If you are anything like us, you crave some warm comfort food during the colder months. The unique ingredient combinations that come with the changing of seasons is one of our favorite things to look forward to! We have put together 6 recipes your entire family will love! These are also some of our favorites to make when we have company in town. Warning : they might even be asking you for the recipe afterwards! This list has a little bit of everything and we can’t wait for you to try them! You might even find yourself putting them on your weekly or monthly meal plan – they’re just that good!
01. Creamy Tuscan Tortellini Soup
Image & recipe by Brooklyn’s Bites
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 6 celery stalks, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage
- 32 oz chicken broth
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 10 oz cheese tortellini
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 cups kale, de-stemmed & diced
- Fresh grated Parmesan to top
Instructions:
1. In a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. Once the butter has melted, add onion, celery and garlic & simmer for 3-4 mins until the onions and celery are fork tender.
2. Add dried oregano, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes & stir until evenly coated. Push the celery & onion mixture to the sides of the pot & add ground Italian sausage to the middle. Cook for another 5-8 mins or until the sausage has cooked through
3. Add crushed tomatoes and chicken broth and simmer for 20 mins
4. Add tortellini and heavy cream and simmer for 3 mins
5. Add kale & simmer for another 2 mins
6. Top with Parmesan cheese & ENJOY!
02. Gluten & Dairy Free Apple Crisp
Image & recipe by Brooklyn’s Bites
Ingredients:
Filling:
- 5-6 apples, sliced thinly
- 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp arrowroot starch
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Topping:
- 2 cup oats
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350
2. Place all filling ingredients into the pan and mix together until well coated & spread them evenly into the pan
3. In a medium bowl, add oats, almond flour and pecans & mix. Add melted coconut oil & maple syrup and mix again until we’ll combined
4. Pour the topping evenly over the apples
5. Bake for 35-40 mins and ENJOY!
03. Creamy Butternut Squash Butter Chicken
Image & recipe by Half Baked Harvest
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts/thighs, cut into bite-size chunks
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, use to taste
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
- 1-2 teaspoons chili flakes, use to taste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (14 ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Instructions:
1. In a bowl, toss together the chicken, yogurt, 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 – 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Let sit 5-10 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear on both sides until browned, about 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and toss to coat the chicken. Remove the chicken from the skillet to a plate.
3. To the skillet, add the onion and butternut squash, tossing with the butter in the skillet. Cook 5 minutes, until softened. Add 2 tablespoons butter, the garlic, ginger, 1 tablespoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 – 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, paprika, and the chili flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and continue cooking another 3-4 minutes.
4. Reduce the heat to low. Add 1 cup water and the coconut milk. Stir to combine, bring the sauce to a simmer, cook 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly. If the sauce seems too thick, thin with 1/2 to 1 cup additional coconut milk. Add the chicken and any juices in the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve the chicken, squash, and sauce over bowls of rice with fresh naan. Enjoy!
04. Easy Homemade Hamburger Helper
Image & recipe by Salt and Lavender
Ingredients:
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 cups freshly grated cheddar cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Add the beef and onions to a soup pot. Cook over medium-high heat until the beef has browned (about 7-10 minutes), breaking the meat up with your spoon as you go along. If there’s a lot of excess fat, spoon most of it out.
2. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic powder, and chili powder.
3. Add in the beef broth and increase the heat to high. Once it starts boiling, add in the macaroni.
4. Reduce the heat so it’s not furiously boiling (a rapid simmer is good). I ended up cooking mine over medium heat. Let it cook uncovered until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed (about 13-15 minutes). I stir it every couple of minutes.
5. While it’s cooking, grate the cheese (this saves prep time at the start of the recipe).
6. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the cheese. Season with salt & pepper as needed. I let it sit for a couple minutes prior to serving (soaks up the sauce and flavors more), but you can serve it right away.
05. Creamy Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats
Image & recipe by Simply Quinoa
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cups steel cut oats
- 3 cups almond milk
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter or coconut oil
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar , divided
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1 – 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- Additional almond milk to drizzle optional
Instructions:
1. Add oats and almond milk to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in pumpkin, butter, 2 tablespoons of sugar, pumpkin spice and salt. Reduce to low and simmer for 25 – 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. For the pecans, add the coconut oil and remaining sugar to a large saute pan. Once melted and shimmering, add the pecans. Cook for 3 minutes until caramelized. Remove from heat and plate the oatmeal.
3, To serve, divide the oatmeal evenly between bowls. Top each bowl with some pecans and a drizzle of almond milk and enjoy!
06. Autumn Glow Salad with Lemon Dressing
Image & recipe by Pinch of Yum
Ingredients:
For the Salad:
- 1 cup freekeh or other grain (quinoa, bulgur, etc.)
- 1 head cauliflower
- 2 sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- a sprinkle of dried spices that you like, or a few sprigs of thyme, rosemary, etc.
- 1 large apple
For the Lemon Dressing:
- 1 bunch parsley (about 1 cup), minced
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- juice of one lemon (more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon agave (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Rinse the grains and place in a rice cooker with the appropriate amount of broth or water (refer to package directions – it depends on the grain). Set on the white rice setting and prep the other stuff while it cooks.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Chop the cauliflower into small florets. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and add a few sprigs of thyme or other dried spices if you have some that you like. Roast for 20 minutes, stir, and roast for another 10-15 minutes. When they are golden brown and soft, remove from oven and set aside.
3. While the veggies are roasting, combine all dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight lid and shake to combine. Chop the apple and set aside.
4. When the grains and vegetables are done, toss everything together. This can be done when everything is hot or when it’s cooled, although the texture will be different (heavier) when hot. Store leftovers separately (salad and dressing) if possible.
Did you know,
…that we have a food and drink section of our blog? Be sure to check it out every so often for new cooking inspiration!