By Mary Schroeder, University of Minnesota Extension

As the cooler autumn evenings approach, you might long for the warm, delicious taste of recently harvested vegetables. Vibrant, orange vegetables such as squash, pumpkin and sweet potatoes can be a great addition to any meal.

“The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans” from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends adults consume 2 1/2 cups of vegetables each day. From this allotment, adults should eat at least two cups of orange vegetables per week. This is equal to one-half cup of orange vegetables, four days per week.

Orange vegetables are good sources of beta carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, potassium and fiber. Sweet potatoes are one of the few non-fat foods that contain vitamin E. These nutrients are important for vision, bone growth, healthy skin and cardiovascular health. Orange vegetables also contain antioxidants and phytochemicals that can reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer.

The majority of adults do not eat two cups of orange vegetables per week. If you’re among them, challenge yourself to increase your intake by one-half cup each week. You can do this by simply switching from a white baked potato to a baked sweet potato, serving squash as a side dish instead of corn, serving pumpkin soup with sandwiches, or adding chunks of squash or sweet potatoes to vegetable soup.

Cooking with orange vegetables should not be limited to the fall and holiday seasons. Most are available fresh throughout the year, while canned and frozen versions are available year-round. Let’s look at easy ways other orange vegetables can be added to meals:

< Squash: Acorn, butternut and hubbard are all examples of orange-fleshed squash. To cook a squash, cut it in half, remove the seeds and then cut into half-inch slices. Place on a baking sheet and cook at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender.

< Sweet potatoes: Bake at 375 degrees for one to 1 1/2 hours. Or try making sweet potato fries by cutting sweet potatoes into strips and baking at 400 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

< Pumpkin: There are more uses for pumpkin than just pumpkin bars and pumpkin pie. Make a warm pumpkin soup or add canned pumpkin to vanilla yogurt for a cool and refreshing dessert.

(Mary Schroeder is a health and nutrition educator with University of Minnesota Extension.)