The crisp, clean air, the changing colors of the leaves and the crunch under your booted feet, layers on layers on layers. All of these things invoke the image of fall. The most enticing images, however, are those of food.

Fall is the beginning of the holiday season, and with the changing leaves come the changing palattes and the desire for something sweet that will warm your insides. Fall flavors are rich, comforting, spicy, and warm. They make you want to curl up into a ball in front of the TV with a warm cup of something and a feathery, soft, larger-than-life blanket. Classic fall goodies can also jumpstart the horrifying, yet inevitable, holiday sugar coma, and eventual weight gain. Ahead are seven popular and in-season produce items which are chock-full of nutrients and health benefits, with seven mouth-watering recipes for each. These recipes aim to let you enjoy all of the amazing fall flavors without the regret. Enjoy!

Pumpkin

Pumpkin is arguably the most quintessential fall ingredient. Though a part of the squash family, pumpkin is such a popular fall ingredient item that it deserves a section all to itself. Not only is pumpkin delicious, adding special hints of autumn goodness to any dish, it has special health benefits! Consuming pumpkin or pumpkin seeds (also called "pepitas") has shown to aid in heart health, keep the skin looking youthful, and high potassium content can even help with workout recovery.

1. Pumpkin & Chicken Baked Pasta

2. Guilt Free Pumpkin Pie

3. Pumpkin Oat Pancakes

4. Pumpkin Fettuccine Alfredo

5. Roasted Pumpkin Pie Chickpeas

6. Roasted Pumpkin Seed Hummus

7. Harvest Vegetable Stew in Mini Roasted Pumpkins

Kale

Kale can be eaten all year round, but its prime growing season is in the fall. Kale has gained a lot of popularity and traction in the health community due to its high nutrient content. With more calcium than milk per serving, the highest vitamin A content of any leafy green vegetable, and a good amount of heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids in each leaf, this powerhouse vegetable will give any unhealthy fall recipe a kick in the rear.

1. Pasta with Black Kale, Caramelized Onions, & Parsnips

2. Garlic Roasted Kale

3. Crispy Kale Salad with Brie Grilled Cheese Croutons

4. Kale & Mushroom Mac & Cheese

5. Grilled Kale Salad with Beets, Figs & Riccotta 

6. Kale & Carrot Crostada

7. Kale & Persimmon Salad

Pears

Pears are great as an afternoon snack, but turn this autumn stone fruit up a notch by adding it into some great recipes. Not only are pears perfectly crunchy and delightfully sweet, they pack a pretty big nutritional punch. High fiber content supports healthy digestion, and hearty amounts of potassium help to keep blood pressue down. Quercetin, an antioxidant found in the skin of pears, has also been linked to cancer prevention.

1. Celery Root & Pear Puree

2. Pear, Arugula, Walnut & Roasted Endive Salad

3. Vanilla Pear Muffins

4. Pear & Fennel Salad

5. Gingered Pears & Parnsips

6. Pear & Brussel Sprout Stir Fry

7. Overnight Spiced Vanilla Pear Oatmeal

Cauliflower

Cauliflower is often overlooked in the vegetable department due to the higher popularity of its greener counterpart, broccoli. Fall, however, is cauliflower's time to shine. Other fall foodie essentials, such as hazlenuts, pomegranate, and quinoa, complement cauliflower's mild flavor. Not to mention its anti-inflammatory properties, which help prevent cardiovascular disease.

1. Hot Cauliflower & Chicken Salad with Pomegranate & Mint

2. Roasted Cauliflower & Hazelnut Salad

3. Caramelized Cauliflower & Mushroom Casserole

4. Roasted Cauliflower with Coriander, Caraway & Garlic

5. Roasted Cauliflower & Onion Mac & Cheese

6. Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpea & Quinoa Salad with Jalapeno Lime Dressing

7. Roasted Cauliflower & Onion Soup

Butternut and Acorn Squash

Squash, both the butternut and acorn varieties, has been popping up everywhere in the past few years. It's no wonder, with the sweet yet nutty flavor that is practically impossible to replicate, and can make a simple recipe into so much more. Squash can be enjoyed year round, and has become increasingly popular in the summer time. It's true home, however, is the fall. Add butternut or acorn squash to most fall dishes, and it's practically a guarantee that the dish will be a crowd pleaser.

1. Brown Sugar Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Chipotle Chicken

2. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Sage

3. Herbed Ricotta Butternut Squash Noodles with Walnuts, Chickpeas & Roasted Vegetables

4. Butternut Squash Skillet Lasagna

5. Roasted Butternut Squash with Quinoa, Dried Cranberries & Pepitas

6. Butternut Squash & Chicken Chili

7. Butternut Squash, Goast Cheese & Arugula Pizza

Apples

It's common knowledge that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. So why not take the age-old advice to heart, and start throwing any and every kind of apple into your fall recipes this season. Go apple picking with the family and collect bags upon bags of perfect, sweet, crisp apples for these perfect fall concoctions. Don't forget, apples are full of vitamins and fiber and could help promote heart health.

1. Apple Parsnip Soup

2. Pumpkin Quinoa Cinnamon Spice Baked Apples with Cranberries, Walnuts & Honey Glaze

3. Apple, Goat Cheese & Pecan Pizza

4. Apple Gingerbread Squares with Spiced Coconut Butter Frosting

5. Apple Cinnamon Bake with Oats

6. Sweet & Spicy Apple Chips

7. Apple & Oatmeal Pancakes

Sweet Potatoes

The white potato takes a back seat for the fall season as the sweet potato takes center stage. Classically part of a tooth-achingly sweet Thanksgiving dessert, the sweet potato gets a makeover with these healthy fall recipes that showcase their true nutritinal potential. Unlike its less vibrantly colored counterpart, the sweet potato is full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which can make the skin glow and rid the body of cancer causing free radicals!

1. Loaded Quinoa Sweet Potatoes

2. Creamy Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup

3. Honey-Lime Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Corn Tacos

4. Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Cranberry-Chipotle Dressing

5. Breakfast Sweet Potato with Maple-Oat Crumble

6. Sweet Potato Cookies

7. Sweet Potato & Wheat Berry Bake

Reach Staff Reporter Ashley Seruya here or follow her on Twitter.