It’s fall. Vibrant oranges, dusty purples, velvety greens –the colors of the autumn harvest fill the stalls at my local farmers market. I love this time of year, love finding different ways to prepare the myriad of squashes and root vegetables. And–Halloween aside–my kids like this time of year as well. (Although it may have more to do with the vats of apple cider filling the early morning market air with their sweet, spicy aroma.) So what to do with this week’s bumper crop and will my two young children  (3 years old and 11 months old) eat my culinary creations?

Feeding young children can be complicated at times. Not so much what they can eat, but rather what they will eat. In short, kids can be some tough critics and picky eaters. So to keep things simple for my autumn harvest, I employ my roasting pan. Roasting vegetables, in particular squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets and parsnips—while not necessarily the quickest way to prepare them—it is one of the easiest. Drizzle a little olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper, give the mixture a stir and after 45 minutes in the oven, you have a pan of a fragrant and salty-sweet vegetables. And those little jewel-toned veggies make great finger food for little ones, just starting to eat solids. Sprinkle the roasted sweet potato and carrot pieces in front your child (while at the table or in the highchair) and he can explore the tastes and textures for himself, squishing and squashing those tender morsels to get them in his mouth. And if your little one is just beginning solids, you can always mash the veggies (adding a little liquid or plain yogurt to thin the mixture).

For my 3 year-old, foods once deemed acceptable, are suddenly struck from the list. (Usually without reason, I might add!) So I’m always sure to pick up eggs and cheese each week at the farmer’s market, as together they make a wonderful base for cooking a variety of veggies. Shred them, chiffonade them, sauté them and add them to scrambled eggs, omelets, fritatta or quiche. This is how I incorporate some of the seasonal greens, (swiss chard, kale, collard greens) and as well as shallots, onions and leeks into my cooking. Add a dollop of ketchup and viola! Sometimes it results in my earning a “This is delicious!” from my burgeoning food critic.

I’ve found that my older child is naturally interested in what he’s eating if he’s grabbed the bunch of carrots we will cook for dinner later that night. And those eggs, even those seem to taste better, when he remembers that those were the eggs he helped to pick out. My weekly market excursions have become mini adventures in local farm fare for my little ones. From apples to bacon to broccoli to milk and cheese, I can find it all at my farmer’s market and experiment in the kitchen with my two little cooks and foster in them, if not a love of all vegetables, then at least the joy of eating food from our local farmers.

Simple Roasted Autumn Vegetables

• 1 bunch beets (aprox.3-4 medium sized beets)
• 1 bunch carrots (aprox. 3-4 medium sized carrots)
• 2-3 medium sized sweet potatoes
• 1-2 small onion, diced
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• large baking dish or roasting pan

Set oven to 475ºF.

If you haven’t already, remove the greens from both the beets and the carrots. Peel and roughly chop the beets, carrots, sweet potatoes and onions into small bite-sized pieces (about ½ inch). Cutting the vegetables so that they are all about the same size, helps to ensure that they will cook evenly.

Combine the vegetables in a large bowl and drizzle with enough olive oil to lightly coat all the pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss the mixture to evenly distribute the oil, salt and pepper coverage and transfer to the large baking dish. Bake in the oven 475º for about 35-40 minutes. Halfway through the baking time, give the mixture a stir and rotate the pan. Take a fork and test a few pieces to see if they are cooked through and tender.

Swiss Chard and Leek Quiche

• 1 small bunch swiss chard, chopped
• 2 small leeks, sliced
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
• 3 oz Canadian bacon, finely chopped
• Pinch of herbes de Provence
• 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 eggs, slightly beaten
• salt & pepper
• 9-inch quiche/pie shell or home-made pie crust (I cheat and use a pre-made pie shell that I stock up on at the local organic store, but you can also make your own, which is even tastier.)

Set oven to 475º.

Par bake the quiche shell for 10 minutes.

Be sure to wash both the swiss chard and the leeks thoroughly, to get all the sand out. In a large sauté pan, add a splash of olive oil, add the leeks and sauté until transparent. Add in the swiss chard, carrots, Canadian bacon and herbs and sauté until the mixture begins to brown. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the shredded cheese, the eggs,  and a splash of milk. Add the cooled vegetables and bacon to the egg and stir, adding a pinch of salt and pepper.  Spoon the mixture into the quiche shell, making sure to distribute it evenly in the pan.

Bake at 475º for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Let the quiche cool for a few minutes before serving.