So long tomatoes and watermelon… hello brussels sprouts, apples, and acorn squash! Shop at your local Farmers’ Market to embrace the produce of the fall and winter seasons. If you need some extra motivation to say goodbye to summer fruits and vegetables (even if they’re at your grocery store year-round), take a look at some mouth-watering recipes for seasonal produce below.
Breakfast Apple Granola Crisp
Recipe by Smitten Kitchen
3 pounds* of whatever apples, or mix of apples, you like to bake with, peeled, cored and cut into medium chunks
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup flour
2 cups oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened, as you wish; I used unsweetened)
Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix apple chunks with lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and pinch of salt in a 9×13-inch baking dish until apples are evenly coated. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with the honey. Stir in the flour, oats, almonds, coconut and another pinch of salt until clumps form. Sprinkle evenly over the apple mixture and bake in the oven for about 45 to 55 minutes, or until the apples are softened and bubbly. Should the granola brown before you wish it to, cover the baking dish carefully with foil for all but the last few minutes of baking time, when removing the foil will help the granola recrisp. Cool to room temperature and then stash in the fridge to eat with your morning yogurt.
Check out the Smitten Kitchen website for more seasonal recipes: https://smittenkitchen.com/in-season/
Roasted Acorn Squash
Recipe from Southern Living
1 (1- to 2-lb.) acorn squash
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Preheat oven to 400°. Cut acorn squash in half; remove and discard seeds. Cut squash into 1/2-inch slices. Place squash, cut sides up, on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Microwave butter and honey at HIGH 1 minute or until melted; stir until blended. Brush cut sides of squash with butter mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, 45 min or until tender; let stand 10 minutes. Cut into large pieces and serve. Garnish with sage sprigs, if desired. Makes 4 servings. Prep: 10 min., Bake: 45 min.
Looking for a sweet take on roasted winter squash? Check out this easy recipe.
Pan-Browned Brussels Sprouts
Recipe by Epicurious
1/2 pound Brussels sprouts
2 large garlic cloves
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Trim Brussels sprouts and halve lengthwise. Cut garlic into very thin slices. In a 10-inch heavy skillet (preferably well-seasoned cast iron) melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil over moderate heat and cook garlic, stirring, until pale golden. Transfer garlic with a slotted spoon to a small bowl. Reduce heat to low and arrange sprouts in skillet, cut sides down, in one layer. Sprinkle sprouts with pine nuts and salt to taste. Cook sprouts, without turning, until crisp-tender and undersides are golden brown, about 15 minutes.
With tongs transfer sprouts to a plate, browned sides up. Add garlic and remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until pine nuts are more evenly pale golden, about 1 minute. Spoon mixture over sprouts and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.
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See a list of local Farmers’ Markets on the County’s website. Want to know what produce is in season right now? Check out Cuesa’s Seasonality Charts: http://www.cuesa.org/eat-seasonally/charts
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