Falling Into Place
The seasons never change quite as beautifully as they do in fall. No matter where you live in the northern hemisphere, fall elicits a sneaking suspicion on your senses, a breeze on your arm, a woody scent through your nose, or the taste of spice on your tongue. This year the autumn equinox falls on September 22nd and lasts through December 21st, with the forecast calling for peak leaf viewing sometime in October. Fall is a time to ramp up that school spirit, jump at that touchdown, gather for the Holidays (Halloween and Thanksgiving are my favorite!), blow some steam with a hot beverage, layer with sweater weather, and yes make sure you don’t turn into a pumpkin, which might be hard after you try my homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte! I have gathered my favorite fall flavors to create something sweet for you all and if picking a squash has you confused, my winter squash guide will clear the air.
What is Squash?
Summer squash yields to winter squash in the fall. Common summer varieties are zucchini, yellow squash, and pattypan. Common winter varieties are acorn, butternut, spaghetti, and pumpkin. Squash or Cucurbita in Latin, is a broad term for all these varieties with many seeds, belonging to the gourd family and classified as fruits, but usually served and referred to as vegetables. Long before humans, the ancestral species of Cucurbita were native to the land. Modern day species are cultivated all over the world. They can be eaten in many ways, but differences in how the skins are eaten are what separates the summer from the winter squash. Summer squash is harvested with unmatured, tender skin, and winter squash is harvested in late summer through fall with less tender mature skin.
There are many ways to prepare winter squash, a la broil, bake, or roast, and fall is the perfect time to turn on the oven. Look for winter squash that is firm, without any bruises, and has a dry stem. Whole uncut squash should be kept in a dry cool spot and not washed until ready to use. The good news is that whole squash, if stored properly, will last up to a month before use. Roasting and baking your winter squashes are excellent ways to impart that nutty sweet flavor on their tender flesh. Boiling and microwaving also work if you are looking for a quick way to make it fork tender. Don’t forget to scoop out those seeds before cooking, and if you are inclined to eat those seeds, scoop, sort, wash, dry, season, and roast them in the oven.
I have created a fall guide to winter squashes, breaking down the differences from Acorn to Turban.
Check out my free downloadable winter squash guide:
What are Fall Flavors?
Starting in September we see corn, bell peppers, eggplant, garlic, cauliflower, carrots, artichokes, beets, maincrop potatoes, radishes, sweet potatoes, wild mushrooms, almonds, apples, chestnuts, cranberries, limes, pears, plums, pomegranate, raspberries, and tomatoes.
Then in October we add broccolini, brussels sprouts, butternut squash, celery root, chard, fennel, leeks, parsnips, pumpkin, and spinach, to all the fruit above, along with duck, lamb, rabbit, and venison. Shellfish like mussels and clams begin to pop in markets now.
November brings collards, rutabaga, sunchoke, turnips, persimmon, pomegranate, tamarillo, and tangerines. Quail, crab, oysters, and scallops too.
December holds on to those root vegetables and shellfish, adding cranberries, kiwi fruit, citrus and oranges, and those nutty mache leaves. Did someone say duck, duck, goose?
Fall Kitchen
It’s easy to fall for fall, just don’t let it slip away. This season truly unites intention with flavor, as we move away from the laissez-faire style of summer cooking, or not cooking, to a more formal method. Family recipes, comfort food, and gatherings bring out the best of autumn, and the fall harvest offers plenty of bounty to enjoy. Autumn spice is nice…..cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and cumin make regular appearances in my kitchen this time of year and there are so many foods that scream fall, like apple, cranberry, pears, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes (check out my Bacon Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes recipe), squash, and yes PUMPKIN! If you are not into pumpkin that is ok, it’s easy to feel like an outsider with pumpkin infiltrating everything porous, and just for that reason I decided to feature a recipe with one of my all-time favorite fall flavors, maple! If you are into pumpkin, I’ve got you covered too, with my no added sugar, pumpkin spice latte or misto, and you don’t need a fancy espresso machine to make this one. Coffee and fall go hand in hand, and I readily start my day with a hot latte and the latest news in my robe before the family wakes up. Oatmeal, granola bowls, or egg and muffin sandwiches are staples for breakfast, and lunch is filled soups, paninis, or hearty grain salads. Dinner, well, anything goes, hello comfort food, which is really anything that you like to eat.
Check out the recipes here:
Fall Back into Fitness
Honestly, when is a good time to start moving your body? I say anytime, any day, any week, or any month, which is why starting in the new year may not be working for you, so why not start now? With cooler temps outside, fall brings just enough reprieve to head outdoors, and what a perk if you can catch the scent of a wood burning fire with just enough chill on your skin while out there. Not only is this time of year perfect for meeting up with friends but adding to your movement tribe can provide encouragement and energy to keep you going. Summers dominate the morning movement hour, but in the fall I like to find pockets of movement throughout the day. Yes 15 minutes here and 15 minutes there still add up to 30 minutes. We all get busy in the fall and sometimes not finding time is the biggest complaint for skipping out on adult recess, which is why I compiled a list of 15-minute (or really any amount of time) fun fall fitness activities below. So pumpkin or no pumpkin, make sure you eat a variety of foods, hydrate, and unplug, to create some space for falling back into fitness.
Bring back the after-dinner walk, even if it’s just around the block. The crisp cool air is the perfect time to walk around your neighborhood to clear your mind and help with digestion.
Fall is great time to learn something new! Have you wanted to try ballroom dancing or kickboxing? How about pickle ball or ultimate frisbee?
Have you ever tried walking meditation or a walking meeting? These ideas take traditional seated positions and elevate them to another level.
Apple picking and corn mazes sound better than leaf raking, but all 3 activities can get your heart rate up.
Move while watching a movie. Utilize that tv commercial break and get off the couch. Each break adds up. Stretching while watching a movie or tv show keeps your muscles from getting stiff and your circulation flowing.
Just when your schedule starts to fill up, make sure to create daily movement time, pencil it in if you must, and remember it doesn’t have to take up an hour or a half hour even. All foods provide energy, and with holidays right around the corner, savor your favorite foods by slowing down and enjoying your meal, keeping your device greater than an arm’s length away. And if you just are not finding your groove, at least find your breath, it will be there for you when time is not on your side.
P.S. I highly recommend jumping in a pile of leaves. Happy fall y’all!
XO,
Colleen
Fall-ow me on IG @colleencompletehealth