Fall Favorites from the Farm to Fit Team
There’s always a point in September when Portland shifts.
The mornings get cooler, the light changes, someone starts wearing a beanie before it’s really necessary, and suddenly roasted squash sounds much more exciting than it did a few weeks ago.
Fall changes more than the produce aisle. It changes how we want to eat. We start craving warmer meals, deeper flavors, more texture, and foods that feel satisfying without becoming overly heavy.
Around Farm to Fit, this is one of our favorite seasons for cooking. Here are some of the ingredients, flavors, and combinations our team gets especially excited about when fall arrives.
Roasted Squash
Butternut, delicata, acorn. All welcome.
Roasting squash brings out its natural sweetness and gives the edges that caramelized flavor that works just as well with savory spices as it does with more traditional fall flavors.
Squash is also a good source of fiber, and many varieties are rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A.
Chef tip: Give squash enough room on the sheet pan. If the pieces are packed too closely together, they steam instead of getting those browned, caramelized edges.
A combination we love: roasted delicata squash + farro + arugula + goat cheese + pepitas + a bright vinaigrette.
Delicata gets extra credit because you don’t have to peel it. We appreciate efficiency.
Apples in Savory Meals
Apples don’t need to wait for pie.
Their natural sweetness and acidity make them especially good with salty, bitter, and savory ingredients. They also bring fiber and vitamin C to the table, especially when you leave the peel on.
Chef tip: Choose a crisp apple that holds its shape, like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith, when using apples in salads or cooked savory dishes.
A combination we love: sliced apples + roasted Brussels sprouts + toasted walnuts + sharp cheddar + mustard vinaigrette.
A few crisp slices can make a meal feel distinctly fall without involving cinnamon or a trip to the pumpkin patch.
Roasted Vegetables
Once turning on the oven stops feeling like a terrible idea, we’re back in.
Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, and beets all become deeper and sweeter when roasted. Mixing a few different varieties also gives you plenty of contrast in flavor, texture, and color.
Chef tip: Roast vegetables at a fairly high temperature and cut them into similar-sized pieces. That way, you get browned edges without some pieces turning soft before the others are done.
A combination we love: roasted cauliflower + carrots + chickpeas + tahini + herbs + a squeeze of lemon.
Simple, reliable, very fall.
Soup
Portland drizzle arrives, soup follows.
Soup is also one of the easiest ways to build a balanced meal into one bowl. Vegetables, beans, grains, and protein can all live happily together.
Chef tip: Add something acidic at the end. A squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar can wake up an entire pot of soup and keep rich or earthy flavors from tasting flat.
A combination we love: white beans + kale + chicken + tomatoes + herbs in a savory broth, finished with lemon.
We’re equally happy with hearty bean soups, creamy squash soups, and anything that provides a reasonable excuse for good bread on the side.
Hearty Grains
Farro, barley, brown rice, and quinoa all feel right this time of year.
Whole grains add texture, fiber, and staying power to a meal, which makes them especially good foundations for fall bowls loaded with vegetables and protein.
They also hold up well to sauces and dressings without immediately turning into mush. An underrated quality.
Chef tip: Cook grains in broth instead of plain water, then season them while they’re still warm so they absorb more flavor.
A combination we love: farro + roasted mushrooms + kale + chicken + Parmesan + lemon.
Not flashy, but dependable. Very Portland, honestly.
Warm Spices
Fall flavor is bigger than cinnamon.
Cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, and chile can make a simple meal taste warmer and more complex without requiring a heavy sauce.
Chef tip: If you’re cooking with ground spices, add them to the pan for 30 seconds or so before adding liquid. A little heat helps release their aromas and makes the flavor more noticeable.
A combination we love: roasted sweet potatoes + chickpeas + cumin + smoked paprika + tahini + fresh herbs.
Consider this your reminder to check the back of the spice cabinet before buying another jar of cumin.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms just belong in cooler weather, especially here in the Pacific Northwest.
They bring deep savory flavor, also known as umami, to a dish and can make vegetables, grains, soups, and sauces feel much more substantial. Mushrooms also provide nutrients including B vitamins, selenium, and potassium.
Chef tip: Get the pan hot and resist the urge to stir constantly. Mushrooms need contact with the hot surface to brown. Move them around too much and they release water before they get a chance to develop that deep, savory flavor.
A combination we love: seared mushrooms + creamy polenta + wilted greens + Parmesan + fresh herbs.
Garlic doesn’t hurt either.
The Fall Formula
If there’s one thing we come back to again and again this time of year, it’s the combination of something roasted, something hearty, something fresh, and something bright.
Think roasted squash + grains + greens + protein + a tangy vinaigrette.
Or roasted vegetables + chicken + brown rice + an herby sauce.
Or mushrooms + farro + greens + Parmesan + lemon.
Fall food can be cozy without being heavy. A little sweetness, a little acid, plenty of vegetables, some texture, and a good sauce usually gets you most of the way there.
And luckily, we have a few months before anyone starts asking us to get excited about tomatoes again.suddenly roasted squash sounds much more exciting than it did a few weeks ago.
Fall changes more than the produce aisle. It changes how we want to eat. We start craving warmer meals, deeper flavors, more texture, and foods that feel satisfying without becoming overly heavy.
Around Farm to Fit, this is one of our favorite seasons for cooking. Here are some of the ingredients, flavors, and combinations our team gets especially excited about when fall arrives.
Roasted Squash
Butternut, delicata, acorn. All welcome.
Roasting squash brings out its natural sweetness and gives the edges that caramelized flavor that works just as well with savory spices as it does with more traditional fall flavors.
Squash is also a good source of fiber, and many varieties are rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A.
Chef tip: Give squash enough room on the sheet pan. If the pieces are packed too closely together, they steam instead of getting those browned, caramelized edges.
A combination we love: roasted delicata squash + farro + arugula + goat cheese + pepitas + a bright vinaigrette.
Delicata gets extra credit because you don’t have to peel it. We appreciate efficiency.
Apples in Savory Meals
Apples don’t need to wait for pie.
Their natural sweetness and acidity make them especially good with salty, bitter, and savory ingredients. They also bring fiber and vitamin C to the table, especially when you leave the peel on.
Chef tip: Choose a crisp apple that holds its shape, like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith, when using apples in salads or cooked savory dishes.
A combination we love: sliced apples + roasted Brussels sprouts + toasted walnuts + sharp cheddar + mustard vinaigrette.
A few crisp slices can make a meal feel distinctly fall without involving cinnamon or a trip to the pumpkin patch.
Roasted Vegetables
Once turning on the oven stops feeling like a terrible idea, we’re back in.
Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, and beets all become deeper and sweeter when roasted. Vegetables also bring plenty of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds, so piling a few different varieties onto the plate gives you both flavor and nutritional variety.
Chef tip: Don’t crowd the pan. Vegetables release moisture as they cook, so too many packed together will steam instead of roast. Give them space and let the edges get crispy.
A combination we love: roasted cauliflower + carrots + chickpeas + tahini + herbs + a squeeze of lemon.
Simple, reliable, very fall.
Soup
Portland drizzle arrives, soup follows.
Soup is also one of the easiest ways to build a balanced meal into one bowl. Vegetables, beans, grains, and protein can all live happily together, and broth-based soups can be filling without feeling particularly heavy.
Chef tip: Add something acidic at the end. A squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar can wake up an entire pot of soup and keep rich or earthy flavors from tasting flat.
A combination we love: white beans + kale + chicken + tomatoes + herbs in a savory broth, finished with lemon.
We’re equally happy with hearty bean soups, creamy squash soups, and anything that provides a reasonable excuse for good bread on the side.
Hearty Grains
Farro, barley, brown rice, and quinoa all feel right this time of year.
Whole grains add texture, fiber, and staying power to a meal, which makes them especially good foundations for fall bowls loaded with vegetables and protein.
They also hold up well to sauces and dressings without immediately turning into mush. An underrated quality.
Chef tip: Cook grains in broth instead of plain water, then season them while they’re still warm so they absorb more flavor.
A combination we love: farro + roasted mushrooms + kale + chicken + Parmesan + lemon.
Not flashy, but dependable. Very Portland, honestly.
Warm Spices
Fall flavor is bigger than cinnamon.
Cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, and chile can make a simple meal taste warmer and more complex without requiring a heavy sauce.
Many spices also contain naturally occurring plant compounds, so using a variety of them is an easy way to add both flavor and diversity to your cooking.
Chef tip: If you’re cooking with ground spices, add them to the pan for 30 seconds or so before adding liquid. A little heat helps release their aromas and makes the flavor more noticeable.
A combination we love: roasted sweet potatoes + chickpeas + cumin + smoked paprika + tahini + fresh herbs.
Consider this your reminder to check the back of the spice cabinet before buying another jar of cumin.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms just belong in cooler weather, especially here in the Pacific Northwest.
They bring deep savory flavor, also known as umami, to a dish and can make vegetables, grains, soups, and sauces feel much more substantial. Mushrooms also provide nutrients including B vitamins, selenium, and potassium.
Chef tip: Get the pan hot and resist the urge to stir constantly. Mushrooms need contact with the hot surface to brown. Move them around too much and they release water before they get a chance to develop that deep, savory flavor.
A combination we love: seared mushrooms + creamy polenta + wilted greens + Parmesan + fresh herbs.
Garlic doesn’t hurt either.
The Fall Formula
If there’s one thing we come back to again and again this time of year, it’s the combination of something roasted, something hearty, something fresh, and something bright.
Think roasted squash + grains + greens + protein + a tangy vinaigrette.
Or roasted vegetables + chicken + brown rice + an herby sauce.
Or mushrooms + farro + greens + Parmesan + lemon.
Fall food can be cozy without being heavy. A little sweetness, a little acid, plenty of vegetables, some texture, and a good sauce usually gets you most of the way there.
And luckily, we have a few months before anyone starts asking us to get excited about tomatoes again.
