Skip to main content

Our Top 6 Fall Produce Picks

It’s almost autumn. And aside from cooler temps and shorter days, with fall comes a healthy harvest of tasty and nutritious produce. From root veggies to fabulous fall fruits, there are plenty of delicious options to fall for this season. Here are our top 6 fall produce picks: start incorporating them into your diet today.

1. Pumpkin

Scientifically named the Cucurbita pepo (“pepo” means “to ripen in the sun”), this quintessential fall favorite is good for more than decorating your front stoop. Pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamin A, which is important to eye health, as well as fiber, which can keep you feeling full. Together, the nutrients in pumpkins can also give a big boost to your immune system, which is pretty sweet considering we’re heading into flu season. Whip up a creamy pumpkin soup or incorporate it into your favorite baked goods! Be sure to check out the recipe section here on The Leaf for plenty of delicious pumpkin recipes. Get inspired by the healthy ideas below:

How to Stop Stress Eating

Read More

2. Beets

Beets are low in calories and sodium, and are fat- and cholesterol-free. These tasty superfoods are an excellent source of folate, and also provide fiber, potassium and vitamin C. Plus, beets are rich in naturally-occurring nitrates, which may help support healthy blood pressure and may even help boost athletic performance. A study, published in the April 2012 issue of The Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, demonstrated that subjects who consumed cooked beets experienced improved running performance. But these aren’t the only reasons beets beat other produce in our list of top picks. We love the fact that beets are actually edible from their roots to their leafy greens. Beet greens are loaded with nutrients and are similar in consistency and taste to spinach. Try them sautéed as a side to any of your meals. As for the beets themselves, try roasting or steaming them whole (don’t worry about peeling―the skin slides off after cooking) or slicing them thinly then baking them to create chips. You can also shred raw beets and add them to your favorite salads. A half cup cooked or one cup of raw beets counts as one Vegetable on Nutrisystem.

Try out this hearty dinner recipe for Miso Salmon with Kale and Beets! >

3. Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are low in fat, sodium and calories, and are cholesterol- and saturated fat-free. Plus, they dish out dietary fiber, vitamin C and folate. And although in some households they’ve gotten a bit of a bad flavor rap, the truth is, these nutritious little nuggets can be delicious! Try tossing them in a bit of olive oil and seasonings then roasting them, or steam them and top them with low fat cheddar cheese. On Nutrisystem, a half cup of cooked brussels sprouts counts as one Vegetable serving.

Need some healthy ideas to use up your Brussels sprouts? Check out some of our favorite ideas below:

5 “Healthy” Habits That Slow Your Weight Loss

Read More

4. Apples

A universal fall favorite, apples are full of nutrients and are a great source of dietary fiber. Just don’t peel them or you’ll risk losing two thirds of the fiber and a large portion of their antioxidants, which are contained in the peel. There are plenty of ways to enjoy apples: raw, baked with cinnamon, chopped up and added to your favorite salad or roasted veggie mix. Or try making your own applesauce in a slow cooker. Just core and quarter 10-12 medium apples (any variety will do), then placing them in the slow cooker along with two tablespoons of water, one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, a tablespoon of cinnamon and a teaspoon or so of nutmeg, then cooking on low for about three and a half hours. On Nutrisystem, one medium apple counts as one SmartCarb. If you try your hand at the homemade applesauce, count a half cup as one SmartCarb.

Nothing says fall like homemade pie. Try our easy recipe for Healthy Apple Pie! > The apples are so sweet, you don’t even need added sugar.

5. Sweet Potato

If you’ve ever tried a warm sweet potato with cinnamon, then you know just how delicious these starchy veggies can be. But the sweetest thing about these potatoes isn’t their taste―it’s all the body-boosting nutrition they provide, like vitamin C, calcium, potassium, iron and fiber. Plus, one medium, baked sweet potato serves up over 400 percent of your daily vitamin A needs. Just don’t mistake sweet potatoes for their cousins, yams, which contain fewer nutrients. Try slicing a sweet potato into wedges, spraying with zero-calorie cooking spray and sprinkling with cinnamon and nutmeg or your favorite seasonings, then baking. On Nutrisystem, a half cup of sweet potato counts as one SmartCarb.

If you love sweet potatoes, you’ll love the Nutrisystem-approved recipes below:

7 Snacks To Beat the Afternoon Slump

Read More

6. Parsnips

Resembling supersized white carrots, these tasty veggies are considered carrot cousins. They’re shaped like carrots, but have white flesh and a slightly stronger taste (think turnips or rutabagas). Not only are parsnips fat-free, cholesterol-free and low in sodium, they’re also a good source of fiber, and just one half cup of cooked parsnips yields more than 10 percent of your average daily requirement of vitamin C, folate and manganese. One of our favorite things about parsnips? Their versatility. They can be roasted, steamed, pureed, spiralized or even mashed. Try using them in place of potatoes in a mashed potato recipe, or swapping in shredded parsnips in place of cabbage in your favorite coleslaw recipe. On Nutrisystem, a half cup of raw parsnips count as one SmartCarb.

Parsnips can be used as a healthy swap for pasta. Try it out in this recipe for Parsnip Noodles with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce! >

The post Our Top 6 Fall Produce Picks appeared first on The Leaf.



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to Make a Healthy Charcuterie Board

There’s no question that charcuterie boards are currently all the rage. While it’s certainly not a new idea—in fact, charcuterie style eating dates back to the 15 th century in France, according to TimesColonist.com—social media has blown this trend up. Whether for the holidays or just an everyday get-together, a classic charcuterie board is a great way to entertain. While these delicious spreads are a ton of fun, they’re not necessarily known for being terribly healthy. After all, Oxford Languages defines charcuterie as “cold cooked meats.” A charcuterie board is traditionally known for featuring a wide variety of cured meats and cheeses. But that’s not to say that you must be resigned to certain choices. There are certainly ways to boost the nutrition power and make a healthy, low-calorie charcuterie board with ingredients that you and your guests will still love. Here are a few of our best tips. 5 Delicious Mocktail Recipes You’ll Love Read More Step 1: Make wise low-calo
Post a Comment
Read more

What is Ranch Water? The Summer Cocktail You Need to Try

Losing weight in the summertime can be tough. From unhealthy picnic food to drinks at the beach bar, it can be hard to resist the warm weather temptations that try to sabotage your success. However, with a little planning and some simple swaps, you can stay on track with your weight loss goals while still partaking in some summer fun! All you need is some healthy recipes for the grill , some summer-inspired sweet treats and a go-to, weight loss-friendly cocktail that you can sip on all season long. For us, that cocktail is Ranch Water; the refreshing beverage that’s easy to make, easy to enjoy and easy to incorporate into your weight loss plan! What is Ranch Water? In short, Ranch Water is the trendy summer cocktail that’s perfect for chilling out and staying cool in the summer heat. It’s a super simple drink that only requires three ingredients to make: Tequila Lime juice Topo Chico Mineral Water 1 Never had Topo Chico? This refreshing water is a naturally carbonated minera
Post a Comment
Read more

Here's when calories really matter

The divide continues to grow between those who swear by the “calories in vs. calories out” method and those who tout that body composition changes will come by following a nutrient-dense whole-food diet. When counseling clients, starting out many of them have these types of pre-conceived beliefs on how they should be losing weight or making changes to their body composition overall. Acknowledging calories continue to be a hot topic of conversation, we’ll dive into the science of calories, the complexity of them and when they really matter.   What is a calorie? A calorie, as we often see it on a nutrition label, is actually a kilocalorie. To make it simple for consumers, it became a Calorie with a capital C, and since then has been used so often without the capital C that we just use calorie. The true Calorie, or kilocalorie, is a measure of the energy required to raise one kilogram of water one degree Celsius. Originally, the calorie value of a food was determined by burning it, b
Post a Comment
Read more