Eating Seasonally Made Simple: September

Summertime is coming to a close and Fall is right around the corner. As kids head back to school and our schedules change as rapidly as the daylight hours, so does the produce we find stocked along our grocery store shelves and farmer’s market stalls. September still holds on to a few of our summer favorites like tomatoes, corn, and peaches, but it also welcomes some much awaited autumn favorites like apples and figs!

Here in the PNW, our u-pick farms are closing down their blueberry fields in exchange for apple orchards and soon, pumpkin patches! U-picking our own produce at nearby farms has been a family favorite tradition each year. It’s a great way to show the kids where their food comes from and to form an appreciation for the farmers and their families and all the hard work they do to bring us delicious food every year. It’s also a ton of fun to get out into the fields and pick the food we’re going to take home to eat. Each year, we bring home several pounds of apples to turn into homemade apple butter, applesauce, and apple pie filling ready to toss in the freezer until the holidays.

Consider this your cheat sheet for what to eat in season this month.

What’s in Season in September

• Apples

• Cranberries

• Carrots

• Beets

• Blackberries

• Grapes

• Rasperries

• Peaches

• Figs

• Cauliflower

• Pears

• Plums

• Pomegranates

• Potatoes

• Eggplant

• Sweet Potatoes

• Mushrooms

• Kale

• Parsnips

September Recipe Ideas

Figs

• Slice fresh figs lengthwise and wrap in prosciutto. Top with a sprinkle of sea salt.

• Toast a slice of sprouted whole grain bread. Spread ricotta cheese on your toast and add a few thin slices of fresh fig. Drizzle with honey and add a sprinkle of cinnamon and pistachios or hazelnuts, if desired.

• Slice figs in half and scoop out the inside. Add to yogurt bowls, oatmeal, or on top of chia seed pudding.

Eggplant

• Try some grilled eggplant with whipped feta as a tasty side dish.

• Use thinly sliced eggplant in place of noodles in your next lasagna.

• Dice and roast in the oven along with other seasonal veggies like potatoes, parsnips, carrots, onions and garlic, olive oil and a little salt and pepper for a simple side dish.

Kale

• Remove stems from your kale. Sauté in a pan with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper until slightly wilted. Sprinkle with a squeeze of lemon juice and raw parmesan cheese for a quick side dish to any protein.

• Whip up this colorful kale salad that includes other seasonal goodies like beets and cranberries, along with hormone balancing carrots, pumpkin seeds & sesame seeds.

• Chilly Autumn weather starting to roll in? Welcome Fall with this hearty seasonal kale soup packed with nutrients and comfort.