Our Fall Favorites – Healthy Nest Nutrition

Recipes to celebrate the harvest season.

Most of you know, fall is my favorite season. You just can’t beat the crisp mornings, bustling farmer’s markets with overflowing and colorful veggies, and so many delicious options everywhere you turn.

Here are a few veggie-focused recipes I’ve been making that use all the in-season produce.

Special Sauces to Jazz Up the Ordinary

Tried and True Basil Pesto
Modified from loveandlemons.com. Makes about 1 cup.

This classic basil pesto recipe is nutty and bright.

½ cup toasted walnuts
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove
¼ teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups basil leaves
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for a smoother pesto
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

In a food processor, combine the walnuts, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper and pulse until well chopped. Add the basil and pulse until combined. With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil and pulse until combined. Add the Parmesan cheese, and pulse to briefly combine. For a smoother pesto, add more olive oil.

Peperonata
From 6 Seasons. McFadden. Serves 4.

This is a silky smooth, chunky, deep-flavored topping or dip.

4 pounds of peppers, mostly sweet, but a few hot too (to taste)
9 pounds tomatoes (½ regular, cut into chunks, ½ cherry tomatoes)
extra virgin olive oil 
5 garlic cloves
3 bunches of scallions, trimmed, including ½ inch off the green tops, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ tsp dried chili flakes
salt and pepper
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
6 sprigs of fresh thyme

Core and seed the peppers. Cut them into slices, some thick and some thin for the best texture. Set aside. Heat ½ cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the garlic and cook slowly to toast until it’s very soft, but not burnt. Add the peppers, half of the scallions, chili flakes and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the peppers start to relax, about 5 minutes. 

Add half of the tomatoes (use the regular chunks). Cook and stir until the peppers and tomatoes are very soft, about 30 minutes. The tomato pulp should become like a thick sauce. Stir frequently. Add the cherry tomatoes and the rest of the scallions, vinegar, and thyme. Continue to cook until the cherry tomatoes are soft. Serve warm over chicken, fish, eggs, or with crackers.

Hearty End-of-Season Salads

Quinoa Tabbouleh
From Cooks Illustrated. Serves 4.

A twist on the classic and a great lunch salad.

½ cup cooked quinoa
3 tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
1 ½ cups minced fresh parsley
½ cup mint, chopped
2 scallions, sliced thin

Combine all ingredients. Let sit at room temp until flavors blend, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with hummus and baba ganoush (eggplant dip) with pita bread or with gluten-free crackers.

Quinoa, Tomatoes, Corn, Mint, Basil + Scallions Bowl
From 6 Seasons. McFadden. Serves 4.

Fresh and bursting with summer and fall flavors.

3 cups cooked quinoa
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
4 ears sweet corn, husked, and kernels chopped off cob 
1 handful fresh mint leaves 
1 handful fresh basil leaves
¼ cup red wine vinegar 
1 tsp dried chile flakes
Salt and pepper 
extra virgin olive oil

Make the quinoa. Add chopped scallions, tomatoes, corn, mint, basil and toss everything together. Add olive oil, vinegar and chili flakes, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Can be served chilled or at room temp.

Roasted Beets, Carrots + Quinoa Bowl
From 6 Seasons. McFadden. Serves 4.

A beautiful and complex dish. Roasted beets and carrots are earthy, rich, sweet and just fantastic together and the citrus dressing gives it the perfect zing.

For the Veggies:
1 pound beets, yellow and red if possible
½ pound carrots, a mix of colors if possible, cut into thick coins
½ pound onions or shallots, cut into chunks
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 sprig thyme
½ tsp dried chili flakes
½ cup salted roasted sunflower seeds
1 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves, rough chopped
½ cup crumbled feta cheese, optional
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

For the Citrus Vinaigrette:
1 orange
1 lemon
1 lime
1 ½ tbsp honey
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk vinaigrette ingredients to combine. 

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Trim tops and bottoms of beets, peel and cut into bite sized chunks. Toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes. Toss carrots and onions with olive oil, add to the roasting pan. Roast 15 more minutes. Toss with citrus vinaigrette and add quinoa, spices, seeds and feta if using.