Salads are frequently associated with summer due to their lightness, freshness, availability of garden veggies, and general ease of preparation. Even though the weather cools down in the fall, there’s no reason why you can’t continue to enjoy eating salads as part of your meal plan – especially with the convenience of greenhouse grown vegetables. No matter the season, fresh produce is essential for supplementing your diet with naturally occurring vitamins and minerals. A well-executed, balanced salad can provide you with all the benefits you need to fuel your best life this fall and all year through.
As the seasons start to change, it’s time to wind down from the summer fun and get back to a routine; back to work or getting the kids ready for school. Life can be busy this time of year, so having time-saving hacks is beneficial to ensure you stay on track with your healthy habits. Salads are a great addition to your favorite entrees, or a quick and easy way to make a filling meal. Fuelling your body with clean energy, from natural sources, will keep you energized and feeling great with whatever you have on the go. Given how important it is to create meals with wholesome ingredients, having greenhouse grown mini melons, tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers available all year-round means you never have to sacrifice fresh ingredients for your recipe creation!
ENJOY SWEET & SAVORY –
Pure Flavor® picks, packs, and ships delicious greenhouse grown produce every day! This means that creating healthy meal options like fresh salads isn’t limited to the summer season. As the weather changes and starts to cool, it tends to influence the foods we crave. Comfort foods with autumn spices, combined with sweet and savory notes, begin to appear as we see signs of cooler weather and prepare to get cozy in our homes for the months ahead. This is the first fall with our new Solara™ Mini Melons, and it’s incredible to use these sweet melons to replace apples for a fun, unique twist in recipes! They are low in sugar, high in vitamins and minerals, and are a good source of hydration. If you’re looking for a quick and easy light snack or lunch, try this comforting Creamy Melon Salad recipe. Instead of apples, it includes juicy, bite-size melon pieces, grilled chicken breast, water chestnuts, celery, and grapes; all tossed in a sour cream and yogurt dressing. It takes only 15 minutes to prepare and can be done the night before so that you have it ready for packing in lunches.
MAKE IT HEARTY –
Despite the fact that comfort foods seem to be “what’s in season” come the fall, you can still enjoy hearty salads as a meal option. They are a terrific way to include a few portions of the recommended daily servings of vegetables without feeling sluggish or weighed down. To give it a twist, salads can be made even heartier for the fall by including different grains, nuts, legumes, or roasted root vegetables. If you want to try a new recipe that is flavorful and sure to be a hit with your family, try this Tomato Pesto Couscous Salad. It is made with Organic Luna® Sweets Cocktail Tomatoes, bocconcini cheese, couscous, olives, and basil leaves, tossed in a pesto dressing. Being quick to prepare, you can easily have it ready ahead of time to grab and go for work, school, or for a perfect fall picnic.
TRY WARM AND ROASTED –
When fall arrives, it’s lovely to curl up on the couch, switch on the oven, and take in the aroma of vegetables roasting. Cooking vegetables can make some nutrients easier for the body to absorb, so it’s a great way to prepare them when you have extra time. For instance, cooked peppers provide higher quantities of carotenoids, which are rich in antioxidants, and cooked tomatoes offer higher levels of lycopene, which may have cardiovascular advantages. If you’re prepared to attempt a salad that is full of wonderful fall colors and flavor, this Warm Roasted Veggie Salad is the perfect lunch or light dinner option. This recipe proves that salads don’t necessarily need to be cold. This salad is the perfect option for Sunday family dinner!
Even though fall is traditionally harvest season, the benefit of greenhouse grown vegetables means that you can enjoy eating healthy, fresh vegetables any time of year, no matter the season! So as the weather cools and you start to dream of your favorite soups and stews, know that you can also make some hearty salads to satisfy everyone around the table. As we settle back into our hectic schedules, a great time-saving tip is to shop and meal prep on the weekends so that you are never without a nutritious option in the fridge! Boost your salad consumption to include more natural vitamins and minerals in your diet. These tasty fall salads are quick and easy and they can be customized to your family’s taste preferences so that everyone is guaranteed to clean their plate!
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