It’s Fall, the best time of the year! In my opinion, anyhow. The colors are changing, the temps are cooling, and it’s the perfect time to get outside.
Unless of course you want to stay in. And in that case, it’s the perfect time to get into the kitchen. There are so many yummy, seasonal, and all around great dishes to prepare and enjoy during the Fall and here are some of my favorites.
Soups and Stews
Nothing is better than coming into the house from a chilly and maybe even windy outside, and smelling a warm chicken soup, bubbling away on the stove. Or what about a chunky, vegetable and meat filled stew? This goes the same for a hearty chili, I mean who doesn’t love these kinds of meals? Pair them with a hot and steamy cornbread right out of the oven or even a piece of crunchy, garlic toast just out of the toaster. Yum.
Fresh Salads
Along with your bowl of steaming goodness and a hot and crisp piece of toast, make a large and colorful salad. Not only will it be a great addition to your yummy dinner but if you make a large enough one, there is enough for leftovers all week. Add some different lettuces like butter lettuce, romaine, and some spinach and top with carrots, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, and even some sliced apples, Craisins, and sunflower seeds. You can add all vegetables you want but be sure to watch your portion with any nuts, sauces, or cheeses that you add to keep it filling yet healthy.
Anything Apple
I find that you are one of two people in this life, team apple or team pumpkin. For me, it’s apple all the way. In Fall, apples are not only the best tasting and most fresh, but because they are seasonal, they are also the best price. Apples are amazing raw and one of my favorite snacks is sliced apples and peanut butter. And whether you cook them baked or stewed, apples are always delicious.
Anything Pumpkin
If you know how to prepare squash, then pumpkin is basically the same thing. Cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, place into a roasting pan with a small splash of water, and roast until you can easily pierce the flesh of the pumpkin. And from there, you can use it for anything you would use canned pumpkin for. This ready to go pumpkin can be made into protein shakes, cookies or cake, as a part of a soup, or even as a side dish for dinner. There are so many things you can do with pumpkin and people love pumpkin everything in the Fall.
Anything Pear
Pears are the forgotten fruit of Fall. Pears are in season starting in late summer, all the way through the Fall, and into the winter. Pears are amazing fresh, ripe, and raw. And you can make pear crumbles or crisps, pear sauce, baked pears and so many other delicious dishes with this fruit.
No matter what you’re cooking this season, the fun part is getting into the kitchen. And the leftovers! If you batch cook, not only will you have extras to eat, you will have healthy stuff on hand, and you can enjoy your wonderful and amazing home-cooked dishes more than once. It’s really a win-win.
