Fabulous Fall Foods

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I love fall…crisp weather, leaves change to vibrant colors and the food of the season. From pumpkin breads to roasted squash soup, the produce of the season beckons you to the kitchen.

Last weekend I made pumpkin pancakes. They were easy to make. The recipe, courtesy of the Dairy Council of Florida, is up at the Nutrition & Health Center so you can make them. Click on recipes. This pancake recipe uses canned pumpkin which is available year round but promoted more this time of year. You can mix up the pancake batter in about 10 minutes. I like the combination of pumpkin and raisins so I added raisins and some chopped nuts into the batter at the very end.

These pancakes are tasty and you serve up a plateful of nutrition. Pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamin A (think eye health) and a source of fiber plus it includes a variety of antioxidants called carotenoids. The dark orange color of the pumpkin flesh is your clue that it’s a nutrition powerhouse.

Have you tried butternut or acorn squash? Both are considered winter squashes because they are at their peak this time of year. The acorn squash has a hard, dark green skin and fairly round in shape. The inside flesh is orange-yellow in color. It will keep in a cool place for about a month but doesn’t need to be refrigerated. Here’s a quick way to prepare it in the microwave. Cut the squash in half and clean out the seeds and stringy pulp. Throw this part away.

Put the squash cut side down in a microwave-safe dish. Add a little water, about ¼ cup or four tablespoons. Microwave on high 5 to 7 minutes until the squash is tender. That’s it. While the squash is in the microwave, mix together a few of your favorite things to top it with. I like to combine a touch of my favorite butter or margarine with a few chopped pecans or walnuts, dried cherries and a sprinkle of brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix it together. Take the squash out of the microwave, turn it over and spoon your mixture into the center. How easy was that? Now, enjoy! Acorn squash is an excellent source of beta carotene (again the orange-yellow flesh color is your clue) and also contains iron and vitamin c.

Here’s a simple way to do a baked apple in the microwave in less than five minutes. By the way, don’t use McIntosh, Gala or Red Delicious for baked apples as the texture breaks down with the heat and they become mushy. Core the apple almost to the bottom but not all the way through. Peel a small strip of skin around the middle or center circumference of the apple so the steam escapes and it doesn’t explode while heating in the microwave. Put the apples in a made-for-microwave dish and fill the center with a mixture of cinnamon, brown sugar, your favorite chopped nuts and a little orange juice. Cover and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes per apple. Let stand three minutes and enjoy. This is such a fast and healthy way to prepare a baked apple and it’s almost like a dessert when it’s baked. You’ll love it and it’s so easy.