Guest Author - Jill Valente

When the temperature drops and your calendar is filled with holiday celebrations, good habits often go out the window. But if you prepare your home for a busy and festive time, you can control what’s going into your mouth.

Seasonal Fruits
Apples, tangerines, pears, cranberries and grapes are all in season and they are all delicious! Keep a bowlful of washed grapes in the fridge for easy snacking or pair them with a platter of cheeses for an appealing hors d’oeuvre. Gather apples and tangerines in a bowl or basket combined with cinnamon sticks and nuts (in shell) for an edible centerpiece. Family members and guests will snack on the fruit and you have a festive decoration.

Seasonal Vegetables
Butternut squash, acorn squash, sweet potatoes, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, parsnips, cauliflower, okra, beets, mushrooms and cauliflower are all fall favorites. Add mushrooms to your favorite stuffing recipe for adding texture and try out my recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash Apple Soup.

Pantry
Reduced-fat chicken stock, honey, almonds, pecans, whole wheat flour, whole wheat pasta, cinnamon sticks and cloves are all fall pantry staples. Chicken stock is a necessity for most soups, whole wheat flour is fabulous for breads and honey is ideal for salad dressings like the one in my Fall Chopped Salad.

Apple Cider
Keep a pot of hot apple cider simmering on the stove all season long. Your home will smell amazing and cider is full of antioxidants. Throw in some cinnamon sticks, cloves and slices of lemon for an added kick.

Pork Tenderloin
After chicken, pork tenderloin is my go-to meat. It’s affordable, satisfying and low in fat. Experiment with pork tonight and check out my recipes Apple Cider Pork Tenderloin and Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Vegetables.

Grape Nuts
Growing up my mom made me hot Grape Nuts every morning for breakfast and in the fall and winter I welcome back that habit. Grape Nuts are low in fat and an excellent source of whole grains. I combine a ½ cup of Grape Nuts with ¾ cup of skim milk and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes, stir and repeat, then top with an additional ¼ cup of skim milk to bring down the temperature. They are delicious and will keep your stomach full for hours!

Please see the related links listed below to find the aforementioned recipes.
Happy Shopping!