I love this time of year. Every deep breath is finished with a crisp cloud on the exhale, signaling that fall is officially here. In Colorado the snow has begun to creep its bittersweet face into our climate, making the early morning stroll to my car a dreaded one. As for those of you around the world conveniently located under the warmth of the sun, I envy you. Well that’s until I pull out the ski gear long forgotten in the corner of our closet. Another forgotten item usually stowed away until fall is my crock-pot. This one-dimensional cooking vessel is your hired hand. Starting dinner before breakfast is the coolest idea since the fanny pack, and much like the fanny pack, your crock-pot is all about what you put inside, fall definitely brings plenty of healthy options to mind.
Eating foods harvested during their particular season will ensure you receive their maximum nutrients. According to www.whfoods.com, Significant differences were found in the nutrient content of pasteurized milk in summer versus winter. Iodine was higher in the winter; beta-carotene was higher in the summer. The Ministry discovered that these differences in milk composition were primarily due to differences in the diets of the cows. With more salt-preserved foods in winter and more fresh plants in the summer, cows ended up producing nutritionally different milks during the two seasons.
Now do not panic and pour your milk down the kitchen sink, but be encouraged because there are several fall foods that are healthy, delicious, and grown locally. A quick list includes; apples, banana, papaya, avocados, bok choy, broccolini, cabbage, carrots, celery, leeks, mushrooms, parsnips, bell peppers, potatoes, acorn squash, broccoli, brussel sprouts, butternut squash, cauliflower, celery root, chayote squash, radishes, garlic, pumpkins, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, turnips, and winter squash.
Now I do not expect you to zoom to the grocery store and pile up on each item. However, you should hurry; it is only 71 days until winter! Follow the Pot Roast recipe for the ultimate crock-pot dinner.