Fall Colors

Fall is a season of colors. Saturday, September 23rd was the official start of fall, which means that it's a great time to be cooking with wonderful, colorful fall produce. A few of the crops which are harvested in the fall are Acorn and Butternut Squash, Apples, Belgian Endive, Cauliflower, Figs, Garlic, Ginger, Grapes, Mushrooms, Parsnips, Pears, Pomegranates, Pumpkins, Quince, Sweet Potatoes and Swiss Chard.

Looking for recipes in your collection that feature these ingredients is a wonderful way to take advantage of fresh produce, and also a colorful and delicious way to bring fall to your table. If you're looking for extra fall recipes, set up your free Heirloom Cookbook test account and browse through the great collection of recipes in our Stock Pot!

The naturally colorful food that we see so much of in fall is not only a beautiful way to dress up your plate, it is also healthy. The pigments most often found in vegetables and fruits are called flavonoids. Flavonoids are antioxidants, which means that they destroy free radicals in the human body. Free radicals are naturally occurring scraps of molecules which can do such damage as kill healthy cells, promote heart disease, and "induce DNA damage that might foster cancer" (Science News). Maintaining a diet rich in naturally colorful foods and the variety of flavonoids that comes with that colorful food, is a wonderful way to treat both your palate and your body!

Be sure to record and save the best fall recipes that you try, so that you can make them again next year. A recipe scrapbook is the perfect way to preserve seasonal recipes.

This week on the Secret Ingredients blog, we're going to be exploring the idea of recipes as gifts. Be sure to check back in, as we have lots of wonderful tips on gifting which are economical and personal ways to give during the upcoming holiday season!