Healthy Fall Recipes

We love to cook during fall! The cooler weather, the yummy flavors and fresh produce…all perfect for fall cooking and baking fall recipes!

Check out these delicious healthy fall inspired recipes from How to Eat More Plants: Transform Your Health With 30 Plant-Based Foods per Week—and Why It’s Easier Than You Think © by Dr. Megan Rossi.

Makes 25 squares

Prep 10 minutes

Chill 30 minutes to 4 hours

*freezer 

For those days when a piece of fruit won’t cut it, but you’re short on time for baking. Move over store-bought granola bars—this refreshing treat is the ultimate high-fiber accompaniment to a comforting cup of tea.

Ingredients

• Scant 1 and 1/2 cups (200 g) cashews
• 2 and 1/2 cups (200 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
• 21 dried apricots (about 5 ounces/150 g)
• Juice of 1 large orange (about 1/3 cup/80 ml), plus zest to taste

Instructions

1. Line the base and sides of an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Place the cashews in a food processor and blend for 30 seconds until ground. Add the coconut and apricots and pulse until the apricots are finely chopped. Add the orange juice and blend again until the mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute. Taste and add zest to preference.
3. Firmly press the mixture into the pan with the back of a spoon. Chill in the fridge for 4 hours (or in the freezer for 30 minutes) or until firm enough to cut. Slice into 25 squares.

Storage: These will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or you can freeze the sliced squares between pieces of parchment paper in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Switch: For an extra plant point, add a shredded carrot (about 3/4 cup/75 g) and reduce the orange juice to 1/4 cup (60 ml).

Makes 1 medium loaf (12 slices) 

Prep 10 minutes (plus 3 hours for fermenting) 

Cook 40 minutes

After I fell in love with wheaten bread in Ireland, my father-in-law entrusted me with his foolproof recipe. With a few gut-loving tweaks here and there, I present to you this game-changing recipe. Crunchy crust with a deliciously moist and dense crumb—you’ll never need to buy bread again.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (300 g) whole wheat flour, plus extra for dusting
• Generous 3/4 cup (200 g) probiotic yogurt
• 1 large carrot, shredded
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 thyme sprigs, leaves picked, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Fermenting option:

Mix 1 cup (150 g) flour with the yogurt and 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (100 ml) of water. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and leave to ferment for about 3 hours (out of direct sunlight). When ready to bake, mix in the carrot, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, baking soda, thyme, and salt, using a butter knife to combine. Be careful not to overwork the dough as this will make it tough.

Non-fermenting option:

Combine the flour, carrot, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, baking soda, thyme, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well. Add in the yogurt along with 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (100 ml) of water and stir with a butter knife to make a soft sticky dough. Be careful not to overwork the dough.

To bake: 

1. Gently turn the dough onto a lightly floured baking sheet and bring it together into a loaf shape. Score a cross on top with a sharp knife.
2. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until golden, and check that the base is dry and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Place on a wire rack and let it cool completely.

Storage: Well wrapped, this bread will keep for 2 days at room temperature, 5 days in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer. I freeze mine in individual portions so I always have a serving on hand (just defrost in the microwave for a minute).

Switch: If you’ve already had carrots this week, the recipe also works with 2/3 cup (100 g) grated zucchini—just reduce the water to 1/3 cup (80 ml).

Serves 6

Prep 5 minutes

Cook 5 minutes

*FODMAP-Lite
*Fridge Raid
*Zero Waste

My top fiber and diversity tip: Add a side of veggies or beans to whatever you’re having (including your Saturday night takeout!). This quick and easy dish is the ideal way to do just that, packing in 10 grams of fiber per portion. It’s the perfect example of how a little seasoning and light cooking can transform a humble can of beans and greens into a stunningly simple but tasty side in 10 minutes flat.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 10.5 ounces (300 g) Swiss chard, stems finely chopped and leaves roughly chopped, or greens of choice (e.g., bok choy, spinach, collard greens)
• One 15-ounce (425 g) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• One 15-ounce (425 g) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• Zest of 1 lemon, or to taste
• 1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce
• 1.5 ounces (40 g) Parmesan, grated

Instructions

Heat the olive oil and garlic in a large frying pan over medium heat for 1 minute, then add the greens. Saute until wilted, 2 minutes, then add the beans, lemon zest, and soy sauce. Serve straight out of the pan with some grated Parmesan.

Switch: Up for the diversity challenge? Swap the greens for a package of mixed stir-fry vegetables. 

Serves 12

Prep 25 minutes, plus chilling

*Zero Waste 

This plant-packed cake is my raw and vegan version of a classic carrot cake—perfectly sweet, rich, and indulgent, it also nourishes your gut microbes. With each slice offering almost 6 grams of fiber, it’s the perfect crowd-pleasing dessert to share with your foodie friends, and there are two toppings to choose from, depending on how much time you have on your hands.

Ingredients

• 18 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 medium carrots, grated
• 2 cups (200 g) walnuts
• 1 cup (100 g) pecans
• 1 cup (100 g) almond meal
• 1/3 cup (50 g) raisins

Whipped Cream Topping

• 1 cup (240 ml) plant-based whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 10 walnuts, crumbled

or
Coconut-Cashew Cream Topping

• 2 3/4 cups (355 g) cashews
• 1 cup (240 ml) coconut cream
• ¼ cup (60 ml) honey
• Juice of ½ lemon (about 1 ½ tablespoons), plus zest to taste
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Line a high-sided 9-inch (23 cm) cake pan with parchment paper on the base and sides, and set aside.
2. Place the dates, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in a food processor and blend until the mixture forms a ball, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the carrot and pulse to combine roughly, then transfer to a large bowl.
3. Blend the walnuts and pecans in the food processor and blend to form slightly chunky crumbs, about 20 seconds. Add to the bowl along with the almond meal and raisins. Use a wooden spoon to combine.
4. Transfer the batter to the pan and press down to compress and smooth the top. Chill in the fridge until you’re ready to make the topping.
5. To make the whipped cream topping, whip the cream with the vanilla extract until it forms soft peaks, about 8 minutes. Spoon the cream onto the cake, sprinkle with the crumbled walnuts, and serve.
6. To make the alternative, more luxurious coconut-cashew cream topping, cover the cashews with boiling water and set aside to soak for at least 10 minutes. Strain the soaked cashews and place in a high-powered food processor along with the coconut cream, honey, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Blend at high speed until super-smooth, 5 to 6 minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally. Pour over the carrot cake and smooth out the top. Place in the fridge to set for about 4 hours.

Storage: This will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days.

Tip: If you have any cake mixture left over, it’s great for rolling into raw carrot cake snack balls!