When contemplating festive fall flavors to incorporate into their seasonal food repertoire, most everyone’s mind goes immediately to pumpkin. I don’t blame them — pumpkin is definitely a warm, cozy flavor, and it’s pretty versatile, too. And with basically every brand pushing some sort of pumpkin spice product as soon as September rolls around, it’s hard NOT to think about pumpkin on a nearly daily basis.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a pumpkin spice hater. I like a good Pumpkin Sweet Cream Cold Brew and pumpkin muffin as much as the next gal. I just think it’s time pumpkin’s reign over fall foods comes to an end. Or at least chills out a little bit.
The dominance of pumpkin greatly overlooks what is, in my humble opinion, the best fall flavor — apple cinnamon. To be fair, Starbucks… tried. But let’s just say the apple crisp macchiato was not up to par. I’d give it a double-bogey at best.
Apple cinnamon deserves a place among the Pinterest boards and convenience store shelves,right up there along with pumpkin. To prove just how versatile and lovely apples are, I’ve compiled an apple recipe for every meal of the day — including snacks and desserts. Once you try these, pumpkin will be only an afterthought.
Breakfast: Apple Pie Baked Oats
Is there anything better on a cool fall morning than some nice warm baked oats straight out of the oven? I think not. Here’s how to make them, apple pie style.
Ingredients: (serves 1)
- ½ cup oats
- ¼ cup milk of choice
- ¼ cup apple sauce (mashed banana would work as well)
- 1 tbsp ea. flax & chia seeds
- 2-3 tbsp maple syrup (depends on how sweet you like ‘em)
- ½ – 1 tsp cinnamon (if you’re a cinnaholic like me, it might be more like 2!)
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ apple, chopped into small pieces
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Pinch salt
- Walnuts (opt. for topping)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Mix all the ingredients together (you can give them a quick blend in a bullet/blender if you prefer a cakier texture). Spray a ramekin or small baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the middle is cooked all the way through. Top with walnuts and a little extra maple syrup and enjoy!
Lunch: Ham, apple & brie panini sandwiches
Believe it or not, apples can be savory, too! This sandwich combines the saltiness of ham (prosciutto would also be great, but some of us are girlbossing on a budget, okay?), the sharpness of brie and the sweetness of apple for an incredibly satisfying bite. It’s basically a charcuterie sandwich, and I’m here for it.
All you have to do is butter the outsides of two slices of sourdough bread, then spread honey on the inside of one slice and dijon mustard on the inside of the other. Assemble the sandwich slices of ham, apple and brie (sharp cheddar is also good) on top of the bread. You could also add tomato slices if that’s your jam, or a leafy green like spinach or arugula. Put the sandwich on a panini press, or heat it on a pan for about 1-2 minutes on each side, until the cheese is nice and melty and the bread is nice and crusty. Slice it in half (or don’t) and thank me later.
Snack: Apple nachos
Sure, you could just eat an apple for a snack. But wouldn’t you rather have something much less boring and much more satisfying? If you answered yes to any of the previous questions, you may be entitled to some delicious apple nachos today.
To make them, just cut an apple into circular slices, arrange them on a plate and top them with whatever you like! I personally love peanut butter, honey, cinnamon and some granola or chocolate chips. I also love mixing a little caramel sauce with some Greek yogurt to use as a dip. Your options are truly endless, people.
Dinner: Apple & fall vegetable sheet pan dinner
I’ve already professed my love for sheet pan dinners multiple times throughout my career at HCLUC, but it’s because they’re so simple without skimping on any flavor. This fall veg and apple version is no exception.
All you have to do is cut and toss together some apples and your favorite fall vegetables — I love butternut squash and brussels sprouts — with some olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Spread it all out on a pan and roast at 425 F for about 30 minutes (the butternut squash might need a little longer). Pair it with your protein of choice and you are ready to go!
Dessert: Single-serve apple crisp
Apple crisp is one of those dishes that tastes SO good, you’d think it took hours of work to make. It’s deceiving, really, because it’s actually quite simple. You don’t even have to wait until the weekend to treat yourself, it’s that easy.
Ingredients:
- 1 apple, chopped (or sliced, however you prefer to eat it)
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- Pinch brown sugar,
- Pinch salt
- Pinch corn starch
Crumble topping:
- 2 tbsp cold butter, cubed
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- Oats (desired amount)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. In small bowl, mix together the apple, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, salt and cornstarch. In a separate bowl, combine butter, flour, brown sugar and oats (I usually just smoosh the butter in with my fingers). Spray a ramekin or small baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, pour in the apple mixture and top with the oat topping. Bake for 40-45 minutes until apples are soft. Top it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, turn on your comfort fall TV show (*cough* Gilmore Girls), and settle in for a cozy evening.