Fall is upon us, and we’ve eaten our last garden tomato… addio pomodori. But apples are abundant. So are hardy fall greens like arugula, bok choy, cabbage. Put these in a salad bowl and you have a great salad assortment.

Apples are American’s most popular fruit. From tart to sweet, crisp to soft, there are more than 650 apple varieties listed by the USDA – and there may be more than 10,000 worldwide.

The adage, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away,’ is just a starting point for the health benefits of apples. They’re a good source of dietary fiber, which aids in digestion, decreases the risk of colorectal cancer, and helps with weight loss. The phytochemicals in apples have been credited with everything from protecting brain cells from diseases like Alzheimer’s to preventing cancer and heart disease. Specifically, apples contain important antioxidants (such as Quercitin and various flavonoids) that bolster the immune system and help control levels of LDL cholesterol.

Greens have many health benefits, including vitamins and fiber. The long, slender, flat leaves of arugula (also known as rocket, rugola, rucola and roquette) resemble oak or dandelion. With just 4 calories per cup, this hardy Mediterranean green offers lots of vitamins A, C, folic acid, and the minerals calcium and iron. It is rich in fiber and contains cancer-fighting phytochemicals (indoles and isothiocyanates). The peppery, tangy flavor combines well with sweet, tart apples, smooth, creamy dressings, and cheese. Smaller leaves have a milder flavor.

Most Americans know cabbage only from coleslaw and the traditional St. Patrick’s Day feast, but cabbage and apples make wonderful salads. One cup of shredded raw cabbage has just 24 calories yet supplies more than half the daily requirement for vitamin C as well as ample amounts of A and B vitamins. Cabbage stimulates the immune system, improves circulation, lowers cholesterol, and kills harmful bacteria. It has the most health benefits when eaten raw.

The bright, white stems of bok choy are crunchy and great raw. Choys and other Chinese cabbage varieties are more digestible, with fewer gaseous effects, than European cabbages. Like other cruciferous vegetables, choys contain slforaphane, which stimulates cancer-protecting enzymes. They are great sources of bone-building calcium, and are rich in the antioxidant vitamins A, C, E, and folic acid.

Apples and hardy greens are a delicious, nutritious duo. Spicy arugula, pungent cabbage, crisp bok choy combine well with sweet-tart apples. Add a light sweet-tart dressing and you have a great salad to accompany your meal without the ubiquitous, cardboard-tasting supermarket tomato.

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Arugula Apple Salad with Cheddar and Pecans

Ingredients:

Garlic Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing:

1 clove garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon honey mustard

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 to 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

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Salad:

1 bunch arugula

2 apples

1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Generous handful pecans (1/2 1 cup)

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Directions:

Crush garlic. Add salt, mustard, and apple cider vinegar. Whisk in oil.

Add washed, torn arugula leaves and toss to coat. Add cored, sliced (no need to peel) apples. Stir in Cheddar cheese and garnish with pecans.

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Fall Bok Choy and Apple Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups baby bok choy or bok choy stems

1 to 2 cups lettuce (I used red leaf, still from our garden)

2 apples, cored and diced

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 large sweet onion (such as Walla Walla) sliced thin

1 cup Concord grapes, optional

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Garlic Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing:

1 clove garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon honey mustard

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 to 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

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Directions:

Crush garlic. Add salt, mustard, and apple cider vinegar. Whisk in oil.

Toss leaves into the dressing, and stir well with a fork until coated with dressing. Stir in bok choy, apples, sweet onion, and nuts.

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Fruity Cabbage Slaw

Ingredients:

1/2 head cabbage (about 4 cups, shredded; good with part celery cabbage)

2 red apples

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 cup dried sweetened cranberries (craisins)

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 can crushed pineapple (12-14 ounces)

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt

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Directions:

Core the cabbage, remove the outer leaves, and chop or shred. Wash, core, and dice the apple. Add the lemon and honey and salt, and stir well to coat. Stir in the pineapple with its juice, cranberries and walnuts. Fold in the mayonnaise and sour cream. Chill until ready to serve.

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Author of the award-winning cookbook Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers’ Market, Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: cooking and writing. She can be reached at www.wordsaremyworld.com or on Facebook as Author Yvona Fast.