Fall harvest: fuel your body with seasonal produce

Fall brings more than just apple pie and pumpkin spice to our tables. It's the season we can enjoy a variety of fruits and vegetables like cranberries, winter squash, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, pears, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, kale, cabbage, pomegranate, radish, turnips, parsnips, and of course, apples and pumpkins! Buying produce when it's in season typically results in better flavor and is easier on your wallet. According to the CDC, only 1 in 9 Americans eats the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is associated with decreased risks of health problems such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and even some cancers. In addition to providing many essential vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables also provide fiber. Fiber works to improve gut health, which supports a healthy immune system, regulates blood sugars, provides a feeling of fullness after eating, and regulates bowel movements. Most adult women need 1.5 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables daily. Adult men need 2 cups of fruit and 3.5 cups of vegetables daily. So how do you compare? If you're falling short on the recommendations, start small by adding one extra serving of fruit or vegetables to your day. Keep it simple by grabbing an apple for a sweet and crunchy snack or packing baby carrots as a side to your sandwich at lunch. Or, be a little more creative and use the suggestions below! For breakfast, add pumpkin puree and walnuts to your oatmeal or diced apples and peanut butter to Greek yogurt. Spice it up with cinnamon or nutmeg, and if you need a little more sweetness, drizzle honey on top. Having a salad for lunch? Rather than having lettuce as the base of your salad, chop up kale and Brussels sprouts and top it with dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and feta cheese. Diced apples and pears are great salad toppings as well. Adding a lean protein like chicken makes it a balanced meal. Then drizzle your favorite dressing on top. Roast a large pan of diced root vegetables with olive oil and spices early in the week as a side dish, and use the leftovers to add to a salad later in the week. A delicious option is roasted rosemary butternut squash. Simply peel and cube a butternut squash, or use frozen cubed squash to save time, and toss it in a bowl with two cloves of minced garlic, two sprigs of finely chopped rosemary, and two tablespoons of olive oil. Bake it in the oven for 30 minutes in a covered dish, then uncover and roast for an additional 15-20 minutes until it is caramelized and golden brown. Shopping for fall seasonal produce is an affordable way to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet while they're perfectly ripe. Not only are they tasty, but they also provide numerous health benefits. Incorporating these seasonal choices into your meals is a simple way to enhance your overall well-being. Lisa Harmon is a registered dietitian with Endocrinology & Diabetes Specialists of Northwest Ohio.