The weather is beginning to cool down. Football is back. Autumn is arriving. And as autumn arrives, so does apple season! Because of that, our featured recipe is apple cucumber slaw from the Med Instead of Meds program.

This simple yet delicious side dish pairs greatly with chicken or fish. Whether you want to make the slaw sweet (with a Red Delicious) or tart (with a Granny Smith), you can find fresh North Carolina apples in all major varieties.

Apple orchards cover nearly 10,000 acres of our state — and our friends in Henderson County know just how to celebrate that: the annual North Carolina Apple Festival. Be sure to enjoy fresh apples while they are in-season!

The Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences strives to improve the lives of youth, families, and communities through research-based teaching and Extension programs. The AHS department includes faculty and staff from a variety of disciplines, ranging from nutrition and food safety to education and leadership. To share our programming, the department will be releasing monthly recipes to CALS Insider that feature local, in-season produce.

The Med Instead of Meds program includes seven simple steps that lead to a plethora of benefits, including improved health and a reduced risk of chronic disease.

For more information and recipes, visit medinsteadofmeds.com.