Can you believe next weekend is already the unofficial end of summer?! I know I can't!
While you may be having one last cookout with summer flavors, fall produce and seasonal dishes are right around the corner!
So what's in season in fall? Some of my favorite fruits and veggies that are coming into season this month (and into the fall) include:
Apple (you can even go apple picking as a fun social activity to get some fresh ones!)
Pumpkin
Zucchini and other Squash
Corn
Green Beans
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Beets
Carrots
Melons
Tomatoes
Need some recipe ideas that will help you fuel into the school year while also incorporating fall themes and produce? Here's some inspiration!
Pumpkin Apple Baked Oatmeal
This recipe incorporates not one but two seasonal fall specialties! It's also a great make-ahead breakfast - Make a batch of baked oatmeal over the weekend, and it can be used for multiple breakfasts throughout the week, plus it's easy to take on the go!
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
1 tbsp. ground flax seed
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp sea salt
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground or fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg lightly beaten
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 medium apple, pealed and diced + 1/2 apple thinly sliced on top
2 tbsp. pumpkin seeds
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×9” baking pan, set aside.
In a small whisk together the oats, flax seed, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg, almond milk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla until combined.
Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until completely combined. Let sit for about 3-4 for the oats to absorb some of the liquid. Fold in the peeled diced apples
Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Slice the remaining apple into very thin slices and arrange like a fan on top of the oatmeal, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is set and slightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool.
Drizzle with almond butter and top with extra low sugar granola, or pecans if desired!
Recipe from Once Upon a Pumpkin!
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkins and fall are pretty much synonymous, and luckily for gymnasts, pumpkin seeds can also serve as a great addition to a meal or a snack, plus they're great to take on the go! If you carve pumpkins this year, don't throw away the seeds! Instead, roast them for a tasty and nutritious snack! This recipe can also be used for store-bought raw pumpkin seeds.
Ingredients:
¾ cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon paprika, optional
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (177ºC).
Wash pumpkin seeds in a colander to remove the pulp and fibers. Thoroughly dry with a towel.
In a small bowl combine pumpkin seeds, olive oil, salt, garlic powder, paprika (if using), and black pepper.
Lightly grease a sheet pan with olive oil. Evenly spread the seasoned pumpkin seeds on the sheet pan.
Bake until the seeds are toasted and crunchy, about 12 to 15 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes for even toasting, and check for doneness with each stir by tasting a seed for crunchiness.
Transfer the roasted pumpkin seeds to a bowl to cool down.
Recipe from Jessica Gavin!
Sheet Pan Chicken with Rainbow Veggies
This recipe is another great meal prep option - cook a batch at the beginning of the week to use for multiple meals. While the veggies require a little bit of time to cut and prepare, overall this recipe is pretty simple and minimal effort once the cooking begins! This recipe could be used on its own for a meal, although a gymnast will likely need more energy (and therefore more food) than the recipe can provide. To meet this goal, pair with pasta, rice, or quinoa or make it into a salad with a bed of lettuce, some nuts and seeds, cheese, and your favorite dressing!
Ingredients:
1 medium sweet potato, diced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces (about 2 medium breasts)
1 small head broccoli, cut into florets (about 2 cups florets)
1 red bell pepper, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 zucchini, halved lengthwise, then cut into 1/2-inch-thick half moons
1 yellow squash, halved lengthwise, then cut into 1/2-inch-thick half moons
Zest and juice of 1 medium lemon
2 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. For easy cleanup, line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lightly coat the foil with nonstick spray.
Place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss to coat and then spread into a single layer on the baking sheet. Keep the bowl handy. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are just beginning to soften on the outsides but are still too firm to eat.
Meanwhile, in the bowl that you used previously for the sweet potatoes, place the chicken, broccoli, bell pepper, zucchini, and yellow squash. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the lemon zest and juice, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat.
Transfer the chicken and vegetable mixture to the sheet pan with the sweet potatoes, using a spatula to spread everything into an fairly even layer and stirring it a bit if needed.
Return to the sheet pan to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 additional minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle and the vegetables are tender but not mushy. (They won’t be browned and caramelized but will be delicious to eat.) Sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve hot.
Recipe from Well Plated!
Black Bean and Corn Salsa
If you're not quite ready to leave summer behind, here's a reminiscent summer recipe that's simple to make and packs in protein and color! Combine with rice, a protein source, cheese, lettuce, and guacamole to make a burrito or burrito bowl to round out a meal!
Ingredients:
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, well drained
1 can (8 3/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, well drained
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chile pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
optional- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Cover.
Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve. Serve with tortilla chips.
Recipe from She Wears Many Hats!
Apple Pie Baked Apples
Really get into the fall spirit with this delicious apple pie dessert! Fun foods like these apple pie baked apples can fit in a gymnast's fueling plan, and even though they're not the most nutrient dense option, they do offer some nutrients like carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals (as well as satisfaction and deliciousness components, which are important as well)!
Ingredients:
3 Granny Smith apples
3 pink lady apples
1 tbsp. warm water
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. butter
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1 tsp. cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
1/3 c. granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 refrigerated pie crust
1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp. milk (egg wash)
Caramel, for drizzling
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°. Peel and dice one green and one red apple. Slice off tops and, using a melon baller, hollow out the remaining apples.
In a small bowl, whisk together warm water and cornstarch.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add diced apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, and sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook until apples are tender, about 5 minutes. Add in cornstarch mixture and cook 5 minutes more.
Place hollowed out apples in a baking dish and fill with cooked apple mixture.
On a piece of wax paper, roll out pie dough and cut into 4 circles. Slice each circle into thin strips. Make a lattice top on each apple, trimming any excess.
Brush crust with egg wash and sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar. Bake until apples are tender and crust is golden, 28 to 30 minutes.
Drizzle with caramel before serving.
Recipe from Delish!
Head into the fall with these delicious (mostly) fall-inspired that are great to meal prep in order to make fueling during the week just a little bit easier!
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