Fall Foods

This week's October Posts are going to be all about food! I love all kinds of food, but when the days start getting colder and the fresh fruits start to thin out in the grocery aisles, we know it's that time of year again: the time when every recipe includes something canned; when slow, hot and savory describes your menu (and not just your bedroom life); when you've stopped worrying about how you look in your bathing suit and have started thinking of fattening up to hibernate for the winter. This week will include some recipes for all of us - including those who cringe at the idea of fattening up for hibernation.

Today I've got four recipes for you:

1) Mexican Chicken Lime Soup

Source: shine.yahoo.com via Carina on Pinterest

Now I know what you're thinking - "This doesn't have any of those things you mentioned above!" - but it certainly could. This hot and savory dish could easily be modified to work in a crock pot. If I were making it, this is how I'd do it: (note this recipe has not been tested - I don't have a crock pot in Hong Kong to cook it in or I would!)
1) Saute your onions and garlic.
2) Cut your chicken breasts into desired size for soup.
3) Add your broth (with maybe some extra), cilantro, onions, garlic, chicken  and chilies into the crock pot. I might also add some chunky canned tomatoes rather than extra broth at this step.
4) Let slow cook for several hours.
5) Before serving, stir in lime juice and add avocado slices to each bowl.

Suddenly an otherwise 30 minute soup has become a stew-like crock pot meal for those cool fall nights.

2) Sweet Potato Hummus 

Source: wholefamilyfare.blogspot.com via Carina on Pinterest

Sweet potatoes are a key fall food. They're also a great health food. Sweet potatoes are very low in saturated fats and cholesterol. Add to that their high dietary fiber and vitamin C content and we're looking at a pretty good, healthy food.

I love hummus, but I'm not fond of the sweetness of sweet potatoes. I do, however like red pepper hummus and this great recipe from Whole Family Fare claims to get close to that red pepper taste. I know this recipe will be on my list to make!

This recipe could bring some fall flavor to your lunch, as an appetizer for a dinner meal, or even add some elegance to an otherwise raging, cheese-dip filled football party. (Not that I'm against cheese-dips. I love cheese. More than I'm allowed to admit to my health-nut husband.)

3) Low-fat Pumpkin Bread with Pepitas

Source: skinnytaste.com via Carina on Pinterest

I know, I know... LOW FAT. But this recipe is naturally low fat. It doesn't contain any reduced fat dairy products, no reduced-anything substitutes and you can pronounce all of the ingredients. Promise.

The nice thing about this recipe is it gives you all the pumpkin flavor and moist bready goodness of a quick bread without the added fats. Skinnytaste.com gives you a healthy recipe with all of the weight watchers point information if that's something like to do.

This could be a great substitute for high sugar desserts. I imagine it would go really well served warm with a cup of hot apple cider or spiced wine.

And last, but not least...

4) Cute Wicked Witch Cupcakes

Source: marthastewart.com via Carina on Pinterest

I decided that each post must contain at least one Halloween food and these were too cute to pass up.

Not everyone is a fan of Martha Stewart, but you don't have to be to get some great ideas for making witchy cupcakes. They would be a great group activity - and kid friendly too. Assembling your own witch cupcake could bring out the artist in your friends for at a Halloween party.

Ahhh... there's nothing like getting into the season.

Tune in Wednesday for a regular post and Friday for another Fall Foods October Post.

What are your favorite fall foods?