Eating SeasonallyPosted by Sherri Sacconaghi, on October 3rd, 2011
If you listen to your body you may find yourself doing this naturally. As the weather turns cooler it is common to bypass the lighter foods of summer such as lettuce, berries and zucchini for the heavier foods of fall. Just this morning I found myself rummaging through my pantry, looking for my slow cooker recipe book, in search of my favorite chili recipe. My body speaks loud and clear. Our ancestors ate seasonally because they had no choice. Fresh greens grew in the spring, root vegetables were available in the fall and animal food helped them survive through the winter. As our bodies prepare for the colder months to come it is natural to crave heartier foods because the body wants to feel more solid and protected from the cold. We are fortunate to have an abundance of food available to us year round. This can also make it a bit confusing as to what may be the freshest seasonal food on the shelves. A great resource is your local farmer before the farmers markets start to close down for the winter. But here is a quick reference of some of the most common foods that are harvested in the Fall: Winter Squash Apples Beets Brussels sprouts Mushrooms Grapes Parsnips Pomegranates Pumpkin Sweet potatoes Swiss chard
And because I found my favorite chili recipe, I thought I would share.
Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili with Sweet Potatoes. (Real Simple, January 2011).
1 Medium Red Onion Chopped 1 green bell pepper, chopped 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1 Tblsp. chili powder 1 Tblsp. ground cumin 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder ¼ tsp ground cinnamon 1 -28 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes 1- 15.5 oz. can Black Beans, rinsed 1 -15.5 oz. can kidney beans, rinsed 1 medium sweet potato peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces. Sour cream, sliced scallions and tortilla chips or radishes for serving.
In a 4-6 quart slow cooker, combine the onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coca, cinnamon, 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Add the tomatoes and their liquid, beans, sweet potato and 1 cup of water.
Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender and the chili has thickened, on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours.
Serve the chili with sour cream, scallions, radishes and tortilla chips.
What is your favorite fall recipe?
Posted by: Sherri Sacconaghi |
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