It seems like autumn is everyone’s favorite season, or at least the favorite season of “basic white girls,” so the memes tell us. The cozy sweaters, warm drinks, and beautiful leaves certainly make a good case for “best season.” I have to confess that it is my favorite season (I’ll accept the “basic white girl” nomination), and I especially look forward to making many of my favorite autumn recipes.
The cooler weather has me craving comfort food, but I don’t like feeling weighed down. Over the years, I’ve found some recipes that make me feel warm and fuzzy, but are also nutrient dense. I’m excited to share some of my favorites with you!
I don’t claim to be a vegetarian or vegan, but I do live a primarily plant-based life, while still eating some meat. So, this blog post will have a little something for both my carnivore and herbivore friends.
Looks like it’s time to whip yourself up a pumpkin spice latte and settle in for a cozy read!
Detox Vegetable Soup
Fall is all about the soups for me, and I’ve been obsessing over one soup recently. It is simply a myth that healthy foods can’t taste amazing! This flavorful broccoli soup is packed with vegetables and has fifteen grams of protein per serving. One bowl of this, and I am always satisfied. Check out the recipe for this “Detox Vegetable Soup” on skinnytaste.com. To be clear, I’ve never really been one to “detox,” I just love finding yummy ways to get more vegetables into my diet.
Of the soups I make, this one is a little more time-consuming, but you definitely don’t need a culinary degree. It just requires quite a bit of veggie chopping and waiting for pots to simmer. This is where meal prepping could definitely come in handy, as I would suggest pre-cutting some vegetables and storing them in the fridge to save time.
A Few Helpful Tips
I would highly recommend blending the soup twice through to get the smoothest consistency. In addition, as someone who has experience making nut-based milks, I soak my cashews in boiling water before making the cashew cream. Nothing is worse than a grainy soup, and the boiling water will soften the cashews.
Get ready to enjoy eating your greens with this one! It definitely makes my current list of favorite autumn recipes.
Maple Roasted Beets and Carrots
‘Tis the season for root vegetables. I have one memory of having to eat canned beets as a child, and for a long time, that just ruined beets for me. Something about canned beets just tastes more like the can than the beet. Turns out that canned beets and fresh beets are not on the same playing field. It just took me a bit to jump on the beet train, but now I am fully on board.
Maple is an autumn flavor that gets unfairly overshadowed by its fellow fall friend, pumpkin. I love that this recipe by Salt & Lavender puts maple center stage. The butter and maple syrup combo make the carrots and beets almost like dessert (I said almost! There’s always room for ice cream).
May I Sweetly Recommend…
Although I have a sweet tooth, I did find the recipe to be a little sweeter than I felt like it needed to be. I decided to use only two tablespoons of maple syrup instead of the three the original recipe called for. I also use vegan butter instead of real butter most of the time when I cook.
This is one of my favorite side dishes to pair with a nice piece of salmon. I am all aboard that beet train now, and you can’t get me off!
Salmon Patties
Speaking of salmon, these salmon patties by Natasha’s Kitchen are whoa-good. Adults need finger food too, and these can be eaten with your fingers for some fun or with a fork if you’re feeling classy.
We eat a lot of salmon in our household because we love the health benefits and the taste. However, we’re always looking for ways to switch up our salmon game to avoid food boredom. These are a worthwhile treat!
Reel-y Good Fish
While you could use canned salmon to make these patties, I would highly recommend fresh salmon. We buy our salmon through our meat CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). I’ve mentioned TC Farm before, and I will continue to rave about them. If you’re going to eat meat, make sure you know where it’s coming from and how it’s being raised. In this case, TC Farm partners with Superior Fresh to bring salmon to our table. They have incredible information here about their sustainability efforts and product if you’re interested.
We made these salmon patties exactly as the recipe called for other than using gluten free bread crumbs and half the amount of onion called for. There just weren’t many things I would change, which is why it’s been a favorite amongst my autumn recipes this year. It may continue to make an appearance throughout the year too!
Pumpkin Curry Soup
What would this autumn recipes post be without some pumpkin? Growing up, my mom would make this amazing pumpkin curry soup in the fall. When I moved away from home, it was one of the recipes I asked for right away. And I was happy to find out how easy it was to make! This is my go-to fall recipe now when I need a quick meal that is sure to “wow.”
To Curry Your Favor
The basic recipe is from allrecipes.com, though my mom tweaked it to her liking. I’ve made a few changes of my own that you might enjoy.
I prefer making it dairy-free by using almond milk in place of cream and vegan butter instead of regular butter. Since I’m gluten free, I also use gluten-free flour and coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. With the amount of pumpkin in this recipe, I’ve never noticed a difference in the thickness of the soup. The last adjustment I make is to leave out the sugar. I find it to be unnecessary in flavoring the soup, as the pumpkin is plenty sweet on its own.
The result is a bowl full of autumn joy. It’s a warm, filling, and spice-rich soup. Pairs perfectly with a yummy biscuit!
The Many Colors of Autumn Recipes
Aren’t the colors of fall beautiful? And I’m not just talking about the leaves, but about all the amazing produce that is in-season in the fall. One of the most sustainable things that we can do is to eat what’s in season and support our local agriculture. I’m so bummed that it’s almost the end of farmer’s market season in Minnesota. I love the idea of farm to table, but the cold climate here leaves a short window for local produce.
I’ll definitely miss the farmer’s market more than the leggings and sweaters, but just to make sure I don’t lose my “basic white girl” status, I’ll leave you with this picture of me at a local apple orchard.
Be Well. With Love.
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