It’s been a summer filled with travel, family time and lots of lazy days reading books by the pool. I should mention that it has also been a summer filled with sangria, wood fired pizza and chips. If you fall into the “ooops, I had too much fun and didn’t pay attention to my food choices” category – no worries. You are not alone. Luckily we are entering one of the best food seasons of the year…harvest time. This is when we can enjoy those end-of-the-summer fresh vegetables and fruits. We all know that a diet high in fruits and vegetable is the key to ultimate health, so pile up your plates and get going on a plant-based diet.

When you are in the supermarket or passing by a farm stand look for any of the following:

-Corn and Squash. Yes, corn is one of those carbs that people like to villify but the occasional piece of sweet corn won’t do you any harm. It’s got fiber, Vitamin A and Iron in it. Squash is a fall staple and also very healthy for you. So have some roasted corn on the cob or roast up some delicious squash!

Parmesan Roasted Corn:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/142410/parmesan-roasted-corn-on-the-cob/

Apples. An apple a day keeps the doctor away! We have all heard this before but there seems to be some real science to it. Apples are loaded with fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and antioxidants. Apples are so portable for snacking and do well in sandwiches and salads too.

https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20000621/benefits-of-eating-fruit#1

Peas, Peppers and Potatoes. Say that one three times fast! All of these are delicious and easy to prepare. One of my favorite ways to get my kids to eat veggies is to cut them up into crudités and just leave them on the kitchen counter. When they pass by they tend to pick up a piece or two and graze. Sweet snap peas, peppers, cucumbers, celery all are great choices. Potatoes are also a favorite in this house. My favorite is mashed sweet potatoes and I often use the recipe listed below.

https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/mashed-sweet-potatoes/

-Beets, Eggplant and Cabbage are also in season and are absolutely delicious and loaded with nutrients. Eggplant is an excellent substitute for meat in sandwiches and so easy to make. Roast it up and use it for a few days in salads and sandwiches.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/29942/eggplant-sandwiches/

Happy Back to School everyone and welcome to a healthy and happy fall!