There's no way of denying it any more, winters coming. But before it arrives there are a few precious months of crisp Autumn air, trees changing colours, long walks in the park and running through rustling leaves ahead. There's also a whole new variety of seasonal fruit and vegetables out there which is why we can't resist sharing our favourite fall recipes with you. So if you are a foodie like all us Lickalickers keep reading and get into the Autumn mood with us :)
Spinach Salad with Beet and Sweet Potato: This lovely salad is a great choice if you are looking for a light dinner with a seasonal twist. Combining two of our favorite fall veggies this meal is packed with healthy nutritious ingredients that taste delicious and will nourish your body from the inside out.
What you will need:
3 handfuls of baby spinach leaves
1 medium size sweet potato
1 large beet
1 avocado
1/2 handful roasted or caramelized pecans
1 tablespoon of maple syrup (optional)
1 drizzle of olive oil
1 pinch of salt and pepper
-
1 handful of goats cheese (optional)
For the dressing:
1 splash of balsamic vinegar
1 splash of olive oil
1 teaspoon of mustard
1 pinch of salt and pepper
How to make it:
Peel the sweet potato and beet and cut into 1 inch sized cubes. Place them into a mixing bowl and drizzle them with some olive oil or other oil of your choice. Season with some salt and pepper and give them a good toss before spreading them out on a baking tray. Put them in the oven on 200 degrees Celsius for about 40 minutes or until they are tender and the sweet potatoes turn a nice golden brown. In the mean time you can prep the rest of the salad by washing the spinach and cutting up the avocado. To caramelize the pecans heat up some maple syrup in a skillet and toss the pecans to give them a nice sweet glaze. Take them off the stove and make sure that you don't eat them while they are to hot! Sugar burns are the worst! On that note: caramelizing the pecans is completely optional, you can also just add them roasted if you don't have much of a sweet tooth :) To make the dressing simply combine all the ingredients and give them a good whisk. Once the veggies are roasted toss all your ingredients together in a bowl and you are ready to enjoy your delicious Autumn salad! If you want to add some extra creaminess to your dish crumble up some goats cheese or feta and sprinkle it over the top. Yummy!
French Onion Soup:
If you are in the mood for something warm and comforting to eat, look no further, this one is for you! French onion soup is definitely one of our all time favourites here in the office because it does not only taste good, it also takes very little ingredients to make and is great if you are on a budget. Shout out to all the students out there that want to make a tasty meal without having to spend a fortune on the ingredients. Making this soup will also make you feel like a bit of a master chef, even though it hardly takes any effort at all to prepare. So give it a go, we promise it will leave you crying for more :)
What you will need:
5 white onions
2 tablespoons of butter or any vegetable oil you like
1 splash of white wine
1 litre of vegetable stock
4 twigs of thyme
1-2 slices of bread
1 handful of strong cheddar cheese or any other hard cheese you prefer.
How to make it:
Start of by slicing the onions into thin rings. Pro tip from us (yes we know everyone has a different onion cutting tip, but this one really works!): take a huge sip of water into your mouth without swallowing it while cutting the onions, this will help prevent you from crying. Place the butter into a pot and let it melt. Add the onions and start caramelizing them slowly. This process will take a while. Keep stirring occasionally and make sure to scratch the brown caramelized bits of the bottom now and then. After about 25 to 30 minutes add a splash of white wine and let that reduce for a little longer. The onions should cook down to about a fourth of the original volume and you should be left with soft onions and lots of caramelized bits. At this point ad about a liter of vegetable stock and the thyme. To make it extra delicious let the soup simmer for an additional 20 minutes before transferring it into an ovenproof bowl. Now slice up some bread and after giving it a nice toast place it on top of the soup. Sprinkle (generously) with some grated cheese and place underneath the broiler for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Carefully take your soup out of the oven and start spooning away :)
Butternut Squash and Kale Gnocchi: Hearing people trying to pronounce Gnocchi is not the only reason we love this recipe so much. It is delicious Autumn comfort food and makes for a great dinner meal to impress your friends or simply treat yourself. So if you want to learn how to make this mouth watering dish that transforms store bought gnocchi into a five star meal, keep right on reading.
What you will need (for one hungry person or 2 people):
1 pack of gnocchi
1/2 butternut squash
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 bunch of kale
1/2 cup of vegetable broth
1/2 cup goats cheese or grated Parmesan if you are not a fan of goats cheese
1 tablespoon of butter or any vegetable oil of your choice
1 pinch of chili flakes
1 pinch of salt and pepper
How to make it:
First peel and dice the butternut squash into 1 inch cubes then place the butter in a deep skillet or large pot and start melting it. Add the squash and let cook and brown until it starts getting tender. At this point add some sliced garlic and let cook for an additional 2-3 minutes so the garlic can get a nice roast. Add the chili flakes and season with salt and pepper. Then chop the kale into smaller pieces, pour 1/2 cup of vegetable broth in the pot and wait till it boils before tossing in the kale. Let the kale cook for about 2 minutes before adding the gnocchi. At this point put a lid on top of your pan and cook the gnocchi for about 5 minutes or until done. Lastly add in half of your creamy goats cheese or any other cheese of your choice and stir to combine it with the rest of the ingredients. For a final touch add some extra cheese on top and place the pan (only if it's oven proof!) in an oven under the broiler for a few minutes to give it a cheesy golden brown finish. Now all that's left to do is enjoy!
We hope this post has helped you get into the Autumn spirit! If you decide to give one of our recipes a try, why not post a picture with the #lickalixfallfoodfavorites? We would love to see your creations or hear what your favourite fall meals are. Feel free to leave your faves in the comments below, so we can give them a try as well! :)
If you would like to see more LICKALIX, head over to our Instagram: LICKALIXLTD, Twitter: https://twitter.com/LICKALIX or our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lickalix.
Brought to you by the guys and gals who make natural, healthy, handmade, ice lollies using real fruit that are lactose, gluten and dairy free. Keep posted for more blogs and let us know if there is anything you would like us to write about!
