Top 5 Healthy, Easy to Prepare, Fall Foods

When fall arrives, produce stands fill with pumpkins, sweet potatoes, acorn squash, kale and more. Dinner planning incorporates as much fresh produce into the meal as we can. It's healthy and tastes great. With all the choices, it's hard to know which is the best for your family's menu plan.

I've compiled a list of the five best, based on nutritional value and ease of use. After all, healthy food that takes hours to prepare isn't likely to appear on the average family's dinner table.

Pumpkin. Pumpkin, that bright orange gourd known best for carving at Halloween, is rich in beta-carotene, an important antioxidant the body converts to vitamin A. According to the University of Illinois, beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain kinds of cancer and help fight heart disease. It is also rich in fiber and many minerals. This versatile fruit is much more than a holiday pie. It can be prepared as a main dish, side dish, breakfast item or dessert. (You can often substitute sweet potatoes or acorn squash for the pumpkin in many of these recipes.) Try these great pumpkin dishes:

• Spiced pumpkin pancakes. These delicious pancakes smell like fall, perfect to welcome the family to a chilly Saturday morning.
• Pumpkin soup. This savory soup works well with dried herbs as well if you don't have fresh available. I substitute skim milk for the cream for a lighter version. Great with a hunk of warm, whole-grain bread.
• Herbed pumpkin. This rich side dish will certainly help you see pumpkin in a whole new way. It's easy to prepare and tastes incredible. I don't add sugar to mine to let the rich pumpkin flavor shine through.

Apples. If you're like me, knowing which apple to use for which preparation is hard to remember. I cheat and use this awesome chart instead. However you prepare your apples, they are rich in fiber and vitamin C. This sweet fruit, which is higher in sugar than some other fall foods, is a great dessert, simply sliced and served. It can also be used to enrich the flavor of many dishes. Two of my favorites are:

• Crock pot herbed pork roast. This tender roast is rich in herb flavor, balanced by the sweet notes of the apple. The juice left over in the pot reduces nicely to make a flavorful gravy, just pour into a saucepan and simmer until it thickens a little bit
• Chicken sandwiches. This recipe is great for leftover chicken (or turkey). Served on whole grain buns, this is a satisfying weekend meal that requires little preparation.

Kale and Swiss Chard. Growing up in the north, I wasn't familiar with these dark green, leafy vegetables. I couldn't imagine a cooked "lettuce" tasting good. Wrong! Kale and swiss chard (chard is available earlier in the season than kale)  not only taste great, they are incredibly healthy. They're packed with lutein, which protects the eyes from macular degeneration, beta carotene, vitamins C, E and folate and minerals for strong bone strength. Try these recipes, and add a new food to your family's menu too:

• Kale with pancetta (or bacon). It's true, everything's better with bacon. There's only a small amount of bacon in this delicious recipe -- and I cut that in half. It's still scrumptious.
• Swiss chard wraps. Swiss chard replaces bread in these vegetarian wraps with mozzarella and tomato. 

Cabbage. This dense leafy vegetable is rich in vitamin C and fiber. Cabbage is thought to help fight against many types of cancer. You might be deterred by the smell of cabbage, which is most intense when boiled for five to seven minutes. To lessen the smell, boil less than five minutes. You can also add a stalk of celery or half of a lemon to the water to offset the smell. With that complaint taken care of, try these recipes:

• Braised red cabbage. This quick, simple recipe brings out the best in cabbage -- and apples! It's a great side dish to accompany just about any dish. Serve it as a side dish with roast chicken or pile it high on a burger with swiss cheese.
• White bean and cabbage soup. You can also prepare this rich soup in a crock pot. At step two, place all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low all day. 

Pecans. You probably know that nuts, including pecans, are high in healthy monounsaturated fats. Did you know they are also rich in fiber, 19 vitamins and minerals and protein? Their only drawback, like so much else, is too much of a good thing is bad. Add healthy pecans to your diet, but know the serving size. One ounce of pecans, or nineteen pecan halves, is one serving at 193 calories. Enjoy these healthy recipes that incorporate pecans without overdoing it.

• Spiced pecans. This quick recipe provides a crunchy holiday snack, great for parties. No one needs to know how easy it is or how healthy!
• Lemon pecan green beans. The pecan, lemon and rosemary in this dish elevate everyday green beans to something truly special. (NOTE: This link takes you to a page full of delicious pecan side dish recipes. Enjoy each and every one!)

These five fall foods are highly nutritious, easy to prepare and versatile. Once you're familiar with them, you can modify the recipes here or experiment and make your own. Healthy, delicious fall eating is just that simple. Enjoy!

Have a favorite fall recipe that you'd like to share? Please take a moment to share it with the rest of us!