Beets

These purple root vegetables are a good source of fiber (soluble pectin), folate, manganese, potassium, and phenols. Not a gourmet chef? Use a julienne tool or coarse grater to slice raw beets into match sticks that you can toss in a simple salad or use for crunch in a BBQ sandwich instead of coleslaw. It’s easy to roast a beet like a baked potato – wrap in foil and cook in a 400oF oven for an hour. After cooling for 10 minutes, peel and serve sliced with dill or thyme.

Brussels Sprouts

Grab these especially if they are on the stalk or on sale. They provide Vitamins B6, C and K, and Folate. Try Brussels sprouts cut in half, tossed in olive oil and sprinkled with salt, then baked in the oven at 375°F for 20 minutes. If ‘cooking’ isn’t your thing, try microwave steaming some frozen Brussels sprouts, then sprinkle them with lemon juice, parmesan cheese and chopped walnuts.

Cranberries

These tart berries are a good source of Vitamin C and enzymes, plus anti-inflammatory anthocyanins, which provide the cranberries with their red tint.

Jellied and dried cranberries are not your only options; a raw cranberry relish avoids even turning on the stove! Toss a cup of cranberries with a cut-up small, seedless orange with rind and a peeled, cut up tart green apple. Place the cranberries, orange and apple into a food processor until finely diced, then add ½ to 1 cup sugar and let sit overnight in the refrigerator. Use instead of gravy to accompany pork or poultry.

Figs

About four medium fresh or dried figs provide excellent fiber, a good amount of Vitamin B6 and potassium, and some magnesium. Figs also include polyphenol antioxidants, which are some of the most abundant antioxidants in a healthy diet.

You don’t have to be a cooking aficionado to include figs in a meal or snack. Try slicing a few fresh figs to top a pizza made with whole wheat crust (brushed with olive oil and garlic), caramelized or red onion, goat cheese, prosciutto and arugula before baking. For a quick snack, chop dried figs and add to a nut mix.

Pomegranate

The arils of this fruit provide significant Fiber, Vitamins C and K, plus antioxidant polyphenols. After opening a pomegranate and removing the juicy arils, they can be eaten by themselves as a snack or used as an addition to salads, salsa and smoothies. The season is short in the US – just a few months – so grab these while you can!

Swiss Chard

These greens with a red stem are high in Vitamins A, C, E and K, magnesium, potassium, iron and the phytonutrient betalain. Chopped leaves can be sautéed with oil and garlic, then drizzled with lemon juice or balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for a kick.  To use them raw, remove the spines, chop the leaves and add to a mild salad of cranberries, sliced almonds, crumbled feta and avocado, plus a vinaigrette of your choice.