Ok, so you’ve flipped the calendar to November. However, that doesn’t mean it’s time to give up on fresh, farmer’s market produce in favor of frozen, canned, and jarred retail chain fruits and veggies just yet.
In fact, November offers a colorful cornucopia of nutrient rich produce as we enter the winter season. So let’s give many thanks and gobble up this bounty of November superfoods…
Squash or Pumpkin
The next time you carve a jack-o-lantern keep in mind (when you’re carving scary eyes and a grin) that pumpkin and squash are excellent for your skin and peepers.
This is because winter squash varieties are rich in beta-carotene. Plus you can bake, roast, steam, or mash these goodies into creamy, comforting sides, soups, and stews.
Dates
I always make a point to make an array of date dishes for the winter season. When you’re craving something sweet and hearty, dates are up for the call.
Super rich in fiber (a mere cup offers 12-percent of the recommended daily value), dates are linked to reducing blood pressure naturally. Plus, they make a great naturally sweet alternative to refined sugars in muffins, cookies, breads, bars, and cakes.
Cranberries
The Natural Society touts November as the official start of cranberry season! And you shouldn’t reserve these antioxidant and vitamin-C rich berries for a gelatinous turkey topper.
Start nibbling cranberries come mid-November in breakfast oats, muffins, bars, rice side dishes, cookies, dessert breads, and in salads and nut mixes. The Mayo Clinic links these vibrant red berries with heart protection and prevention of urinary tract infections.
Kale
Perhaps you haven’t quite warmed up to winter kale as a super food yet. Just know that you can do more than make it into kale chips (I admit, they’re not for everyone). With a rep akin to Brussels sprouts and spinach, kale really is a versatile leafy green.
Try this vitamin C and A packed veggie in soups, side dishes, casseroles, stir-fries, and even smoothies. Plus, you’ll get a boost in potassium and calcium from kale as well.
Clementines
Why wait to tuck vibrant, juicy clementines into holiday stockings when you can start enjoying them in November? According to research from the American Dietetic Association, clementines offer a jam-packed source of dietary fiber and vitamin C.
Plus, the fruit provides a satisfying sweet treat if you’re trying to steer clear of leftover Halloween candy!
Pears
Have you ever had poached pears? My goodness, this delicately sweet treat gets me through the holidays without the guilt. Packed with vitamin C and dietary fiber, I use cinnamon, cloves, and fresh clementine juice as sweetener to drastically slice calories.
Aside from poaching, slice fresh pears to use in fruit salads, autumnal leafy green salads, rice dishes, and over oats for a fibrous boost.
Sweet Potatoes
As versatile as their white counterparts—but with less carbohydrates and more dietary fiber per serving, sweet potatoes are truly versatile taders. Really, you can mash, bake, steam, boil, or use them in stews and soups galore.
Pack your Thanksgiving side dishes with more potassium and vitamins A and C by substituting half of your white potatoes with sweet potatoes instead.
