Tis fall now in full swing and the time to find deals on seasonal produce that can help you cut your weekly grocery bills as well as help you eat healthy. Here are the fall fruits and veggies to watch for:
Apples - I prefer Michigan Apples not just because they help the local economy and I can get free ones from my parents orchard if I pick my own but because they are of fantastic quality. The Washington State Apples that do make their way to the Midwest are smaller and of course less fresh. Indiana Apples are also smaller and often infected with Apple Scale which doesn't hurt how edible the fruit is but does make it much less attractive. They can be a bargain often because of their less attractiveness which doesn't matter at all if you intend to peel the fruit anyway. I like to eat the peels myself because there is a wealth of nutrition in them.
Broccoli - Just harvested some yesterday from my garden as my bunny friend would rather eat my cabbages then the broccoli. Cabbage is cheaper so I grow cabbage mainly for him to eat and thus distract him from my more expensive veggies like the broccoli.
Brussel Sprouts- Always tasty if you can find them. Fairly easy to grow your own and if kept picked will continue to make more till the first frost kills them off.
Cabbage - One of the staple Polish veggies. The bunny that lives under my garden shed eats the center out of the ones I grow myself but the roadside stands in Michigan have some really nice cabbages often you can get 2 or more for a dollar. I go through lots of cabbage making Polish food.
Chinese Cabbage- Great in Stir-Frys...get that wok busy!
Cauliflower- A favorite that is a good deal this time of year and freezes well if cut up, blanched and bagged.
Celery Root- Awesome eaten raw but can also be prepared like you would mashed potatoes.
Chicory- I harvest my own as it is very common in the wild here and not something I use that much of anyway. Foolish to buy in this area anyway.
Cranberries- Tasty and can be easily frozen or dried if you find a good sale.
Cucumbers- Now is the time to stock up and get tired of them as they will be very expensive and far less flavorful over the winter.
Dates- Good prices on those now and always a good time to pick them up as they store well for the Christmas baking season. Think date cookies, muffins and bread!
Grapes- All colors, seedless and seeded they are a great buy. Keep some in the freezer for a frosty snack that's good for you!
Greens- Any salad greens are a good deal now at end of season. I avoid Iceburg lettuce like the plague but love all other varieties of lettuce. I grow a variety of them for tasty salads over the summer.
Mushrooms-Stumpers or Honey Mushrooms are found now wild in the woods. Always cook them, never eat raw and make sure you know what you have like any wild mushrooms. Store varieties are cheap now too and can be sliced and added to many of your favorite foods. If I have many I steam them in some water or stock then freeze to later use as a soup base. You want enough liquid to cover the mushrooms. A good reuse for cottege cheese containers as you can just pop the soup starter out of them after being thawed slightly.
Nuts- So easy to store and oh so good. Either harvested wild or store bought they are a good food to store away.
Okra- Yuck! I think you must be southern to eat that but I hear it goes well with raccoon or possom. I don't like the slimy texture myself. Slugs or snails have more protein.
Mandarin Oranges- So delicious when fresh and if canning fruit they are good mixed in to give some variety to your apples, peaches or pears.
Pears-Time to can those pears for winter eating and pear sauce oh so good!
Chile Peppers-Peppers can easily be dried just by using a piece of wire. Thread the peppers on the wire then bend the end into a convient hook for hanging up. Your chili will thank you!
Sweet Peppers-Good time to add more of these to your recipes be they green, orange, red or yellow.
Persimmons- Something I don't buy much of but do like.
Pomegranates- The best time to buy this otherwise expensive fruit. I like them raw, just peel a side open and pull the juicy seeds out to eat. My son and I like these for a snack while watching TV.
Potatoes-Reasonable year round but even better this time of year. You can get big baking potatoes for so little.
Quince-Great jam! Also look for wild gooseberries in the woods this time of year that are tart but good to add to a pie with other sweeter fruit or for jam.
Shallots- Great sliced into that soup base from mushrooms I told you to freeze.
Spinach-Lightly sauted with some garlic and olive oil or raw in a salad is the best way to eat spinach in my opinion.
Winter Squash-They will store well over the winter so stock up. I bake them in the oven with the peel on till soft then the peel will come right off. Mash and season with butter and some sea salt and pepper. In Indiana, they ruin squash with marshmellows, brown sugar and maple syrup..don't do that squash are like pumpkin and sweet potatoes naturally sweet so you don't need that. After mashed you can freeze it for a quick meal later that only needs to be thawed and warmed.
Star Fruit-Very expensive around here but a good time to try them if you haven't.
Sweet Potatoes-Nice long storage time like potatoes and so delicious cooked like a baked potato rather than all sugared up.
Wintergreen - In season in a woods near you. A tasty berry snack while hiking and have some natural properties that make them like wild aspirin that taste wonderful. Try not to overdo it on them but love to eat them and they do dry nicely. I make a icecream topping from them by cooking them down to a syrup consistancy.
Happy saving and eating! Check the comments for still more tips and suggestions!
Didn't catch the last podcast of the Julianna Michigan Show? You can find it on Itunes or from Podbean at http://juliannamichigan.podbean.com/ Progressive News, Politics and Music! Crossposted to The Julianna Michigan Show blog at http://juliannamichigan.wordpress.com/
