Hello & Happy October!

I love everything fall-food-related… give me all the roasted root veggies, pumpkin-flavored everything, warm spices, and cozy soups & pastas.

I also love making fall-inspired salads. So much tastebud magic can happen when we combine flavors/foods like roasted veggies, maple, roasted pecans, apples, and pears!

Today I’m sharing three of my favorite fall salads, using my favorite maple tahini dressing!

This is my go-to fall dressing for a variety of salads/bowls… featuring tahini, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, and the usual add-ins (salt/pepper/etc.). It is nice and creamy, and can function as a dip or a dressing!

The dressing is incredibly easy to make — I usually add everything to my Vitamix and simply give it a blend! I also usually make the dressing x3 so it will last for a good week or so!

Fall Salad Idea #1 // Fall Harvest Salad 

Fall Harvest Salad:

• Mixed greens (or salad green of choice)
• Roasted sweet potato (w/ salt + pepper, maybe a bit of cinnamon for good measure)
• Chopped honeycrisp
• Toasted pecans
• Dried cherries (dried cranberries also work great! I like to buy the unsweetened kind)
• Cinnamon-roasted chickpeas (season chickpeas w/ salt + pepper + cinnamon and roast until crispy)

Add a dollop of maple tahini dressing and you’re good to go!

Fall Salad Idea #2 // Roasted Veggie Salad 

Roasted Veggie Salad:

• Arugula (or salad green of choice)
• Whatever fall-inspired roasted veggies you love (I used butternut + brussels + carrot + cauliflower + red onion; all seasoned w/ some rosemary and thyme)
• Toasted pecans
• Dried cherries

Finish your bowl w/ adding a dollop of the best maple tahini dressing!

Fall Salad Idea #3 // Delicata Squash + Apple Salad 

Delicata Squash + Apple Salad

• Kale (or salad green of choice)
• Roasted delicata squash (w/ salt + pepper + cinnamon)
• Roasted butternut squash (w/ salt + pepper + cinnamon)
• Chopped honeycrisp
• Dried cherries

I added some chicken this time, which goes great with any of the above salads!

Add your maple tahini dressing to your bowl and massage it with the kale so it gets nice and tender.

To roast a delicata squash, I cut it length-wise and then scoop out the seeds. I then turn the squash half on its side and cut it into moon-shaped pieces as shown above.

Other salad toppings to mix & match:

• Dried cranberries, dried cherries, or dates
• Roasted delicata squash, butternut squash, sweet potato, or wild rice
• Honeycrisp apple, pear, red pear, or plum
• Toasted pecans or walnuts
• Goat cheese, chicken, turkey, cinnamon-roasted chickpeas

What other fall-inspired toppings might you imagine?? The options are endless!

I love to enjoy any of the above salads with a pumpkin choco chip muffin or almond flour roll. A cup of warm soup would also be fabulous!

Recent fall weekend eats //

This past weekend Alec’s mom was in town. I made my new favorite (and simple!) bolognese sauce from the Run Fast Eat Slow cookbook.

Once the sauce is done simmering, I stir in some kale for extra veg / texture! Served over chickpea noodles and topped w/ shredded parmesan.

We also had some apple cake, one of Alexis’ newer recipes. I honestly was a bit underwhelmed by this cake, but I think it would be amazing w/ some maple sea salt gelato! YUM. Sans gelato, it functions better as a breakfast coffee-type-cake or snack cake IMO.

I also made a new breakfast crumble(?) type recipe… I really loved this! ALSO from the same cookbook series (Rise & Run). I had never made anything w/ an apple + blueberry combo, so was a tad skeptical, but figured it would be good since I love all of their recipes!!

This photo was before baking.

An apple/blueberry base w/ a perfectly sweetened nutty/coconut cinnamon crumble topping. I loved this topped with whole milk yogurt, mixed nut nutter, a bit of red pear w/ cinnamon. Will definitely make this many more times in the future!

Other weekend eats included Nepali/Indian food at Everest Sherpa, more pumpkin choco chip muffins, *of course* a fall salad w/ maple tahini dressing, and plenty of chocolate!

What is the best thing you have eaten recently??

Any fall salad combinations that you love?

Have a wonderful start to October! 🙂