Now that the days are shorter and the nights are cooler, it’s a natural tendency to want to hole up for the next few months and console ourselves with comfort food.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with doing that once in a while (after all, who doesn’t love a good chicken pot pie?), but remember to weave in some warm and cozy menu options that won’t decimate your diet.

Below are a few wholesome picks from fall’s fresh crop of fruits and veggies, including ideas for hearty – yet healthy – autumnal recipes.

Apples

• An excellent source of vitamins C, K and B6, plus they’re low in calories and high in fiber
• Fall is prime picking time, so look for non-bruised, firm flesh with unbroken skin
• Enjoy the proverbial “apple a day” with the Food Network’s 31 days of apple recipes here

Broccoli 

• A hardy vegetable harvested in late fall when the heads are dark green and compact
• Keep fresh florets in the fridge for about a week for healthy munching – or blanch and freeze for quick access to this nutritional superstar all winter long
• For a delicious twist, try Ina Garten’s Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli

Cranberries 

• Too tart to be eaten as picked, yet delicious when boiled or baked
• Eschew sugar in favor of complementing berries with bright citrus flavors
• Check out Cooking Light’s take on traditional recipes here

Eggplant

• It’s not just for Parmesan anymore!
• This shiny, purple berry (yup, it’s true) acts as a base for everything from dips to sauces, plus it’s a source of dietary fiber, potassium, manganese, copper and thiamine
• Click here for some healthy eggplant recipes and cooking tips from Eating Well

Figs 

• A delicious, all-natural energy source
• One handful (dried or fresh) provides five grams of fiber or 20 percent of the daily value
• FitSugar celebrates this ancient fruit here with recipes for late summer and early fall

Leafy greens (collards, mustard greens, kale, cabbage and spinach)

• One of the top food groups you can put on your plate, according to dietary experts
• Superfoods densely packed with nutrients, rich in calcium, magnesium, fiber and vitamins A, C, E and K, as well as heart-healthy folate and carotenoid antioxidants
• Bon Appetit offers recipes here, guaranteed to make your other veggies green with envy

Pears 

• Popular year-round, but available in an abundance of varieties in the autumn months
• Packing plenty of fiber, plus vitamin C and potassium, pears typically need to be ripened after purchase, so avoid fruit that is bruised, blemished or extra hard
• Click here for recipes from Epicurious, plus tips for this favorite fall fruit

Pomegranates 

• Those tangy, burst-in-your-mouth seeds are well worth the effort to disassemble
• Snack on them by the handful, sprinkle them on salads or drink a glass of pure juice for a massive amount of antioxidants
• Give one of Huffington Post’s 13 best recipes for pomegranates a whirl here

Pumpkins 

• Ah, fall embodied…
• Perfect for baking and full of seeds for toasting, they’re a tasty source of vitamins and minerals, particularly beta-carotene, vitamin C and potassium
• If you’re looking for alternative recipes to the usual pie, Women’s Health offers these so-good-they’re-scary fall pumpkin recipes for your post-Halloween get togethers

Squash 

• Not only one of the most colorful fall veggies, but it’s also one of the more versatile
• Extremely easy to cook and loaded with potassium and fiber, it can be added to soups and salads, as well as broiled, baked, stewed and sautéed
• Taste of Home highlights a harvest of healthy squash recipes here

Sweet potatoes 

• Rich in potassium, beta carotene, fiber, iron and calcium
• One baked, medium-sized sweet potato contains 438 percent of your daily value of vitamin A – all at a mere 105 calories
• Tempt your taste buds with Health’s top 25 sweet potato recipes here

What are your favorite fall veggies?