Start Fall with Healthier Eating habits!

Fall Recipes

Celebrate pumpkin season! Check out the Pumpkin 5 Ways infographic and recipes:

Get creative with pumpkin and add to smoothies, pancakes, soups, salads, and more. Incorporate some of these into your Thanksgiving meal, gift to friends and family, and watch them gobble it up!

When buying pre-cut or canned pumpkin, make sure to carefully read nutrition labels to ensure you are getting 100% pumpkin with no added ingredients, especially sugar.

Benefits of eating Pumpkin:

Rich in Vitamin A, which boosts your immune system and helps fight infection,
RIch in Vitamin C, which increases white blood cell production to help wounds heal
Low in calories, but high in nutritional value, such as fiber, which can help curb your appetite.
Full of antioxidants that can protect skin against sun damage, lower the risk of eye disease and cancer,
Edible seeds add to the versatility of pumpkins and make for a great snack. The seeds are also packed with nutrients which offer many benefits, such as improving bladder and heart health.

Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins :

Enjoy these delicious muffins for breakfast anytime of the year using canned pumpkin and frozen cranberries.

Pumpkin Smoothie

Pumpkin and White Bean Soup:

Pumpkin and bean lovers alike will savor this fast and flavorful soup that is packed with fiber.

Pumpkin Pudding

No cooking required for this tasty pumpkin pudding. Kids can help prepare with supervision.

Perfect Pumpkin Pancakes

Fluffy, pumpkin pancakes will delight your taste buds at breakfast or dinner. Top with sliced banana or applesauce.

Source: USDA Seasonal Resources

Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce

Whether you are on a budget and need to prioritize your organic purchases, or you would simply like to know which type of produce has the highest pesticide residues—and which do not—the following guide from the Environmental Working Group will help. If you cannot afford to buy the following items on the Clean 15 list as fresh produce, can even buy them as frozen organic produce. Or, grow your own fruit and vegetable garden!

12 Most Contaminated – avoid buying these organic products

Strawberries
Spinach
Nectarines
Apples
Peaches
Pears
Cherries
Grapes
Celery
Tomatoes
Sweet bell peppers
Potatoes

12 Least Contaminated – prioritize buying these organic products

Sweet Corn
Avocados
Pineapples
Cabbage
Onions
Sweet peas (frozen)
Papayas
Asparagus
Mangos
Eggplant
Honeydew Melon
Kiwi

Source: Environmental Working Group, www.ewg.org and Food News, www.foodnews.org

Overnight Chia Seed Oatmeal

Overnight oats is the perfect breakfast if you want a wholesome, homemade meal but you don’t want to add anything extra to your morning routine. Rolled oats, milk, and a few other tasty ingredients are combined in a container and left to chill overnight in the refrigerator. The oats become soft and creamy by morning, just like slow-cooked oatmeal. Chia seeds, popular for their omega-3s and other health benefits, become pleasantly soft as well and add a light nutty flavor.

A little maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla make this breakfast dish just sweet enough. We added dried cherries, toasted almonds, and banana to mine for some extra natural sweetness and lots of texture. Swap these out for your own favorite toppings, like fresh apple slices and walnuts or fresh berries, coconut and macadamia nuts. Serve with fresh juice or a nice cup of cold brew. This recipe can be customized to add or remove dried or fresh fruits, nuts, alternative kinds of milk, different types of yogurt, spices, sweeteners, coconut, oatmeal, and other flavors to make this you and your family’s go-to breakfast choice.

This recipe comes from The Spruce Eats