I can’t think of a better way to celebrate fall than incorporating seasonal textures, flavors and ingredients into evening meals.

Today’s recipe for Beet and Red Cabbage Salad doubles up on nutrient-rich vegetables: pickled beets and sweet-and-sour red cabbage. Finish the dish with crispy tart apples and crunchy toasted pecans.

Prep time is 15 minutes, cook time is 10 minutes, and all of the ingredients should be available at a well-stocked natural and organic food store.

In addition to tomatoes, peas and peppers, we’d like to highlight four vegetables that are easy to grow in an organic garden.

Lettuce 

The base for most salads, myriad lettuce varieties (right) make versatile sandwich toppings and wrap fillings. 

Seeds should be planted between 8 and 16 inches apart. Water in the morning to prevent disease from developing. 

Delicious in: Grilled Sweet Gem with Gorgonzola

 Zucchini

 This green or yellow Italian squash is rich in potassium, folate and manganese, making it a healthful addition to any meal. 

Zucchini take about a month to mature. They grow on vines and produce large flowers before bearing fruit. 

Delicious in: Fresh Tomato and Zucchini Salad

Beets 

A beet’s bright purple color tells you it’s chock-full of essential vitamins and minerals. 

Freshly roasted beets are a wonderfully rustic side dish or salad ingredient. 

Delicious in: Roasted Portobello Mushrooms with Beets and Goat Cheese

Carrots 

A subterranean-growing veggie, carrots require moist soil as they germinate. 

As plants mature, they require less water. 

Delicious in: Turkish Leeks and Carrots

Blood oranges are my favorite citrus fruit, largely because they’re a seasonal treat. 

First grown in Italy and Spain, they’ve made their way to the United States and are now grown in California and Texas. Peak season is November to May (California) and December to March (Texas). 

Our weekend recipe combines blood oranges and red beets for a savory, yet sweet, salad. All of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store. If you have trouble finding blood oranges, you may substitute navel oranges.

Red Beet and Blood Orange Salad

Serves 4 (about 1 cup salad per serving, plus 1/4 cup dressing for later use)

Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup berry-infused red wine vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
1½ tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Salad

2 medium fresh beets (about 10 ounces total), stemmed and scrubbed
4 large Romaine lettuce leaves or 4 cups loosely packed field greens (about 4 ounces total)
2 blood or navel oranges, peeled and cut into sections
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 ounce chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Peel beets under running water to prevent staining of fingertips. Drain on paper towels, and cut each beet into eight wedges.
3. Place beets on foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil (from the dressing ingredient list), and toss to coat well. Arrange in a single layer. Bake 10 minutes.
4. Stir beets and cook 10 minutes longer, or until just tender. Remove foil and beets from baking sheet, and place on wire rack to cool at least 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, combine salad dressing ingredients in a jar or container with lid.
6. Arrange lettuce on a large platter; top with remaining salad ingredients and beets.
7. Shake jar vigorously, and evenly drizzle one half of the dressing over salad. Refrigerate remaining dressing up to 3 days for later use.

Check out:

• Pepita-Crusted Halibut with Blood Orange Jicama Chutney
• Blood Orange Marga-Tea-Tas
• Rose Geranium Sangria
• Greek-Style Beet Salad
• Roasted Portobello Mushrooms with Beets and Goat Cheese
• Spinach and Baby Beet Salad with Balsamic Vinegar and Plum Vinaigrette, Hazelnuts and Goat Cheese

Recipe and photo courtesy of Pompeian