The ABC's of October Produce

Seasonal Spotlight

Can you feel the weather change? It’s officially fall and seasonably cool temperatures remind us that it’s time for cozy scarves, football Sunday and more time in the kitchen making hearty heartwarming dishes like slow cooked chili, roasted vegetables and warm baked goods.  While the autumn harvest brings a bounty of colorful and nutritious produce to experiment with, here are a few of our picks to raise your culinary game.

Apple: Did you know that the first apples cultivated in the New World were grown from seeds brought by the Pilgrims?  The iconic sweet, tart and crisp fall fruit is satisfying when eaten raw or cooked into dishes and delivers about 20% of your daily fiber needs.  For example, the Red Delicious apple has twice as much fiber and 45% more antioxidants when eaten with the skin!  Add to a salad for a sweet and crunchy change.

Brussels Sprouts: These small cruciferous vegetables, about 1-1.5 inches in diameter, look like mini cabbages, but offer a milder flavor.  Just one serving provides almost all of your bone building vitamin K needs for the day and is a source of antioxidants that protect eye health.  Roasted, steamed or sautéed, Brussels sprouts are versatile to prepare to accommodate any taste.

Cabbage: This cancer fighting vegetable is a culinary mainstay in Germany, Austria and Poland.  Now it’s in the limelight in its fermented form, kimchi, which is a traditional Korean side dish that contains the same kinds of healthy bacteria found in the human gut.  Cabbage is an excellent source of Vitamins K and C, and like Brussels sprouts, it contains phytochemicals that may help prevent cancer.  When eaten in the fermented form, you’ll get an added probiotic benefit!Try our new DOLE Slawesome! Kit with our Fiesta Fish Tacos to take advantage of this easy way to eat cabbage year round!

Published October 1, 2018