Tomorrow is…. October.
WHAT?!
October 1, for some reason, is the most shocking date all year – I thought September was bad, but now that September has come and (almost) gone, I’m stunned that it’s October.
October, for me, is when fall really starts – the leaves are really starting to change, the sun goes down sooner, and the temperature drops. Plus, what’s more fall-esque than Halloween? Haha!
Also, I love fall and winter flavors more. I love pomegranates in my salads, roasted butternut squash and anything with brussels sprouts.
But, that means no more giant zucchinis to spiralize and no fresh tomatoes and basil. And you can kiss those fresh Jersey tomatoes and Jersey’s best sweet corn goodbye.
However, there are surprisingly MORE fall and winter veggies that can be spiralized (in comparison to summer.) You’ll slowly become frustrated at how absolutely tiny the zucchinis become in winter, but, at the same time, you’ll become excited to spiralize giant butternut squashes and sweet potatoes.
Here’s a guide (along with recipes) to get you through this zucchini drought – aka autumn/winter.
Keep in mind, I live on the East Coast in New Jersey, so thsi seasonality is contigent on our placement in the world. I understand that for those of you who live in warmer weather climates (ie Florida, California and other parts of the worlds), this list may not apply to. However, it may encourage you to follow along and try other veggies that you may not have otherwise tried!
If you’re looking for recipes and information on how to best prepare these Fall/Winter veggies and fruits, here’s a clickable guide:
- Apples
- Pears
- Broccoli
- Butternut squash
- Chayote squash
- Daikon radish
- Kohlrabi
- Sweet potatoes
- Turnips
- Celeriac (celery root)
- Parsnip
- Cabbage
- Rutabaga
Other veggies to consider:
- Carrots (prefer milder weather, like early fall)
- Beets (prefer mild cool weather, like spring and most of fall)
If you’re intimated by spiralizing large produce (ehem, butternut squash), don’t fret – the Inspiralizer makes it SO easy, I promise! Here’s an example of the Inspiralizer slicing right through a butternut squash:
Once you pick your vegetable noodle base, here are some other seasonal ingredients to keep in mind as you cook (that you may soon spot in your CSA boxes or at the farmer’s market):
- Pomegranate
- Brussels sprouts
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Radicchio
- Pumpkin
- Swiss chard
- Endive
- Escarole
- Kale
- Mustard Greens
Remember, eating seasonally at farmer’s markets is not only a great way to expand your palate, but a great way to support your local farmers while reducing your carbon footprint! It’s a win-win!
Nutrition Talk
In last week’s Module with IIN (see note at the end), the courses focused on the way the government suggests we eat, bio-individuality and introductory healthy cooking. Here is my biggest takeaway from last week and what I think might help you in your own healthy journey:
“One man’s food is another man’s poison” aka Bio-Individuality
Whenever a friend asks me, “What do you eat each day? I want to eat like that!” I always am hesitant to recommend my diet, because it may work terribly for someone else, and I’d hate to discourage someone. Bio-individuality basically suggests that all bodies are different and not all diets work for all bodies. Some diets may even work for us one day and not the other.
The perfect example of this is diet selection. Some people live a healthy, vegan diet, while others live a healthy Paleo diet. Both groups of people are healthy and happy, while the principles of each diet are very dissimilar.
All that should matter is that you should find a diet that works for you (and by diet I mean generally just the way you eat.) With this, you should also keep in mind that that diet may not work for you tomorrow or next year. Life happens, our bodies change, our tastebuds change and so many environmental factors can affect the way we eat.
My best advice? Don’t stick to a strict regimen. Be flexible, honest, and kind with your body. If you think vegetarianism is the best way to eat but your tastebuds can’t stand the taste of things like lentils and beans don’t sit well in your stomach, maybe that’s not the best diet for you and there are other ways you can incorporate those healthy nutritional principles into your own “regimen.”
What do you think of this week’s Nutrition Talk?
In case you missed a previous Nutritional Talk, every week, I’ll be sharing some takeaways from the courses I’m taking at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. If you’d like to start Nutrition School, IIN is offering anyone who signs up through Inspiralized a hefty discount off tuition. To learn more, click here.
Disclaimer: While IIN has offered these courses complimentarily to me, I have not been compensated in any other way and all opinions are always my own.
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