My Fall Favorites

I have to say, Fall is my ALL time favorite time of the year. I love the crisp air and cold nights. Not to mention the colors changing in the leaves. 🍁 We do not get much of that in Southern California, but I do enjoying seeing your amazing photos that are being posted from all around. As soon as the produce at the farmers markets shifts, I instantly get in the mood to make soup and bake. There is nothing like a chilly night in with a bowl of soup finished off by a pumpkin treat. There are certain fruits, vegetables, and flavors that I love to use this time of year. Here is a list of some of my favorite Fall flavors and foods.

Fall Favorites

Pumpkin

This is a given; pumpkins become popular starting in October but carry on all the way through Thanksgiving and sometimes even Christmas. This was my first year using fresh pumpkin to cook with. I made homemade pumpkin puree to make my Vegan Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins. Both recipes are linked here! If you don’t have the time to make your own puree, just opt for organic canned pumpkin for your desserts. You can also try adding fresh pumpkin to your soups, or maybe even put your soup into a cooked pumpkin! There is also pumpkin spice which is delicious in your coffee or added to a cup of warm milk with a dash of coconut sugar.

Pecans

Regardless of the season, pecans are one of my favorite nuts, but I find myself using them much more often during the Fall holidays. My grandmother used to make the BEST chocolate pecan pie for Thanksgiving. I attempt to recreate it each year, but it will never turn out as good as my Memas! Pecans go well on top of almost any Fall dessert. I also love to make my Whiskey Maple Pecans during the holidays. They are very simple to make; mix your pecans with maple syrup, cinnamon, cardamom, and fresh ginger puree and bake 15 minutes at 350!

Chai

Chai flavor is the perfect complement to a chilly autumn morning. I love making a warm cup of chai tea and walking my dog, Luna, on a Fall morning. If you prefer, you can even turn it into a chai latte. Baked good with chai spice added to baked goods in are also delightful. Try adding in chai flavors to your pumpkin pie or pecan pie this holiday season. Chai spice is also easy to create at home (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and all spice).

Brussel Sprouts

Brussels are a staple for holiday meals. Whether you bake them with simple flavors or add in a bit of bacon, you will always find them on my plate on Thanksgiving. Right now my favorite way to cook Brussels is using my balsamic roasted Brussel sprouts recipe! This recipe perfectly cooks Brussel sprouts with a delicious sweetness from the balsamic vinegar. I also love to use this exact recipe on other vegetables like asparagus and cauliflower!

Squash
I love all different types of squash. My favorite two during the Fall holidays are acorn squash and delicate squash. Most people are quite intimidated when they see these vegetables. The reason I always choose these over butternut is because you do not have to peel them! You can simple cut them in half, remove the seeds, slice them in any shape you would like, and roast them. My favorite flavor to add to the squash is curry powder. I typically rub them down with salt, pepper, curry powder, and olive oil. Try this out and top with pomegranate seeds and I promise you will not be disappointed.

Figs

Figs are typically a late Fall fruit, but here in southern California they become ripe a bit earlier. I am very grateful for this. I absolutely love black mission figs. They are wonderful to eat straight off the tree, but they also make a great topping for goat cheese and prosciutto pizza, or even stuffed inside a galette crust. If you are looking to throw a party these holidays, add figs to your cheese board along with candied pecans and a few nice artisanal cheeses.

Maple

Maple is great year round, but typically favored during the Fall holidays. Of course, we all love sticky maple syrup on pancakes, but this flavor can do so much more. Sweet maple flavor can be used in any dessert of choice or even enjoyed in your morning latte. I have used maple in many of my desserts such as Raw Vegan No Bake Cheesecake, Dairy Free Egg Nog, Black Bean Brownies, and Vegan Granola.

Ginger

Ginger is great for sweet or savory dishes. I add fresh ginger or ginger powder into most of my pumpkin desserts and even in some of my hot teas or latte that I make. You can also add fresh ginger to vegetables sauté or soups for the fall. Not only is ginger delicious, it is also fantastic for the immune system during the holidays. Ginger helps kick a cold in the butt, if you are feeling sick start to drink warm ginger + lemon water in the mornings.

Persimmons

Persimmons come out late fall and stay through the winter. In California persimmon trees are one of the few trees that actually changes color as the weather cools. I had never heard of this fruit up until last year, and I absolutely love it. A good persimmon at its peak will taste almost like honey, sweet and rich in flavor. Persimmons can be used in things like breads, muffins, pie, jams or even blended up and used as a sweetener.