Fall is slowly starting to make itself seen here in the Greater Dallas area which means more trips to the farmers' market for some of the best and freshest seasonal produce. There's nothing quite like the feeling of cozying up at home with the windows open and making a hearty soup from scratch. Cooking is a wholesome hobby to take on and brings family and friends here in the Greater Dallas area together. These easy fall recipes featured the main ingredient and will satisfy any comfort food cravings.
Sweet Potatoes
High in antioxidants and fiber, sweet potatoes are an underrated yet versatile vegetable that goes with anything. Looking for an easy snack? Simply preheat the oven to 425 degrees, line a baking sheet with foil, and bake until tender (roughly 40 minutes). Add butter, and voila. Looking for that perfect fall soup? Here is an easy favorite that can be made in a crockpot:
Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes
- Olive oil
- Vegetable broth
- Carrots
- Garlic
- Sweet peppers and sweet onions (both deliciously in season)
- Pepper, salt, turmeric, cinnamon, dried thyme, dried rosemary
Pour the olive oil into a skillet and over medium heat, sauté the potatoes, onions, and garlic, until the potatoes are browned. Add the cooked veggies into a crock pot, cover with vegetable broth and add spices. Let cook for roughly six hours and puree with an immersion blender. For additional flavor, serve with sour cream. The great thing about this recipe is it's customizable, so add/reduce ingredients if needed.
Pumpkin
Who knew that pumpkins are actually a fruit and can be used in a variety of appetizing recipes? Pick up some organic pumpkin puree on the next grocery run and do some fall baking on a cool Sunday afternoon. This cheesecake-stuffed pumpkin bread is a mouthwatering recipe that's perfect to make for a gift or gobble up at home. Smoothies are another easy snack that's great for those on the go:
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 1/2 cup apple chunks (deliciously in season)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed
- (Choose one or all) 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Put ingredients in a blender and blend away until smooth. Depending on the blender, feel free to add more or less yogurt. Substitute oat milk for yogurt if non-dairy is preferred.
Tomatoes
There's just something satisfying about making a dish from scratch with fresh, organic ingredients. Salsa is an easy staple that can be used for dipping or added to tacos, scrambled eggs, chicken, and more. It's also very customizable; leave in or add as many ingredients that are desired. All that's needed is a blender or food processor for thesetasty recipes.
Watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupes are also in season for a short time in the fall and are perfect to cut up and add to a fruit salad. It's fun to experiment with different ingredients and learn about when to enjoy them during their peak season. Senior Helpers of Greater Dallas aims to cater to individual needs, contact us today to discuss care services.