Eating Guide for Fall Veggies and Greens

Updated Sept 1, 2021

Use this fall veggie eating guide to …

1. Choose what to cook according to your time frame.
2. Gain confidence in your cooking.
3. Truly enjoy food that’s not only good for you but tastes incredible too.

I’ve made the rest of this guide specifically without photos so you can easily print it and post it on your fridge for your go-to during the week.

Arugula and Asian Greens: 

• Eat in 5 minutes: Because of their peppery nature, these greens pair well with fruit (apples, tomatoes, figs, raisins, dates), a creamy cheese, and a sweet dressing. 
• Eat in 20 minutes: Try these Brie, Apple, and Arugula Quesadillas.
• Eat in one hour: Want an easy gourmet meal? Take a frozen pizza and top with sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, and goat cheese. Then bake it and sprinkle with rough chopped arugula or Asian greens.

Beets: 

• Eat in 5 minutes: Grate raw beet over a bed of greens. Toss lightly with your favorite vinaigrette, chopped chives or scallions, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
• Eat in 20 minutes: Thanksgiving Salad with Apples, Beets, Brie and Candied Pecans
• Eat in 45 minutes: Preheat your baking sheet in the oven at 400 F. Cut the beets into 1.5″ chunks. Toss with a little bit of olive oil and salt. Roast 35-40 minutes, turning every 15 minutes. Leftover roasted beets? Try them in Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad.
• Eat dessert: Gluten-Free Apple, Beet, and Date Crisp

Brussel sprouts:

• Eat in 5 minutes: Grate or finely slice sprouts and use as a green on any salad.
• Eat in 30 minutes: Half sprouts and toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Cook in very hot skillet until cut side of sprouts is charred and sprouts are tender. Squeeze lemon over sprouts and serve. 
• Eat in 1 hour: Use them in Brown Rice Bowls with Roasted Fall Vegetables.

Cabbage: 

• Eat in 5 minutes: Chop up and throw into a salad with peanuts, shredded carrots, and sweet and sour dressing of your choice.
• Eat in 15 minutes: Saute in butter until just starting to wilt. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
• Eat in 45 minutes: Make Thai Curry Noodle Bowls.
• Eat in one hour: Use in fresh or fried spring rolls, like these fresh ones from Cookies and Kate or these fried rolls from Dinner Then Dessert.

Carrots: Try different flavor combinations to explore this incredibly versatile veggie (sesame oil + soy sauce + fresh ginger + garlic + toasted sesame seeds + chives / butter + honey + thyme + lemon zest + fresh lemon juice).

• Eat right now: No brainer–raw of course! Sweet, freshly harvested carrots grown in cool seasons are the perfect quick snack.
• Eat in just over an hour: Try making these Quick Pickled Carrots from Minimalist Baker.
• Eat from the crockpot: Carrots are a classic companion to a crockpot roast.
• Eat as a dessert: Carrot cake of course!

Cilantro: 

• Eat in 10 minutes: Sprinkle on a cabbage salad with a sweet dressing, shredded carrot, and peanuts.
• Eat in 25 minutes: Chorizo Salad with Queso Fresco and Garlic Lime Dressing
• Eat in 45 minutes: Try making a Coconut Curry topped with cilantro.

Head lettuce: 

• Eat right now: Instead of bread, use a lettuce leaf to make your sandwich or wrap.
• Eat in 15 minutes: Make a salad with homemade ranch. To add a little extra flavor and crunch, add minced radish to your dressing. 
• Eat in 30 minutes: Try our recipe for Herbed Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps.

Kale, full-sized: 

• Eat right now: We eat raw full-sized kale all the time. When the kids say they’re hungry, and it’s not a snack or meal time, we tell them they can grab kale or a carrot, and they do. If you’re not used to eating raw kale, remember that it can take 15-20 tries of something before your palate adjusts–so be patient with yourself!
• Eat in 15 minutes: Use your full-sized kale in a hearty salad. This Winter Crunch Salad from Bon Appetit is one of our weekly fall and winter go-to recipes.
• Eat in one hour: Try this recipe for Kale Stuffing or our recipe for Sausage, Potato, and Greens Soup.
•  

Leeks:

• Cleaning Tip: Leeks tend to get dirt caught up in their many layers, so to clean a leek simply chop it up like you would a green onion. Place it in cold water and massage the leek until the layers start to fall apart and the dirt comes off. Let the dirt settle to the bottom of the bowl (about 10-20 minutes) and skim the leek pieces from the top of the water. Pat dry.
• Eat in 15 minutes: Slice leeks very thinly and sprinkle over orange slices and chopped pistachios. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. If the leeks are very strong, refrigerate them for about ten minutes before sprinkling them over the oranges.
• Eat in 1 hour: White Chili with Leeks, Fall Roots, and Kale

Peas, Sugar Snap:

Note for Fall CSA 2021: Sadly our sugar snap peas did not survive the continual high dew point and high humidity of late summer. Dan is planning to add peas micogreens to your share so you can still have some of that sweet pea goodness and flavor! Microgreens can be eaten raw as is, or tossed on top of a soup, salad, or stir fry.

• Eat right now: Raw of course! Peas make a very tasty snack. 
• Eat in 15 minutes: Saute peas and sesame seeds in a little sesame oil and season with soy sauce and red pepper flakes for a little spice.
• Eat in 30 minutes: Peas work really well in this Spring Stir Fry.  

Peppers:

• Eat right now: Remove seeds and enjoy raw.
• Eat in 15 minutes: Use the method in this recipe for Blistered Shishitos to blister–and bring out the sweetness–of any pepper.
• Eat in a soup: Try our recipe for Stuffed Pepper Soup–yum!
• Eat in 1 hour: Use your peppers–along with your other late summer/early fall veggies–to make a classic ratatouille, like this one from Moosewood.

Salad greens: 

• Eat in 5 minutes: Toss with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to create a simple salad. Want more details? Read How to Simply Dress a Green Salad.
• Eat in 20 minutes: For a tasty fall savory-sweet salad, try Greens with Maple Apples and Onions.
• Eat in 1 hour: Try our recipe for Asian Sesame Salad with Kongjang and Egg.

Salad kale: 

• Eat in 5 minutes:  Chop the kale into bite size leaves and toss with any salad.
• Drink in 5 minutes: Blend kale in a green smoothie with banana, carrot, and spinach for a super healthy snack.
• Eat in 20 minutes: Top a bed of salad kale with Indiana Mommy’s Oven Roasted Chicken Salad with Apples, Green Grapes, and Toasted Walnuts. 

Salad radish: 

• Eat in 5 minutes: Slice thin, and eat raw with a veggie dip to temper the spice, or use to top a salad.
• Eat in 15 minutes: California Rolls with Radishes and Greens
• Eat in 30 minutes: Toss sliced radishes with oil, salt, and pepper and roast on a sheet pan.
• Eat as a Dip: Try making homemade ranch with minced or grated radishes in it for added crunch and spice. 

Salad spinach: 

• Eat in 5 minutes: Spinach is one of our go-to greens for the green smoothie. I also love a bowl of raw spinach as a snack.
• Eat in 15 minutes:Spinach and Swiss Omelette
• Eat in one hour: Orzo with Spinach and Garlic

Sage: 

• Eat right now: Crumple leaves into a tea cup and poor hot water over to make some hot tea. Add honey or stevia for sweetness. 
• Eat in 15 minutes: Toss bread crumbs with minced sage, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Toast over medium heat until crisp and golden. These bread crumbs are the perfect soup, chili, or veggie topping.

Scallions (Green Onions): 

• Eat right now: Chop, then toss on top of a salad. (Pro tip: To cut the zing of the onion, let it sit in some type of acid such as lemon or vinegar before adding to salad. You can also use the lemon or vinegar as a dressing for the salad.) 
• Eat in 10 minutes: Toss into scrambled eggs. Top with freshly grated Parmesan. 
• Need more ideas? Check out my post for 5 Ways I’ve Eaten Scallions This Past Week.

Sweet turnips: 

• Eat right now: These turnips are so sweet you can simply slice them up, sprinkle on a little salt, and eat them raw. 
• Eat in 15 minutes: Spring Stir Fry
• Eat in 45 minutes: Roasted Sweet Turnips with Thyme

Swiss chard:

• Eat right now: Chop up into a salad.
• Eat in 10 minutes: Saute in oil with chopped garlic and peppers. Serve with an egg on top. 
• Eat in 15 minutes: Add chard into Spring Stir Fry or try sauteing it!

Tomatoes: 

• Eat right now: Slice tomatoes and sprinkle with sea salt or a good finishing salt. Yum!
• Eat in 15-45 minutes: Make fresh pico de gallo. Chop together tomatoes, cilantro, red onion, jalapeno, corn, and spices of your choice. Although you can eat it right away, I recommend letting it sit for at least a half hour. For added sweetness, toss frozen or fresh corn with seasoning of your choice, then roast the corn at 400 degrees until blistered. Toss with pico de gallo. 
• Eat in one hour: Try homemade tomato soup. Roast salted tomatoes, onion, and garlic together in oven for 45 min at 400 degrees. Remove from oven, puree, and add cream, basil, and a teensy bit of sugar to taste.
• Preserve them: Try our method for roasting and freezing tomatoes.

Watermelon Radish: 

• Eat right now: Raw! Watermelon radish is a beautiful and tasty addition to any plate of veggies. 
• Eat in 15 minutes: Watermelon Radish, Carrot, and Manchego Salad with Fresh Greens
• Eat in one hour: Add chopped or sliced watermelon radishes to a Buddha Bowl.

What are your favorite ways to eat fall veggies and greens? Share in the comments!