Four Fall Recipes That are Somewhat Healthy

It’s almost fall, and we’re jumping on the bandwagon. Even though it’s not quite September 22, it’s never too soon to start planning your fall food staples. In fact, you could have a whole day of fall delicacies with the following breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner recipes.

Breakfast: Pumpkin Pancakes

Start off your day with a healthy helping of these sweet pumpkin pancakes! You can either keep it simple with canned pumpkin or go all out with some freshly cooked pumpkin.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp. vinegar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground allspice
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Lunch: Roquefort Pear Salad

Pumpkins aren’t the only fruit that’s in season. When summer ends, pear season begins. This salad is perfect for anyone in the mood for something light, healthy and crunchy.

Ingredients:

• 1 head leaf lettuce, torn to bite-size pieces
• 3 pears, peeled, cored and chopped
• 5 oz. Roquefort cheese, crumbled
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp. white sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. prepared mustard
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, stir 1/4 cup of sugar together with the pecans. Continue stirring gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer nuts onto waxed paper. Allow to cool, and break into pieces.
2. For the dressing, blend oil, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, mustard, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. In a large serving bowl, layer lettuce, pears, blue cheese, avocado, and green onions. Pour dressing over salad, sprinkle with pecans, and serve.

Snack: Carrot Hummus

Sometimes three meals isn’t enough. Plus, it’s good to eat in smaller intervals for your metabolism. It’s not necessarily a fall food, but it’s orange and pack with beta carotene like a pumpkin.

Ingredients:

• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 cans (2.5 cups) cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ¼ cup Sriracha hot sauce (or more or less, depending on spicy preference)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2-3 tablespoons water

Directions:

1. In a food processor or blender, add the carrots and garlic and blend until finely minced.
2. Add the remaining ingredients except for water, and blend until smooth.
3. Gradually add a tablespoon of water at a time until hummus reaches desired consistency (keep in mind that when refrigerated, the hummus will thicken a bit more).

Dinner: Twice-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 3 medium sweet potatoes or garnet yams, scrubbed (about 3 pounds)
• 1 Fresno or other red chiles, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup honey
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
• Kosher salt
• 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Poke holes all over sweet potatoes and wrap each in foil. Place on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and roast until potatoes are tender, 60–70 minutes (if you have one, use a cake tester to poke right through foil). Unwrap and let sit until cool enough to handle.
• Increase oven temperature to 450°. Meanwhile, combine chile, honey, and butter in a small saucepan; season with salt. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar.
• Smash sweet potatoes with your palm, then tear into bite-sized pieces (including skin), the more irregular, the better. Place in a large bowl and add half of hot honey (do not include chile as it will burn); season with salt.
• Arrange pieces, skin side down, in a single layer on an unlined rimmed baking sheet and roast until browned and crisp around the edges, 20–25 minutes. Drizzle with remaining hot honey with chile.