5 Easy Autumn Vegetable Recipes

It is official! It's Autumn and the farmer's markets will soon be overflowing with many autumn vegetables that thrive in the cooler weather up right up until the first good frost. 

What are some of these vegetables? 

Beets, cauliflower, kale, broccoli, radishes, carrots, cabbage, some lettuces, turnips, spinach, Swiss chard, pumpkins, Brussels sprouts, winter squashes, and peas. 

Which fall vegetable is your favorite? Which ones don't you like? 

I've rounded up 5 of my favorite easy fall recipes to give you some inspiration and ideas! They are all gluten-free and vegan.

1. Baby Brussels Sprout Soup (recipe link)- A quick an easy 12 minute soup that I make using frozen baby Brussel Sprouts. Hearty and delicious. 

2. Butternut Squash Red Lentil Soup (recipe link). - I use a shortcut to make this one of the easiest soups to prep and cook. It's absolutely one of my favorites with lots of protein, fiber, nutrients and a satisfying delicious taste.

3. Homemade Apple Pie Filling In A Baked Acorn Squash (recipe link)- Sweet and flavorful, this simple baked squash recipe would be a wonderful side dish for Thanksgiving!

4.  Cider Glazed Butternut Squash (recipe link)- A tasty side dish made with butternut squash . Sweet and tasty.

5. Mashed Potatoes with Carrots and Rosemary- (recipe link) colorful, tasty, and hearty. Perfect side dish for cooler fall weather.

Bonus Recipe- added

Butternut Squash and Sage Soup (recipe link)

Hearts of Palm Angel Hair Pasta with Hummus Dressing

Pasta is one of my favorite foods, and there are so many "new" types of pasta available. 

The newest "pasta" that I found is "hearts of palm" angel hair pasta. It is made from 100 % hearts of palm and shredded to look like angel hair pasta. There are quite a few companies making it, and I believe Trader Joe sells one!

The texture and the look can fool you into thinking it is a bowl of high carb caloric wheat pasta- but it's not!  Instead this noodle dish is extremely low in calories, carbs, and fat, making it perfect for you or anyone who needs to be concerned. It's heart-healthy, gluten-free, vegan, Weight Watcher friendly, low carb etc. 

I was surprised how my taste buds were fooled by the look of this pasta. In the past, I have (recipe link) spiralized zucchini and eaten it as a pasta, so the idea of a vegetable pasta was not new to me. 

The ease of making this one was new to me. It comes in a package ready to quickly heat and eat. I liked it better than spiralized zucchini.

It is so easy - simply open the package, pour into a skillet and heat and stir to separate. Then add your "recipe" ingredients and enjoy this guilt-free pasta dish!

Although I could have prepped it it with marinara sauce or sautéed vegetables, I choose to make it with a light hummus dressing.

I used gluten-free soy sauce and some plain hummus and sesame seeds as my sauce and was beyond delighted. Just before finishing, I added some fresh spinach and let it wilt into the pasta dish. I ate it warm, but I'll bet if I chilled it, it would have still be good. 

If I buy it again, I will probably make it into a stir-fry with other vegetables. 

Ingredients:

1 package of angel hair hearts of palm pasta

1/4 cup of gluten-free soy sauce

2 hearty tablespoons of hummus ( I love the flavor of the Whole Foods 365 original hummus) 

1/2 cup of fresh baby spinach leaves

optional: sesame seeds 

Directions: 

Open the package, drain if needed, and add the angel hair pasta to a skillet. Heat stirring continuously for a minute to separate the strands. Add the gluten-free soy sauce and allow to heat an additional 3-4 minutes (stir once or twice to prevent sticking) to toast it up. Stir in hummus and mix well, add spinach leaves, put on a lid to allow to wilt for one minute. Remove from heat, add to a plate and enjoy. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.

On other occasions, I have used whole hearts of palm from a jar in some salads and it is quite tasty.

Hearts of Palm and Avocado Salad  (Recipe Link)

Hearts of Palm Salad Bowl  (Recipe link) 

My Notes: 

1. I really enjoyed this angel hair pasta, but of course it is not the same as regular pasta- but it's a nice very low calorie alternative. 

Berry Salad with Mint and Coconut

Looking for an easy, light, and healthy dessert that will make a wow impression? 

This berry salad with mint and coconut is sure be a hit! There is nothing easier or more delicious than a huge bowl of berries combined into a simple salad.

The colors, with the addition of mint and coconut shavings, are rich and vibrant and full of healthy vitamins and antioxidants as a bonus!

Next time you are asked to bring a fruit salad to a gathering or need to make one for your own guests, think berries. 

This easy berry fruit salad requires no cutting, peeling, or mess. You simply wash the berries, dry them and fill up a pretty glass dish. And it will be perfect if you, a guest, or family member are gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, or on a low fat or low sugar diet (leave out the coconut).

My friend Noreen actually made this easy salad when we were visiting her and her husband Avi at her beautiful home in Cape Cod last week.

To make the berry salad a little more interesting, Noreen added chopped fresh mint right from the pot of mint growing on her deck and sprinkled the berries with some shredded coconut. 

Berries are light, healthy, and tasty. The perfect way to end a heavy meal. 

I'll be making this berry salad for our upcoming Rosh Hashanah holiday this week (starts Sunday night and ends Tuesday night)

We expect 20 family members for dinner Monday night, so we are hoping the weather will cooperate to be able to eat outside on my large deck.

To my readers who celebrate the Jewish New Year- I wish you health, happiness, and abundance in this coming year! Shanna Tova!

Ingredients: 

2 containers of raspberries

2 containers of blueberries

2 containers of blackberries 

1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh mint

optional: 1/4 cup of shredded coconut

Directions:

Wash, pat dry, and combine all berries into a large glass serving bowl. Toss in the mint and coconut . Refrigerate until serving.

My Notes: 

1. Place the berries between two paper towels to dry. You do not want them to be wet. We made this salad in the morning and served it in the evening and it held up great in the refridgerator.

2. This makes a large bowl of berries. Cut in half for a smaller group.

3. I like to buy organic berries. 

4. I saw a 30 second video on how to wash your berries to store them so they don't get moldy. Interesting link:   How to Wash Berries

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