Foods of the fall season help to build immunity for the coming winter, strengthen our digestive and respiratory systems, and help nourish the skin after summer’s extremes. My recommendation is to eat locally as much as possible by shopping at local farmer’s markets, CSAs, and directly from farm stands if possible. What is grown locally reflects seasonal changes. If it’s in your budget, buy organic. Remember, when buying direct from small farmers at markets or at the farm they may grow organically but not have the means to pay for certification. Most farmers are more than happy to chat with you about their farming methods and give you tips on how to prepare produce you are unfamiliar with.
The recipes I have chosen for this Autumn Eats series all feature foods that are widely available from farmers’ markets and small grocers as well as the big ones. If you don’t have one ingredient or can’t get it easily, skip it. Each dish is full of healthy fiber, as well as herbs high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to boost digestion and increase immunity. Most recipes serve 4-6 and store easily in the fridge or freezer for another day. They are pretty easy to put together and create a foundation for you to get creative with your local, seasonal fall harvests. Try them out and let me know what you think in the comments!
Roasted Chicken with Apples and Fennel Recipe
Chicken is a versatile and complete protein, and this is my favorite way to roast it. The apples and fennel both lend a sweetness that are balanced by the spices, lemon, and savory of the meat. All the spices aid digestion and boost immunity, while apples are an excellent source of good fiber and in abundance during the season. This recipe works wonderfully over all different types of rice, pumpkin or potatoes. It makes plenty of leftovers, which can be stored in the fridge for a few days or frozen for another meal.
Ingredients
- Large organic, free-range whole chicken
- ½ lemon
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 small bunch of thyme (on the stem)
- 1 small bunch of sage (on the stem)
- 1-2 medium sprigs of rosemary
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp of ground cumin
- 1 tsp of paprika
- 2 medium apples, seeded and sliced into ½ inch pieces
- 2 medium fennel bulbs, cut in half and slice thin
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. While the oven is heating, rinse the chicken in cold water and place in a large baking dish lined with parchment paper.
- Place the thyme, sage, rosemary, half lemon, and garlic cloves inside the cavity of the bird.
- Mix the cumin, black pepper, paprika, and salt together in a small bowl. Rub on the outside of the chicken. Place in the middle of the oven, and roast for 45 minutes.
- After 45 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven and reduce heat to 300 degrees.
- Toss the fennel and apples together, and place around the chicken in the pan. Sprinkle with the remaining spice mix.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil with a tight seal. Put the pan back in the middle of the oven, and bake for another 90-120 minutes.
- Once done, remove chicken from the oven and let it rest covered for another 10-15 minutes. When you are ready to eat, slice off sections of the meat, and use a large spoon to scoop the apples, fennel, and juice.
