For Fall Harvest, Eat the Rainbow!

I am not sure that I have a favorite season. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we are lucky enough to have all four. That means just when I start getting bored with eating the same old things, the local harvest changes and I get to explore new recipes and savor old favorites. Eating seasonally helps decrease your carbon footprint. So does growing your own food and eating it only a few feet away from where it grew. It’s probably also good nutritionally, since a good mantra for healthy eating is to eat a wide variety of foods in moderation. Changing seasons and harvests allow us to do that.

I also love to “Eat the Rainbow” as a reminder to choose brightly colored foods often since they have more healthy components like antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins, and fiber.

For those lucky enough to have a garden, this is the time of year when much of your hard work finally pays off. I have been picking figs, apples and peaches off of my trees, gathering my favorite fall raspberries, stripping my huckleberry bushes for fruit (leaving some for the birds), and bringing in beautiful pumpkins and squash that I have been eyeing all summer. My green tomatoes are already picked and indoors. If I watch them carefully, I will have tomatoes until December.

If you don’t have a garden or a friend with one overflowing with produce, this month might be your last chance to buy produce from local farmers’ markets. Visiting a local pumpkin patch or corn maze might also take you to places that are selling their harvest of squashes, kale and other cooler-weather veggies.

In the spirit of “Eat the Rainbow,” here are some fall recipes sorted by color. All these fruits and veggies are bursting with flavor, phytochemicals, antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins. What’s not to love?

RED ― Fall Raspberry Pavlova

Note, you can make the meringue a day or more ahead. It keeps well in an airtight container.

Meringues:

4 egg whites
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Whipped cream:

1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups fresh raspberries

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cover large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Beat egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer, on high, until stiff peaks form. Slowly add ¾ cup sugar and beat for 4-5 minutes or until the mixture is stiff and glossy.
• Sprinkle vinegar, vanilla and cornstarch over the egg white and beat until well blended. Spread egg mixture on the baking sheet to form an 8-inch circle, making the outside edges higher than the middle, like a shallow bowl. You can also make up to 8 smaller bowls for individual servings.
• Place in the oven and reduce the temperature to 200 degrees. Bake for one hour.
• Turn off the heat and leave the baked meringue to cool for at least one hour in the oven with the door slightly open. Place meringue on a serving plate.
• Combine ingredients for whipped cream and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Fill cooled meringue with whipped cream and top with raspberries.

Nutritional information (per serving) ― Calories: 211; Carbohydrates: 26 grams; Protein: 3 grams; Sodium: 39 milligrams

ORANGE ― Nana’s Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

My grandmother’s recipe is a lighter alternative to the traditional heavy pie, but still has great flavor. Use a pre-made crust to save time; it is relatively low in sodium.

1 Pillsbury pie crust

¼ cup cold water

1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin

3 egg yolks

1 1/4 cup pumpkin

1 cup sugar

½ cup milk

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch of ground cloves

3 egg whites

• Put pie crust in pie pan, follow package directions to pre-bake. Soak gelatin in cold water.
• Beat egg yolks slightly. Add pumpkin, ½ cup sugar, milk and spices to egg yolks and cook over hot water in double boiler or in microwave until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in gelatin until dissolved. Cool. Meanwhile, whip egg whites until stiff.
• When pumpkin mixture begins to set, stir in the other 1/2 cup sugar and fold in egg whites.
• Fill pie shell, chill several hours or overnight. Serves 8.

Nutritional information (per serving) ― Calories: 210; Carbohydrates: 29 grams; Protein: 5 grams; Sodium: 176 milligrams

GREEN ― Curried Kale

4 cups of Lacinato or other kale, (slice lengthwise, remove large ribs, then chop)

1 tablespoon oil

½ yellow onion, sliced

1 teaspoon curry powder or garam masala

1 teaspoon turmeric

½ cup water or low-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup rice vinegar

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Dash of sesame oil

• Wash kale and cut out the tough, central ribs of the leaves. Slice in long strips, and then cut crosswise about every 3 inches.
• Sauté onion in oil until translucent. Add curry powder or garam masala and turmeric and let roast a minute or so. Add kale and water or chicken broth. Cover and watch. If it needs more liquid, add ¼ cup water.
• Keep covered and stir occasionally until kale turns bright green and wilts. Don’t overcook (kale will turn very dark). Remove kale from pan, leaving juices behind.
• Add rice vinegar, soy sauce and sesame seeds. Stir until sauce thickens and sesame seeds start to pop.
• Remove from heat, stir in sesame oil, pour over kale and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional information (per serving) ― Calories: 72; Carbohydrates: 5 grams; Protein: 2 grams; Sodium: 166 milligrams

YELLOW ― Street Corn Salad

2 cups frozen corn or fresh sliced off the cobb.

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup yogurt

1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

1/2 cup Queso Fresco cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup cilantro or fresh parsley, chopped

• Heat frozen corn in microwave, 2-3 minutes, or until warm or cut kernels off cooked corn on the cob.
• Meanwhile, mix sour cream, yogurt, and chili powder together.
• Add corn and mix. Sprinkle with cheese and cilantro or parsley. Serve immediately.

Nutritional information (per ear) ― Calories: 152; Carbohydrates: 20 gm; Fat: 3 gm; Protein: 5 gm; Sodium: 100 mg

BLUE ― Huckleberry or Blueberry Mascarpone Tartlets

Filling:

8 ounces mascarpone cheese

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice or Cointreau

Berry topping:

2 tablespoons cornstarch or tapioca starch

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 cups fresh or frozen huckleberries or blueberries

Zest from one orange

Crust: use premade small tartlet shells from grocery store (most are low in sodium) or make your own favorite pie crust. If making your own, leave out the salt and add ½ teaspoon vanilla and ¼ cup ground walnuts or hazelnuts.

• Bake premade tartlets or use a muffin pan for homemade tartlets, pressing dough about a third of the way up the sides of cups.
• Follow baking directions on tartlet package or your own pastry recipe.
• Let tartlets cool after baking. Cream 2 tablespoons sugar, mascarpone and orange juice or Cointreau. Fill tartlet shells ½ to ¾ full.
• In a saucepan, add 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons orange juice, orange zest and cornstarch. Cook 2-3 minutes until sugar dissolves and cornstarch thickens.
• Remove from heat and add huckleberries. Stir and then spoon on top of filling.
• Chill and serve the same day. Makes 12 tartlets.

Nutritional information (per tartlet) ― Calories: 132; Carbohydrates: 13 grams; Protein: 1 gram; Sodium: 11 milligrams

Contributor Katy G. Wilkens recently retired as registered dietitian and department head at Northwest Kidney Centers. The National Kidney Foundation Council on Renal Nutrition has honored her with its highest awards for excellence in education and for significant contributions in renal nutrition. She has also been awarded the Medal of Excellence in kidney nutrition from the American Association of Kidney Patients.

Photos by Rich Wilkens.

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Studies show that working with a registered dietitian can delay kidney failure and postpone dialysis for longer than two years. FREE nutrition classes taught by Katy’s former team of registered dietitians are available at convenient times and locations around Puget Sound.

Eating Well, Living Well classes teach people how to eat healthier to slow the progress of kidney disease and postpone dialysis. Learn more at www.nwkidney.org/classes.