Fall Fare

As I like to cook and eat seasonally and locally-grown produce as much as possible, we've transitioned from the summertime meals (of grilled fish, corn and tomatoes, etc.) to the fall meal season in my kitchen. Here are some fresh ideas for fall that I've whipped up that I recommend you try:

• Roasted pear and fig salad over fresh arugula with walnuts and gorgonzola: pears are a great fall fruit that taste lovely fresh and cooked, if you haven't tried it. For this salad I sliced Bosc pears (Asian pears or Anjous also work well in salads) and gave them a quick roasting to caramelize the sides, so the fruit juices dripped on to the greens to flavor the plate. A nice quick dressing for this salad is to whisk olive oil with apple cider vinegar and a bit of Dijon mustard for a nice fall flavor drizzled over every bite.


• Brussel sprouts sauteed with green apple, pumpkin butter and raisins: this side dish combines autumn vegetables and fruits with the nutty-sweet pumpkin undertone and smattering of raisins like plump little nuggets of sweetness throughout the savory sprouts. I added some red pepper flakes to this to give it an extra kick, as I'm a spicy girl, but it stands alone either way. Brussel sprouts pair well with proteins like pork chops, but I served it with crispy baked tofu topped with applewood barbeque sauce. Delish.


• Mashed sweet potatoes topped with sauteed baby bok choy, maple-glazed carrots, and dried cranberries: this dish celebrates the colors of fall with the bright orange sweet potatoes and carrots mixed with the dark leafy greens, and fuses the flavors of savory and sweet. I mashed the sweet potatoes with some cayenne and cumin to spice up the natural sweetness, with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg and roasted turnips to add another healthy veggie to the meal. This meal would work just as well with kale or swiss chard, whatever you find at your local farmer's market that day. Be creative and see what you create!

Next concept I'm excited to try:

• Pumpkin kibbeh: sauteed spinach with chickpeas and walnuts served inside of a pumpkin - the gourd doubles as a festive bowl!