By Sierra Rosales
The days are getting shorter, the nights longer and the leaves won’t stop falling anytime soon. For each season, I always have a few ingredients and dishes I look forward to.
Fall to me is the beginning of soups, heavy pasta dishes, sugar cookies, cinnamon, apples and, of course, everything pumpkin. The tastes of fall always pair perfectly with scary movies, hayrides, corn mazes and campfires.
It is common knowledge that apples and other fruits are good for you. There are other amazing fall flavors that can also provide some amazing benefits you probably haven’t heard about.
Even though one teaspoon of cinnamon is only about six calories, it is chock full of nutrients like antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and other elements that can help combat cancer, HIV, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, heart disease and bacterial and fungal infections.
Pumpkins are in the Cucurbitaceae family, sharing some similar benefits as cinnamon. Pumpkin is also low-calorie and combats cancer and heart disease. Pumpkin also aids eyes, skin and metabolism. Pumpkin is in the same family as cucumbers, melons, gourds and other squashes.
Another ingredient that isn’t exclusively a fall flavor is peanut butter. Peanut butter is crammed with nutrients and protein.
Although peanuts can be a common allergen among kids, in new research, scientists believe early exposure can help prevent peanut butter allergies. Anyone with concerns about peanut allergies should discuss this with their child’s health-care provider. But we thought this was a good time to announce that starting this month, West Virginia WIC programs across the state, including the one at Monongalia County Health Department, will be providing peanut butter in packages to children ages 1-2 years old.
So enjoy these fall flavors knowing that they are also good for you!
Items marked with an asterisk (*) are available through Monongalia County Health Department WIC.
EASY PEANUT BUTTER PUMPKIN COOKIES
- 1 cup of peanut butter *
- 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar
- 1/2 cup of regular sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Make small balls from the dough.
- Place the small balls on a cookie sheet. Use an ice cream scoop if you have one, or two spoons to drop the batter on the sheet.
- Bake them in the oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Let the cookies sit and form for about 10 minutes before eating and enjoy
AIR-FRIED APPLE CHIPS
- Apples
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Slice your apples with a mandolin or very thinly with a knife. Top with mostly cinnamon and a few pinches of nutmeg until covered.
- Bake in the air fryer at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, until they are crispy. The cooking time will vary depending on how many apples you put in the air fryer. For the best results, only use one layer of apple slices at a time.
Please contact us at 304-598-5181 for more information.
