When fall rolls around, it’s essentially impossible to not be wooed by comfort foods. With pumpkin spice on every other corner, creamy casseroles as a dinner party mainstay, and football snacks on Sundays, the fight to stay healthy can feel impossible.
The question isn’t whether to indulge in your favorite fall foods or not. Enjoyment is an important factor of a balanced diet—which means you should leave room in your nutrition plan for cheat meals (or as we like to call them: treat meals).
When you do feel like balancing things out with a healthy meal, we’ve gathered our top fall recipes, below. The best part? These recipes are just as delicious and indulgent as some of your favorite treats. Don’t be surprised when you start playing them on repeat.
7 Autumn Recipes to Try
1. Harvest Salad
This delicious fall salad is the perfect mix of sweet and salty, crunchy, and nourishing. It’s packed with butternut squash, quinoa, apples, avocado, and pepitas for a combination of high-quality carbs, protein, and healthy fats.
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 1-2 people
Vegetarian, Whole 30
Salad Ingredients:
Mixed Greens
½ Cup Roasted Butternut Squash
½ Cup Cooked Quinoa
½ Red Apple, thinly sliced
½ Green Apple, thinly sliced
½ Avocado, thinly sliced
Small Handful Pepitas
Small Handful Dried Cranberries
Dressing Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tsp Honey (optional)
Fresh Cracked Pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Top a big bed of lettuce with prepared quinoa, butternut squash, apple, avocado, pepitas, and dried cranberries.
- Drizzle dressing and enjoy.
2. Delicata Squash Salad
Meet your new favorite fall salad! This satisfying salad is a fresh take on one of the most delicious roasted fall veggies: delicata squash. It’s loaded with kale—a leafy green rich in vitamin K which is essential for heart and bone health. A zingy tomatillo dressing, avocado, and cotija cheese bring a southwest touch to this dish.
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 8-10 people
Vegetarian
Salad Ingredients:
4 Cups Kale, de-ribbed and chopped
2 Cups Romaine, thinly sliced
¼ Cup Pomegranate Seeds
¼ Cup Cotija Cheese
¼ Cup Pepitas
1 Avocado, sliced
Red Onion Ingredients:
Red Onion, thinly sliced
Red Wine Vinegar
Squash Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup (optional)
1 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
½ Tsp Smoked Paprika
¼ Tsp Cinnamon
Black Pepper & Salt, to taste
2 Delicata Squash, halved and sliced into half-moons
Dressing Ingredients:
⅓ Cup Greek Yogurt
⅔ Cup Buttermilk
2 Small Tomatillos
½ - 1 Small Jalapeno, seeded
½ Cup Cilantro
1 Clove Garlic
½ Packet Ranch Seasoning Mix
1 Lime, juice of
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large bowl mix squash with seasoning, olive oil, and maple syrup, toss to coat, and spread on a baking sheet.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes, giving the pan a shake halfway through.
- While the squash is roasting, make onions and dressing.
- Combine onions and vinegar in a bowl, toss to coat, and set aside.
- For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender.
- To assemble, add the kale, romaine, pickled onions, and salt to a bowl. Toss to coat. Then toss in the dressing.
- Top with roasted squash, pepitas, pomegranate seeds, cotija, and avocado. Enjoy!
3. Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup
Say hello to the soup of your dreams: instant pot Zuppa Toscana soup. This creamy soup combines crumbled Italian sausage, tender potatoes, crispy bacon, and crunchy kale for a mouthwatering bowl of goodness.
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
4 Slices Turkey Bacon, diced
1 White Onion, diced
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 Tbsp Red Pepper Flakes
Black Pepper & Salt, to taste
1 Lb Chicken Italian Sausage
6 Yellow Potatoes, cubed
1 Gallon Chicken Stock
1 Cup Heavy Cream or Half & Half
1 Bushel Kale, de-ribbed and roughly chopped
Instructions:
- Set Instant Pot to sautée, allow a few minutes to heat. When hot add olive and turkey bacon, stirring constantly as the turkey bacon cooks so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Cook until desired consistency is reached—we like ours nice and crispy.
- Remove bacon from the pot and reserve for topping.
- Add diced onion, minced garlic cloves, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and sautée until onion is translucent.
- Add Italian sausage, and continue to cook, breaking into small pieces until sausage is browned and cooked through.
- Add chicken stock, potatoes, and stir.
- Seal the Instant Pot, and select manual, setting the time to 5 minutes.
- Once it’s finished, allow the instant pot to vent before opening.
- Stir in the heavy cream and kale, letting it sit for a few minutes until kale is wilted. Pro tip: If you plan to cook ahead, save adding the kale until right before you serve the soup.
- Serve by ladling the soup into a bowl, and top with turkey bacon, red pepper flake, and parmesan cheese to taste.
4. Instant Pot Tomato Basil Soup
No fall is complete without a creamy tomato soup to pair with a grilled cheese sandwich or panini. Don’t forget the garlic. It’s key for flavor and adds a boost of acillin—a compound with immune-boosting properties—to this delicious soup.
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients: 4-6 people
Gluten-Free, Whole 30, Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Yellow Onion, diced
3 Cloves Garlic minced
Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
Salt & Pepper, to taste
15 oz Fire Roasted Tomatoes
15 oz Crushed Tomatoes
1 Cup Chicken or Vegetable Broth
½ Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
Handful fresh chopped Basil, plus more for serving
½ Cup Coconut Milk
Instructions:
- Set Instant Pot to sautée. Once hot, add the olive oil, garlic, and onions and sautée until cooked through, and onions become translucent.
- To deglaze the pot, add the chicken broth and scrape with a spoon.
- Add the fire roasted tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and stir to combine.
- Seal the instant pot, and select manual, setting the time to 10 minutes.
- Once it’s finished, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release 10 minutes before opening.
- Transfer the soup and a handful of basil to a high-speed blender or use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth.
- Return the soup to the Instant Pot. Add the coconut milk.
- Turn the Instant Pot on ‘keep warm’ and allow flavors to meld for 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.
- Enjoy!
5. Air Fried Brussels Sprouts
When air-friend, your favorite seasonal vegetables get a major glow-up, and Brussels sprouts are no exception. For these sprouts, you’ll only need five ingredients and a little time and care. Brussels sprouts are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants so feel free to chow down (we promise they’re surprisingly addicting).
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4 people
Gluten-Free, Whole 30, Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients:
Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and halved
Avocado Oil
Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder, to taste
Instructions:
- Combine all ingredients in the air fryer basket and mix generously.
- Air fry at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Stir and shake Brussels sprouts halfway through.
6. Greek Rotisserie Chicken Bowls
These easy Greek-inspired rotisserie chicken bowls are light, fresh, and quick to throw together in a matter of minutes - making them perfect for easy lunches or dinners. Each bowl is packed with tons of healthy nutrients like fresh veggies, romaine lettuce, brown rice, chicken, and homemade tzatziki.
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4 people
Gluten-Free, Whole 30
Pickled Onion Ingredients:
Red Onion, sliced thin
½ Cup Warm Water
½ Cup White Wine Vinegar
Salt, to taste
Tzatziki Ingredients:
7 oz Plain Greek Yogurt
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Cup Cucumber, finely diced
1 Tbsp Fresh Dill, rough chop
3 cloves Garlic, minced
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chicken Ingredients:
2 Cups Rotisserie Chicken
1 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Smoked Paprika
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
Dash Cayenne (optional)
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Toppings:
Cooked Brown Rice
Kalamata Olives
Cherry Tomatoes, halved
Bell Peppers, thinly sliced
Romaine Lettuce, thinly sliced
Instructions:
- Prepare pickled onions by combining ingredients and setting them aside to sit while putting everything else together.
- Prepare tzatziki by combining ingredients.
- Prepare chicken by shredding chicken, sprinkling with seasoning, and mixing well.
- Create your bowl by adding brown rice, chicken, tzatziki, romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, and any other desired toppings. Enjoy!
7. Healthier Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
This lightened up version of this popular recipe includes whole wheat flour and is naturally sweetened with honey and banana to make it a more nutritious treat than your average muffin. They’re our go-to when pumpkin spice season rolls around.
Ingredients:
2 Eggs
⅓ Cup Coconut Oil
½ Cup Honey
1-2 Bananas, mashed
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
½ Cup Plant-Based Milk
2 Tsp Pumpkin Spice
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
½ Tsp Salt
1 ¾ Cup Whole Wheat Flour
½ Cup Chocolate Chips
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix eggs, coconut oil, and honey.
- Add in banana, pumpkin puree, milk, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until well combined.
- Add in flour and mix until just combined.
- Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pour into muffin tin.
- Bake at 350 for 23 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
