Fabulous Fall flavors, guilt-free
By Julie Jordan
Published September 21, 2018
Fall begins this Saturday, and with it comes cooler temperatures, football games, frightful delights and gatherings of gratitude. The food that goes along with autumn makes the season one of the most enjoyable times of the year. But what if you want all the fall flavors with none of the guilt? Check out these fall recipes to get your culinary creative juices flowing for better health.
The Best Healthy Turkey Chili
336 calories
Recipe: Ambitious Kitchen
Ingredients:
1 pound extra lean ground turkey or chicken, lean
3 Garlic cloves
2 (15 oz) cans Kidney beans, dark red
1 tsp Oregano, dried
1 Red bell pepper, medium
1 (15 oz) can Sweet corn
1 (28-ounce) can Tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
1 Yellow onion
1 1/4 cups Chicken broth
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
4 tbsp Chili powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Olive oil
2 tsp Cumin, ground
Instructions: Place oil in a large pot and place over medium high heat. Add in onion, garlic and red pepper and saute for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Next add in ground turkey and break up the meat; cooking until no longer pink. Next add in chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper and salt; stir for about 20 seconds.
Next add in tomatoes, chicken broth, kidney beans and corn. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until chili thickens and flavors come together. Taste and adjust seasonings and salt as necessary. Garnish with anything you'd like. Serves 6.
Lightened Squash Casserole
Recipe: MyRecipes
139 calories
Ingredients:
3 pounds yellow squash
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 cup grated carrots
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
1 (8-oz.) container light sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup crushed cornflakes cereal
1/2 cup crushed French fried onions
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°. Cut squash into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place in a Dutch oven. Add onion, 1 tsp. salt, and water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook 5 minutes; drain well, and pat squash dry with paper towels.
- Stir together grated carrots, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt in a large bowl; fold in squash mixture. Spoon into a lightly greased 2-qt. oval baking dish.
- Stir together cornflakes and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle over squash mixture.
- Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown, shielding with aluminum foil after 20 to 25 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Texas Caviar Dip
Recipe: Southern Living
Ingredients:
1 green bell pepper
1/2 cup onion
2 garlic cloves
2 jalapeno peppers
2 green tomatoes
2 tomatoes
1/2 cup cilantro
28 oz. black-eyed peas
15 1/2 oz. white hominy
8 oz. Italian dressing
Tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions:
Stir together the first 9 ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dressing to the black-eyed pea mixture, stirring until combined. Cover and chill 2 hours. Drain. Serve with the tortilla chips. Watch here.
Fall Harvest Hot Apple Cider
70 calories
Recipe: Whole Food Bellies
Ingredients:
4 apples use multiple varieties
2 persimmons
1 pear I used an asian pear
1 orange
Handful of pomegranate arils optional
9 cups water
3 cinnamon sticks
2 tbsp mulling spices
honey or maple syrup to taste
Instructions:
- Core the apples, persimmons and pears and cut into quarters. Leave the skin on
- Cut the orange into slices
- Pop all of the fruit, along with the water, cinnamon sticks and mulling spices (tie these into some cheese cloth so that they are easily removed), into the slow cooker. Set on low for 8 hours
- Once cooked, remove the cinnamon sticks, the mulling spices and as much of the fruit as possible
- Pour the remaining liquid into a blender (I do this in 2 batches), blend, and then pour through a fine mesh sieve (I actually used a nut milk bag), into a clean container
- Pour the cider back into the slow cooker, and set to keep warm
- Serve warm and use some honey or maple syrup to sweeten if required. Garnish with some orange and apple slices and some pomegranate arils to make it pretty (optional)
Clean Honey Pumpkin Pie
140 calories
Recipe: Oatmeal With A Fork
Ingredients:
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
3/4 c . light coconut milk
3 T . arrowroot powder
1/2 c . honey
1 t . molasses
1 1/4 t . cinnamon
1/2 t . ginger
1/4 t . nutmeg
1/4 t . allspice
pinch cloves
1/2 t . sea salt
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut milk and arrowroot until well combined.
- In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin, honey, molasses, spices, and salt.
- Stir in the coconut milk mixture until everything is smooth and well combined.
- Pour the filling into an unbaked pie shell.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Lower the temperature to 350 degrees, and continue baking the pie for 50 minutes.
- Remove the pie from the oven (it will appear quite liquid-y, which is normal).
- Place the pie directly into the fridge for at least five hours until set.
- Cut and enjoy!
Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oat Bars
128 calories
Recipe: Ambitious Kitchen
Ingredients:
3 cups gluten free oats
2 teaspoons aluminum free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive or coconut oil
1/3 cup vegan chocolate chips, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling on top
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8x11 or 9 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Make oat flour: Place oatmeal into blender or food processor and blend for 1-2 minutes until oatmeal resembles flour. You may need to stop blender and stir oats a couple of times to ensure that all oats have been blended.
- Measure out just 2 1/2 cups of the oat flour and place in a medium bowl. Whisk in baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices; set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla extract, oil, and applesauce for 1-2 minutes until the consistency is smooth and creamy. Slowly add in oat flour mixture and mix until just combined.
- Gently fold in 1/3 cup of chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips on top. Bake for 15-25 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Timing will depend on what size pan you use, but definitely check around 15 minutes. Once finished baking, cool 10 minutes on wire rack. Cut into 16 slices.
And don't forget to try this lighter version of the pumpkin spice latte for your enjoyment while out and about.