How to Use Up Fall Fruits and Vegetables
Before the frost creeps in, it’s time to bring in the delicious fruits and vegetables from the garden! Here are some simple ideas of how you could transform your fall vegetables:
Bake Them
Use up your apples by blending them into baked goods. They add extra nutrients and fibre, with natural sugars as a sweetener for your baked items. Apple puree goes well in almost any muffin (like this Spiced Carrot Lentil Muffins recipe), loaf, and even baked oatmeal recipe. (Chocolate Raspberry Baked Oatmeal, anyone?) Since apple puree adds moisture and texture, it is often used instead of oil in baked goods!
Use up your extra carrots or over-sized zucchini in your baked goods. Shredded zucchini is delicious in waffles and bakes well into a chocolate zucchini loaf. Shredded carrots go well in carrot cake, of course! They also add a moist, delicious texture to apple or banana nut muffins. Try it with our back-to-school Banana Berry Mini Muffins or Spiced Carrot Lentil Muffins, perfect for packed lunches!
Jar Them
Use up your berries by making delicious jams, jellies, and spreads! Add spice and herbs to a jarred tomato relish.
Boil and jar whole peeled tomatoes or pureed tomatoes for a classic homemade pasta sauce or marinara sauce.
Prepare for October baking: cook, puree, and jar pumpkins so that you can later use the puree in homemade pumpkin pies or pumpkin muffins!
Pickle Them
Pickle your cucumbers and add dill for your classic dill pickle! You can also pickle extra onions, green beans, and beets, adding in your favourite spice blend.
Dehydrate Them
Dehydrate thin apple slices into chips—this makes a delicious, shelf-stable snack. Sprinkle ground cinnamon over the apple slices before dehydrating them for a kick of flavour!
Use up extra berries by dehydrating them as well. Mix the dried berries into homemade trail mix with toasted nuts, coconut, and pumpkin seeds. Or, sprinkle the berries into a homemade granola!
By Susan Sommerville – Registered Nutritionist/Dietitian
Inspired? Check out our recipes page for some nutritious meal ideas. Or, book an appointment to meet one of our nutritionists in person!
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