Fall is here, which means so are of your favorite fall flavors - the biggest being pumpkin and apple!! I don't know about anyone else but I LOVE all things apple 😋
Aside from these favorites, there are many other in season fruits and vegetables with seasonal flavors to incorporate into your meals and snacks this fall!
Fall fruits and veggies that are in season include:
Apples
Pumpkins
Fall and Winter Squashes (like butternut and spaghetti squashes)
Corn
Green Beans
Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, and Yams
Beets
Carrots
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Looking for some fall recipe inspiration? I've got you covered!
Apple Spiced Pancakes
Start the day off with fall flavors with these apple spiced pancakes! They provide carbs to give you the energy to fuel your morning! Top with Greek yogurt or pair with eggs or a glass of milk to add some filling protein to this meal! These can also be made ahead of time in a big batch, then reheated in the morning for a quick and easy breakfast before rushing off to school!
Ingredients:
2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour Or All-Purpose Flour
2 tbsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Eggs
1 1/2 cups Milk
1 tbsp Maple Syrup
2 Gala Apples, Cored And Grated
1/2 cup Chopped Pecans
Maple Syrup And Fresh Apples, To Serve
Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk eggs, milk and maple syrup. Pour egg mixture into flour mixture and stir to combine. Stir in grated apples and pecans.
Heat a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat, or heat a griddle to 375ºF. Lightly coat skillet with cooking spray.
Using a ¼-cup measuring cup, scoop batter into the skillet, a few pancakes at a time. When pancakes start to bubble on top, flip and cook until pancakes are cooked through all the way. Repeat with remaining batter. (Makes 20 pancakes.)
Serve pancakes with maple syrup and fresh fruit, if desired.
Recipe from The Pioneer Woman
Butternut Squash Soup
The weather will be cooling down soon, so warm up with this hearty soup! Soups are a great type of recipe that you can cook a big batch at the beginning of the week and eat for easy meals throughout the week! Pair with a roll or crackers and a protein source (such as chickpea or lentil based pasta, quinoa, a chicken breast, or ground beef) to make this into a full meal that follows your Athlete's Plate!
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 (or pumpkin seeds), crusty bread
Directions:
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.
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.
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.
Recipe from Love and Lemons
Maple Baked Salmon
Maple is one of my favorite (yet underrated) fall flavors! Level up your salmon with this maple baked salmon, and pair with a grain--such as rice, pasta, or potatoes--and sautéed vegetables for a great fueling plate!
Ingredients:
1 (1 1/2-pound) skin-on or skinless salmon fillet
12 fresh cilantro sprigs
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon wedges, for serving
Directions:
Remove salmon from the refrigerator. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Bundle the cilantro sprigs by their stems and hold them tightly, then slice the stems crosswise until you get to the leaves. Reserve leaves for garnish. Transfer sliced stems to a small bowl and stir in the maple syrup, mustard and mayonnaise until well mixed.
Season the salmon all over with salt and pepper and place in a baking dish, skin-side down if there is skin. Slather the maple sauce all over the top.
Bake until a paring knife slides into the center with only a little resistance, 15 to 20 minutes. When you remove the knife and touch the blade to your upper lip, it should feel very warm but not hot. The salmon will continue to heat through out of the oven while in the baking dish. Top with the reserved cilantro leaves, and squeeze lemon wedges all over just before serving.
Recipe from New York Times Cooking
Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta
Add a seasonal twist to a traditional pasta dish with this pumpkin alfredo pasta! Pumpkin isn't just for pumpkin spiced sweets--it can also be included in a lot of savory dishes like this one! Be sure to add a protein source such as chicken or a high protein pasta (such as Banza chickpea pasta), and include a fruit or vegetable to add even more color to this plate, and you're on the right track to meeting your fueling goals!
Ingredients:
16 oz. pasta of choice
2 tablespoons butter
6 cloves garlic, minced
5 fresh sage leaves, chopped (plus a few extra for garnish)
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese + more for topping
cracked black pepper
Directions:
Cook your pasta according to package instructions.
Melt your butter over medium-high heat.
Add the garlic and chopped sage to the pan and sauté for 3 – 5 minutes until fragrant and the garlic is golden brown. I put a few full sage leaves into the pan to fry them up for garnish. After a few minutes, use tongs to remove the fried sage leaves from the pan and set aside.
Add the heavy cream, pumpkin puree, and parmesan cheese.
Stir and bring the sauce to a simmer.
Allow to simmer for 7 – 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Remove the sauce from heat.
Pour the pasta into the pan and fold everything together to coat the pasta with the sauce.
Plate the pasta and top with additional grated parmesan, cracked black pepper and the fried sage.
Recipe from The Toasted Pine Nut
Apple Chips
I don't know about anyone else, but I LOVE apple chips - the perfect amount of sweetness with a great crunch... YUM! They are a super simple fall-themed snack you can make ahead of time then take on the go for a quick pick me up in between meals or in the middle of practice! These apple chips are a great source of simple carbohydrates (along with some vitamins and minerals) to give you a quick energy boost during your long day!!
Ingredients:
5 apples
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 teaspoons brown sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Thinly slice apples with a mandoline (or knife). On a greased baking sheet, Arrange apple slices so they aren't overlapping.
In small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of apple chips.
Bake on the top rack of your oven for 2 hours until chips are dry and crisp.
Remove from oven and let them cool completely. Store in a zipped plastic bag for up to 3 days to stay crispy.
Recipe from Jessica in the Kitchen
Pumpkin Spice Trail Mix
Add a fall twist to traditional trail mix with this pumpkin spiced trail mix! Another great make-ahead snack option to take with you on your busy days! Have a handful or two as a snack in between meals, before practice, or during practice--with a balance of healthy fats and simple carbohydrates this trail mix will offer some quick energy while also providing enough fats to help fill you up!
Ingredients:
1 cup raw whole almonds
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup raw pecan halves
1 cup raw pepitas (aka shelled pumpkin seeds)
1 cup raw walnut halves
1/4 cup coconut sugar, or brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree, or homemade
2 Tablespoons all natural apple juice or apple cider
2/3 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup raisins
Directions:
Preheat oven to 250°F.
Place almonds, oats, pecans, pepitas and walnuts in large bowl.
Mix together pumpkin puree and apple juice; pour over nut mixture and toss until nuts are evenly coated. Sprinkle mixture with coconut sugar, cinnamon, paprika, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Toss to coat well. Spread trail mix evenly on a baking sheet. You can use a parchment lined sheet for easy clean up.
Bake 30-35 minutes, stirring halfway through cook time. Cool completely. Stir in cranberries and raisins. Store in airtight container. Will keep at room temperature for up to 1 week, up to a month in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer.
Recipe from Eating Bird Food
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake Bars
These pumpkin chocolate chip cake bars are one of my favorite recipes I've ever made! So light and fluffy and perfectly sweet! They're super simple to make, and they're a great on-the-go fun food (while they last... which won't be long😋)!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup all purpose flour
1 egg
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
as many chocolate chips as you want!
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix all ingredients in a bowl, adding chocolate chips last.
Pour into a parchment paper lined or greased 8x8 baking dish (the batter won't take up the whole pan). Top with extra chocolate chips.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cool, slice, and enjoy! Store in the fridge.
Head into the heart of fall with these delicious fall-inspired recipes that are great to meal prep in order to make fueling during the week just a little bit easier!