Fall Snack Recipes

 F all is my favorite season of the year.  I have always loved the fall and have missed the changing of the seasons since I have moved to the southwest. However the local stores, including those where I buy my groceries, are reminding me that fall is here. There are so many great snack ideas that help me to take in the different fall flavors of the season and I love returning to them each October. Some of my favorite foods to use are pumpkin and pumpkin seeds, apples, winter squash (such as Butternut), pecans, almonds and sweet potatoes. When you add the fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and brown sugar to that you have one tasty season. These are also foods that many people, myself included, tend to forget about the rest of the year. Following are a few of my favorite recipes and snack ideas for fall.  Happy Fall snacking!!

Greek Pumpkin Yogurt

Ingredients:
1 cup plain, low fat or fat free Greek yogurt (any brand will do)
1/3 to 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (I usually use canned)
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon sugar or artifical sweetener (such as Splenda or Truvia)
1/2 Tablespoon pumpkin seeds (roasted, unsalted)
Cinnamon-to tasteDirections:
1. Mix pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice and sugar (or sweetener) together with wire wisk
2. Mix Greek yogurt and pumpkin puree together with wire wisk (I find that the wisk works well but a blender would probably work as well)
3. Sprinkle a the roasted (unsalted) pumpkin seeds and cinnamon over top for a crunch

Baked Apples

Ingredients:
5 Tablespoons of Maple syrup (may be sugar free)
1/2 cup low fat milk or Non-dairy milk
1/3 cup of Oatmeal
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
3 Apples, sliced
1/4 to 1/2c chopped pecans
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients, except apples, pecans and 1 T of maple syrup, in a large bowl. Add apples and toss until well coated.
2. Pour into a 9×9 baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, stir once and bake for 20 more minutes.
3. Toss pecans in maple syrup and sprinkle on top of the apples during the last 5 minutes of baking.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:                     
                      2-3 Medium sweet potatoes
                      1/2 cup low fat milk or Non-dairy milk
                      1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
                      1/2 Tablespoon nutmeg
                      1/4 cup brown sugar or Splenda brown sugar artificial sweetener
                      1/4 cup melted margarine or canola oil
                      1/2 cup slivered roasted almonds
　
Directions:
1. Peel and chop sweet potatoes in small cubes and boil until soft.
2. Once cooked through, drain pototoes and mash with a potato masher
3. Add in other ingredients and mix together (I use an electric hand mixer)
4. Top with slivered roasted almonds and serve
　
Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:
                     2 onions, diced
                     6 cloves garlic, peeled
                     3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
                     1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
                     1 bay leaf
                     7 cups vegetable stock or water
                     1 teaspoon cinnamon
                     1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:
1. In a large pot, combine the onions, garlic, squash, ginger, bay leaf and stock. Bring to a boil and then simmer gently for about 30 minutes. When the squash is tender, add the cinnamon,
and nutmeg. Simmer another 5 minutes.
2. Remove the Bay leaf and puree with an immersion blender or place in a blender jar and process until smooth. Transfer back to the pot, season with salt and pepper to taste, and re-heat.
Hint: Some stores sell peeled, chopped, winter squash in bags, both fresh and/or frozen which cuts down on preparation time.