubes and add seasoning (we recommend garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, sage, and sea salt)
4. Place in a 140-degree oven for around 35-40 minutes (low and slow)
5. Let cool and enjoy!

Sweet Potatoes

Right behind pumpkin is the second most loved fall veggie, the sweet potato. Considered a super food for a good reason, this nutritional powerhouse has it all: beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and potassium. Sweet potatoes also have a much lower glycemic index than its cousin, the potato and are great for your heart, muscles, and skin.

Best Way to Cook Sweet Potatoes

As well as being a beautiful, orange color, sweet potatoes can be cooked in a variety of ways. For self-proclaimed bad cooks, this veggie is your dream; you literally cannot mess it up. Our favourite way to eat a sweet potato is, of course, next to a juicy cheeseburger as a sweet potato fry.

Here is our simple recipe for sweet potato fries.

1. Take 1-2 sweet potatoes can slice them in quarters – not too thin or they will shrink
2. Peel skin or leave it on (who has time to skin a sweet potato, let’s be honest)
3. Add your favourite seasonings; we love smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and parsley
4. Put in a hot oven (220 – 245-degrees) for around 40 minutes.
5. Add ketchup or siracha and enjoy!

Cauliflower

In the last few years, cauliflower has had a major glow up. It used to be that cauliflower was known as broccoli’s less funny half-sister, but now it’s the chosen alternative to your usual carb-heavy favourites, like rice and mashed potatoes. And for good reason, as cauliflower is loaded with fiber, phytonutrients, and B-vitamins.

Best Way to Cook Cauliflower

Before you ask, no, we will not be giving you a cauliflower rice recipe.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, here is our favourite easy-to-make fall recipe for cauliflower popcorn!

1. Take a head of cauliflower and break it into small-medium chunks
2. Drizzle olive oil, garlic powder, and salt and toss, evenly coating each piece
3. Bake in a 200-degree oven for 15-20 minutes
4. Let cool and enjoy!

Brussel Sprouts

Brussel sprouts tend to get a bad rap for being a somewhat stinkier vegetable, but when cooked right, they are so delicious, tender, and flavourful! For anyone on a lower calorie diet, this fall veggie is a great option as they are low in calories, but high in vitamin K, fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants.

Best Way to Cook Brussel Sprouts

In true Canadian fashion, the only way to cook brussels sprouts is in maple syrup and topped with crispy bacon. It gives both a savory and sweet option that is a fan favourite for even the pickiest of eaters.

Here is our version of a super simple maple bacon brussels sprout.

1. First, cook your bacon until crisp and set aside
2. Saute your brussels sprouts (can be in the same pan as the bacon for ease) for about 5 minutes, making sure they’re lightly browned, but not burnt
3. Add in your maple syrup, salt, and a little pepper.
4. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, covering your pan.
5. Cook until brussels sprouts are tender (around 8-10 minutes) and add in your bacon
6. Transfer to a bowl and enjoy!

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