I love to cook according to the seasons for a few reasons. First of all, less boredom with cooking. Changing it up keeps it fresh & fun! Second, different vegetables are in season at different times of the year - this means new, fresh fruits & veggies! It's just a BONUS to cook with these because they're fresher & more affordable.
Here's a few lovely fall-based recipes to get you acclimated into the new season!
1. Butternut Squash Soup (Love & Lemons Recipe)
This recipe is so good I literally always burn my mouth because I can never wait to eat it! PS: did you know butternut squash is also packed with Vitamin C?! You're welcome :)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 (3-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
½ tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3 to 4 cups vegetable broth
Freshly ground black pepper
For serving
Chopped parsley
Toasted pepitas
Crusty bread
1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and several grinds of fresh pepper and sauté until soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the squash and cook until it begins to soften, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, sage, rosemary, and ginger. Stir and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant, then add 3 cups of the broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the squash is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Let cool slightly and pour the soup into a blender, working in batches if necessary, and blend until smooth. If your soup is too thick, add up to 1 cup more broth and blend. Season to taste and serve with parsley, pepitas, and crusty bread.
2. Plant-Based Berry Lentil Oatmeal Bake (Be Well Recipe)
You could really make this any time of the year, but I love making this one around the season change as it starts to cool down. Enjoy!
Ingredients
2 cups rolled oats
½ cup dry lentils
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. fine sea salt
1-2 cups fresh or frozen berries
¼-½ cup nuts or seeds (optional)
3 cups liquid (almond, soy, water)
¼ cup maple syrup
4 tbsp ground flaxseed
¼ cup applesauce
2 tsp. vanilla
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly spray a 9-inch square (or similar-sized) baking dish.
2. Mix together the oats, lentils, flax, seeds/nuts, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Pour into the baking dish. Scatter with berries.
3. Whisk together the liquid, maple syrup, applesauce, and vanilla. Pour the mixture over the oats and give it a gentle stir to distribute everything evenly.
4. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden and the oats have set.
5. Serve warm. Add a splash of milk, if desired.
3. Many-Veggie Vegetable Soup (Love & Lemons Recipe)
This recipe is really great because you can honestly use whatever veggies you have on hand. And who doesn't love a hearty veggie soup?!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
Sea salt and fresh black pepper
1 medium carrot, diced
1 small sweet potato, diced
¼ cup dry white wine, i.e., pinot grigio
1 14.5ounce can diced roasted tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cups vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup chopped green beans
1 zucchini, diced
1 15-ounce can chickpeas
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1½ cups chopped kale
1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, ½ teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Add the carrot and sweet potato, stir and cook 2 more minutes.
2. Add the wine and cook for about 30 seconds to reduce by half, then add the canned tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir in the broth and bay leaves.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 20 minutes.
4. Stir in the cherry tomatoes, green beans, zucchini, chickpeas, and cover and cook 10 to 15 more minutes, until the green beans are tender.
5. Stir in the vinegar, kale, an additional ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste), and more pepper.
4. Healthy & Delicious Buffalo Dip (Be Well Recipe)
Wouldn't be a fall recipe series without some sort of football game accompaniment, would it?!
Ingredients:
2 cans jackfruit
1 package silken tofu
1 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried dill
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup Frank’s RedHot hot sauce
1/2 cup dairy-free cheese
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly spray a baking sheet.
Put cashews in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside.
Drain and rinse the jackfruit. Chop/pull it into small pieces and spread on the baking sheet. (I like to lightly season with salt, pepper, and paprika, but you can also bake plain.) Bake about 20 minutes or until the edges start to get crispy, stirring occasionally.
Blend all remaining ingredients together! You can modify spices to taste.
Add cashews and blend until smooth.
Lower oven to 350 degrees. Grease a glass baking dish, whatever you want to serve your dip in (roughly 8×8).
Combine jackfruit with the rest of the mixture and spread evenly in the baking dish.
Top with dairy-free cheese if you’d like, or just an extra shake of nutritional yeast.
Bake until the cheese melts or top starts to lightly brown.
5. Spaghetti Squash Casserole (Conscientious Eater Recipe)
This casserole is a MUST TRY! Packed with veggies, and a delicious, healthier substitute for your average casserole dish.
Squash:
1 large spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise and seeds removed
1 large head broccoli, cut into florets
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Optional: 1 cup frozen green peas
Cheese Sauce
2 ¼ cups almond milk
¾ cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon tahini
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon turmeric
Ground pepper and red chili flakes to taste
1. Preheat your oven to 400F and grease a baking sheet or line it with a silicone baking mat. Place the cut spaghetti squash cut-side up onto the baking sheet. Spray the inside with cooking spray and season it with salt and pepper. Place it in the oven to roast for about 50 minutes, or until the flesh can easily be pierced with a fork. Once cooked, remove it from the oven and shred it with a fork to form spaghetti-like ribbons.
2. While the squash is roasting, prepare the broccoli and cheese sauce.
For the cheese sauce, place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the sauce into a sauce pan and heat over medium-low heat. Allow the sauce to thicken while stirring occasionally. This should take about 5 minutes.
3. While the sauce is thickening, cut the broccoli into florets, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. After the squash has been roasting for 30 minutes, add the broccoli florets to the baking sheet (or a separate baking sheet if needed) and allow them to roast for about 20 minutes, stirring half-way.
4. Grease a 9x9-inch baking dish. Combine the shredded squash, thickened cheese sauce, roasted broccoli, and frozen peas in a large mixing bowl and pour the mixture into your prepared baking dish. Season with ground pepper and red chili flakes and bake it in the already preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Then switch the oven to broil and broil for 5 more minutes.
5. Enjoy the casserole warm with your favorite crusty bread!
What do you think, friends?! Did these recipes get you excited for fall? Don't forget to check your local farmer's market for the freshest ingredients & support local <3
Have another favorite recipe you love to make each year?! I'd love to see them!
Send them to me :)
Email: steph@bewellwithsteph.com
Instagram: @bewellwithsteph_
Facebook: Stephanie Lee Genco
As always... Discovery Calls are FREE :) I'd love to hear from you!
You are worthy of living and capable of creating a healthy lifestyle you love. 🤍
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