Incorporating fruit into your diet can be difficult, especially during the fall and winter months when many farmers markets dry up. The good news is that there are plenty of hearty fall fruits such as apples, pears, and grapes that can be staples in your diet.
In this installment of our “Cooking for Compost” series, we challenge you to create a healthy, low-waste salad. This wonderful fall salad is easy to adjust and can be paired with meals throughout the day to provide you with plenty of delicious, wholesome fruit.
Why eat without wasting anything?
We all know why eating fruits and vegetables is good for us, but what is so important? lean cooking?Did you know about American families? Approximately 150 tons of food is thrown away every day?Food waste is 300% growth since 1970s. Fruits and vegetables that are most likely to be thrown away are easily compostable.
First, of course, do your best to avoid food waste. all you need is a little Planning, organization and storage techniques. But even with the most careful shopping planning and creative recipes, there will still be inedible fillets, stems, and seeds. That’s where compost comes in!
But there’s no compost pile
If you have a garden, you can easily start your own compost pile. Even if you live in an apartment or don’t have much space to compost, there are ways to compost. If you’re lucky enough to live in an area that allows curbside compost collection, follow the rules your area has for what you can put in the bin. If you think it will take a while to get your waste to a company that will compost it for you, store it in an airtight container in the freezer until you are ready.
But if you don’t have that option, or just don’t want to start your own compost, you can easily store your scraps before composting. Take to local compost. If you store food scraps indoors, try a small amount. Compost pail with carbon filter To suppress odor.
Recipe: Autumn multifunctional salad
First, start with the basic ingredients you need to make a salad. Be sure to store your salad in an airtight reusable container, as you’ll likely be adding it to other meals over the next few days.
your shopping list
- 2 apples
- 1 pear
- 1/2 cup grapes
- 1/4 cup pecans or walnuts
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 lemon
Apple, grape, pear, and lemon slices, peels, and seeds can be composted.
How to make
The great thing about salads is their simplicity. Just mix the ingredients and viola! You have created a dish worthy of any restaurant.
- Cut the apple and pear into bite-sized pieces. Squeeze lemon juice over the fruit to prevent discoloration.
- Cut the grapes in half.
- Mix all ingredients together and place in a large resealable container.
How to eat
- breakfast: Start the day right with your first meal. Add granola or oatmeal to your fall salads.
- snack: Add a few spoonfuls of salad to your yogurt for a pick-me-up packed with fruit and protein.
- dinner: Add spice to bland veggies for a spin on the classic Waldorf salad. Add a fall salad to red leaf or butterhead lettuce, top with gorgonzola cheese, olive oil, vinegar, and a little salt and pepper and you’ve got a salad that can stand on its own.
- Sweet snack: Instead of munching on packaged treats, eat your veggies (or skip the fruit?) with a fall salad topped with cinnamon and a little sugar.
Recipe: Roasted pear and arugula salad
Pears add a slightly sweet flavor to fall salads. In this recipe, I used tangy arugula to balance out the sweetness of the pears and the raspberry vinaigrette. Adding blue cheese crumbles gives it an even richer flavor.
your shopping list
- 5 oz organic baby arugula salad
- 2 soft pears (Bartlett or Bosc pears are best)
- 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup blue cheese (optional)
How to make
salad
- Cut the pear lengthwise into quarters, depending on the width of the pear. Slices should be no more than 1 inch thick.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Place the pears in the skillet for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
- Remove pears and let cool for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the arugula, pecans, and dressing (see recipe below).
- Add the warm pears to the salad. Top with blue cheese.
dressing
Because of the sweetness of pears, this salad can be eaten as is without dressing. However, if you want a dressing, raspberry vinaigrette pairs well with the ingredients. Ready-made vinaigrettes are easy to find at grocery stores, but homemade is always better. try this classic raspberry vinaigrette dressing Recipes from allrecipes.com.
More fun fall salads
- Spicy squash salad with lentils and goat cheese
This spicy squash salad recipe from Smitten Kitchen combines sweetness, spice, and a kick of grain for an interesting twist on a classic fall vegetable. - Sauteed pear salad
This Good Housekeeping recipe from Delish calls for pears, but you can use apples instead. - Heirloom Pumpkin with Blue Cheese Crostata
If the title of the dish includes “heirloom”, you can’t go wrong. These flavorful (and cherished) vegetables add extra flavor to any recipe. This recipe from Chef John Sundstrom of Seattle’s Lark Restaurant features the classic autumn combination of blue cheese and pumpkin.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on November 8, 2010 and updated in November 2024.
