Tag Archives: fall

Monday Munchies: It’s All About the Pumpkin

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One would think that this means it’s raining. But no… it’s not. And 75 degrees at 7:30 in the morning is not what I call Fall weather… Apparently Florida missed the memo. I get another soggy and humid month before the rainy season finally breaks.

But enough moping, I’m still trying to embrace Fall and in spirit of this I have an amazing Monday Munchies recipe for you! I know last week I was still trying to be fair to my summer squash but I’ve moved on to the real star… Pumpkin. I may or may not have just had pumpkin pie oats with some pumpkin spice coffee on the side for breakfast… I mean, what? No… I’m not that obsessed I swear.. or maybe I am, and you should be too because of this recipe. Ready? Go

White Chocolate Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies

  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 and 1/2 cup oats
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • **1/2 cup white chocolate chips

  1. Combine egg, vanilla and pumpkin puree in a large mixing bowl
  2. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice
  3. Add oats, flour, baking powder and soda, and salt… mix well, dough will be sticky
  4. Fold in white chocolate chips
  5. Drop spoonfuls of dough evenly onto baking sheet
  6. Flatten each cookie with the back of a fork (they hardly spread while baking)
  7. Bake in oven at 350 for 10-12 minutes
  8. Makes 18 small cookies or 12 larger cookies

I starred the white chocolate chips because you could easily do a glaze on top instead.

Seriously though, whole wheat flour? No butter or oil? Only a half cup of brown sugar? I’d eat these babies for breakfast, of course only on days that I didn’t also have pumpkin pie oats and pumpkin coffee… maybe for a snack. I think might need to scale it back a bit with the pumpkin.

Does it feel like fall yet where you live? How much do you love pumpkin?

Monday Munchies - soup style

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Well…

That’s all I have to say about that.

Moving on! So to start off this lovely October, I thought I’d share a recipe that just SCREAMS fall. And in lieu of all the pumpkin recipes out there right now, I figured I would highlight the squash that you have all so insensitively forgotten about by now… Zucchinis!

Sure, they’re summertime crop, but they grow late into the season, meaning right now is the time to buy them cheap cheap cheap because everyone is trying to get rid of them.

Here is my absolute favorite and “go-to” soup recipe. It is so easy and so quick, especially if you have a food processor.

Tuscan Vegetable Soup from Ellie Krieger, MS, RD

(small adaptations by me)

  • 15 ounce can cannellini beans, or about 2 cups prepared from dry
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 large sweet or Spanish onion, diced
  • 2 large carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 medium zucchini, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning (or a mixture of oregano, rosemary, thyme, basil)
  • 32 ounces low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 14.5 ounce can “no salt added” diced tomatoes
  • 3 cups chopped baby spinach
  • salt and pepper

  1. Drain and rinse cannellini beans, then mash until chunky
  2. In a large pot on the stove, heat EVOO over medium-high heat
  3. Sweat onions, carrots and celery with salt and pepper (to taste), about 2 minutes
  4. Add zucchini, garlic and Italian seasoning, cook until tender
  5. Pour in tomatoes (do not drain), heat for 2 minutes
  6. Reduce to medium heat and add broth, bring to a boil
  7. Stir in mashed beans until they melt into the broth, simmering for 5 minutes
  8. Turn heat off and stir in the chopped spinach
  9. Cover until spinach is wilted, then add more salt and pepper if desired
  10. Serve immediately, topped with Parmesan cheese

Things to note:

- If you can’t find cannellini beans, any white bean will do.

- Want it a bit heartier? Add another can of beans but leave them whole. Definitely don’t skip out on the mashed beans though, it makes the soup rich and velvety.

- Try adding small pieces of cauliflower for an even bigger veggie punch.

There is nothing better than curling up with a big bowl of this soup, decked out in your fuzzy slippers and robe, and dunking thick pieces of crusty, multi-grain baguette to soak up all the yummy broth left at the bottom of the bowl. Not even the 90 degree Florida sun can stop me from enjoying that.

What’s your favorite cozy “cold weather” food?