The fall season offers a number of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables that can help support your immune system, promote high performance, and encourage lean muscle.
Unfortunately, most people don’t get the full benefit of eating them—if they eat them at all—because they tend to smother these foods in fat and sugar to make them palatable.
When was the last time you ate cranberries that didn’t come from a can on Thanksgiving? Or pumpkin that wasn’t in pie or latte form?
That’s why we put together these recipes, which will help you enjoy the classic fall foods without sacrificing their nutrition.
Dig into delicious buffalo-wing flavored Brussels sprouts, creamy potato salad (with beets), zucchini that tastes like stuffed pasta shells, and all-natural fruit rollups that make you feel like a kid again. No artificial ingredients allowed.
We’ve even gone a step further and labeled them for you: “breakfast,” “lunch,” dinner,” etc. So you have clean, lean options for every meal and any time you get hungry. Summer may be gone, but abs are never out of season.
10 Healthy Fall Food Recipes
1. Breakfast: Pear & Pecan Overnight Oats
Yields: 1 serving
Ingredients
● ½ cup rolled oats, gluten-free
● 1 tbsp chia seeds
● ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
● ¼ cup Greek yogurt, full fat
● ½ tsp ground cinnamon
● 1 tsp raw unfiltered honey
● 1 pear*, cored & chopped
● ¼ cup pecans
*Apple works well here too.
Directions
1. Add all ingredients to a bowl, airtight container, or Mason jar with a lid.
2. Stir until combined, cover, and chill in refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight to allow the oats and chia seeds to fully soak in the liquid.
If you like, you can save half of the pear and pecans for garnish when ready to eat.
* Add 1 scoop of your favorite vanilla, spiced or neutral protein powder to the ingredients mix before refrigeration for an added protein punch.
2. Lunch: Beet Potato Salad
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients
● 2 large beets, roasted
● 12 oz potatoes
● 1 celery rib, chopped
● ½ small red onion, minced
● 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and finely chopped
● 2 tbsp chives, chopped
● 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
● 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
● 2 tsp Dijon mustard
● Salt to taste
● ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
● ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
● Freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions
1. Roast the beets in advance by wrapping in foil and baking at 400 degrees F for about an hour (until beets are fork tender).
2. Steam the potatoes in 1 inch of boiling water for 20 minutes and then remove from heat.
3. When they’re cool enough to handle, cut potatoes into small dice. Peel the beets and cut into small dice.
4. In a large bowl, combine beets with the potatoes, celery, onion, hard-boiled eggs, chives, and dill.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and salt. Then whisk in the oil and yogurt.
6. Toss the dressing with the potato and beet mixture and add freshly ground pepper and more salt to taste. Serve right away or refrigerate.
3. Lunch: Fally-Loaded Greens
Yields: 2 servings
Ingredients
● 1 medium butternut squash or pumpkin, pitted, peeled and chopped into 1” cubes
● 1 tbsp unrefined avocado oil
● Himalayan salt, to taste
● 4 cups fresh arugula
● ½ cup feta cheese
● ½ cup pomegranate seeds
● ½ cup roasted pumpkin seeds
● 1 cup cooked quinoa
● 1 lemon
● ¼ cup olive oil
● Black pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss butternut squash (or pumpkin) cubes with avocado oil, salt & pepper.
2. Assemble on a large rimmed baking sheet (line with parchment paper for easy clean-up).
3. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, tossing two or three times to brown the edges evenly.
4. Remove from oven, set aside to chill.
5. In one large serving bowl, add the arugula.
6. Top with crumbled feta, pomegranate seeds, pumpkin seeds, cooked quinoa, and the chilled roasted squash.
7. When ready to serve, squeeze fresh lemon juice and drizzle extra virgin olive oil over salad. Season with salt and pepper.
*For additional protein, we recommend a lightly seared or baked white fish like Chilean or Mediterranean sea bass.
4. Snack: Persimmon Fruit Leather
Servings: 4
Ingredients
● 3 ripe persimmons, stemmed and chopped
● 2 tbsp lemon juice
● 2 tbsp honey
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Add chopped persimmons, lemon juice, and honey to a blender and puree until smooth.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the mixture onto the paper and spread it with the back of a spoon to form a large rectangle.
3. Make sure the thickness is even throughout.
4. Bake approximately 2 ½ hours, or until fruit is dry and firm to the touch. Set aside and let cool at room temperature.
Note: The leather may feel dry and crispy right out of the oven—it will soften up within an hour of sitting out.
5. Use a pizza cutter to slice leather into strips. Roll leather up into pinwheels for a portable, fruit rollup-like snack.
5. Post-Workout: Pumpkin Spice Recovery Shake
Yields: 1 serving
Ingredients
● 2 scoops Recovery Protein
● ½ scoop Powerfood Vitality
● 1 banana, frozen
● ¼ cup pumpkin puree
● 1-2 tsp. maple syrup, grade B*
● 16 oz. unsweetened coconut milk
● ½ – 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
● ½ tsp. Himalayan salt
● 1 cup ice
*You can also sweeten with coconut nectar, raw honey or 2-3 pitted dates!
Directions
1. Add everything to a blender. Pulse until smooth. Enjoy as a perfect post-workout shake; or just make it because you feel like it, and it tastes good. Both work!
6. Appetizer: Buffalo Brussels Sprouts
Servings: 6
Ingedients
● 1 pound Brussels sprouts, stemmed
● 2 large eggs, beaten
● 2 cups spelt flour
● 2 cups panko bread crumbs
● Avocado oil
● Kosher salt
● Freshly ground black pepper
● Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wings Sauce
Directions
1. Place a large pot filled with salted water over high heat. When the water is boiling, add the Brussels sprouts and cook until bright green and fork-tender—8 to 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Arrange egg and flour in two shallow bowls and place panko breadcrumbs in a large resealable plastic bag. Dip the sprouts in egg, then toss in flour, and add to the panko bag. Work in batches and shake until sprouts are fully coated with crumbs.
3. Coat a skillet with the oil and place over medium-high heat until the oil shines. Add Brussels sprouts to the pan and fry until golden and crispy—3 to 4 minutes. Cook in batches to accommodate the size of your skillet, adding oil if necessary.
4. Line a plate with paper towel and transfer cooked sprouts to it. Season with salt and pepper and serve with fat-free buffalo sauce.
7. Dinner: Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Servings: 4
Ingredients
● 4 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise
● 2 tsp olive oil
● 1 white onion, chopped
● 2 links sweet Italian turkey sausage, casing removed
● 1/4 tsp salt
● 1 1/4 cup arrabbiata sauce
● 1 cup shredded mozzarella
● Chopped parsley to taste
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Scrape out the flesh of the halved zucchini, leaving 1⁄4-inch thick shells. Chop the flesh of the zucchini into cubes and set aside.
2. Place a skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. When hot, add the zucchini flesh, onion, sausage, and salt.
3. Cook about 8 minutes, breaking up any chunks with a wooden spoon until sausage is browned.
4. In a baking dish (about 3 quarts), spread the arrabiatta sauce. Arrange zucchini shells in the dish, hollow sides up, and spoon the sausage mixture inside them.
5. Top with shredded mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover, then bake 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.
8. Anytime: Slow-Cooker Butternut Squash Ginger Soup
Ingredients
● 1 large (or 2 small) butternut squash, peeled & diced
●1 large sweet potato, peeled & cubed
● 2 large carrots, diced
● 1 tsp. fresh ginger (or ½ tsp. ginger powder)
● 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, organic if possible
● 4 cloves garlic
● 2 tsp. Himalayan salt
● 1 ½ tsp. turmeric
● ½ tsp. smoked paprika
● ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
● 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
● ¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk, full fat & canned
● 6 leaves fresh basil, chiffonade
● ½ cup roasted pumpkin seeds
Directions
1. Add first 6 ingredients plus ½ tsp. of salt to your slow cooker. Cook on high (3-4 hours) or on low (6-8 hours). The joy of a slow-cooker is you can add everything right before bed and wake up to a fresh fall-smelling house.
Note: Keep slow cooker away from all flammable items.
2. To a high-powered blender, add everything from the slow-cooker. It will still be hot or warm, so be cautious when pouring.
3. Then add the remaining salt, spices, EVOO and coconut milk.
4. For a chunkier soup, pulse in 5 seconds intervals a few times. For a thinner soup, blend on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5. Top with fresh basil & pumpkin seeds. For more protein, add diced grilled chicken or slow-cooked shredded chicken made ahead of time.
Note: Adding chicken (and using chicken broth) would make this recipe non-vegan.
9. Snack: No-Bake Spiced Energy Balls
Yields: ~25 balls
Ingredients
● 1 ½ cups dry, gluten-free rolled oats
● ¼ cup unsweetened dried cranberries (or tart cherries)
● ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate mini chips
● ½ cup pumpkin puree*
● ¼ cup raw, unfiltered honey (or maple syrup)
● 1 tsp. vanilla extract
● 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice*
*If you don’t have pumpkin puree, unsweetened applesauce also works nicely here.
**You can make your own pumpkin pie spice at home if you don’t have it on hand! It’s simply a blend of the following: 3 tbsp. ground cinnamon, 2 tsp. ground ginger, 2 tsp. ground nutmeg, 1 ½ tsp. ground all-spice and 1 ½ tsp. ground cloves.
Directions
1. In a small bowl, mix the dry ingredients: oats, dried cranberries, chocolate chips and spices. In another medium bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: EMCT oil, WAC butter, pumpkin, honey and vanilla. Slowly add the dry mix to the wet mix. Stir until combined. The mixture will be sticky and soft, but you should be able to roll it into 1” balls. Add more oats (slowly) if it’s too sticky.
2. Line a large plate or baking sheet with parchment paper. To facilitate rolling, rub some coconut oil on your palms. Scoop a spoonful into your hands and roll into a ball. Place on plate or sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. The energy balls will firm up in the freezer.
3. Place in freezer for 30 minute to one hour. Store in air-sealed container in fridge for one week, or freezer for a month.
10. Dessert: Cranberry Smoothie
Servings: 4
Ingredients
● 2 oranges
● 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
● 1 1/4 cups frozen cranberries
● 3 tbsp honey
● 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
● 1/2 cup ice cubes
● 1 scoop Grass-Fed Whey Isolate – Vanilla
● 2 tbsp cacao nibs
Directions
1. Cut one orange in half and squeeze juice from the halves to equal 1/4 cup. Peel and section the second orange into segments, removing any seeds. Chop orange segments into smaller cubes.
2. Pour orange juice, orange cubes, yogurt, cranberries, honey, lime juice, ice, protein powder, and cacao nibs in a high-speed blender. Process until well combined and almost smooth. (Add water to thin consistency, if desired.)
3. Divide smoothie into 4 glasses and sprinkle tops evenly with another teaspoon of cacao nibs. Serve immediately.
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