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Fall Menu Ambitions and Favorites

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The crisp smell of falling leaves, rain and harvest is in the air, and my mind can’t help but shift toward stews, potroast, roasted vegetables, pies and all the good eats that come with Fall. I’ve had a few menu items on my “to try” list since last year, so let’s see how many I get to this season:

What are some of your favorite Autumn-inspired dishes?

Roasted Corn and Avocado Caprese Salad

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Oh, yeah, summer won’t be over that easily! This salad is very simple to put together and a perfect side dish (or even a full fledged meal).

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 1-2 corn husks or 1 can of corn (on the cob is WAY better!)
  • 2-3 tbsp butter
  • Seasoning – I keep this open-ended, because it can be good with so many different flavorings. I chose a BBQ rub, comprised of chili powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, brown sugar, cayenne and Italian seasonings
  • 2 avocados, cubed
  • tomatoes, diced (I prefer cherry tomatoes, but that’s just my bag)
  • Kale leaves
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Optional meats: salami, cubed chicken, salmon

Directions

Grill up the corn adding butter and seasonings toward the end of its roasting (after about 10 minutes). If it’s not grilling season, it’s just as easy to do this on a stove top, it just tastes better when it’s off the cob. Mix in with avocado, tomatoes, and any other toppings you’d like. I found that the butter coated the whole dish nicely and didn’t require any additional dressing, though I would recommend a squeeze of fresh lime over the whole thing. Enjoy!

Potato Green Bean Salad and Rustic Pesto

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It’s picnic season, and an all time favorite of mine is this gluten-free, super easy potato and green bean salad. This baby first came into my life during my inaugural Hipcooks class “Healthy, Fresh and Zingy 2“, and I’m happy to say it’s made many appearances over the past few years. The most time consuming part of this dish is boiling and cooling the potatoes, everything else is smooth sailing.

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Spinach Parmesan Couscous

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A perfect compliment to a citrusy main dish, this couscous side dish is a pretty fast, tasty and colorful addition to your dinner (or lunch) plate. Once again, Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice provides a lovely recipe, that I look forward to trying again and again. Continue reading

Mango Salsa Salad with Farro

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Oh, hello summer. So nice to see you again! When the weather turns hot, I can’t be bothered with cooking hot things (well, to excess). I was first introduced to this mango salsa recipe sans farro years ago as a topping for grilled salmon (absolutely delicious), and since then have enjoyed it over chicken, shoveling it in my face with chips, and now as a light salad. This is a perfect picnic or potluck contribution and will keep for a few days. You can easily make this dish gluten-free by dropping the farro. I haven’t tried it with quinoa, but I imagine it would be equally delicious.

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Bacon Cheddar Cauliflower Fritters

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Wow, bam, pow! That’s exactly how I felt while eating these delightful fritters at Easter brunch. First and foremost, a HUGE thank you to Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice for sharing this wonderful recipe. I initially found this recipe on Pinterest, promptly added it to my Food Porn board, and kept waiting for the perfect time to bust out the plate. Continue reading

Moroccan-Inspired Salad: Dates, Mint, Quinoa, Beets and Arugula

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During a recent après ski evening, some friends compiled a series of side dishes, and the quinoa, date and arugula salad simply stole my heart! It’s the perfect spring salad: mint, dates, peppery arugula and quinoa for some extra texture and protein. I made my own version and decided to add beets: huge win! The original concoction did not include cheese, but at a friend’s recommendation, I added some chèvre and it was a double win. Picnic season anyone? Continue reading

Prosciutto wrapped manchego and persimmons

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This is a delightful appetizer that will surprise and please any party guests. Persimmons are wonderful during the winter, but can be replaced with Roma tomatoes as the spring and summer come around. I have to give a big THANK YOU to Hipcooks for introducing me to this deliciousness.

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Garlic Mashed Cauliflower and Potatoes

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Something you will likely hear a lot is that cauliflower, beets, brussel spouts and I have had a very sorted past. In fact, it is only until the last few years that I’ve opened my options to these peculiar vegetables, and I am SO glad I did! Continue reading