More and more people are learning about the benefits of eating seasonally – choosing your ingredients when they’re naturally in season – and how this practice can help us have better food and stay in touch with the natural world. While technological advances in agriculture mean that we can enjoy strawberries in December in the Northern Hemisphere, it does not ensure that this produce is high in quality. Everyone who has ever eaten a tough, tasteless winter tomato is aware that being able to grow it does not mean the food will be great.
This is one reason that so many people have begun to pay attention to when and where their food is produced. After all, in season, produce tastes better, plus it is better for you, too. It can be frustrating to need to wait for your favorite foods to be ready, but the taste and quality of these foods is worth it.
Once you remember that in season foods are the tastiest, you will not want to try them out of season. A peach in winter usually is not worth your time, after all. Delicious summer beets and peppers, spring spinach and lettuce, and many other foods just taste best in season.
For fall, there are all kinds of great options that do not get a lot of attention. Fresh corn and new potatoes come in at summer’s end, and as the autumn continues, you will get to enjoy nuts in season, hard winter squash, and the familiar pumpkins. If you have been making all your pumpkin pies out of a can, and you do not think much about this great vegetable beyond that, it might be time to think again.
Pumpkin is not just attractive, but a delicious, good for you choose with plenty of vitamin content and lots of fiber. In addition, this vegetable is easy to cook and works in dishes of all kinds – not just Thanksgiving and Halloween desserts. Make sure you eat pumpkin all autumn long.
Try roasting pumpkins with a little oil and some fresh or dried herbs, slicing it thinly to saute with other veggies, or including it in soups. A recipe for pumpkin soup offers you a delicious addition to the table, and it does not have to be sweet. Try roasted garlic or strongly flavored cheese with your pumpkin, ginger, pepper, and many other flavors.
Take the time to be a little adventurous, and you will be surprised by the results. Pumpkin soups and stews can make your fall dinners a lot more interesting. Pumpkin chili adds a sweet note to go with your cornbread and salsa. Pumpkin curry is wonderful over rice or Asian style noodles. The possibilities are almost endless!
Many of us are tired of having the same old thing, day after day. If you agree, seasonal eating, including great recipes for pumpkin soup, might be the right choice for you. Check out your options this fall and experience the difference.
