Cozy Fall Recipes – and a Secret Ingredient
Oh wow, it’s suddenly cold. I’ve actually had to break out some of my winter gear in order to attend my kids’ sports events – on the Cape and at night. While there have been some lovely bursts of warm sunny mid-days, I’ve also been in my ice-cold office, some really cold flights (why are airplanes so cold?), and did I mention that I travel to Minnesota? Brrr. It’s definitely time to start turning to some of my warmer recipes. And I’ve been doing so in recent weeks. I’ve even created a new one – Butternut Squash Curry Ginger Soup – with a secret ingredient – to make it extra creamy, yet still plant-based. The recipe is below.
Eating “cozy” food and “comfort” food can easily lead you down a trap to processed food. Or not. I make a few changes as these months slide from the warm summer days to the crisp fall nights. Fewer salads and more warm dishes. And the result is that I still get all that nutrition with whole, unprocessed foods.
Breakfast
It’s time to trade your cold cereal in for something warmer. I opt for warm Quinoa Flakes. I typically cook mine in plant-based milk and I add in a nut butter while cooking for extra protein. I top them with some cut fruit. Sprinkle with cinnamon or in this case, I shaved a little dark chocolate. Chia seeds or hemp seeds make a nice topping also.
Anytime
I’m definitely that person who is most likely to make a salad, bring a salad, order a salad and eat a salad. And I do love my salads. But when the weather turns colder, sometimes it’s the last thing I want. So in the fall, I try to sauté a batch of dark leafy greens – kale, swiss chard, bok choy in my fat of choice (olive oil, sesame oil, ghee, coconut oil). I can use them for a few days as a side dish or in a bowl with grains and other vegetables. They’re warm and I still get all the nutrition that I did with my salads.
Lunch or Dinner
Butternut Squash Carrot Curry Ginger Soup
Somewhere around the end of September, some hardy squashes started showing up in my CSA box from Ward’s Berry Farm. I decided to venture into soups with the different squashes this year. I’ve been trying to make my best ever Butternut Squash Soup – and I’m pretty pleased with this one. To make it extra creamy, I’ve added a secret ingredient: cashews! I have a friend who is trying a plant-based diet currently – and she also happens to have an allergy to tree nuts. For her, I would recommend replacing the cashews with silken tofu to get the extra creamy effect. I’ve also made this soup with Acorn Squash – and it was also delicious!
Recipe - Ingredients
2T. Olive Oil
1 large Butternut Squash (peeled, seeded & cut into cubes)
2 tsp. Kosher salt (divided)
1 quart organic chicken broth or vegetable (I use Better Than Boullion. Or use your own Bone Broth)
2 T. finely chopped fresh ginger
4 carrots, peeled & cut into rounds
1 T. curry powder
2 cups coconut milk (or more if you need to thin the soup)
½ cup raw cashews
½ cup pumpkin seeds (optional)
Nutmeg (to sprinkle – optional)
Fresh ground pepper
Directions
1. Place cashews in a bowl. Cover with water to soften.
2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a large glass baking dish, combine butternut squash, olive oil, and 1 tsp. Kosher salt. Pour 1 cup of broth on top of the squash mixture and bake for 90 minutes.
4. Pour squash mixture, 3 cups of broth, carrots, ginger and curry into a large soup pot. Heat over medium-low for 30 minutes. Add 2 cups of coconut milk. Drain water from cashews. Add cashews. Cook for 5 minutes.
5. Blend with an immersion blender. If the soup is too think, add more coconut milk and blend again.
6. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds before serving.
I hope that you find some warmth and comfort with these simple recipe ideas. Salad days will return again in about six months. In the meantime, keep checking back for more warm and nutritious recipes!